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CultureHere’s An Original Xbox Easter Egg That’s Remained Hidden For Nearly 20 Years
A developer who worked on Microsoft’s original 2001 Xbox console, who wishes to remain anonymous, informed Kotaku of a hidden “Easter egg” in the Xbox Dashboard that’s remained undiscovered for nearly 20 years. They told us how to trigger the secret, which displays a previously unknown credits screen. Sure enough, it works. “I didn’t really…
By Alexandra Hall Published May 21, 2021 -
CultureReport: Next-Gen PlayStation VR Is Sounding Pretty Impressive
Sony’s next-generation virtual reality hardware for PlayStation 5 will include a number of fancy features and even some forward-thinking technologies that are not yet available on popular consumer VR headsets, according to a report on UploadVR. Citing “reliable sources,” UploadVR reports that the next PlayStation VR headset will feature eye tracking and foveated rendering, haptic…
By Alexandra Hall Published May 10, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsOculus Homes Ransacked
Yesterday I donned my three-week-old Oculus Quest 2 and decided to check in on Oculus Home, a personal 3D space that each Oculus user can customize with furniture and any number of faux-domestic polygonal accessories. But when I rezzed in, something was amiss. Or rather, everything was missing: My Home had been stripped bare. At…
By Alexandra Hall Published May 4, 2021 -
CultureMega Man Composer Manami Matsumae Doesn’t Miss The 9-6 Grind
Few game music composers have as iconic a resume as Manami Matsumae. Starting at Capcom in 1987, her first major project was scoring the original Rockman, the game we know as Mega Man. The Cutman theme? That’s Matsumae. And she was just getting started, soon jumping from the Famicom into Capcom’s CPS-1 arcade hardware to…
By Alexandra Hall Published May 3, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuHow Big Is Your Backlog?
It’s once again time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: How big is your backlog? Brian Not too big, I guess. I’ve been playing Civilization VI, because I find it comforting, which this year and last…
By Alexandra Hall Published April 20, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsSame. Exact. Energy.
The time had finally come for me to check out id Software’s unapologetic 2011 Mad Max ripoff Rage, and true to its reputation, I spent the first couple hours just trying to get it to run smoothly like a game built on a normal engine. Megatextures, am I right? But I succeeded, and promptly ran…
By Alexandra Hall Published April 12, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuWhat’s Your Worst Gaming Habit?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: What’s your worst gaming habit? Lisa Marie My worst gaming habit is easily never finishing games. I’ve played a ton of games, but I’ve finished very…
By Alexandra Hall Published April 12, 2021 -
ReviewsBacklogOnly After I Embraced My Doom Did Abadox Reveal Its Charms
I’ve been playing a lotta Nintendo Entertainment System lately, partially to make sure RetroArch’s workin’ fine on this new PC, and also just because I’m jonesin’ for some simple, classic fun. Natsume’s 1989 shooter Abadox was one of the first new-old games that came to mind, so I took it for a spin. Abadox (longplay)…
By Alexandra Hall Published April 9, 2021 -
CultureMorning MusicLooks Like Capcom Got The Band Back Together
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s ongoing hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Today, Capcom forms a band. Yesterday’s Street Fighter V Spring Update was full of surprises, not least of which was that Capcom’s slapped a pair of undies on returning fighter Oro, the only canonically freeballing character…
By Alexandra Hall Published April 7, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuHave You Ever Raged And Thrown A Controller?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: Have you ever raged and thrown a controller? Fahey While I have never thrown a controller myself, I have been around someone who has. In fact,…
By Alexandra Hall Published April 5, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuWhat’s A Game You Like That Doesn’t Get Enough Love?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: What’s a game you like that doesn’t get enough love? Alexandra It’s Bionic Commando (2009). The game famously bombed and sure enough, there’s plenty wrong with…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 29, 2021 -
CultureMorning MusicKiller Loops With South Asian Flair Helped Skyblazer Stand Apart
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s ongoing hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. We haven’t been covering many chiptunes lately, so today let’s start remedying that by checking out a somewhat unknown SNES gem with a sound all its own. It feels surprisingly rare to find a game that’s…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 29, 2021 -
CultureMorning MusicSecret Little Haven Is 10 Minutes Of Weapons-Grade Vaporwave Nostalgia
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s ongoing hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Today we’ll take a trip back to 1999 by way of 2018 with a breezy 10 minutes of refreshingly chill cyber-vibes. Victoria Dominowski’s Secret Little Haven (Bandcamp / longplay / VGMdb / Itch.io) is a unique…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 24, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuHave You Ever Successfully Returned To An Ancient Save File?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: Have you ever successfully returned to an ancient save file? Ethan Short answer: No, it’s never worked. Long answer: Last summer I tried to go back…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 22, 2021 -
CultureMorning MusicFamicom Graffiti‘s Metroid Remix Kills, But Oh Dear, That One Zelda Track…
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s ongoing hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Today’s vintage selection from Nintendo has a real unpredictable streak and features one of the best Metroid covers you’ll hear. And, well, other things. Video game soundtrack albums were kind of a wild west in the…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 22, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuHow Has Your Relationship With Gaming Changed Since Covid Began?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: How has your relationship with gaming changed since covid began? Ari This is an impossible question that I’ll nonetheless try my best to address. I started…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 15, 2021 -
CultureMorning MusicNine Inch Nails’ Ambient, Droning Quake Soundtrack Massages My Brain
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s ongoing hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Today, lull yourself into productivity with the sound of nightmares. (Hmm, Ima keep workshopping that.) Angsty Nine Inch Nails fan though I was back in 1996, and curious to hear how Trent Reznor and co had…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 15, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuWhat’s The First Setting You Change In Any Game?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: What’s the first setting you change in any game? Riley I always immediately turn down the mouse sensitivity in any game I play. I’m weird about…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 8, 2021 -
CultureMorning MusicI Found Some Rad Tracks At This Virtual Japanese Music Festival
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s ongoing hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Instead of highlighting a single soundtrack today, I wanna tell you about my visit to a virtual music festival this weekend, where I found lots of intriguing new tunes So that was cool. It started when…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 8, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuWhat’s Your Favorite Video Game Boss Encounter?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: What’s your favorite video game boss encounter? Ash Spoilers for Undertale follow. In my hierarchy of the best video game boss fights of all time, nothing…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 1, 2021
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