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GagaVille, the Most Monstrous FarmVille Update Yet
GagaVille itself is a bit of a let down. It’s just a neighboring farm with a few silly things to click. But for FarmVille regulars, the update brings new items, crops, and decorations-and a chance to listen to tracks from Lady Gaga’s upcoming album before anyone else. It’s insidious, brilliant pablum. The three new crops…
By Joel Johnson Published May 17, 2011 -
First In-Game Teaser for Dead Island Still Playing the Emotion Card
While it’s certainly not the game-changing first trailer for Dead Island, today’s just-released trailer attempts to give a tug to those same heartstrings with music right out of a Hallmark commercial matched to in-game footage. I’m still on the fence on this one—I just cannot get with Dead Rising at all, which appears to be…
By Joel Johnson Published May 17, 2011 -
Can You Figure Out What Makes This Watch “Video Game-Inspired”?
Joel: I honestly cannot see what makes this Converse watch “Video game-inspired” Fahey: Well it’s got….um. There’s the… I got nothing. Totilo: Dr. Mario! Joel: That’s about it maybe. Totilo: also, the red and white on the right is clearly an abstract version of fireball Mario from Super Mario Bros Totilo: the navy blue is…
By Joel Johnson Published May 16, 2011 -
Plants Vs. Zombies Coming to Android for Free (for a Day)
Buried in a businessy press release from PopCap are two gems: That Plant Vs. Zombies and Chuzzle are coming to Android via the Amazon market-and that they’ll be free apps of the day. PvZ for free is quite good. Chuzzle is tomorrow; PvZ “later this month”. [PRNewsWire]
By Joel Johnson Published May 16, 2011 -
26-Year-Old Programmer Behind OpenFeint Gaming Network Just Made $104 Million
Jason Citron, one of the guys behind OpenFeint—the other social gaming backend for Apple iOS devices—just sold his company for $104 million American megaducats. Business Insider has an astoundingly gloat-free interview. [Business Insider]
By Joel Johnson Published May 13, 2011 -
Did SEAL Team Six Find Osama bin Laden’s Porn Stash?
According to Reuters, “modern, electrically recorded video” of a pornographic nature was recovered from Osama bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound. I guess we know what Modern Warfare 3‘s SEAL Team Six mission could be.
By Joel Johnson Published May 13, 2011 -
How Not to Fake a Game Informer Cover
If you’re going to fake a Game Informer cover, you might want to get their slogan correct. And “specs”? Not on a cover. “in” instead of “at”? The one tool they don’t have in Photoshop is spellcheck stylecheck*. [via tips@] * This post written in Photoshop.
By Joel Johnson Published May 11, 2011 -
Portal 2‘s Erik Wolpaw Lecture Now Online for Your Viewing Pleasure
One of the writers of Portal 2, Erik Wolpaw, gave a talk last week at NYU’s Game Center. You may have become aware of this because of the number of stories that ushered forth from the talk, like Wolpaw’s passion for Rick the Adventure Sphere or why Chell doesn’t speak. Or perhaps you were one…
By Joel Johnson Published May 10, 2011 -
The First of Many Updates to Kotaku.com Design is Live Right Now
This morning Kotaku pushed live a little (but very hard-won) update to our code that most folks probably won’t even notice. But for more dedicated readers and those with older web browsers, these changes should help to soothe at least some of the wounds inflicted by the redesign. You can finally share links on Facebook…
By Joel Johnson Published May 10, 2011 -
What Game of Thrones‘ Intro Looks Like in StarCraft 2
David Zhou noticed the resemblance between the open titles of HBO’s Game of Thrones and the maps of an RTS. And what do you know? A StarCraft 2 movie (created by Zhou) set to the GoT intro music looks pretty great. StarCraft: A Game of Thrones [Wellplayed.org]
By Joel Johnson Published May 9, 2011 -
Jon Stewart on the Photos of Osama bin Laden
[The Daily Show via ★]
By Joel Johnson Published May 5, 2011 -
They Knew For Six Days: The PlayStation Network Hack Timeline
According to details from Sony themselves in a letter to congressional subcommittee, Sony was aware that data had been removed from their systems six days before warning customers that accounts had been compromised. All dates and times from Sony’s missive to Congress April 19, 2011. 4:15PM PDT – Sony Network Entertainment America (SNEA) network team…
By Joel Johnson Published May 4, 2011 -
Even If Yoshi Is Gay, Where are the Other Gay Video Game Heroes?
Can an egg-laying dinosaur without sex organs be gay? IGN’s Jack DeVries makes the case that Mario‘s green dinosaur steed with the prehensile tongue is “dating”-in the strange, largely irrelevant backstory that frames the series-Birdo, the pink, bow-wearing dinosaur first seen in Super Mario Bros. 2 Birdo, according to official Nintendo lore, is male. The…
By Joel Johnson Published April 28, 2011 -
Is Let Them Eat Cake the Most Authentic Royalty Simulator of All Time?
Oh, perchance for but a moment to be an inbred simp amidst a pageant to celebrate the sublimation of fresh genetic material into our state-supported carnival sideshow. I would look out from Buckingham Palace and I would think Wot I think is that I’m quite a proper fellar and…ooh thar’s cake I’m’a gonna throw it…
By Joel Johnson Published April 28, 2011 -
Valve’s “Three Turret Moon” T-Shirt So Behind the Curve It’s Ahead Again
The famous turrets from Portal 2 howl at the moon, having gone feral under the leadership of the mighty Animal King. Twenty bucks from the Valve store. (I’m resisting. If I want it by the next full moon, I’ll pull the trigger.) Three Turret Moon T-Shirt ($20) [Store.ValveSoftware.com]
By Joel Johnson Published April 26, 2011 -
Rhythm Paradise Brings Most Exciting Keynote Slide of the Year
Follow up to the cult portable series Rhythm Heaven, Rhythm Paradise is coming to Wii this summer. We don’t know much beyond that it designed to be played “only with buttons”. But it’s clear from the slide a whole world of spaghetti stabbing awaits. Nintendo Heaven Financial Results Briefing (March 2011) [Nintendo.co.jp] Update: It has…
By Joel Johnson Published April 26, 2011 -
Sony PlayStation Tablets’ Touchscreen D-Pad In Real Life
A virtual d-pad has worked better on tablets and phones than many have expected, but mostly for games designed with those limitations in mind. [Impress Watch] One thing hasn’t changed: Sony knows how to make pretty hardware. The slate-style tablet isn’t as thin as you’d think. Sony’s New PlayStation Tablet is a Sexy Beast Today…
By Joel Johnson Published April 26, 2011
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