LOS ANGELES — Across the dizzying, colorful show floor at last week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, there were games on display where players could become all manner of things, like a throat-slashing 18th century pirate, zombie killer, a guardian of the last city on earth, music-making sorcerer, ruthless Roman general, shape-shifting creature, goblin slayer and Batman.

“Man of Steel” leaped over box office expectations in a single weekend.

One night, during dinner service, a guest asked wine angel Eboni Lomax for a huge favor.

The walls shine despite the dimness. A constellation of gold and platinum plaques gleams from behind glass picture frames, the rock ’n’ roll equivalent of the stuffed grizzly and mounted antlers in a big-game hunter’s trophy room.

Sting performed in honor of Elton John, Billy Joel sang snippets of Foreigner’s hits when introducing the band and Smokey Robinson debuted part of a new song he wrote about Berry Gordy.

Meet Theresa Hitson

Industrial rockers Nine Inch Nails hit The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on Nov. 15 and 16, with Explosions in the Sky. Tickets start at $75 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at The Joint box office, 4455 Paradise Road, and Ticketmaster outlets.

Triple Layer Chocolate Fudge Cake