[“This Thing That I Do” is a feature on Destructoid where I interview people who work in the gaming industry or people who have achieved something noteworthy to give us some insight into how it all works.] It is not unusual for video games to impact our own imaginations in such a way that despite finishing a game, our minds are still racing at 100 mph. For many, that is enough, but a select few have the ability to allow their creativity to follow and anything from fan art to fanfiction is created....

Let’s get this out of the way: one can experience new ways to playMario 64with the newly-minted Toad’s Tool 64 level editor, which is to say one canutilizeToad’s Tool. Ah, the dick joke — where would Destructoid be without it? Anyways, VL-Tone over atQubed Studios— responsible for cubed-up versions ofMario,MetroidandZelda— has released the first public beta of Toad’s Tool 64, a remarkably complicated (see above) level editor forMario 64.Documentation is due in a couple of days, so those of us not quite intimate with the ways of level design and editing (me) will be better able to get a handle on things if we’re looking to make our ownMario 64levels....

The press release opens up like this: Unveiling new fascinating areas,TOKYO GAME SHOW 2011is ready to grip your heart That’s so…beautiful! I love TGS as both a gamer and as someone who writes about videogames for a living. It’s one of the highlights of my year. This year that highlight will take place on September 15-18 at Makuhari Messe, just outside of Tokyo. TGS sends word that they’re going to continue to build on the show expansions they started last year....

As promised, I present to you a slew ofToo Humanconcept art that came along with thenew screenshots we received earlier. Regarding the screenshots, you guys said things like “This is looking damned good,” and “This reminds me of a that overly rendered piece of crap I just took.” Fair enough — we’re always in the market for some intelligent discussion about screenshots. But what are you guys thinking about this concept art?...

So far, Kinect for Xbox 360 has us dancing, getting fit, driving, and even white water rafting. Now, thanks to Ubisoft, we’ll be kicking some ass. The publisher has revealed a new Kinect launch title today,Fighters Uncaged. The title is said to focus on the “excitement of real fighting competitions,” all the while teaching players actual mixed martial arts techniques.Fighters Uncagedgives players the opportunity to create 70 different “inspired by martial arts” strikes using their full bodies....

Valve’s marketing VP Doug Lombardihas revealedthat the studio is currently in the process of working out cross-gameplay betweenLeft 4 DeadandLeft 4 Dead 2, allowing the two games to lock together like a gestalt and form Devastator. “That’s something that we’re trying to work out the details of right now,” he explains. “So nothing specific to say today, but we understand that it’s a very valid thing to be working on and looking at....

Stuart Harling is an 18 year old murderer who was convicted of stabbing nurse Cheryl Moss 72 times. An open and shut case, really — the guy’s a killer and deserves his time in jail. Of course, for the mother of the sicko, it’s not that simple. Something other than the guilty party HAS to get the blame, and naturally,she has used videogamesas the scapegoat. “Stuart was 11 or 12 when I bought him the PlayStation....

This week’s new PlayStation Store offerings are kind of slim. At least, they’re slim if you don’t ownDead Spaceor lack the funds to buy everything but the kitchen sink for the game. A whopping total oftwelve new downloadable packsare being offered for the faithful. The one that really grabs me is the “Scorpion Pack” ($3.99), because that suit looks ridiculously rad. In addition toDead Space’s add-on content, there are a few new costumes being offered forLittleBigPlanet....

When did you last play a space shooter? Better yet, if you’re under the age of 20, have youeverplayed a space shooter? Back when it was a popular genre, we used to run to the local 7-11 with a fistful of mom’s laundry money, eager to plow through a hectic sea of deadly asteroids and insect-shaped enemy craft. Since those days when high scores meant something, it seems every other genre that existed at the time has grown and evolved into something amazing....

You think I’m joking. You think I’m being smug, or ironic when I say that Mr. Resetti, the pictured mole fromAnimal Crossing, is the most heroic videogame character in history. You laughed at his antics when he yelled at you, the player, for resetting your game without saving; you angrily shouted at him when he showed up as an assist trophy inBrawl. You think I’m having a laugh. The truth is, you have noideahow heroic Mr....

Each week on Saturday Morning Hangover, Jordan Devore and I play through the demos for the week’s Xbox Live Indie Games releases. It’s partly for comic relief but there are also quality games being released on the platform and I like drawing attention to that fact. This week, we had three games that I recommend you take a look at. Here’s a rundown of the best the service had to offer....

If you’ve read our single and multiplayer previews ofTransformers: War for Cybertron, you should be well-versed in High Moon Studios’ work on the game by now. Regardless, you’re going to want to check out these factoids on the game. Did you know that a special alphabet was created for the game from a couple of frames of animation in the original cartoon? Did you know that this game details Optimus Prime’s rise into power, from soldier to leader?...

If you’re seeking a clearModern Warfare 2advantage, the Mad Catz game-themed Xbox 360 controller won’t give you one. Customizable button configurations are no substitute for a turbo-fire mechanism, much as its flat design and punchier triggers are no substitute for player skill. That’s not to say this branded controller isn’t a good one. It is. I’m just not sold on the user need for it. Despite possessing an overall less curvy design and more expansive triggers than the official Microsoft controller, I’ve yet to discover a change in the way I playMW2or roam the controller’s face and backside with my fingers....