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Deep Space Mystery Solved Using 1970s Computer Graphics Technique
Extra-solar probes Pioneer 10 and 11 have been confusing astrophysicists for the last decade: they’re slowing down a lot more than we’d expected as they’re leaving the solar system. The slowing has become know as the “Pioneer Anomaly.” (But you probably know it by the popular formula, “Ol’ (8.74±1.33)×10^−10 ms^−2”.) Scientists working out of Lisbon…
By Joel Johnson Published March 31, 2011 -
Insanely Popular Doodle Jump Adds Multiplayer
It’s the one iOS craze I’ve managed to avoid, so I must trust what I’m told about Doodle Jump: that it’s fun. And moreover, that it’s fun when playing two-player over Wi-Fi. But how could I ever possibly know?! [iTunes]
By Joel Johnson Published March 31, 2011 -
Thorn Dice, The Most Brutal Tabletop Dice In All The Land
Although you’ll have to make sure they get a good randomizing rotation in the air before they land-they don’t look like they’d roll well-you’d be hard pressed to find a more badass set of number generators than these “thorn dice,” available in hard resin or metal depending on how much you’d like to pay. (Platinum…
By Joel Johnson Published March 30, 2011 -
Getting Banned from a Game as Bad as Getting Dumped, Says Science
Researchers trying to determine if getting dumped causes measurable, physical pain-and it apparently does show up on fMRI-needed a proxy experience for romantic relationships in their tests. (It wouldn’t be polite to throw people who just got dumped in fMRI machines, I guess, but I still would like to see those results.) Instead researchers “attempted…
By Joel Johnson Published March 29, 2011 -
Sad World: An Entire Generation of Video Game Deaths
My darling Robert “the” Beschizza of Boing Boing made this wonderful video compilation of deaths from 8- and 16-bit games. I can think of no finer way to start your morning while you re-rez over some coffee. [Boing Boing]
By Joel Johnson Published March 25, 2011 -
Bizarro Kotaku vs. Bizarro Gizmodo: Should We Buy An iPad 2?
From time to time we like to publish a post from our ceiling-walking neighbors down under. Today Kotaku Australia debates Gizmodo Australia about the question of the century: Should gamers buy an iPad 2? So the iPad 2 hits Australia this Friday, and we’ve already had the price confirmed – the only question that remains…
By Joel Johnson Published March 23, 2011 -
Willow Smith vs. M. Bison In Fashion Battle of the Decade
MTV’s hawk-eyed Mary H.K. Choi spotted the preternatural fashion selection of Willow Smith, best remembered for her now-decade-old hit, “Zygote To Dance (Feel That Kick)”, and dashing dictator M. Bison of Street Fighter and “Still sorry, Raul Julia” fame. [Style.MTV.com]
By Joel Johnson Published March 22, 2011 -
“Boxer” Makes Playing Old PC Games on Macs a Snap
Retro PC game players are surely familiar with Dosbox, the top-shelf emulator that makes playing games from the ‘80s and ‘90s possible on modern machines. Boxer is Dosbox shined up for Apple computers. (Some call them “Macs.”) And from what I can tell from my dabbling with Boxer here on my work machine, it’s a…
By Joel Johnson Published March 22, 2011 -
Our First Few Days with the Surprisingly Joyful Nintendo 3DS
The Nintendo 3DS is the next big thing in video games. The new portable gaming system from Nintendo lets you play games in 3D, without the need for special glasses, but there’s much more to it than that. We’ve had two of the first North American 3DS systems for several days and we’ve discovered a…
By Joel Johnson Published March 18, 2011 -
Google Now Guesses Release Dates for Movies and Video Games
Google has some pretty neat built-in tricks, and it seems they’ve just added another one: with just a quick search, Google will try to tell you the release date of any movie or video game. [Lifehacker]
By Joel Johnson Published March 18, 2011 -
Nintendo 3DS Size Comparo Video
The Nintendo 3DS comes from a long line of handheld game systems of a mostly refined pedigree. We thought it would be fun to line them all up for a little size comparison. (And we threw in an iPhone 4 for reference.) I’m not a terribly big fan of the paint scheme on our office…
By Joel Johnson Published March 18, 2011 -
Lost Your Nintendo 3DS AR Cards? No Problem: Put Them On Your Phone
Did you know you could use Nintendo’s 3DS to do augmented reality on an iPhone? No, no. Not using an iPhone. I mean on top of an iPhone Totilo forgot to bring his AR Cards into the office today, so instead of printing some new ones, we just copied them onto our phone. Not only…
By Joel Johnson Published March 18, 2011 -
How Bad is the Nintendo 3DS “Depth Zone”? Let Us Show You.
Nintendo’s 3DS, their new handheld console, can show images with depth—it’s real 3D. But because you don’t have to wear glasses to play, you have to hold the 3DS somewhat precisely. But how precisely? Turns out the distance you hold the 3DS from your eyes matters very little. On a table? At arm’s length? Nearly…
By Joel Johnson Published March 18, 2011 -
Turbo Grannies Proves The Swedish Have Iffy Taste In Mobile Games
I’ll admit, the biggest hook Turbo Grannies had for me was when their PR guy mentioned that it was about to beat Angry Birds in the Swedish iTunes App Store. I wasn’t exactly champing at the bit to play another Excitebite clone. It’s basically an Excitebike clone, complete with the Newtonian-incomplete ability to rock back…
By Joel Johnson Published March 18, 2011 -
Even “Real” Mobile Games Costing Scant Millions to Develop
Firemint, developers of Flight Control and Real Racing 2, say in this interview the full-blown 3D racer for iOS/Android was “…developed over 18 months on a budget of US$2 million.” Now the real question: How much did they make? [PocketfulOfMB.com]
By Joel Johnson Published March 18, 2011 -
Portal 2 So Cute We’re Giving Them Free Advertising
Sure, it’s prerendered. Sure, it’s just a little teaser commercial. But it’s totes adorbs*. And if all goes to plan, it’s all the new information about Portal 2 I’m going to see before I play it. (* “Totilo-class Adorable”)
By Joel Johnson Published March 17, 2011 -
Portal Opens Under Legendary Game Designer’s Feet; Another Opens Behind Desk at Valve
Thief, System Shock, Ultima Underworld, Deus Ex—Doug Church has had his fingers in many a’PC-gaming classic. And now he’ll be stirring the pies at Valve, home of Portal 2, Half-Life 3 (just kidding!) and more. [Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
By Joel Johnson Published March 17, 2011
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