This week’s Nintendo Downloads is even less impressive than usual, but at least there’s a good reason for it this time. The 3DS Ambassador Program’s first batch of free downloadable games, which features 10 NES classics, is now live. So I figure Nintendo didn’t have much time to prepare other stuff as well.

Anyways, if you’re not a 3DS Ambassador, then there are four new games to peruse – one 3DS Virtual Console classic, one WiiWare game and two DSiWare games.

Gamertell’s Nintendo Download picks for the week are the 10 free NES 3DS Ambassador games.

I know a lot of people who are going to be going to Wendy’s today. One of the best fast food places out there has teamed up with Namco Bandai for a Pac-Man promotion event. It’s partially to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Pac-Man series, and part to hype up the latest Pac-Man Wii game, Pac-Man Party. Not that the details matter – what matters is you get Pac-Man toys in your kids’ meals…

Pac-Man is a cultural icon. He’s had numerous games, an animated television show and more products than anyone can count in his three decades of existence. Pac-Man has always done quite well for himself, but there are some people in the world that want to bring Pac-Man into 2011 in a different way. Pac-Man needs to be hip and exciting. Pac-Man needs a reality show.

The general notion is that everything is better with zombies. For example, Pride and Prejudice, Yazuka and survival guides. So, obviously, the theory should apply to Pac Man. At least that’s what teeFury’s latest shirt, designed by Summo13 suggests. It’s called Zombie Pac Man and features, well, a zombified Pac Man…

Pac-Man only turns 30 once, and Google wasn’t about to let that momentous occasion pass by unnoticed. So, to celebrate, the site decided to make it’s logo into a Pac-Man homage. But, it isn’t just a cute image with a Pac-Man maze that just happens to spell out the word Google – it’s an actual, playable browser game.

There are two buttons below the search window, one that says “Google Search” and another that says “Insert Coin”. If you click “Insert Coin.” the familiar Pac-Man music queues up and the game begins in your browser…

Sure, they aren’t nearly as fancy as $100+ statues but kids meal toys they are certainly more affordable.

While most are given through those wee servings known as a Happy Meal, Children’s Meal, Kids Meal or a similar moniker, some are purchasable as individual items at specific chains (assuming the owner or manager is nice enough to let you buy them a la carte).

Here’s a look at some of the most notable fast food premiums offered throughout the years…

Assuming you have 3 bills to drop, that is.

Signed by artist-creator Matthew Hawkins, this all-paper Pac-Man 3D creation features the infamous yellow munching head with arms and legs, swallowing ghost Pinky and grabbing an unhappy blue-ish Inky.

It measures 14 in. wide and 10 in. tall and is available for purchase through RivetArt for $300.

Shop Goodwill has an auction today that represents classic gaming at it’s best. At 8:50AM PST, Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana put an Atari 2600 with all of the necessary cables and accoutrements. The bidding started at $5.00, and since there’s only been one bidder, it is still at $5 (at 7:36 PM CST June 30, 2008).

The highlight of the auction is the collection of 16 games which come with the system. Pretty much every game is an amazing title. So if you bid, you’ll also be getting Asteroids, Centipede, Chopper Command, Crackpots, Defender, Grandprix, Joust, Outlaw, Pac Man, Pitfall, Pitfall II, Robot Tank, Space Invaders, Target Fun, Q*Bert and Yars’ Revenge.

One of my long-time favorite sites for wacky Japanese products has been J-List (or J-Box for kids under 18). Created and operated by Peter Payne (and yes, that is his real name, I’ve asked), this displaced American shares his love for Japanese culture through a personal blog and by providing a store where Japanophiles to more »

Wired Magazine has posted a collection of 40 years worth of video game goodness, highlighting consoles through 47 images of hardware, ads and screenshots. Beginning with Baer’s Brown Box through the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, it includes body shot of most of the main systems including NES, Neo-Geo, SNES, Famicom, Sega, Intellivision, Colecovision… oh, more »