After nearly three hundred issues, Nintendo Power is finally coming 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.

Now this is more like it. After spending little to no time on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cover, the artists at Nintendo Power have officially redeemed themselves. Not since the Super Mario Bros. 2 design have we seen anything this exciting. In some ways, this is even better, thanks to the perfectly crafted model of Dr. Wily (complete with his patented crazy hair). This is one of the few times when a magazine cover is actually better than the game's box art.

Forget the down-to-earth action found in most Mega Man levels, this cover takes the excitement into space. Here we have the Blue Bomber riding some sort of space surf board and shooting at a perfectly realized model of Dr. Wily. He misses the first time, but that's okay, because Mega Man doesn't give up. He aims a second shot and connects just above the evil doctor's head. No matter what, this fight is going to end with a bang.

It's not just about these two good looking characters, but also their vehicles. Dr. Wily's ship is especially impressive, combining the sexy look of an iron with the engine of a kaleidoscope. Sure it's big and bulky, but it's full of tiny details and the same sorts of moronic oversights that Wily is known for. I like this cover so much that I won't even bother to dwell on the fact that both characters are in space without a helmet. This is a new high water mark for not only Nintendo Power, but all magazines.