I'm pretty much an average gamer; my skin is pale, I have a gut you could use as an impromptu bongo, I would not be described as one of the beautiful people.  Therefore, I was never offered the chance to appear in the new Live Action trailer for the 4 player co-op Wii U/3DS crossover game Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate.  Witness pretty people play the game, but also get an idea of how the cross platform functionality is going to work.

Hard to believe it, but we're almost to the middle of March. That means that Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is fast approaching - it launches in a week! Are you all set to gather your friends and hunt monsters for glory and loot? If not, Capcom has you covered with not one, but two videos to get you pumped up.

With the imminent release of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon upon us, it is probably time to trade your broomstick up for a supersized vacuum cleaner. The long awaited sequel to the original Luigi's Mansion, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon will also take place in the creepy environments we are accustomed to (namely, a mansion). Most importantly, the green plumber will come equipped with a group of friends to tackle the dark and scary night with. We already touched upon some of the ways that Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon will feature cooperative play in a previous article.

Recently I’ve spent quite a bit of time comparing Skylanders Swap Force and Disney Infinity of late, but one area I’d not considered in detail was their co-operative features. What better place than Co-Optimus to get to grips with what these two toy-meets-game titles have to offer.

March is shaping up to be a wonderful month of gaming for all platforms. Besides the obvious blockbusters of the month, it is important to remember that Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity will be releasing towards the end of the month. In case you haven't played a Mystery Dungeon game before, or if you simply want to get a feel for the game, a demo will be hitting the eShop next week with the usual update on March 7th. It might be a good idea to test the waters and preview the 3D effects when the demo arrives.

The latest entry in the Monster Hunter franchise has a playable demo launching today. The fantasy action series is wildly popular in Japan, yet still seems to be a rather niche title in the States. Capcom hopes to change that with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. You can power on your 3DS or Wii U and hit up the Nintendo eShop to see what all the fuss is all about.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate will be launching on the the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS in just a few short weeks. You'll have a chance to play it even sooner when the demo drops this Thursday, February 21st. If you're unfamiliar with the Monster Hunter series, I'll offer you this quick crash course: You hunt monsters. Hooray! There's more to it than that, of course, but you basically join with some friends and then battle huge beasts. Once you've claimed victory you can strip their carcasses for raw materials (the monsters, not your friends) which you can then use to craft better armor and gear.  

Everyone's favorite little monsters will return to the 3DS in March with Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity. The next iteration in the Pokemon rogue-esque spinoff series Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, will feature a few firsts for the series, including a special mode designed for you and your friends.

Yesterday evening I headed down to the NASDAQ building in Times Square for an exclusive first look at the newly announced Skylanders SWAP Force. I am sad to report that if Skylanders has its hooks in you (or your kids or your wallet), SWAP Force will likely just drive them deeper in. The new skylanders and brand new mechanic introduced with SWAP Force look just as addicting, if not more so.

It came as little surprise when two new Lego games were announced this month for a 2013 release. Perhaps a little more surprising is that one of those games, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, is delving into some new IP for developer TT Games; one that has seen a lot of popularity due to recent movie releases and more. If there's one developer that could be trusted to create a light-hearted/fun romp through the world of Marvel, it's certainly them. Afterall, TT Games stepped things up with LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, so this game can only improve from there, right?

A new challenger has entered the competition for your hard earned cash. Disney Infinity was announced earlier this week. This new gaming platform will be familiar to anyone who has experience with the Skylanders franchise. Disney Infinity will use physical figurines and accessories which will appear in-game once placed on a separate peripheral, the "Infinity Base." 

As we look ahead to the co-op releases for the next few months, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate still firmly blips on our radar screens for the end of March. Previously, we've seen the some action straight from the game and even a little bit about connecting with other WiiU friends online or locally via the 3DS. Recently, Capcom's begun detailing some of the different weapons and weapon combos you'll have available through the Capcom-Unity blog. First up on the list is the basic weapon set with which all players will begin: the ever trusty Sword and Shield.

The retail version of Code of Princess, the RPG/beat 'em up hybrid for the 3DS, was released back in October. Just recently, however, the game was put up into the Nintendo eShop for those of us who just like to download our games and jump right into them (or have a fear of boxes). The eShop allows 3DS owners to purchase the game for $39.99 with either their credit card or a Nintendo pre-paid card. 

The latest Lego Lord of the Rings trailer gives us a glimpse of the charming humor that has become a hallmark of the franchise. The Lego games have handled several beloved franchised remarkably well. We expect Travelers' Tales to treat the lore of LOTR with the same care.

I haven't touched my 3DS in over a year. We got it at launch, and that was pretty much the end of that. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate may force me to find the thing. Heck, I may even pick up a Wii U. This new trailer features a wide variety of play options. Gamers will be able to co-op together with both the 3DS and Wii U versions of the game.