They do. As evidence, I present Robin Baumgarten's entry to the 2009 Mario AI Competition, a contest organized by Sergey Karakovskiy and Julian Togelius.

At one point it appears as though Baumgarten's meticulous Italian robot is finished, but then its computer brain pulls off a move that only silicon could achieve.

Now we just need to get this guy to face off against the AI in a Deep Blue-style war between man and machine.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Thanks to Mittense and Chris Remo for the link.

This week on the Couch is marked by the return of Skate.Reel videos--everyone's favorite internet pastime. A Far Cry 2 sound design showcase, Marble Madness craziness, and Mr. Rogers round out today's eclectic collection of gaming videos.

Skate Sequel Whiplash
Skate 2 has hit stores, and already the flood of cringe-inducing, hilarious videos has begun. This fine example comes from Skate.Reel user JIMBOYDRO420.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Click through for the full feature of videos and replays. ... Read more

Question: What is more terrifying than a zombie horde?

Answer: A zombie horde imbued with the soul of Macho Man Randy Savage.

Thanks, GuidoAnchovy, for your beautiful, disturbing mod.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

There won't be a full Replay Couch this week, but we did want to pass this one video along.

PSN user jjmusicman rick-rolled the LittleBigPlanet community yesterday, and the result is a pretty amusing example of machinima.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

As we venture into 2009, we here at Shacknews though it would be prudent to reflect not just on the past year, but on the variety of crazy commercials Sega has produced.

In the past we've examined the evolution of Nintendo commercials--now it's time to gape at the insanity of Sega ads, in a special edition of the Replay Couch.

Oh sure, there's been plenty of Sega strangeness lately, but nothing that compares to its previous work. With screaming dead squirrels, spleen-bursting games and Marky Mark to choose from, we've compiled a wide-ranging list of our favorites.

A Christmas Story
Sega Japan reveals the awful truth about Santa Claus. Kids? Not happy.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Go below the fold for more ridiculous Seganess.... Read more

This week's catch of the couch includes a hilarious Fallout 3 dance-a-thon, an impressive batch of Left 4 Dead Hunter tricks, a live action Mario Kart stunt, and a couple of very special trailers.

Trailer of the Week: Illbleed
This stupendous trailer for the ill-fated Dreamcast title Illbleed was a product of the Sega system's final days. Fortunately, like a German documentary, it has outlived that vicious console war to survive as a fascinating, hilarious relic.

Warning: this amazing trailer may cause spontaneous, yet pleasurable vomiting.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

The rest of the videos are hiding just inside this link! ... Read more

Welcome back to the Replay Couch, the feature where we cull the best user-created videos from across the internet for your edutainment. For those new to the series, typically there is less "edu" than "tainment." Also, please direct all video submissions to the following address: Nick@Shacknews.com.

We kick off this week's Couch with a couple of Left 4 Dead videos, and move on to an impressive Far Cry 2 fireworks show, a few sad Fallout 3 videos, and other internet gold.

Left 4 Bed
This Left 4 Dead voice edit by TheYoungScot has been spreading around like an infectious disease over the past few days. Symptoms include: laughter.

Please install Flash to view this Shackvideo

Click on through for more videos. ... Read more

Inside this week's Couch: Quake and the 80s spawn a monster, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. gets surreal, and GLaDOS invades reality. Check it all out.

Retro Trailer of the Week: Diablo II
The announcement of Diablo III has many of us returning to the previous game, hunting down Andariel and Baal one more time in anticipation.

Here's the trailer that kicked off the most successful title in the series; that short clip that introduced "The Wanderer" for the first time.

Click on through for more videos. ... Read more

After a bit of a protracted hiatus, the Couch returns. Age of Conan, Grand Theft Auto 4, Team Fortress 2: all these games and more are featured in a variety of impressive and disturbing clips this week. Check it all out.

Snakes on a Building
The Wroclaw University of Technology in Poland has some pretty crafty students, as seen in this video, wherein an entire dorm is transformed into the classic Snake game.


Click on through for more videos. ... Read more

In this week's edition of Replay, a Couch mainstay serves us a good time, the TF2 Scout picks a fight with Ronald McDonald, and a few interesting mods fill in the holes. Check it all out.

G-Man Video of the Week: You Got Served
After a motion capture experiment went horribly, horribly wrong, Byron Mallett turned lemons into lemonade with this bit of G-Man funkery.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Click on through. ... Read more

Ever since the Nintendo generation was born, marketing chiefs have used games as a way to connect a younger demographic. This is nothing new.

What is interesting, however, is the recent spate of advertising aimed squarely at older gamers. Whether it be for automobile or airline companies, soft drinks or sandwiches, ad men are more and more beginning to use video games as a hook to sell serious products.

Join us as we take a look at some examples of game-influenced ads, old and new.

Coca-Cola: Grand Theft Auto
This cheerful take on Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series debuted in 2006.

The conservative side of the Coke machine is shown here, transforming the hardcore realm of Rockstar into a happy land where, coincidentally, everyone drinks cola. Or, as we refer to it, Jack Thompson's wet dream.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Click on through for the rest of the article. ... Read more

This week on the Couch we've got a sickeningly sweet set of entertaining videos lined up, including another mind-bending Quake 3 recording, a Guitar Hero-playing machine, a GTA flashback, and more. Come on down and join us in the video muck.

Super Mario Bottles
The Super Mario Bros. theme, as played by an RC car clinking along against empty bottles.

Now there's a sentence you don't ever expect to write.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Click on through. ... Read more

This week on the Couch we explore the futility of dueling trains in TF2, the extreme latent power of Jigglypuff, and the mind-boggling horror unleashed from a combination of Earthbound and Ronald McDonald. Revel in the madness within.

Retro Trailer of the Week: The Neverhood
Aaron says I'll score mad points with the diehard PC crowd for posting this old trailer for DreamWorks Interactive's claymation-animated adventure The Neverhood. I never did play this one, but I want to now.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Click on through. ... Read more

A magical week of replays has lead to this Couch, which includes an impressive Smash Bros. Brawl record, a high-def Unreal Tournament compilation, an off-topic Hillary Clinton ribbing, and more. Check it all out.

A Smashing Home Run
Now coming to the plate, G. Dorf, .254, 23 HR. Don't be deceived by the relatively low number of this record-breaking hit in Smash Bros. Brawl's Home-Run mode, as these Japanese fellows are measured in meters, not feet.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Click on through. ... Read more

This week sees a smooth blend of radically varying videos hit the Couch, a fine mixture of Crysis outtakes, Team Fortress 2 strangeness, Nintendo DS musicians, and six-year-old shredders. Take in the full catch.

Retro Trailer of the Week: Dawn of War There is no doubt that the slick introduction to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War sold a few copies for developer Relic. Produced by CG studio Blur, the company has since gone on to create the Warhammer Online trailers for EA Mythic, among other work.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Click on through. ... Read more

This week's Couch is a random mix of various oddities, including another TF2 instructional video, a wonderfully nostalgic Final Fantasy trailer, Team Fortress Classic highlights, and the ever-terrifying G-Man. Sit down, relax, and enjoy.

Halo Tricked Out
This is the craziest Halo video you're ever gonna see in Replay Couch. The jump at 1:04 is beyond impressive, and the end is guaranteed to leave you speechless.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Click on through. ... Read more

Welcome to the Replay Couch, where we kick back and watch the best, and worst, of recorded video game history. New to the Couch? Check out the full library.

This week's Couch contains a grab bag of videos, including an insane Rock Band performance, a Shogun: Total War murder spree, a little StarCraft CG, and a bizarre Smash Bros. Brawl hack. Check it all out inside.

Impossible Video of the Week: Nearly Perfect Drug
The expert drum part of Nine Inch Nails' The Perfect Drug is a real beast to play in Rock Band, but azuritereaction almost tamed it with this recording. There are a few players ahead of him on the leaderboard, but azurite understands the importance of multiple camera angles to properly to show off the skill it takes to achieve this kind of score.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Join us inside. It's better here. ... Read more

Welcome to the Replay Couch, where we kick back and watch the best, and worst, of recorded video game history. New to the Couch? Check out the full library.

Thanks to a bump in Youtube video quality, and the addition of some select HD streaming, this week's Replay Couch is technically the highest quality selection of videos yet. Sort of. Check it all out inside.

Water Sports
ABadFeeling is back with another Crysis video, this time a whimsical romp with dynamic water physics.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Join us inside. It's better here. ... Read more

Welcome to the Replay Couch, where we kick back and watch the best, and worst, of recorded video game history. New to the Couch? Check out the full library.

A major challenge has been issued by a Shacker this week, involving one hell of a Quake 3 video. Also: Chrono mania, TF2 sniping skills, and more. Check it all out.

Meet the Chipmunk
Some people think they can outsmart bumburnyak. Then he creates something like this.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more chipmunks and/or game videos? ... Read more

Welcome to the Replay Couch, where we kick back and watch the best, and worst, of recorded video game history. New to the Couch? Check out the full library.

This week it's all about the medic. And Red Alert. And hilarious Twisted Metal outtakes. And Smash Bros., Tribes, and Bubble Bobble. Just get in here.

FYI: I'm Your Medic
This fitting tribute to the under-appreciated medic-classing TF2 masses comes to you from the 5e community, with music and lyrics by the talented Captain Spalding.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Looking for more videos? Join us inside. It's better here. ... Read more