Brian Ashcraft

The Latest Game from Pokémon‘s Creators Isn’t Pokémon

Game Freak, the folks behind Pocket Monsters, are working on a new download title for the 3DS. It’s called Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight. It’s a platforming game meets rhythm game. HarmoKnight uses “attack” and “jump” to clear each stage. To take down enemies, it uses a timing mechanic that seems similar to what you’d see in…

Nintendo 3DS XL Going All Pink (and White)

To mark the newest Girls Mode fashion game, Nintendo is releasing a new 3DS XL color: Pink and white. The handheld will be released on September 27 for ¥18,900 (US$251).

Nintendo Has a New Tomodachi Collection. This Video Justifies Its Existence.

Nintendo’s latest Tomodachi Collection is slated for spring 2013. Tomodachi Collection is a life simulator that is often compared to both The Sims and Animal Crossing. The first Tomodachi Collection came out in 2009 in Japan. It has not seen an international release.

The Newest Paper Mario Looks Awesome

Nintendo is putting a new spin on Paper Mario with its upcoming entry in the series, Paper Mario: Sticker Star. The game features sticker spin on the Paper Mario games, and players will be collecting stickers through out the game, which can even be used when battling enemies. The game will be out later this…

Let Them Eat Cake, Glorious (and Expensive) Nerd Cake

As Kotaku previously mentioned, there is once again a set of official Neon Genesis Evangelion cakes. This is the third series of Eva cakes. Yes, the third! These cakes are pricy (around US$50 or higher), and are eaten with utensils that look like Eva weapons. Recently, sister site Kotaku Japan got to see the Eva…

First Look at the New Professor Layton Adventure. It’s the Last One.

Today, Level-5 unveiled its latest Professor Layton. It’s not only the sixth Layton adventure. It’s the last one for the game’s titular character. The name of the game is Layton Kyoujyu to Cho Bunmei A no Isan (loosely “Professor Layton and the Legacy of Super Civilization A”). The game takes Layton and his trusty assistant…

You Can Win This Super Rare Nintendo 3DS XL in Japan

Nintendo is holding a special tournament for 3DS game Culdcept in Japan. The winner will get this: a special Culdcept 3DS XL. With Culdcept, Nintendo brought Omiya Soft’s classic fantasy strategy title to the 3DS. The game’s image character even became a sex symbol ニンテンドー3DSカルドセプト [Twitter]

Buy Berserk Manga, Get Awesome Berserk Figure

Manga fans! A limited edition version of the 37th volume of Berserk will be bundled with an Berserker Armour-wearing Guts. (Guts, of course, is the lead character of Berserk, non-manga fans!) This bundle is priced at ¥4,780 (US$61) and pre-orders end on October 31. 「べルセルク」37巻は3月、初の限定版にガッツフィギュア [Natalie] Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture,…

Sony’s New 100 Person Team Is Looking for the Next Big Whatever

Times are tough. While Sony has had success with the PS3, the tech giant sometimes seems like it’s lost its touch. That might be why Sony is creating a special team of one hundred crackerjack employees. The aim is to find the next big thing. This week, Sony revealed that it established a new R&D…

How Sleeping Dogs Tried To Avoid Chinese Stereotypes

Set in Hong Kong, Sleeping Dogs didn’t just look to the city’s rich cinema tradition for inspiration. It also tried looking to the city itself. But when you are mixing fact and fiction, you must be careful not to stereotype. Here’s Sleeping Dogs producer Dan Sochan to website CVG on attempting to overcome that challenge:…

“Star Wars: First Assault” has been trademarked for “interactive video games”, among other things.

Ladies, Please Leave This Man Alone. He’s Playing a Video Game.

In the above clip, a Chinese gamer ignores several booth companions while he focuses on what looks like side-scrolling role-playing game Zhan Hun (roughly, “Soul Decapitation”). The clip is now going viral, but it’s actually from the China Joy expo earlier this summer. This is probably a stunt by a game company—however, it could also…

Wait, This Figure Costs $200? You Are Joking.

These days, figures look better and better. They also cost more and more. Against that backdrop, this creation is baffling. Above is a 9.6-inch soft vinyl figure of Mian from virtual bar hostess game Dream Club and Dream Club Zero. Out this October in Japan, it’s priced at ¥15,750—that’s a little over US$200. Crazy! This…

Even though game consoles are banned in China, Microsoft just launched a Chinese language Xbox site.

Is This How Hardcore Gamers Sleep?

Spotted at an internet cafe in China, this gentleman is all tuckered out—a sleepy pooh. Was it too much gaming? A marathon online session? Whatever it was, it resulted in some amazing sleep pyrotechnics. Full size image below: A reminder of how we see Chinese sleeping everywhere [Alicia Lui via Beijing Cream] Kotaku East is…

Disappointed by The World Ends With You iPhone Port? Chin Up.

After a drip-fed countdown, Square Enix revealed that The World Ends With You was being re-released. On iOS. For twenty bucks. The good news is that the port—pricey as it is—ain’t bad. The better news? Square Enix hints at more The World Ends With You. The game’s director Tatsuya Kando said in the upcoming Famitsu:…

On Your Knees, I Want You To Beg for this Sephiroth Cosplay

For Final Fantasy bad guys, they don’t get any more popular than Sephiroth. Look at that hair! That sword! Sephiroth will never be just a memory. After making his iconic appearance in 1997’s Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth became a fan favorite—and even started popping up in other FF titles as well as non-Final Fantasy games,…

Japanese Rice Balls Made All Weird and Bizarre

Rice balls—née “onigiri”—are a prefect portable snack. They’ve existed in Japan for centuries and have traditionally been either triangle-shaped or round. A Japanese toy company thinks it’s figured out a new, amusing spin on the traditional snack. Called “Smart-han”, it’s a hard plastic tube that allows people to pack in rice and various fillings for…

It’s Possible To Talk Intelligently about Tentacles, Right?

If you’ve played video games, read manga or seen anime, they’ve probably made an appearance: that’s right, tentacles. For a segment of Japanese (and now, Western) pop culture, those phallic-looking feelers are in the visual lexicon. As Kotaku previously mentioned, one of the manga artists who is responsible for that is Toshio Maeda—aka the self-proclaimed…

New Final Fantasy Isn’t Called “Lightning Saga”. Well, Duh, and THANK GOODNESS!

Square Enix is readying a new Final Fantasy game, which has been referred to as “Lightning Saga”. It’s probably going to be Final Fantasy XIII-3: SOMETHING SOMETHING, but as Yoshinori Kitase pointed out today on Twitter, “The title isn’t Lightning Saga.” Phew! Rather, Square Enix will be unveiling the game’s title at its upcoming Final…