This week's recap features a wide variety of news - from a TV spot, self-mutilation, pastries, and even sandwich bags trying to pass off as DSi accessories. While it's not the most gaming-dense rundown we've had, it certainly makes up for it with some amusement. Read on for the Nintendo Weekend Warrior.

Nothing like cakes to make a celebration sweeter. And nothing like Mario cakes to make the Italian woo-hoos even sweeter. At the Tesco store in the UK, Super Mario Bros. Celebration cakes are now available, and shaped like a Nintendo DS just for kicks. Flavors and details after the jump.

When I hear the words "demo play", the first thing I think about are those old demos that used to kick in when you left a game in the "Press Start" screen for too long. Nintendo is taking the demo play idea to a whole new level, however. In an interview with USA Today, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that they're adding an optional feature -- called "demo play" -- that will make the Wii even more accessible by making games play themselves.

Here is a cool Wiibrew game courtesy of  homebrew coder Tantric. Super Mario War Wii is a port of a Super Mario multiplayer game Super Mario War using SDL Wii. The games features up to four player deathmatch, different game modes and more. The goal of the game is to stomp as many other Marios as possible to win the game.


Download: Super Mario War Wii v1.2

Nintendo has sent out the official press release for New Super Mario Bros. Wii, one of the two new Mario games for the Wii announced at Nintendo's E3 press conference yesterday. Probably the biggest draw in this version of Mario is the simultaneous four-player gameplay. Just thinking of all the chaos and fun this aspect will bring to the table has me all excited.

It's real-time, baby! Keep it posted here for our coverage on Nintendo's E3 Press Conference.

Check out the updates after the jump!

While violent video games are getting bombarded with criticism and even legislations, an Iowa State research team finds that non-violent games may enhance pro-social behavior in players. The team, called the Insciences Organisation, conducted a study and found that players who play prosocial games behave more prosocially than those who play other forms. More in the full article.

Games may often get a bad rap in the court room, what with guys like Jack Thompson running around, but  this time it got some positive recognition from the UK House of Commons.

Details in the full article.

We're back with the big #6 issue of our weekly QJ How-To Series, and this one here is a continuation of the discussion we jumpstarted last week on Copyright Issues and Homebrew. Let's pick up where we left off last week, shall we?

It's been another week, and it seems like life in the Nintendo blogs has picked up a little. Leading this week's charge is the Wii's share of the Resident Evil fever - The Darkside Chronicles, plus rumors of Code Veronica getting a Wii-make. The Conduit, that despite having no MotionPlus support is still holding up pretty well. Check out the details in this week's Nintendo Weekend Warrior.