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PlayStation Users Giving Big Money To Japan Earthquake Relief
As of March 31, PlayStation users worldwide have donated US$1.318 million to the earthquake relief efforts. “While we continue to make every effort to help the recovery of the affected communities in the region,” Kazuo Hirai, Sony Computer Entertainment honcho, said in an official release, “I would like to express our gratitude to every single…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 5, 2011 -
From Punching Faces To Swinging Wii Remotes
Life’s funny. You start out wanting to be a martial arts master, go on to appear in Hollywood movies, invent Tae Bo, and then decades later, end up with your own Wii game in Japan. In a duck press, that pretty much sums up Billy Blanks. During the 1980s, Blanks was able to capitalize on…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 5, 2011 -
Long Lines In Akihabara To Donate To Quake Victims
STAND UP | TOKYO, JAPAN: “Otaku” celebrities like voice actress Aya Hirano collect money for quake victims. Small talk, handshakes, etc. were not permitted. (Photo: Koepota) Wake Up, Kotaku Anonymous Targets Sony, Warns Of Penises Stuck In Hornets Nests Militant hacker group Anonymous has launched a campaign against Sony, citing the Japanese company’s “unforgivable offense…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
Max Payne 3 Developers Learned All About Brazil
Upcoming action game Max Payne 3 is set in Brazil. Rockstar, the folks making Max Payne 3, are not a Brazilian studio, so that meant one thing: research. The game’s art director, Rob Nelson, tells Edge magazine that the team put as much research into Sao Paulo as the original Max Payne developer did with…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
New Super Mario Bros. Arrives In A New Setting
New Super Mario Bros. Wii is making the jump from the Nintendo Wii to arcades, and trading Wii Remotes for joysticks and jackpots. Dubbed Super Mario Bros. Wii: Coin World, the game is being reborn as a four player “medallion game”. Medallion games are arcade games in which players try to hit the jackpot and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
Nintendo Is Taking May Off, It Seems
April showers might bring May flowers, but they sure as shit don’t bring games in Japan. The release schedule for the Wii, DS and 3DS is looking shockingly barren. According to Nintendo’s Japanese site, there are only two DS games getting released in Japan in May: Treasure Report, Red Stone DS and Nakayoshi Kids: Oshigoto…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
PixelJunk Shooter? No, PixelJunk Signed Shooter Shirt
Kyoto’s Q-Games, the studio behind PixelJunk and a whole host of wonderful titles, is auctioning off a signed ThinkGeek t-shirt for “Play for Japan”. The whole PixelJunk staff autographed the shirt! Auction ends on April 10 and all proceeds will go to the American Red Cross. More info in the details below. Play For Japan:…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
Naked Fan-Made Figure Goes For Insane Price
Virtual idol Miku Hatsune has her own Sega video games, concerts, insane game controllers, and figurines. Whether it’s plastic statues for arcade redemption games or detailed collectors’ statues, there is no shortage of Miku merch. One fan decided there was a gaping hole in the Miku figures, namely of the totally naked variety, and decided…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
Gaming’s Greats (And Kotaku) Pay Tribute To Japan
Broadcasting over the weekend, Gamers Heart Japan is a one hour program, designed to celebrate the country that’s given us so many great games as well as help with the relief efforts. Created by The Electric Playground, the program features a whole host of gaming luminaries, like Tim Schafer, Will Wright and Sid Meier, talking…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
Some Of Gaming’s Giants Give Toys To Quake Kids
While some of the Tohoku Earthquake’s youngest refugees told the Mainichi Newspaper that they really want to play video games, power shortages make that impossible. Kids are kids, and they want to play. This is why twenty-six companies are donating four ten-ton trucks worth of toys, clothing and stationary to the relief efforts. Among those…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
This 3DS Sports Game Sure Seems Gimmicky
The Nintendo 3DS is not multi-touch. That hasn’t stopped Namco Bandai from making a game that requires two touch pens. So players not only have to hold two touch pens like total goobers, they cannot use them at the exact same time. Well, they can, but the multitouch won’t register. Only one of the brain…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
Not Everyone Knows Who The Hell Hideo Kojima Is
You probably know who Hideo Kojima is. He makes Metal Gear Solid. But is he famous? Probably, but that doesn’t mean mainstream Japanese celebs know who the heck he is. Kojima appeared on a recent episode of variety show Real Scoop, talking about how popular he is abroad. Famous celebrities like Yusuke Kamiji as well…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
When You Think Of Japan, Think Of This
More than schoolgirls, salarymen or neon lights, when video games want to evoke Japan, they pick one thing above the rest: cherry blossoms, or “sakura”, as they are called in Japanese. During spring, Japan is awash in pink and white. Cherry blossoms are in bloom for a short period (around two weeks or so), and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 4, 2011 -
April Fools’ Day Is Stupid. I Hate It.
AMPLE | OSAKA, JAPAN: A card game aimed at kids provides an eyeful. (Photo: Brian Ashcraft) Wake Up, Kotaku Good morning, Kotaku. It’s April 1. April Fools Day. A day when the internet becomes a wasteland of bad jokes and annoying fake news. So wherever you tread today, be cautious. And if it’s any consolation,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 1, 2011 -
2010 Was The Year The Sony Passed Nintendo In Japan
According to Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, the PS3 outsold the Wii in Japan last year. The PSP also outsold the Nintendo DS. This is the first time Sony has ruled both home and portable consoles. [via Famitsu]
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 1, 2011 -
Fukushima Nuclear Plant Getting Help From…An Xbox 360 Controller?
The situation at Fukushima is far from over. The Japanese government is working hard to cool the nuclear cores and contain the problem. Help from outside is being enlisted, too. Help that is powered by an Xbox 360 controller. North America’s QinetiQ deployed its unmanned Talon robots in Fukushima. According to QinetiQ, the robots are…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 1, 2011 -
Manga From Square Enix Coming To TV And Film
Comedy manga Arakawa Under the Bridge, which already has an anime adaption, is coming to Japanese television in live action form. And then the silver screen! This summer, Arakawa Under The Bridge will debut on Japanese television in episodic drama form. The following year, a feature film version will hit cinemas. The manga is published…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 1, 2011 -
Mega Man Creator Starts Not One, But Two Companies
Former Capcom big wig Keiji Inafune is starting two new game development companies: Comcept and Intercept. “Comcept” is a combination of “computer” and “concept”. Oddly, “Capcom” is a shortened version of “capsule” and “computer”.
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 1, 2011 -
Japan’s Biggest Amateur Pin-Up Brings This Adult Game To Life
Ushijima Ii Niku (Ushijima “Good Meat”) is Japan’s biggest amateur pin-up. And this summer, she’s coming to a theater near you. That is, if you live near Akihabara. Upcoming adult computer game Djibril The Angel Of The Warring States is getting a “live action” incarnation, starring Ushijima. Or is it? The movie tentatively has a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 1, 2011
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