After nearly three hundred issues, Nintendo Power has finally come to an end. To send this long-running periodical off in style, the Cover Critic has decided to review every single issue. Join him as he experiences every aspect of Nintendo's journey through their magazine covers.

Once upon a time, I vowed to review every Nintendo Power cover. It seemed like the kind of can't-lose idea that would provide years worth of popular content. As it turns out, the long-running magazine peaked early and left me with two decades of terrible designs. Instead of showcasing their gorgeously detailed models, Nintendo Power opted for generic covers pulled directly from the official artwork. After seeing so many lazy designs, I began to question if this journey was worth taking.

It has been nearly a year since I reviewed issue 42, a depressingly dull Star Wars cover. I figured this would give me enough time to recharge and take another run at reviewing these Nintendo Power covers. I was wrong. This newest issue is just another reminder that the magazine's best years are in the past.

Perhaps Wile E. Coyote can relate. This is a character whose best work was done in the Nixon administration, yet here he is recycling his greatest hits on a Nintendo Power cover. We've seen it all before: Mr. Coyote hatches a perfectly reasonable plan, spends way too much money on parts and then fails miserably. And what does the Road Runner do? He taunts and mocks the Coyote before racing off. What a dick.

As a cover, this design captures the spirit of the Road Runner cartoons. It's bright, colorful and uses two of the most recognizable characters on the planet. At the same time, it's wholly unimaginative and lacking any connection to video games. This design would make a fine comic book cover, but is a huge disappointment when compared to past Nintendo Power covers.

And that's when it hit me. Wile E. Coyote has been failing miserably for decades, often in the most embarrassing ways possible. But even after falling off a cliff and being crushed by a poorly placed anvil, he gets back up and tries again. That's an inspirational message I can take to heart. This guy is getting clobbered by anvils every episode, the least I can do is write 300 words about a dumb Nintendo Power cover.