Nintendo registers 'Zelda Universe' ESRB rating, what's that all about?

First 'Project Cafe' and now this? Nintendo never ceases to mystify these days. Nintendo continues to practice Apple-like hype skills, as it has registered a game known as 'Zelda Universe' for an ESRB rating, VentureBeat reports. The Legend of Zelda series has been around on Nintendo machines since the NES in the late 1980s. If you didn't know that, it's OK, we'll forgive you--this time. However, a closer look at the details of the registry reveal something interesting.

Nintendo has registered Zelda Universe as an "online game," according to VentureBeat. Every Nintendo game before then has been registered for specific platforms like Wii or 3DS (pictured above), so this leads us to believe that the company is working on one of three things. You call it "wild speculation," we call it fun.

Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword1. A hub for all things Zelda across handheld and mobile consoles

This is probably the most logical. Basically, Nintendo could be creating a RewardVille of sorts for all things Zelda. It would have a website hub (as it kind of already does), but extensions on the upcoming Project Cafe, 3DS and maybe original DS to track your Zelda-related activities and reward you for them.

2. An online massively multiplayer Zelda game, akin to WoW or EverQuest

On Nintendo consoles, of course. This might be a bit of a stretch, but Nintendo has mentioned their desire to do online gaming right. Perhaps the company wants to step into this generation on the right foot. Coming out strong with an MMO surrounding a timeless franchise would certainly be a way to make that happen. Too bad there's only one Link to go around.

3. A Legend of Zelda Facebook game

Come on, did you really think we wouldn't go there? Nintendo has expressed their fears acknowledgment of Zynga's effect on the gaming industry. Could the stubborn mule of the gaming industry (they're just trying to get online right ... think about it) have finally cracked? It's entirely possible, but you better believe that if this is happening, it's going to be from within the Nintendo systems. Hey, there's always Facebook Connect.

[Image Credit: Nintendo]

What are your wild speculations for what this Zelda Universe could be?

PETA wags the finger at Nintendo for Mario's taste in furry power-ups

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, has chosen a peculiar target for its next pro-animal campaign. You all likely know him quite well: Super Mario. The organization has created a highly suggestive Flash game that essentially calls developer Nintendo out for what it claims is a message that says it's OK to skin animals and wear them as suits.

You could also say this for Mario's less popular Frog Suit, but that just wouldn't have the same sting as "Mario Kills Tanooki." That's the title of the game, which throws players behind the controls of--literally--a skinned tanuki. You can probably already guess the game's objective: Capture Mario ... who happens to be flying away with your fur coat. So much for subtleties.

"Tanooki may be just a 'suit' in Mario games, but in real life, tanuki are raccoon dogs who are skinned alive for their fur," the PETA game's website reads. "By wearing Tanooki, Mario is sending the message that it's OK to wear fur."

The timing of Mario Kills Tanooki is spot on, as Nintendo just released Super Mario 3D Land in which the plumber's famous Tanooki Suit is a prominent feature. Frankly, we've never seen a more menacing Mario than within PETA's interactive call to arms in defense of the tanuki. Now, you gotta' wonder how the organization would feel about this guy.

[Via Kotaku]

Have you played the Mario Kills Tanooki game? Do you think Mario's famous Tanooki Suit might send the wrong message to Nintendo fans?