-
The Nintendo 3DS Is The Anti-Game Boy
Inexpensive, low-tech and sporting an impressive battery life, the Nintendo Game Boy was released in 1989. Next month, Nintendo is releasing the 3DS. It’s everything the Game Boy wasn’t. It is the Anti-Game Boy. Designed by Gunpei Yokoi, the Game Boy was big and bulky with gray graphics. The machine was and is almost indestructible,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 25, 2011 -
Praying To The Anime Goddess
It’s said that there is a religion for everyone. Otaku are no exception. Ryohoji Temple, a Buddhist temple in Tokyo’s Hachioji, might have been built in the 16th century; however, it is anything but traditional. CNNGo reports that in June 2009, the temple’s chief monk Shoko Nakazato created a manga-esque sign to “tell the people…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 25, 2011 -
Rumor: The First Official Shot Of The PSP2?
While the PSP2 is not yet official, there have been fan Photoshop creations. Apparently, this is not a fan-made creation. Apparently, this is a Sony-made one. But is it? Granted, this could very well be another slick Photoshop, but this week Sony is expected to unveil the new PlayStation Portable, which is currently being called…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 25, 2011 -
I Want You For The Weekend
Not me. The dancing tiger. Look at him get down! Attended a Buddhist “hoji” (or memorial service for Mrs. Bashcraft’s deceased grandfather) on Sunday in Himeji, Japan. Osaka and Himeji are only like an hour and a half by car, so it wasn’t too far. It was a nice service and a nice lunch, but…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Gal☆Gun Escapes, Underpants Seemingly In Tact
After checking out creepy cute shooter Gal☆Gun at last year’s Tokyo Game Show, Kotaku could safely confirm that the game was wall-to-wall underpants. Then, there were concerns those underpants were killed off. Now? Now it seems that they’ve returned to the on-rails shooters. The game has players blast pheromones at an onslaught of female admirers.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Xbox 360 Hostess Game Helps To Ring In Akihabara’s Return
This past Sunday, Akihabara was re-opened to foot traffic, two-and-a-half years after a brutal killing spree that left seven dead. This weekend, folks came to pay their respects, and folks came to celebrate the return of “pedestrian’s paradise”. As thousands of otaku poured out on the main drag in Tokyo’s geek mecca Akihabara, the folks…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Over 800 Children Herded Together For Handheld Gaming
If anyone wonders what a gathering of 800 people playing portable game consoles look like, it looks like this. Because that’s exactly what happened this weekend in Odawara City in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture. At the city’s shopping center Dyna-City, a meet-up kicked off for “playing handheld gaming consoles at the same time”. In a space…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Why The Prettiest PlayStation 2 Game Wasn’t A Smash
In April 2006, Okami was released on the PlayStation 2 in Japan. The game was a critics’ favorite and a commercial flop. Selling a mere 66,000 copies the year it was first released in its native Japan, the Capcom game follows a Japanese sun goddess and uses game controls based on a brush calligraphy. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Gaming’s Funniest Designer Inspired By Film’s Artiest Director
Tim Schafer is a funny guy. He makes funny games like Grim Fandango and Psychonauts. And the idea for his newest game comes from an unlikely place. During the production hell that was the metal-inspired Brutal Legend, Schafer took a cue from Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai on how to break up post-production monotony. In…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Ballet Is For Girls (Who Love Nintendo)
Super Mario Bros. made the leap to the big screen, and that didn’t work. What about the leap to ballet? One school in Brazil tested out Mario’s twinkle toes. School plays are great. Handmade backdrops and colorful costumes. The kids at Brazil’s Maria Imaculada de Porto Alegre recently gave their ballet recital, titled “Super Mario…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
These Children Need To Calm The Eff Down
You think new Pokémon Happy Meal figures get Japanese kids in television ads excited? You are wrong. They do not. A new McDonalds ad features three children, a sheepish mother and SpongeBob toys. SpongeBob is popular in Japan, where he’s translated into Japanese. But the kids in the commercial are way too excited. In fact,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
You Cannot Stop The Japanese Schoolgirls
Spent the morning at the doctor about my exploded elbow. He said to come back if it still hurts. There will be cutting, oh yes! Just need the bugger to hold up next week while I’m in Tokyo. Then he can cut all he wants. Oh, and nice office, Crecente! What you missed last night…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2011 -
Marathon Programming Session Resulted In Smash Hit Game
Game programmers today are hardcore. They always are, but in the past, they were a little more hardcore. Shinichi Nakamoto created Bomberman, the bomb-throwing game. The game was originally released on PC in 1983, but later ported to Nintendo’s popular Family Computer, or Famicom. That port was supposedly done in 72 hours by one man,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2011 -
Is 3D Is Making Everyone Barf?
If 3D causes you to feel ill, tough crap. 3D is here to stay. According to optometrists, as many as one in four individuals either experience eyestrain — or worse, become dizzy or ill. One study of 115 South Koreans found that viewing 3D close-up causes more eyestrain than 2D, reports Fox. This lead the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2011 -
Wait A Minute, This Game Isn’t About Strippers!
The streets are lined with shops and populated with otaku. This game’s setting looks like Akihabara, and that’s because it is. But where are the strippers? The game’s title, Akiba’s Trip, sounds like Akiba Strip in Japanese. No wonder the developers used photos of underwear strewn about Akihabara to promote the game. Akihabara is largely…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2011 -
An Unlikely Trio Making New Social Game
Cave (known for its arcade shooters), Gree (known for its mobile phone games) and Electronic Arts (known for being Electronic Arts) are all working together on a new social game for Japan’s Gree networked gaming platform.
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2011 -
Meet The Man Responsible For Gaming’s Hottest Tune
Vietnam games and movies often rely heavily on old chestnuts like “Paint It Black” or “Fortunate Son” to capture an era. One Vietnam game enlisted some dude from Sweden instead. Shooter Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam features a loading song that’s referred to informally as the “Operation Hastings loading song”. Commenters on forums knocked heads…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2011
Brian Ashcraft
Brian Ashcraft's posts