Another Nintendo mainstay’s joined the 25^th-anniversary club, and he’s got a brand-new game that pays tribute in its own special way: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Featuring classic elements, characters, and enemies from many of the best Zelda games from the past—with plenty of nuances to make it its own standalone title—Skyward Sword’s conceived as a prequel to Ocarina of Time, a title not only considered by many to be the best Zelda game of all time, but also one of the best videogames of all time. Those are some pretty heavy Iron Boots to fill. READ MORE

Role-playing games just ain’t what they used to be. The days of pulling together a party, trudging through turn-based combat systems, and suffering through 10-minute cutscenes in one’s quest to save the universe are definitely on the way out, and while some may lament the loss of this tried-and-true style of swords, sorcery, and storytelling, there’s no doubt that Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series has done a lot to change the way we see the genre, focusing on open-world technology, real-time combat, and an impressive emphasis on freedom of choice. READ MORE

We recently were able to go hands-on with a more complete build of UFC Undisputed 3 and while the controls still amazed us with the ease we were able to pick them up and play, and many of the fighters seem to be better balanced than before, we were more focused this time around in taking a step back into the MMA past with the game's new Pride mode. READ MORE

In the first of two high-profile releases featuring everyone’s favorite plumber, Super Mario 3D Land features a combination of classic Mario action and stunning 3D effects, providing one of the most compelling reasons to grab Nintendo’s struggling handheld. READ MORE

I’m not too keen on the idea of really shooting another man in the head with an AK-47 in the horrific heat of war, but isn’t it a wonder how our fantasies take us to some pretty heavy territory? I have a terrific time being a soldier in a world war in Modern Warfare 3. Some people hate the idea of a game like this, and I kind of understand where they’re coming from. But I’m not here to debate the rights and wrongs of war in our videogames—I’m here to proclaim Modern Warfare 3 the most intense, the most convincing first-person shooter I’ve ever played. READ MORE

Over the years, the handy virtual pet has offered many children the chance of owning a fantastic creature without having to clean up the mess. I remember when I was younger and I was suckered into the Tamagotchi craze. And so now, many years later, we’ve seen this virtual-pet genre evolve to the point that we’ve got motion-control gimmick games that basically serve the same purpose. And so, with that, we’re looking at the second iteration of Sony’s virtual-pet time- and money-waster in EyePet & Friends. READ MORE

We’ve certainly seen a slew of motion-control sports games of late—with some definitely more worthwhile experiences than others. The latest publisher to hop on the trend? Deep Silver, the folks who turned the zombie-blasting genre on its head a couple months ago with Dead Island. But can they bring that same innovation to another genre that seems to have hit a brick wall in terms of ingenuity via little-known German developer 49Games? READ MORE

Centered around the tale of a father who finds himself stuck on the other side of the country after a natural disaster of unknown origins, I Am Alive isn’t filled with aliens, brain-biters or post-nuclear knuckle-draggers, focusing instead on the simple yet daunting task of navigating the devastation and danger left when the world goes to hell in a handbasket. READ MORE

All this week, EGMNOW.com takes a look at our picks for the five most influential Japanese videogames ever released. READ MORE

EGM takes a look at the contents of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Limited Edition and lets you know if its worth the extra cash. READ MORE

EA Black Box – the studio behind the biggest racing franchise in the gaming world – has something special up its sleeve. Need for Speed: The Run takes risks in a series already marching to the beat of its own drum; past iterations have swapped their leanings from simulation (Shift) to pure arcade fun (Hot Pursuit), while also playing around with how much you could customize your cars. The Run has broad appeal by sitting comfortably in the middle of these spectrums. Add to that the tasteful introduction of both an outside-the-car protagonist and the new Frostbite 2 engine, and you have the makings of a game well worth the ride. READ MORE

So, with Batman: Arkham City featuring Catwoman and Robin as playable challenge map characters, it would only make sense that the next member of the Bat-family to be featured would be the original sidekick for the Caped Crusader in the form of Grayson. But is he worth the $7 DLC price-tag (560 Microsoft Points) he comes with or should he simply retreat back to the shadows? READ MORE

All this week, EGMNOW.com takes a look at our picks for the five most influential Japanese videogames ever released. READ MORE

All this week, EGMNOW.com takes a look at our picks for the five most influential Japanese videogames ever released. READ MORE

All this week, EGMNOW takes a look at our picks for the five most influential Japanese videogames ever released. READ MORE

If you’re any bit of a Lord of the Rings fan, you’ll be blown away by the lengths the development team went to make this look, sound, and feel faithful to that universe. READ MORE

For 20 years, Sonic the Hedgehog has been the fastest videogame character in the world. Sega’s original Sonic series managed to compete with Nintendo’s heavy hitter, Mario, because it gave players not only speed, but also multiple paths through every level. This core’s held over the years, even though the move to the third dimension hasn’t fared as well for the blue furball. Sonic: Generations brings the old and the new together, literally pitting the original 2D and current 3D Sonic in a tale intended to make original and current Sonic fans happy. Unfortunately, it only works half the time. READ MORE

Suda51 loves nothing more than to parody American culture as well as mix in some musical aspects to his games and so a lot of the elements to his upcoming hack ‘n’ slash zombie fest Lollipop Chainsaw should come as no surprise. Described as sex, blood, and rock ‘n’ roll, Lollipop Chainsaw follows one Juliet Starling, a former cheerleader of San Romero High School (named such in tribute to the father of modern zombie culture, George A. Romero) and how she must put down many of her former classmates who have been turned into the walking undead. READ MORE

EGM’s own Brandon Justice had a chance to catch up with NFL Blitz‘s Lead Designer, Yuri Bialoskursky, about what new features we can expect in Blitz's online modes! READ MORE

Games can educate us, entertain us, and enlighten us in many ways. They are also often more capable than any poorly written Hollywood blockbuster in scaring the s*** out of us and these terrifying tales are a testament to the medium’s interactive experience. So, in honor of this most horrific of holidays, we here at EGM have compiled a list of our top five games, in no particular order, that have probably collectively taken a couple of years off our lives and forced us to change our pants on several occasions. READ MORE