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Making Killzone 3 Was Hard Work And Fake Kisses
Killzone 3 cinematics director Jim Sonzero was feeling the heat. Long, brutal days turned into nights — nothing new to those in the game industry. Sonzero wanted actor Ray Winstone to get in Malcolm McDowell’s face. That’s when they started to pretend like they were kissing. “These guys are real pros, yet are still always…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 8, 2011 -
Phony Nintendo DS Units Seized At Japanese Border
The real, honest-to-goodness Nintendo DS is made in China. Phony Nintendo DS handhelds are also made in, you guessed it, China. Funny, that. Over 90 percent of counterfeit goods that entered Japan in 2010 were, according to Japanese customs, from China. The number is 11 percent higher than the previous year. The number two country…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 8, 2011 -
After Murder, There Was Online Gaming
Earlier this month at a supermarket in Japan’s Kumamoto, 3-year-old Koko Shimizu went to the restroom while her mother paid for their groceries. Within minutes, the little girl was missing. Her body was discovered 500 meters away inside a large drain near a river. A twenty year-old college student named Yoshihiro Yamaguchi was captured on…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 8, 2011 -
A Brothel, A Butt-Kicking Old Dude And Japanese Toy Castles
These little castles are really neat! I wanted to get one of them — I even like the old Japanese apartment building. Getting Prettier DS Games On The 3DS Means Shrinkage What you trade for beauty, you lose in size. The Nintendo 3DS is able to play Nintendo DS games, but some gamers are complaining…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
The Delicate Art Of Holding Big Weapons (And Wearing Funny Clothes)
Cosplay is more about wearing ridiculous outfits in front of less than ideal convention center backgrounds. No, it is also about holding large, badass weapons. Very important, folks! This Sunday, Japanese website Moeyo.com published a series of photos it took from the winter Comic Market. Every cosplayer seems to be holding something — something enormous.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
Japan Gets Another 3DS, But It Isn’t What You Think
The Nintendo 3DS went on sale in Japan in late February. There is already another 3DS on the horizon, and kids under six can use it without any Nintendo health warnings for as long as they like. Thing is, they probably won’t want to. The April issue of Japanese magazine “Elementary School: Second Grader” comes…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
Tomb Raider‘s Biggest Assets In HD
This March, Tomb Raider is getting a trilogy of games in HD. Tomb Raider Legend and Tomb Raider Anniversary and Tomb Raider Underworld will be released in hi-def. How do they stack up to the originals? Like brick shithouses. The HD ports seem to be paying careful attention to Lara Croft’s ample attributes, giving them…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
Getting Prettier DS Games On The 3DS Means Shrinkage
What you trade for beauty, you lose in size. The Nintendo 3DS is able to play Nintendo DS games, but some gamers are complaining that the games are not as sharp as they can be. No worries, there’s a fix. By simply pressing “Start” and “Select” while booting up a DS game, players can get…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
Is Making Final Fantasy A Nightmare?
The last big Final Fantasy title to hit store shelves, Final Fantasy XIII, was years in the making. The end result was a disappointment, with many of those who worked on the game leaving studio Square Enix (or even worse, apparently). Since Final Fantasy XIII was released, the game’s director Motomu Toriyama and producer Yoshinori…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
You Cannot Afford LEGO Carcassonne (Sorry!)
LEGO.com offers a service called Design by Me that allows hobby brick builders to dream up their own creations for which LEGO will do a one-off creation, complete with custom box. All of this is for a price. And the price for Cal Henderson’s LEGO Carcassonne is high Carcassonne is a tile-based board game that’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
Elderly Japanese Newscaster Will Own You In Resident Evil
Shiro Suzuki is a legendary Japanese broadcaster with a career spanning decades, and now encompassing variety programs. But as the 73-year-old enters his golden years, he’s become more noted for something else: kicking ass at video games. While famous people — old or young — playing video games is nothing new, Suzuki is really good…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 7, 2011 -
Nazi Outfits, Ditching 3D And Eating A Hamburger
Mmmmm…hamburger. You know I love hamburgers. Man, I love hamburgers. This burger tastes way better than I thought it would. I was kind of surprised! Why I Stopped Playing The 3DS In 3D Tomorrow will mark my one week anniversary of owning a Nintendo 3DS. I’m happy with the handheld — it’s a peach. However,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2011 -
Which Did Better — The 3DS Or The DS?
On December 2, 2004, the Nintendo DS went on sale in Japan. The 3DS went on sale in February 26. The consoles are different, but in many ways, similar. So which one did better out of the gate? The Nintendo 3DS sold 374,764 units in its first week on sale. Since the portable was released…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2011 -
Old GameCubes Get An Extra Life In Office Supplies
The GameCube was a fantastic little machine that never quite lived up to its potential. Even though the Wii can play GameCube games, don’t toss your console out. You can convert it to hold office supplies. The disc tray can be modified to hold thumb tacks and the vents are perfect for paper clips. Sticks…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2011 -
Hey Kids, Enjoy Your Sexy Wii Game
We Dare, the Ubisoft upcoming game for swingers, is rated ages 12-and-up in Europe. Ah, kids these days. The Wii version game uses the Wii Remote and can support up to four players and their libidos as they play through a whole host of mini-games that include spanking, erotic dancing and pretending the phallic Wii…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2011 -
Female Zombies Don’t Get Lady-Like Deaths, But Keep Their Dignity
Sega’s Yakuza crime games are infected with zombies (and zombies from other games). In the game’s fictional Kamurocho, schoolgirls and business ladies are turning into the walking dead. But when you finally kill them, they don’t exactly end up lady-like. Then again, trying to eat people isn’t very lady-like, either. Funny, that. A whole bunch…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2011 -
Why I Stopped Playing The 3DS In 3D
Tomorrow will mark my one week anniversary of owning a Nintendo 3DS. I’m happy with the handheld — it’s a peach. However, six days in, and I’ve already ditched the 3D. I loathe it, and it’s a feature I can do without. Thankfully, Nintendo allows players to switch on the 3D effect and switch it…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2011 -
You Can’t Kill The Resident Evil Movies
The Resident Evil movies are the cinematic equivalent of zombies. Just when you think they’re dead, when you won’t be subjected to them anymore, they get up and shuffle to your local cineplex. Guess what, they’re making yet another Resident Evil flick. Tentatively called “Resident Evil 5”, this will be fifth film outing for the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2011
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