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Do You Care About Resolution And Frame Rate In Games?
Lately the internet has mustered a plethora of opinions on whether anyone should care about the finer technical details of a game. How much does screen resolution really matter? Is frame rate the end-all be-all? Some of us at Kotaku have already made our opinions on the matter known—but I thought I’d ask you what…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 24, 2014 -
Ten Computer Glitches That Caused Mayhem And Cost Millions
I remember Y2K. You remember Y2K. Everyone remembers Y2K. But do you remember the time a California courtroom computer accidentally summoned 1,200 people to jury duty, causing a huge traffic jam? Or the time Google accidentally caused browsers to read their own site as malware? I learned a thing or two about several disastrous viruses…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 23, 2014 -
Here Are The Best Games Sticking It To Candy Crush So Far
Lately, Candy Crush Saga-makers King.com have been busy blocking trademark applications and going after people with the words “Candy” and even “Saga” in their game names. While they’re doing that—technically, they say, simply to protect their brand from copycats—the game-making denizens of the Internet have been having a little fun at King’s expense by launching…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 23, 2014 -
People Are Getting High On An Actual Drug Called “Nintendo”
That headline isn’t a euphemism—people are actually getting high on an actual drug called “Nintendo.” A potent club drug bearing the name and logo of the famed Japanese video game company has been spotted by drug watchdogs in Belgium. It sounds like it’ll get you high as fuck, too. The drug contains a large dose…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 23, 2014 -
Hey, Take It Easy On The First Resident Evil Movie
Look: I like the first Resident Evil movie. Yes, it’s bad. Sometimes very bad. But for all the ridiculous and stupid things that happen on screen, it still has a scene where a guy gets cut into tiny pieces by a sweet laser grid. But of course, CinemaSins had to go ahead and nitpick Paul…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 23, 2014 -
Here’s that DayZ wallpaper you were looking for, courtesy of the one and only Dead End Thrills
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 22, 2014 -
Steal Money In This Game, Get Actual Money In Real Life
“Earn cash and win prizes just by playing video games!” We’ve seen that type of empty promise on dozens of fake-out ads all over the internet. But thanks to one creative indie developer, this weekend it’ll really be possible to do just that. The game in question is Jason Rohrer’s The Castle Doctrine, a multiplayer…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 22, 2014 -
Four Easy Ways To Prank Your Friends
Not all pranks are created equal; some pranks require a ton of setup and expensive props. Surely there are also easy ways to prank your friends? Turns out yup, there are. This helpful video from Buzzfeed Video explains four easy and cost-effective ways to make your friends hate you. That first one, though… I guess…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 21, 2014 -
A Childhood Spent With Computers: Writer/Kotaku contributor Leigh Alexander has published an ebook titled Breathing Machine: A Memoir of Computers. It’s all about growing up alongside the computers of the 1980s and 90s, and it’s good! You can get it at Amazon or a bunch of other places, and read an excerpt here
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 21, 2014 -
Violin And Cosplay Bring A Classic Zelda Tune To Life
I’d be hard-pressed to name my favorite piece of Zelda music, but “Gerudo Valley” from Ocarina of Time would certainly be near the top of any list I’d make. In the above music video, violinist Taylor Davis brings the beloved anthem to life in an exuberantly geeky way. We’ve featured Davis’ work on two of…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 21, 2014 -
Candy Crush Is Getting Trolled By Smartass Games
Yesterday we learned that King.com, makers of the wildly popular game Candy Crush Saga, had submitted a trademark application for the word “Candy” that would block other game-makers from using it in their game titles. This has struck more than a few people as more than a bit ridiculous, and some people are responding with…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 21, 2014 -
Fan-Made Command & Conquer Shooter Is Looking Good, Coming Soon
As I played Command & Conquer back in the day, I always did wonder what it would be like to be one of the little men on the ground, doing the bidding of the all-seeing powers in the sky. Soon we’ll all get a taste of that. This video is the latest trailer for Renegade…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 21, 2014 -
A Montage Of Movie Characters Saying ‘Is That What I Think It Is?’
Yes, Beatrix, that is what you think it is. “Is that what I think it is?” is a good (and often overused) line because it suggests so much. Whatever object/thing is about to be revealed, it’s something with enough renown that the character speaking already has an idea of what it is. But it’s also…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 20, 2014 -
Eight Bearded Clones Sing Secret of Mana Theme
It’s been a little while since we last posted an a cappella video-game arrangement from Mr. Smooth McGroove, but that doesn’t mean the bearded bard hasn’t been banging out new material. His latest is “Into the Thick of It” from the SNES classic Secret of Mana, originally composed by Hiroki Kikuta. It’s awfully lovely. Makes…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 20, 2014 -
Now This Is An Impressive Jenga Move
Watch as YouTuber Kaleb Vidal successfully pulls off a Jenga move that most of us have only ever pondered trying. I can’t help but think of Dr. Peter Venkman: “And the flowers are still standing!” [Via Viral Viral Videos]
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 20, 2014 -
The penny whistle is so hot right now. If you played the Bravely Default demo, chances are you were a bit swept up in the fantastic world-map music. Perhaps you were also reminded of Ni No Kuni‘s excellent world-map music. That’s probably because both compositions prominantly feature the penny whistle (or tin whistle), rising above…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 17, 2014 -
A School That’s Using The Walking Dead Game To Teach Ethics
Telltale’s The Walking Dead series is famous for putting the player in life-or-death ethical quandaries and forcing them to make difficult decisions. A creative teacher could probably use the game to identify moral dilemmas and explore those dilemmas with a class. As it so happens, one ethics teacher is doing just that. The video above…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 17, 2014
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