Mario Kart

I hadn't seen the new Mario Kart 7 ad until this morning, but by the looks of it, it's probably CGI, right? Wrong. The ad for the latest title to hit the Nintendo 3DS is bright, shiny, and fun, just like the game itself, but it's made up of real cars and real drivers, as evidenced by a new behind-the-scenes clip from the ad team.

Check out the official ad above, then get a glimpse of the making of the ad in a short behind-the-scenes clip after the break.

The holidays aren't just a time to stuff your face with home-cooked meals, it's also a time to reconnect with your family. Don't just huddle around the TV to watch the football game on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day — try getting the whole clan involved in some friendly video game competition. Who says family gatherings have to be boring?

• Wii Sports — ($30) — It's the hit that keeps on kickin! Wii Sports is still a crowd-pleaser at my house — and many others — during the holidays, since it gets everyone moving (which seems to help with digestion of a big meal). And as you'd expect, bowling is an age-defying favorite, but the other games, including golf, tennis, baseball, and boxing, provide endless hours of entertainment.
• Dance Central 2 ($50) — Just imagine Uncle Joe shaking his groove thang to Lady Gaga, and Auntie Sissy battling it out against you on the dance floor. This game is a lot of fun, and even more entertaining to watch.
• Wii Party ($34) — Leave the old-timey board game in the closet and play this game instead. Wii Party lets you use your Mii to compete in over 13 different party games and 17 minigames that are fun for the kids and grandparents alike.
• Mario Kart ($49) — Use your Wii controller or a special Wii wheel to race your friends and fam through courses set along Mario-themed tracks.
• Kinect Sports ($44) — Sure, there's a newer version of Kinect Sports, but the original is still a fave. The original features soccer, beach volleyball, bowling, table tennis, track and field, and boxing to get your family off the couch post-Thanksgiving pig-out.

Just before I left for a weekend trip to Portland, OR, I heard about an especially geeky bike path that someone had painted on a newly paved stretch of North Williams Avenue in Northeast Portland. And luckily, the bike path was on the way to an especially yummy brunch spot, so I got to check it out for myself!

The path is painted with stenciled details from Mario Kart — banana peels, shells, mushrooms, and a star at the end. While there were only six or seven designs stenciled onto the street (mostly banana peels), it's a cute touch to an otherwise nondescript half-mile of bike path. Check out the designs in the photos below; I'm not sure how legal it is to stencil art onto the street, but you have to admit it's completely cute.

What happens when the sometimes-sick humor of Seth Green's Robot Chicken capitalizes on the relentlessly wholesome game play of Mario Kart? Let's just say that sweet little Toad's driving skills are milked for all they're worth, not to mention innovative uses of the turtle shells and boosts.