Kotaku: Kotaku Magu

Gears 2 Info Spews Forth Like Blood From A Head Wound

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:20:00 MDT

The latest issue of Game Informer isn't quite on news-stands yet, but it is in the hands of subscribers. Said issue has a big feature on Gears of War 2's singleplayer, with all kinds of plot, character and gameplay revelations to be found within, all of which has somehow ended up on the internets. Know, then, that the game's drop-in, drop-out co-op play will let the two players select different difficulty levels. And that there's another vehicle mission, only this time in a tank. And that Clifford Bleszinski says "We have creatures that make the Brumak look like a baby panda bear". And that there's a ton of new characters introduced, with Cole & Baird not with you at the start of the game. Should be enough to get you excited, but hey, if it's not, you could always scrape the pennies together and get a copy of the mag yourself. You cheap bastard.
Game Informer May 2008 Issue [SHOTEH FOCK OP @ NeoGAF]

Famitsu Reveals Persona 4

Mike Fahey — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:20:22 MDT

This week's Famitsu magazine arrives in Japan with tons of information about Persona 4, the next installment of the quirky Atlus RPG series for the PlayStation 2. The sequel to one of the best RPG experiences on the PS2 so far moves the action from the city to the countryside, with the story taking the form of a murder mystery, chock full of twists and turns that will leave you guessing. The game includes a weather forecasting system that indicates when a murder is going to occur. Atlus is packing tons of gameplay into the new title, with 60-70 hours of gameplay and over 180 Personas (Personae?) for you to play with. Persona 4 is slated for a July 10th release in Japan, with a North American release almost a no-brainer, considering the reception of P3 in the states. Follow the link beneath the gallery to Akayuki for more scans from the latest Famitsu.

Weekly Famitsu Info & Scans [Akayuki]

And Famitsu's Top 25 Games For 2007 Were...

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:20:00 MDT

People only seem fussed over the scores from one Japanese mag: Famitsu. And while they're not the most reliable barometer for a title's quality (for long-running franchises like Final Fantasy, you can forget about a fanbase-annoying score), it's still somewhat interesting seeing how they felt 2007's games shaped up. After the jump are the 25 games with the highest scores, and before you jump, know this: four editors review the games and score them out of 10, with the listed score being the total out of a possible 40. Try not to let the number of 360 games SHOCK YOU.

1. Phantom Hourglass - 39
2. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (360 version) - 38
3. Super Mario Galaxy - 38
4. GTA San Andreas (PS2) - 38
5. Call of Duty 4 (360) - 37
6. Call of Duty 4 (PS3) - 37
7. Minna no Golf Portable 2 (PSP) - 37
8. God of War 2 (PS2) - 37
9. Halo 3 - 37
10. World Soccer Winning Eleven 2008 (PS3) 36
11. World Soccer Winning Eleven 2008 (360) 36
12. Kousoku Card Battle: Card Hero (DS) - 36
13. Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida (PSP) - 36
14. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune - 36
15. Lost Odyssey - 36
16. Assassin's Creed (360 version) - 36
17. Ace Combat 6 - 36
18. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction - 36
19. Minna no Golf 5 (Everybody's Golf 5) - 36
20. Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (360) - 36
21. Itadaki Street - 36
22. Forza Motorsport 2 - 36
23. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas (360 version) 36
24. Gyakuten Saiban 4 - 36
25. Final Fantasy IV (DS) - 35

Ten 360 games. Out of 25. Ten. Go on, count 'em. It's so bananas I'm going to go get a banana, have a lie down and have a good hard think over what it all means.
Famitsu's top 25 games of 2007 by score [VG247]

No Snaking For Mario Kart Wii

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:30:00 MDT

Big fan of snaking in Mario Kart? Brace for disappointment. Nintendo have finally called an end to the trick, with the upcoming Mario Kart Wii's cornering speed boosts to be determined by how long you can hold a powerslide, not how quickly you can waggle from left to right. From the British Official Nintendo mag's review of the game:

The second big difference (in Mario Kart Wii compared to the rest of the series) is the removal of snaking. Ever since the N64 game, practically every Mario Kart game has included the ability to get a speed boost by waggling the controls left and right as you powerslide. This has finally been scrapped, and now your speed boost is determined by how long you can hold the slide.

Always figured it was half a step shy of cheating, so it's good to see it gone.
Snaking removed from Mario Kart Wii [ONM UK, via Go Nintendo]

Valkyrie Profile Coming To The DS

Mike Fahey — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:20:12 MDT

This week's Jump magazine contained a tasty treat for Valkyrie Profile fans as Square Enix reveals Valkyrie Profile: The Accused One for the Nintendo DS. Developed by Tri-Ace, the game is the first in the series to feature a male protagonist, a disgruntled soldier named Wilfred, who hates the Valkyries and is out for vengeance using a magical feather given to him by the queen of the underworld. Screens seem to indicate a combination of the traditional profile view as well as an isometric view similar to games like Final Fantasy Tactics, though at this point such details are more speculation than anything solid. A bit of a departure for the series, but with Tri-Ace behind the wheel I cannot help but be a bit giddy at the prospect of more Valkyrie Profile goodness.

Valkyrie Profile - The Accused One announced for DS! [NeoGAF via Forever Fantasy - Thanks Ram!]

Lost Planet Colonies Finally Announced

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:00:00 MDT

Capcom (may) have, via leaked mag scans, had the wraps taken off Lost Planet Colonies, the successor to snowy bug-killing simulator Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. What's new? There's a new playable character (that girl in snow gear) and in online play you'll get the option of playing as the bugs against the humans. That online play will feature cross-platform play between PCs and 360s. There's more weapons and more monsters to fight (including their eggs), and it'll be out in Japan on May 29. Oh, and no word of a PS3 release as of yet. Bear in mind: all this info comes courtesy of a leaked magazine scan that's been...modified to include super-awesome Xbox Japan boss Takashi Sensui, so until we get some more concrete info, take it all with a grain of salt.
[via 2ch]

Dawn Of War 2 To Be Unveiled Next Month?

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:30:00 MDT

Kind of a prick-tease, I know, but it's Warhammer, so I'll play along. Next month's issue of PC Gamer looks like it'll be revealing the first real info on Relic's Dawn of War sequel, which was first rumored to be in development a couple of weeks ago. Course, it doesn't out-and-out say it's Dawn of War 2, but...yeah. That's Dawn of War 2.
[via Sinatar @ NeoGAF]

First Sims 3 Details: No More Pee-Meter

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:20:00 MST

March 19? We don't have to wait until March 19 for Sims 3 details. They're all over the latest issue of Games For Windows, who let us in on some of the bigger, more important changes, like:

The biggest change to The Sims 3 is that it takes place in a wide-open, constantly changing neighborhood — a much bigger sandbox, if you will, and a much more complex simulation. The town and park you see on the cover image to the right (click to enlarge) exist in the same seamless space as your Sims' household, and what you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within.

Other changes come in the Sims' reporting of their moods - the maddening individual meters are gone, replaced by "discrete moods", which is supposed to stop the more obsessive-compulsive players from constantly worrying about pissing and eating and instead let them focus on the more enjoyable stuff.
The Sims 3 Revealed [1UP]

New Aliens, Red Faction Games Christened

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:40:00 MST

Next month's Game Informer has the scoop on two big-name upcoming shooters. One is Gearbox's Aliens game, the other Volition's third Red Faction title. While the mag's not out yet, leaving us frustratingly short on info and screens, we can see that both games at least have snappy new subtitles, making it all the easier for us to differentiate them from past titles in the series/franchise. "Gearbox's Aliens game" can now be referred to as Aliens: Colonial Marines. What, I hear you ask, no Aliens, no Predator, no vs? Not a big surprise: we've heard the game is based very closely on the look/feel of Jim Cameron's film and Syd Mead's designs. "Red Faction III", meanwhile, must now be known by its official title, which is Red Faction: Guerilla.
Game Informer March Cover Revealed [GI]

Red Alert 3 Is So, So Real

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:40:00 MST

Wow. That tease from last week really was Red Alert 3! Just goes to show, dream long enough and hard enough and those dreams can actually come true. The game's the feature of next month's PC Gamer cover spread, and since said cover shows only some concept art, all we know about the game is that it's a third Red Alert. Guess we'll know more when the mag hits shelves on March 4. I presume, EA, you already have Kari Wuhrer's agent on the phone? Because God help you if you don't.
Red Alert 3 Announced in April 2008 issue of PC Gamer [PC Gamer]

Gears of War, Made Real and Stuff

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 01:00:38 MDT

In the latest issue of The Official Xbox 360 Magazine, costume design "commune" Nightmare Armor Studios built their own Gears of War Delta Squad — with armor and everything &mdash and showed up at Epic Games for a photo op. That's Nightmare Armor Studios founder Sid Garrand as a damn convincing Marcus Fenix. He should so do birthday's and bar mitzvahs! Next to him is Gears lead designer CliffyB, who's cosplaying as a guy with brown hair. And below that's Epic Vice President Mark Rein rockin' the khaki cargoes. Nothing says Gears of War quite like khaki pulled high. And a polo shirt. A yellow polo shirt.

If you're crafty, the OXM article also gives a run down on how to make your own Delta armor. Check it out. Brian Ashcraft

Gears of War Brought to Life [GameGrope]

Famitsu Scores

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:00:44 MDT

Over a game site Next Generation, Tim Rogers has the rundown of this week's Famitsu scores. For the unfamiliar, magazine Famitsu has four editors rate games on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best. Here are the noteworthy mentions:

Saints Row: 9, 8, 8, 9 Comments include "Gives the player a good sense of freedom" and "It's like GTA, with awesome graphics!"
Folkssoul AKA (Folk Lore): 8, 9, 8, 8 Comments include that the game handles atmosphere and game play excellently.
Shadowrun: 7, 7, 7, 7 Comments include "Sense of cooperation in the online mode is excellent".

This Week In Japan [Next-Gen]

"This Is Wood"

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:00:40 MDT

Nope, no it's not. Here's an ad for Nintendo DS software Eikenou that features a woman holding card with "wood" written on it in one hand and a *chunk* of wood in her other hand. The software helps students prep for the English proficiency test. In Japanese it says that using Eikenou is better than a foreign teacher. Well, if they're holding up blocks of wood, I guess they're right! Brian Ashcraft

Odd DS Ad [Random Thoughts]

Kotaku Magu: Final Fantasy IV DS Confirmed

Mike Fahey — Wed, 09 May 2007 14:20:14 MDT

Well here's one rumor that got confirmed pretty damn quickly. A reader sent us in a scan from Japanese magazine Shonen Jump, confirming that a Final Fantasy IV (2 stateside) 3D remake is in the works for the DS.

I know I should be impressed by Cecil's new 3D look, but it's giving me this odd sort of Viewtiful Joe vibe. Honestly I don't think this game needed to be remade. It was perfect as it was and this...this just feels wrong. Like meeting a cute young girl who sounds exactly like your grandmother when she talks. Disturbing. Michael Fahey

Thanks for the scan Riyu!

Kotaku Magu: Three Tries, One Really Bad PS3 Title

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 07:40:55 MDT

Worst. Title. Ever. Originally, dev Game Republic's PS3 title was Monster Kingdom (meh). Then it was dubbed Unknown Realms (vague, but decent). This week's Famitsu unveiled the game's new and final name, Folks Soul: The Lost Folklore. Just look at how awful it looks in print! And say it out loud: I just bought Folks Soul. What do you think of Folks Soul? You digging Folks Soul? It sounds like a bad compilation CD. A really bad one — Like one with Donovan, but without Dylan because they couldn't afford for the rights to his music. It sounds that bad. For those not familiar with Folks Soul (ungh), the game follows young Ellen as she goes to a mysterious town to meet her dead mom. The biggest mystery, though, is why Game Republic couldn't give this game a decent name. Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: Ace Combat Landing On Xbox 360

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:40:43 MDT

Everyone's jumping ship! Yesterday Capcom announced that Devil May Cry 4 would be appearing on the Xbox 360. Recently, a trio of PlayStation games have appeared on the Block Buster data base. Those games included Warhammer: Mark of Chaos, Ace Combat 6 and Beautiful Katamari. All titles are published by Namco, who has supported the Xbox 360 since the beginning. A recent issue of Famitsu reveals that the sixth installment of the PlayStation flight simulator Ace Combat will be finding its way to the Xbox 360 sometime this year with Xbox Live support. Wonder if Warhammer and Katamari can't be too far behind... Brian Ashcraft

Eds Note: As far as we can tell from the above article, Ace Combat 6 is an Xbox 360 exclusive, which it may or may not be. Don't have confirmation on this, so stay tuned for official announcements!

Ace Combat Scan [Xboxyde, Thanks Scazza!]

The Worst PS3 Game On Earth

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 03:00:22 MDT

So says Famitsu. Lucky Mist of Chaos, the game has the distinction of getting the lowest recorded PLAYSTATION 3 score by receiving: 4, 3, 4, 5. Everything about the game (its story, gameplay) reeks of bad. Famitsu writes that sometimes small print makes it difficult to read what's written, wonders what exactly its doing on the PS3 and says its difficult to get into the game.

Forgive me for not running Famitsu scores recently. Been very busy! So things like leaving the house and buying magazines have become difficult. Fingers crossed that it's back to normal by mid-week. Brian Ashcraft

Worst PS3 Game [Ore Teki Game Sokuhou @ Katana]

Kotaku Magu: Seven Things We Learned From Peter Moore

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 01:00:34 MDT

Print publication EGM has a big multi-page interview with Microsoft's Peter Moore. The Xbox 360 has been out a little over a year, and Moore brings us up to speed. What we learned:

1). They're already working on next Xbox 360 (Eds Note: And so are Nintendo and Sony on their own consoles, too probably!) Says Moore: "These things take years to develop; you have to work with partners to be able to build the necessary infrastructure to make sure the next-generation console is truly a next-generation console. We're going to be ready for the next generation if and when it arrives."
2). Not sure if a quieter 360 is possible "I really don't see that as being a major issue. Would we like to have a quieter machine? I guess so. Is it feasibly possible? You're probably asking the wrong guy to start talking about technology for cooling fans."
3). Microsoft, not Moore personally, will fix your voice chat problems "Somebody will come to your house, yes. I want you to print this. Somebody will come to your house, diagnose the problem, and fix it...once we replicate it."
4). Peter Moore was a gym teacher "[Gears of War] transports you to what we used to talk about in my old PE-teacher days: the right side of the brain, where you move over into a different world."
5). Developer Rare is still very, very important "Rare is still very, very important."
6). Peter Moore is Wii-less (but has loads of Microsoft stuff) "I was hoping my friend Reggie [Fils-Aime, Nintendo's president and COO] would send me one, but there's plenty around here that I get to play with. My house is an Xbox 360 house. And a Games for Windows house, I might add."
7). Peter Moore, Nintendo fanboy "You know, I've always been a huge fan of Nintendo intellectual property from the early days of owning a Super NES, and when you think of franchises that have defined our industry, there's probably none bigger for me than Mario."

Fascinating. And he says all this in a lime green shirt no less! Brian Ashcraft

[Thanks Dan!]

Kotaku Magu: Totally Fake, Mushroom Kingdom Hearts

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:00:41 MDT

It's Square-Enix meets Disney meets Nintendo meets April Fool's Joke. The latest issue of EGM is running an "exclusive" on a supposed Wii title called Mushroom Kingdom Hearts that's due out in 2008. Reader Michael sent along the "ultimate pipe-dream" article, which claims it is a spin-off of the popular Kingdom Hearts series and features 41 Nintendo characters. 41 Nintendo characters, heck, I can't even name 41 Nintendo characters! Oh wait. 41. 4/1. April 1st, April Fool's Day. So funny. Brian Ashcraft

Famitsu, In Your Foreign Hands For A Price

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 05:00:09 MST

For those who want their own copies of Famitsu to clutch and cuddle with, know that Amazon.com will deliver the weekly to your door for US $390 ($7.50/issue). Can't see the point at picking it up at such a premium. The big stuff all ends up online, anyway. Though, you do miss the magazine's comic. Not that you're really missing anything. Brian Ashcraft

Famitsu Order [CAG]

Kotaku Magu: This Week's Famitsu Scores [Dreamcast Edition]

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 06:00:26 MST

For the unfamiliar, Japanese game mag Famitsu has four editors rate each game from 1-10 with "10" being the best. Here we go!

Seiken Densetsu: Heroes of Mana (DS) 9, 8, 8, 7
Doraemon: Nobita no Shin Makai Daibouken DS (DS) 8, 8, 8, 7
Yoshi's Island DS (DS) 9, 7, 8, 8
Kenka Bacho Full Throttle 2 (PS2) 7, 8, 7, 7
Bomberman Land Wii (Wii) 7, 6, 7, 7
Ama Goushi no Yakata (PS2) 7, 8, 8, 8
Power Smash 3 (PS3) 8, 7, 7, 6
KAROUS (Dreamcast) 6, 6, 6, 7

And the Dreamcast refuses to die in Japan. Good. Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: Teen Vogue's Wii, We, Oui

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 04:00:12 MST

Eds Note: This could either be a "Bad Wii Pun Watch" or a "Kotaku Magu."

Your #1 source for gaming and dating boys, Teen Vogue has a two-page spread on the Nintendo Wii. There's even a t-shirt involved and the French language. Reader Briana Fahey (hey, wait a second...) sends this:

While I leafing through the latest issue of Teen Vogue I came across this Wii promo. I guess this is another attempt by Nintendo at marketing to the female crowd? I've always been an XBOX girl, but quotes like "It really responds to your movements!" doesn't make want me to pick up another console. Although, I must confess that shirt is pretty sweet. I love puns.
I'm willing to bet that you guys haven't seen this yet, probably because I'm one of the few readers who love both Teen Vogue and Kotaku, hence why I am sending this...

Much appreciated. Saves us the time of scanning in our own office copy. Hit the jump for the second page. Yes, the second page. Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: This Week's Famitsu Scores (Gundam Musou Edition)

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 23:00:19 MST

For the unfamiliar, Japanese game mag Famitsu has four editors rate each game from 1-10 with "10" being the best. This week's games are:

Ayakashi Fighting (DS) 4, 4, 4, 3
Unou no Tatsujin Soukai! (DS) 8, 7, 7, 8
Super Robot Taisen W (DS) 8, 8, 8, 8
Akudakan (PS2) 7, 6, 6, 6
Gundam Musou (PS3) 9, 8, 8, 8

Pretty good Gundam Musou scores. But good enough to encourage Japanese games to get off their duffs and buy PS3 consoles? Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: This Week's Famitsu Scores [Updated]

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 04:00:31 MST

For the unfamiliar, Japanese game mag Famitsu has four editors rate each game from 1-10 with "10" being the best. Let's dive on in. This week's games are:

Boku wa Koukuu Kanseikan DS (DS): 7, 6, 7, 7
Sim City DS (DS): 7, 8, 8, 8
NOVA Usagi no Game de Ryuugaku?! DS(DS): 6, 7, 7, 6
Keroro Gunsou Enshuu Dayo! (DS): 7, 6, 7, 6
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd (PSP): 9, 8, 9, 8
Akudaikan Manyuuki Seigi no Katana (PSP): 5, 4, 7, 6
WWE 2007 SmackDown vs Raw (PSP): 5, 7, 6, 6
Simple 2500 Series: The My Taxi (PSP): 6, 5, 7, 5
Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni Matsuri (PS2): 9, 8, 8, 6
Shojo Mahougaku Little Witch Romanesque (PS2): 6, 7, 6, 5
Destroy All Humans! (PS2): 8, 9, 7, 7
Kikou Souhei Armodyne (PS2): 8, 8, 7, 6
Simple Series 2000: The Tairyo Jigoku (PS2): 4, 5, 5, 4
Reijou Tantei (PS2): 6, 6, 6, 5
Aoi Sora no Neosufia (PS2): 7, 7, 8, 5
Lupin The Third (PS2): 7, 5, 8, 5
Simple Series 2000: Oharu-chan GOGOGO! (PS2): 4, 5, 4, 6
Ah Meigami-sama— (PS2): 5, 6, 6, 7
Naruto Shipuuden (Wii): 6, 6, 6, 7
Fire Emblem (Wii): 8, 8, 8, 9
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom (PS3): 7, 8, 8, 8
Crackdown (Xbox 360): 9, 8, 8, 9
Splinter Cell (Xbox 360): 7, 8, 8, 9
Trigger Heart (Dreamcast): 7, 6, 6, 6

Big week for PS2 releases, but Monster Portable 2nd for the PSP is the must-get title. Should be a big hit for Capcom! Crackdown and Fire Emblem also pulled in strong reviews as did Dark Kingdom. And wow! There's a Dreamcast title sandwiched in there. Incredible. Brian Ashcraft

Japanese Mag Makes Female Power DS Game

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 07:00:04 MST

Reclaiming lost readers or targeting new ones? This summer, magazine anan is putting its name on Female Power Emergency Up! DS, a title designed to help young working women improve themselves over a three month period. ("Female Power" encompasses "beautiful," "cute" and "strong" in case you were wondering.) Improvable areas covered by the game include "romance," "body" and "manners." Sounds good, but three months?! That sounds like a commitment I'm just not ready for. Brian Ashcraft

anan's New Game [IT Media]

Kotaku Magu: This Week's Famitsu Scores

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:00:53 MST

For the unfamiliar, Japanese game mag Famitsu has four editors rate each game from 1-10 with "10" being the best. This week's games are:

Bleach DS 2nd: Kokui Hirameku Requiem (DS) 8, 7, 8, 7
Professor Layton and the Strange City (DS) 8, 8, 8, 9
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 07 (PSP) 7, 7, 7, 8
Lumines II (PSP) 8, 8, 8, 7
SOUL CRADLE (PS2) 8, 8, 7, 7
APPLESEED EX (PS2) 3, 4, 4, 3
Zero no Tsukaima (PS2) 6, 7, 6, 5

In short: No titles for the new consoles and stay the hell away from Sega's APPLESEED game! Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: Tretton Offers To Buy Unsold PS3s For $1,200

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:00:05 MST

Get ready to put your money where your mouth is, Jack Tretton. Just listen to the generous offer Sony Computer Entertainment of America's honcho makes in game mag EGM:

If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than five minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it.

Oh boy! Back in January (when this EGM interview was done), we found about twenty plus PS3s sitting on shelves. That means Tretton owes us something like US $24,000. PAY UP. Brian Ashcraft

Thanks Jess for the tip!

Kotaku Magu: FF12 Revenant Wings Images

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 22:00:33 MST

The recent issue of Nintendo Dream has a buncha images for the upcoming Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings for the DS. There's no release date announced yet, but here's what we know: It's a pared down sequel to Final Fantasy XII. The game will feature a much more straightforward combat system for the DS's casual crowd and a ton more summons than any other FF. And the game's graphics are sprite based. Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: 360 Scores

Brian Crecente — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 10:00:24 MST

I'm not a big reader of game magazines. For the most part they are not my cup of Peppermint Mocha, but there are a few I do read, like Games for Windows and British mag 360.

A confession: I started reading 360 because I write a monthly column for them and they are kind enough to ship them over to me in big brown packages. Though sadly, they are not tied up with string.

While flipping through the latest issue to pull out review scores for this edition of Kotaku Magu I noticed that they do something kind of cool with their reviews. They have this whole Reviewing Experience Graph which is meant to show you what their reviewer thought of the game over the hours they played it.

More magazines need to do this sort of thing, because for a lot of people, I think, straight up reviews just don't cut it.

So here's their latest review scores from issue nineteen:
Blue Dragon: 4/5
Star Trek: Legacy: 2/5
World Snooker Championship 2007: 3/5
Bionicle Heroes: 2/5

I haven't played Blue Dragon or Snooker, but I totally agree with the other two. Brian Crecente

360 Magazine

Kotaku Magu: Mario Party 8 Game Play Explanations

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 07:00:40 MST

The March issue of Nintendo Dream has a bunch of Mario Party 8 images and Wii-mote game play descriptions. Even if you don't read Japanese, they're pretty self-explanatory. So Kotaku-land, what do you think?

Hit the jump for another gallery of straight up screens. Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: This Week's Famitsu Scores

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 08:22:47 MST

For the unfamiliar, Japanese game mag Famitsu has four editors rate each game from 1-10 with "10" being the best. This week's games are:

Jet Impulse (DS): 7, 7, 7, 7 (28/40)
Luminous Arc (DS): 8, 7, 7, 6 (28/40)
Medal of Honor Heroes (PSP): 7, 8, 8, 7 (30/40)
New Rainbow Island: Hurdy Gurdy Daibouken (PSP): 4, 4, 4, 4 (16/40)
OutRun2 SP (PSP): 7, 7, 6, 6 (26/40)
Cooking Mama (Wii): 6, 8, 8, 7 (29/40)
Virtua Fighter 5 (PS3): 9, 9, 9, 8 (35/40)
Fuzion Frenzy 2 (Xbox 360): 4, 5, 5, 5 (19/40)

Not exactly a stellar week, huh? Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: Perrin Says Nintendo Is "Profit Oriented"

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:22:49 MST

Don't let Mario's overalls fool you, Nintendo likes money just as the next console maker. No surprises there — Memories do come flooding back to when Nintendo announced Wii pricing and many flipped out at parting with US $250 as opposed to the rumored $199. Newsweek's got a piece up on the Wii about demand for the machine, the radio contest fiasco and a few blurbs from Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan. Regarding the contest, Kaplan offered her condolences and stressed that Nintendo had nothing to do with it. Regarding the shortages, she said:

We produce a healthy number, with more shipments coming weekly. We're not sure what more we could have done to meet such overwhelming demand... We try to minimize that [airlifting in consoles as Sony did with the PS3], as air is costly. We're a profit-oriented company.

Yup, that you are. And turning a pretty penny from what we hear! Brian Ashcraft

Thanks Batmundo for the scan!

The Meaning of Famitsu

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:21:10 MST

Famitsu might have sold its soul for exclusives. And yes the magazine often reads like a press release. But, it does matter. GameSetWatch has a great column from Kevin Gifford on why. Writes Gifford:

Famitsu is still the largest game mag in Japan, although its claimed circulation has dropped mightily — from 800,000 in 2000 to 500,000 today, although in a marketplace dominated by newsstand sales, the number of copies actually sold is undoubtedly much lower. It's the only game mag routinely on sale in newsstands and train-station kiosks in Japan, and its name is so trusted that Famitsu's editors have written game-industry articles in the past for national newspapers in Japan. This prestige is mainly thanks to a revolutionary (for its time) page structure and its weekly sales rankings — Famitsu was the first mag in Japan to attempt to estimate actual product sales instead of simply giving a general game ranking.

There's also a look back at the first issue of the then called Famicon Tsushin, which included a Top 30 with sales figures based off only three stores in Tokyo and two in Osaka. The magazine even had a US correspondent back in 1986. No matter what you think of Famitsu, this GSW piece is a must-read. Brian Ashcraft

The Bluffer's Guide to Famitsu [GameSetWatch]

Kotaku Magu: This Week's Famitsu Scores

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 14:24:42 MST

For the unfamiliar, Japanese game mag Famitsu has four editors rate each game from 1-10 with "10" being the best. This week's games are:

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas PS2 — 9, 10, 9, 10 (Total: 38)
FLATOUT 2 GTR PS2 — 7, 7, 7, 7 (Total: 28)
Kujibiki Unbalance PS2 — 5, 5, 5, 5 (Total: 20)
WWE 2007 SmackDown vs Raw PS2 — 7, 8, 7, 7 (Total: 29)
WWE 2007 SmackDown vs Raw Xbox 360 — 8, 8, 8, 8 (Total: 32)
Vampire Rain Xbox 360 — 7, 8, 8, 7 (Total: 30)
The Godfather Xbox 360 — 8, 8, 8, 8 (Total: 32)
IDOLM@STER Xbox 360 — 6, 7, 7, 6 (Total: 28)
LOST REGNUM PSP — 7, 6, 7, 6 (Total: 28)
San Goku Shi Taisen DS DS — 7, 8, 7, 7 (Total: 29)
Hotel Dusk Room 215 DS — 9, 7, 9, 8 (Total: 33)

Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: Cooking Mama, Space Invader In Wii Train Game

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:22:34 MST

Title says it all. Japanese game maker Taito is giving Mama from Cooking Mama and an alien from Space Invaders make cameo appearances in Densha de Go! for the Wii. Sure hope that a bullet train doesn't run over Mama! Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: More Castlevania SOTN Coming?

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 10:22:43 MST

With Castlevania: Symphony of the Night rolling onto Xbox Live, a new generation gets to experience the PS1 title for the first time. But it doesn't stop there, it seems. EGM has a small article (Thanks, Evan!) in the February issue titled "Second Symphony." The last paragraph reads:

Check back here next issue to get the exclusive scoop on the next Castlevania installment. Trust us—if you're a fan of SOTN, you'll want to sink your fangs into this killer exclusive.

Cockteases. Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: Game Creator New Year's Cards

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:21:52 MST

In Japan, New Year's postcards are the equivalent of Christmas cards. Called "nengajou," they are sent in late December. Nintendo Dream has a bunch of New Year's cards from famous game creators. Actually, most of them seem to just be autographs with New Year's messages scribbled in, but they're still pretty neat. Above is Shigeru Miyamoto's, complete with a self-portrait and drawing of Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. Hit the jump for the rest! Brian Ashcraft

Elebits Producer Shingo Mukaitouge.

Shigesato Itoi, Mother 3 creator.

Tetsuya Nomura, It's a Wonderful World Creative Producer.

Akinori Nishiyama, Sonic Director.

Gaykuten Saiban 4 team.

Tingle Producer Kensuke Tanabe.

Tingle Supervisor Mari Shirakawa.

Yuusuke Nakano, Twilight Princess Character Designer and Illustrator.

Hironobu Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy creator, maker of lame New Year's cards.

Kotaku Magu: And Japan's Top Ten Games Of 2006 Are...

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 09:22:42 MST

Famitsu has compiled a list of the 100 biggest selling games of last year. And a big chunk of them are the DS. Cutting to the chase, here's the top ten:

1). Pocket Monster Diamond • Pearl (DS) — 4,302, 815 units
2). New Super Mario Brothers (DS) — 3, 818, 214
3). More Brain Training (DS) — 3, 748, 638
4). Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS) — 2, 485, 264
5). Final Fantasy XII (PS2) — 2, 322, 329
6). Brain Training (DS) — 1, 991, 116
7). English Training (DS) — 1, 529, 618
8). Mario Kart DS (DS) — 1,115, 082
9). World Soccer Winning Eleven 10 (PS2) — 1, 052, 360
10). Tetris DS (DS) — 985, 246

Hit the jump for the bottom ten. Brian Ashcraft

90). Rockman EXE 6 (GBA) — 163,328
91). Puzzle Series Vol.3 SUDOKU (DS) — 163, 037
92). Kamaitachi no Yoru x 3 (PS2) — 162, 199
93). .hack//G.U. Vol.1 (PS2) — 162, 047
94). Summon Night 4 (PS2) — 159, 547
95). Pro Yakyu (Baseball) Spirts 3 (PS2) — 157, 477
96). LocoRoco (PSP) — 154, 816
97). Monster Hunter Portable PSP The Best (PSP) — 154, 187
98). .hack//G.U. Vol. 2 (PS2) — 153, 851
99). Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyu (Baseball) Portable (PSP) — 150, 431
100). Makaisenki Disgaea 2 (PS2) — 150, 428
For a final tally, 15 of the top twenty games were DS titles and 36 of the top 100 were DS games as well. Mother 3 was the biggest GBA seller, moving 368, 582 copies. In total, there were 8 GBA games. Last gen-wise, Super Mario Strikers was the sole rep, coming in at number 74. For the Wii, Wii-Sports came in at number 21 on the list, Wii-play at 25 and Twilight Princess at 45. The PS2 came out on top, claiming 43 spots on the Top 100. The PSP tiles occupied 7 slots with Monster Hunter Portable selling the most at 425, 181 and coming in at number 30. No PS3 titles made the list, same goes for the Xbox 360. Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: This Week's Famitsu Scores (Gears of War Edition)

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:22:50 MST

For the late-comers, Japanese magazine Famitsu has four editors award points on a 1-10 scale with 10 being the best. Here's this week's:

Bionicle Heroes (PS2) — 6, 6, 6, 5
Shining Force Ikusa (PS2) — 9, 9, 8, 9
.hack//G.U. Vol. 3 (PS2) — 8, 7, 8, 8
Dragon Shadow Spell (PS2) — 8, 8, 8, 8
Meitantei Evangelion (PS2) — 6, 6, 6, 4
Excite Truck (Wii) — 8, 8, 7, 8
Gears of War (Xbox 360) — 10, 9, 9, 9
The Sims 2 (PSP) — 6, 6, 5, 5
FIFA 07 (PSP) — 7, 7, 7, 7
Mahha Combat Heroes (PSP) — 8, 7, 8, 7
Sekaiju no Meikyu (DS) — 8, 8, 8, 8
Ochaken no Heya DS 2 (DS) — 8, 7, 6, 8
Wario: Master of Disguise (DS) — 8, 7, 7, 7

Not bad Gears of War, not bad at all. But will Japan will listen? Brian Ashcraft

Kotaku Magu: Ninja Gaiden Sigma

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:22:37 MST

Famitsu PS3 has a handful of screens for Tecmo's motion sensing title Ninja Gaiden Sigma. Apparently, the cut scenes will be real time. Team Ninja's about 40 percent done, and the game's director Yosuke Hayashi calls the title "truly a PS3 game." Hit the jump for more sexy images. Brian Ashcraft