I posted this week's special Brawl in the Family video comic in today's edition of Sunday Comics, but I felt it needed a place of its own. As a friend put it, this is the tragedy of pet ownership spoken in the vernacular of video games.
As the Xbox 360 sails off into the sunset, and its trade-in value weakens by the day, plenty of people are going to be left with old controllers. Rather than let GameStop give you 17 cents for one, why not turn it into the world's coolest dog leash?
One would think, that horseback riding as a feature in video games would appear most of the time in wild west-themed titles, with lots of riding and gunning. But browsing through Japanese games, it quickly becomes clear that it's not the case.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--gc_7SD3k--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17s0bgcw4hfx8jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--n3KRA2IH--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17s0bgcw4hfx8jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Ev6cq4dr--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17s0bgcw4hfx8jpg.jpg, (large)])
There are few things in life as sweet or satisfying as the companionship of a pet. Okay, I think I'm saying that as a crazy-cat-lady-in-the-making, but still! Unable to get a pet of my own, I thought I'd ask developers about their pets. It's a living vicariously through other people thing. Plus, who can resist looking …
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--AHnEEWve--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18ha53pn7s4bhjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--vxKjw-wU--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18ha53pn7s4bhjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--h85OXCvf--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18ha53pn7s4bhjpg.jpg, (large)])
There is a Kinect-powered video game in the Columbus Circle subway station in New York City. It's being used to sell dog food. Because Kotaku never rests, and because we can't let Game Informer and television's Geoff Keighley hog all the big video game world exclusive announcements, your editor-in-chief had to stop…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--IGiATm9u--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18r5d868u2vg3jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tRt8XgP7--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18r5d868u2vg3jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6mHaStmm--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18r5d868u2vg3jpg.jpg, (large)])
Cat food purveyor Friskies has released a trio of iPad/Android tablet games for our feline friends to enjoy. Tasty Treasures, Party Mix-Up and Cat Fishing, aren't the first iPad games released for cats, but they may be the first games on any platform used to advertise to animals.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7FfgPhU7--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j2pys6exn1gjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7W7Hp8Fi--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j2pys6exn1gjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DL4StRJJ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j2pys6exn1gjpg.jpg, (large)])
Dogs playing football is a video game idea that sells itself, but it never hurts to have a little star power behind your title. Get ready for Jerry Rice & Nitus' Dog Football for the Nintendo Wii.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--R_wMMBa1--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17iv4u7km9b8zjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--NsvYP2vy--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17iv4u7km9b8zjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ZpObAqkB--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17iv4u7km9b8zjpg.jpg, (large)])
The first World of Warcraft charity pet brought in $1.1 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and it was nowhere near this cute. How much do you figure these adorable little Moonkin Hatchlings will make?
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--TpRUepFa--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/17haqpzfvjz6gjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--cubePafg--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/17haqpzfvjz6gjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--sC3PE_NA--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/17haqpzfvjz6gjpg.jpg, (large)])
Turning an old PS3 into a George Foreman grill is silly. Those things get hot! You're far better off turning it into something useful.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kL6a6dyT--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/1867dmmfd8wl6jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--YbDw3oEl--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/1867dmmfd8wl6jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_pANYmTd--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/1867dmmfd8wl6jpg.jpg, (large)])
Picking up Aion's free Assault On Balaurea expansion at retail has its benefits, including one of several retailer-exclusive pets, each with a special benefit for players possessing it. Dibs on the odd-looking squirrel thing!
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LZX_FSro--/c_fill,g_center,h_358,w_636/18rgdzayy6d6ijpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--MHxji1VA--/c_fill,g_center,h_180,w_320/18rgdzayy6d6ijpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--fkmYvtaz--/c_fill,g_center,h_77,w_137/18rgdzayy6d6ijpg.jpg, (large)])
If anyone ever asks you whether or not iPad apps are difficult or not, show that human this clip. And do it, pronto.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--W0jm3oW2--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17iv7iebms71pjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_Oi0dFqC--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17iv7iebms71pjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--M6cevqav--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17iv7iebms71pjpg.jpg, (large)])
It was only a matter of time. Blizzard has just put up a pair of in-game pets for World of Warcraft for sale on the Blizzard Store. Would you pay $10 for a Pandaren Monk or a baby Kel'Thuzad?
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--am0t_PtH--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j4j7glsbcq6jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--yG7mkZAN--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j4j7glsbcq6jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kZxykRjW--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j4j7glsbcq6jpg.jpg, (large)])
Once the most-feared name in Azeroth, the Onyxia is making a comeback for World of Warcraft's 5th anniversary, transforming into a bigger and badder brood mother than ever before.
