Michael McWhertor

Castlevania Puzzle Screens

Rockstar No Longer Selling ‘Cracked’ Max Payne 2 On Steam

Today, nosy PC gamers discovered that the version of Rockstar Games’ Max Payne 2 being sold through Valve’s Steam service looked an awful lot like the one released by pirate group Myth. That potentially embarrassing gaffe has been corrected. Looks like a newer (older) version of Max Payne 2 is now available through Steam. The…

Kotaku Off Topic: Burger Beast

Welcome to Kotaku Off Topic. I see you’ve survived this ban-filled Wednesday. Please, won’t you join us in some off-topic conversation? I promise the giant burger beast you see above won’t be a bother. He comes from one of my favorite random sites, the Japanese monster blog. I have a few dozen Tumblr favorites, deviantArt…

U.S. Air Force Does Not Sound Pleased With The PS3’s Recent Change

Last month, Sony nixed the option to install a second operating system to the PlayStation 3, one of the console’s original features. That angered some folks, particularly those who bought the console specifically for that feature, like the Air Force. Last year, the United States Air Force Research Laboratory bought a whole mess of PlayStation…

A Look Inside The Arcade Scene Of Kuwait

For the world traveler and fighting game aficionado, consider Kuwait on your next globetrotting adventure in search of new competitors. Yousef’s still-growing guide to the arcades of the Middle Eastern state illustrate a love for the one-on-one brawler. The Kuwait arcade scene may not be as bustling as Japan’s, but despite the odd dud, it’s…

Stunning ‘Pixels’ Scaling Up To Big Screen, Says Report

Patrick Jean’s amazing short film Pixels, which documents the 8-bit destruction of New York City by Donkey Kong, Frogger, Space Invader and Vaus from Arkanoid, may be coming to a theater near you, thanks to Adam Sandler. Deadline reports that Sandler’s production company Happy Madison has purchased the rights to Pixels and that Columbia Pictures…

The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The DJ Hero

Producer Mark Ronson taps into the stylings of The Legend of Zelda for his new video for “Circuit Breaker” with a little help from Jordan Galland and Gary Breslin, offering a chance to see Link’s master turntable skills in action. You may enjoy the music more so than the slightly mutated Gibdos, Ropes and Darknuts,…

Gran Turismo 5 Gets 24 Hours Of Nürburgring Action

When Gran Turismo 5 ships at some point in the next decade, expect all the high-speed Nürburgring driving action you can tolerate. Developer Polyphony Digital is giving you three ways to enjoy the thrill of Germany’s famous. Nürburgring The official Gran Turismo site confirms that the PlayStation 3 “real driving simulator” will pack in three…

Metroid Heroine Rides Through Space On A Ship With No Name

Metroid series lead and co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto teaches us something we never knew we never knew. Intergalactic bounty hunter and Metroid: Other M star Samus Aran’s ship—which bears a striking resemblance to her space suit—doesn’t have a name. In the latest issue of Nintendo Power, Sakamoto answers the question “Does Samus’s ship have a name?”…

Steam For Mac Is Live, Includes Free Copy of Portal

Valve Software has flipped the switch. You can now officially download Steam for Mac OS X. Do so now and Valve will throw in a copy of the original Portal for free. The first-person puzzle hit can be yours for zero dollars or zero Valve Points until May 24, when Portal returns to its regular…

Privates, The First Twin Stick Shooter Set In A Vagina

Attention! This is Privates, a new game from the developers of Time Gentlemen, Please! coming to the PC and Xbox 360, one that will give many hardcore video gamers a second chance to encounter a vagina. Zombie Cow Studios, the developer behind the vaginal and anal action of Privates, explains the downloadable title as a…

Kotaku Off Topic: Don’t Worry, It’s Safe

Consider tonight’s edition of Kotaku Off Topic a great place to practice not getting banned tomorrow. Come for the conversation, stay for the helpful Kotaku commenters who know how to comment well. If you missed today’s Day Note warning, it’s worth noting. The Kotaku comments are in need of some scrubbing—fewer throwaway two word comments,…

Privates

A Look At The (Possible) New York City Of The Future

New York City is one of the most played locations in games, serving as the inspirational backdrop for games like Grand Theft Auto, Prototype, Crysis 2 and many, many, (perhaps too many) more. Will future visions of the Big Apple be… fun? Newsweek tasked three architecture firms with envisioning and designing how a future NYC…

Best Buy Launching Its Own Video Game Mag

Retailer Best Buy may have had limited success aping competitor GameStop’s lucrative (for now) used games business, but it’s taking another cue from the video game giant—it’s launching its own video game print magazine. @Gamer is Best Buy and Future US Publishing’s new game mag, which was discovered by Kyle Orland at the Game Beat.…

PlayStation Store Update: Major Expansion

This week’s update to the North American PlayStation Store may be light on games, but it’s fit to burst from the flood of downloadable content, some of which you might even want! New expansions and add-ons for BioShock 2, Nier, Lost Planet 2 and Super Street Fighter IV are just some of the new digital…

Dead Space 2 Will Haunt The PC

After some back and forth about the fate of the PC version of Visceral Games’ Dead Space 2, it appears the sci-fi horror game will indeed scare up a release on Windows. Electronic Arts listed the PC version of Dead Space 2 on its slate of fiscal 2011 releases, with the Visceral Games developed sequel…

Why EA Thinks ‘Online Pass’ Plan Is Good For You (And EA)

Video game publisher EA has a new plan to squash used game sales, the Online Pass program, which requires a unique code to access online content and multiplayer. Why does EA think this is good for you, the consumer? Electronic Arts boss John Riccitiello stresses the Online Pass scheme is not just a great way…

The God of War Meets Game & Watch

Mr. Game & Watch gets godly and grisly with Greek & Wicked, God of War reimagined for Nintendo’s classic LCD handheld system, as seen on Newgrounds, where it’s totally playable and as deep as any Game & Watch game you’ve played.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Fashions Sneak Out Of Japan

Fashion conscious or currently naked Metal Gear Solid fans will get a chance to wear their Big Boss pride this summer. The Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and Uniqlo t-shirt collaboration will clothe stealth enthusiasts in the U.S. this June. Konami and Uniqlo have once again engaged in cooperative corporate action to bring 10 exclusive…