Lumines

Lumines Gets Steamy

Q Entertainment and Valve have announced that henceforth the brilliantly addictive puzzle game Lumines shall be available for purchase via Steam. Much like the Xbox Live version of the game, Lumines is available as a base pack for $9.95, with an Advance Pack containing 21 new challenge mode skins, 60 puzzles for puzzle mode, and 35 stages for puzzle mode setting you back an additional $7.95, or you can grab the whole thing for $14.95, which is a much better deal, especially when you factor in the extra 10% you get if you purchase the game before Friday April 25th. I wonder if it will have the Heavenly Star stage? Just thinking about it makes me want to listen to the song 200 times in a row.

6:00 PM on Fri Apr 18 2008
By Mike Fahey
1,483 views, 23 comments

Latest by artofwar420: Too many games. I'm starting to get a little overloaded. more »

tetsuya mizuguchi

Tetsuya Mizuguchi on Rez HD, Game Design, the Future

Gamasutra has an interesting (if spotty at points) article up with Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the man behind Rez and Lumines (Lumines Live! is one of those games I have to be careful about playing, since I find it oh—so—hard to put it down), talking about proper vibrator placement while playing Rez, the future of Dadaist games, and emotional depth in games: More »

12:30 PM on Sat Feb 16 2008
By mgreene
3,457 views, 15 comments

lumines

Lumines Whored Out To PCs Today

We've known that Lumines is most assuredly coming to PCs for a few weeks now. What we didn't know was how, exactly, it would make its way to the platform. Today, Q Entertainment and its partner announced that it would come to the WildTangent Network, the online game provider famous for Penguins and Polar Bowler. Yeah! Those guys. *crickets*

The PC version comes with the now standard stuff, including Skin Edit, Puzzle and Time Attack modes. Lumines is available to Windows users on a pay per play basis, free with a healthy does of advertising or for download at $19.99. It's also available on just about everything else.

More »

6:40 PM on Mon Dec 3 2007
By Michael McWhertor
1,885 views, 20 comments

Latest by BaronesRoho: they did fix that about fate.. WildTangent might be adware, but its definately not SPYWARE... And considering all the ads we see all over this and every site, its not so bad. Also, if you pony up and more »

music

Yoko Ono and Mizuguchi Together. At Last!

Yup, that's Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi with Yoko Ono. Miz is hosting a two hour radio program called "Imagine ~A Message from John and Yoko~" on Friday, December 7th. That's a day before the anniversary of Lennon's assassination. Back in October, Mizuguchi met Ono in Iceland at the unveiling of Imagine Peace Tower. The tower, which Ono designed, will be lit every year between Lennon's birth on October 9th and his death on December 8th. Ringo Starr and Sean Lennon were also in attendance. Says Miz:

Going to meet Yoko Ono was inspiring for me.

Paul McCartney wasn't in appearance, because he and Yoko totally HATE each other.
Imagine [Miz's Blog]

7:00 AM on Mon Dec 3 2007
By Brian Ashcraft
1,806 views, 63 comments

Latest by dv8godd: @jbrader: That's a bummer. I remember the day he was shot... my mom lit candles and we kept our own little vigil as we listened to Imagine on repeat very late into the evening. Very depressing time. On an more »

q entertainment

Lumines Coming To Windows, Too

A new rating for Q Entertainment's Lumines has appeared on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, revealing that a Windows version of the musical puzzle game, originally released for the PSP, is in the works. When we contacted the developer about the listing, it confirmed the title's existence and promised that details will be announced within the next few weeks. Wait, what? Confirmation? That was... easy. Almost too easy.

Please note the picture above is from the Xbox Live Arcade version, Lumines Live.

ESRB Game Ratings

3:20 PM on Tue Nov 13 2007
By Michael McWhertor
1,736 views, 27 comments

Latest by Camann: That thuding sound you hear is the dead horse being beaten. more »

reduction

Lumines Live! Gets Cheaper

We don't know how we missed this yesterday, but good news if you still haven't picked up a copy of Lumines Live! The game is now 400 points cheaper, running 800 points on XBLA. Personally, I found the title a major letdown that failed to rekindle the magic of the original PSP version. But who knows, you may love it! Since Every Extend Extra Extreme also came out this week, you can have a duo of Miz for under a Jackson—the means $20 for you who are not hip with the low budget lingo.

Lumines Live Price Drop [via xboxdomain]

3:30 PM on Thu Oct 18 2007
By Mark Wilson
828 views, 32 comments

Latest by Luke: I'm with Mark on this one--it wasn't nearly as good as the PSP version. I didn't like a number of the skins that they had, and I actually regretted selling my psp. Of course, I didn't lose any more »

tgs07

Space Invaders Extreme Hands-On Impressions

Taito's Space Invaders Revolution didn't quite reinvent the archetypal arcade series for a new generation as its titled promised, but the company is giving it another go with Space Invaders Extreme. Like the previous Nintendo DS game, Taito adds new power ups and weapons to the formula, but takes the shooting action in an entirely new direction. Focusing on combos, rhythmically driven gameplay and fast paced, more Galaga-like invader formations, many may look at the game and assume it's developed by Lumines creator Q? Entertainment. In fact, it seems to follow the Q? design formula so closely, others may call it a rip off. More »

9:00 PM on Sat Sep 22 2007
By Michael McWhertor
2,567 views, 7 comments

Latest by Draconis: Space Invaders Extreme actually looks kind of fun (stolen cues from Q? Entertainment aside), and I hope the compatible Paddle Controller sees a US release. more »

celebrations

Lumines Live! Holiday Pack Details

Nothing says Halloween like Lumines. Or Christmas. Or summer vacation. On October 17th, Q Entertainment will be releasing a "Rockin' Holiday Pack" of 20 new Lumines Live! skins for Challenge Mode. Usual Q cohorts like Keiichi Sugiyama (Rez, Area 1) and h ueda (Every Extend Extra Extreme) collaborated for this upcoming pack. Snowflakes and autumn leaves — so festive!

3:00 AM on Tue Sep 18 2007
By Brian Ashcraft
1,578 views, 12 comments

Latest by thehitcher: Just got one of these as a present for Xmas. AND I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I REALLY ENJOY IT! But I don't know how can I make some new skinner for it… I mean…is there a way to download more »

uno-fication

Live Arcade Coming To Windows, Too

1UP is reporting that, at Gamesfest 2007, unspecified sources have revealed that Live Arcade support will be added to Games For Windows Live developer tools before the end of the year. No word from 1UP or Microsoft on whether this will mean current Xbox Live Arcade titles will make their way to PCs running various Windows OS flavors, but it seems like a safe bet. Yet another platform on which to play Lumines? Yes, please and thank you.

Gamefest 2007: XBL Arcade on PC by Holidays [1UP]

6:20 PM on Tue Aug 14 2007
By Michael McWhertor
1,162 views, 39 comments

Latest by ruiner9: If Microsoft can get people to pay for Galaga and other classic arcade titles on the PC, then they truly are the best salespeople in the world. Anyone ever heard of MAME? :P more »

double life

Miz Makes His Own Second Life

Now that Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi is hopefully finished doing the umpteenth reiteration of Lumines, he's ready to do something different, something virtual, something Second Life. Miz has agreed to create a virtual Tokyo for the pc game, and so far he envisions his creation a "museum of Japanese culture." What's more, he adds:

My work all these years has been to entertain people through video games, but this virtual Tokyo concept could be the next step and path... The Tokyo we are trying to create is based on the image of city. How do people in Tokyo perceive the city? How about foreigners? That's what we want to express.

That's nice and all Miz, but what about the flying penises and the furry fucking?
Lumines Creator Creates for SL [1Up]

3:00 AM on Thu Jul 5 2007
By Brian Ashcraft
930 views, 6 comments

Latest by DaveKap: Considering SL's script language actually has audio-sync capabilities, it'd be interesting to see if Miz puts his own little synthesaesic touch on his build. more »

flood gates

Yet, Another Lumines Clone

And the Lumines clones don't stop! Earlier, we brought word of Luminator, a Lumines copycat made by Germans. That's not all. Already out in stores is Got Game's Puzzle Scape, which looks and sounds a helluva like Lumines. A description from the company's website:

Escape to block-busting puzzles and pulsating beats in this exciting new puzzle game for your PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system! Be entranced by brilliant, interactive evolutionary backgrounds from cells to dream-like landscapes in four unique themes over 40 levels.

Geez, doesn't Lumines creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi have lawyers or something? More »

5:00 AM on Fri Jun 29 2007
By Brian Ashcraft
694 views, 7 comments

Latest by DarkHogosha: Jesus, aside from the visual and audio appeal, this doesn't appear to be like Lumines at all. That's like saying that Puyo Puyo and Dr. Mario are Tetris clones 'cause stuff falls or that Puzzle League is a cheap more »

clips

Lumines Exploit Runs PSP Homebrew

Want to play homebrew something on your PSP, but also like to keep up with your firmware updates? Buy Lumines! The game features a recently discovered exploit that will allow for the running of homebrew code with a simple press of the Start button following the load of a modified game save. The new avenue for emulation enthusiasts, despicable pirates, and homebrew coders will surely turn into something magical for PSP owners looking to get more out of their systems than what is legally and officially available. More »

3:20 PM on Mon Jun 25 2007
By Michael McWhertor
8,714 views, 34 comments

Latest by SliceWarriorX: Freakin' nice. download saved game like he said(edited one) and did the trick. woot. more »

clone

It's Like Lumines, But Not

Don't you wish game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi would've brought PSP game Lumines to the DS, instead? He doesn't have to. Germans are doing it for him! Well, not exactly. Germany's bhv Software is releasing Luminator DS third quarter 2007 in Europe. This DS title has only fifteen skins and 15 "CD quality" songs. I'm no lawyer, but it seems as though we've moved beyond flattery into the gray area of copyright infringement. Brian Ashcraft More »

9:00 PM on Thu Jun 14 2007
By Brian Ashcraft
1,220 views, 17 comments

missing pieces

This Trion Cube Puzzle Game Is Kinda Like...

It's inevitable. Make a puzzle game, and you're bound to be compared to Tetris. Namco's Trion Cube for the DS doesn't just have players clear lines, but build combos by forming 3x3 squares on a grid. Sounds different enough from Tetris. Still, let's compare! Kouji Asuna,the game's designer, points out:

Having Trion Cube compared to Tetris is rather honourable considering its place in history of the puzzle game genre. However, Trion Cube has its own unique features not seen in Tetris, so I hope many players will be able to get their hands on the game to experience the differences themselves.

Hmmm... What about Lumines? That's a puzzle game. Trion Cube is a puzzle game. Asuna continues, probably with a big SIGH:

It can be said that inspirations has come from all the puzzle games available to date. Since I tend to play a lot of overseas titles as well, I have been inspired by both Japanese and non Japanese titles.

Come back tomorrow when every single FPS is compared to Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM! Brian Ashcraft More »

10:00 PM on Tue Jun 5 2007
By Brian Ashcraft
700 views, 14 comments

Latest by LOCO209: WHAT UP game on ALL YOU GAMERS more »

nintendo

On Obsessive Gaming Behavior

While on vacation in Ireland last week I became quite obsessed. I had already sunk a solid fifteen hours into Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin prior to my journey across the pond, but I found myself sinking to a new obsessive gaming low. I was consumed. My compulsion would not be satisfied until I'd completed every quest, killed every monster, acquired every item and beat the game three times over with each character. Chalk up another 20 hours of my life. And I wasn't really even having much fun. More »

8:20 PM on Thu Mar 22 2007
By Michael McWhertor
2,308 views, 94 comments

Latest by diablodevil2: As far as I can remember, SSBM was at 250 hrs or so, and Monster Hunter on the PSP was at 290. more »

rez

Rumor: Rez, Every Extend Extra For XBLA

Could Tetsuya Mizuguchi's masterpiece Rez be en route to Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade service? Is The Miz's remake of PC freeware shooter Every Extend not far behind? That's a definite maybe on both, if this month's EGM rumors are to be believed. More »

4:40 PM on Mon Mar 5 2007
By Michael McWhertor
1,740 views, 38 comments

lumines

Lumines Live! Packs Hit Soon (And Cheap!)

It's widely known that the Lumines Live! screwjob from last year didn't sit well with Xbox 360 owners. Releasing a hobbled version of the game on Xbox Live Arcade with the promise of future through-the-nose payments rightly warranted some gamer finger wagging (and poisonous Kotaku comments). More »

6:20 PM on Thu Jan 18 2007
By Michael McWhertor
753 views, 15 comments

rez

Kotaku Stalku: I Finally Touch Mizuguchi

Not sure if you recall, but I was supposed to attend the Spike VGAs this weekend. What follows is the harrowing, should've-been-posted-on-Livejournal tale of my brief flirtation with a video game award show. More »

9:40 PM on Tue Dec 12 2006
By Michael McWhertor
208 views, 17 comments

Kotaku

Breaking: ESA Confirms LucasArts Exit

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