Culture

Super Mario World, Beaten In Record Time

Nine minutes and fifty one seconds. That’s all speedrunner linkdeadx2needs to blaze through Super Mario World, and it’s a treat to watch him do it (in Mario PJs, to boot!) This is an ‘any percentage’ run, which means that a player doesn’t need to get 100% completion to beat the game and claim a time.…

Have you seen an amazing gaming feat lately? Send it to us at [email protected] to get it included in our new feature, Highlight Reel! We’re looking for fun, exciting, or funny moments to show the world! For Highlight Reel, you can submit a clip of something you did or just something you saw online that…

In My Dreams, The Bone Movie Looks Like This

Normally, Fine Art looks at the work of one artist. Today, we’re looking at the work of a whole bunch. Sean McNally, Joshua James Shaw, Chuck Wojtkiewicz, Kyle Shockley and Tom Zhao were all artists at cinematic studio Blur, the guys who make lots of those very fancy trailers you see during stuff like E3.…

Meet Snake’s Invisible Friend

Just out for a leisurely Sunday drive through the military base, when suddenly, a dead man appears in your back seat. What do you do? Also in today’s Highlight Reel, the worst possible way to start a round of Battlefield 4, an unfortunate glitch in DayZ, and more! Watch the video above, then link any…

Track: Who (feat. Leaf Dog)| Artist: Jam Baxter | Album: The Gruesome Features Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Vivi, Vidi, Vici

Reader Rachel as Vivi from Final Fantasy IX. Costume made by Amy Dollins, props by Rachel, photos by Bernard Semerdjian.

Tokyo-To Needs You, Gum

Jet Set Radio cosplay is best cosplay. Cosplayers are Cap’n Nugget & aznsensation

Reboot Cosplay? Reboot Cosplay.

I’m seeing this, and all I can picture is that this is what the show would have looked like with $100 million and some modern computers behind it. Cosplayers are VandorWolfand twinfools. Photo by Stary-dragonlover

The Week In Games: Ode To An Unborn Star

Every once in a while I like to pretend that every other gamer in the world is excited about the niche Japanese role-playing game I’m ridiculously excited about. It’s Ar Nosurge week you guys! Yes, in the special world in my head we’ve all been waiting deliriously for a PlayStation 3 role-playing game instead of…

Sunday Comics: Let’s Do It Anyway

Welcome to Kotaku‘s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon. Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira. Published September 20. Read more of Nerf NOW!! Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich. Published September 15. Read more of Awkward Zombie Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins and…

This Week In The Business: Down With The Popular Kids

QUOTE | “As an industry person, I hope they drop like a fly. It’s better when the industry gets shaken up.” – Unity CEO David Helgason, joking about Supercell’s Clash of Clans, though he was making a serious point about wanting to see more variety Elsewhere in the business of video games this past week…

There Are More Interesting Ways To Kill Your Enemies

In today’s Highlight Reel, we have a whole bunch of alternate ways to deal with enemies, from bow and arrow, to using land mines on a chopper, to just pushing a bosses off ledges instead of shooting them. Watch the video above, then link any of your favorite highlights in the comments, and be sure…

Game Of Thrones Art Gets The Cosplay It Deserves

So, remember Mike Wrobel’s amazing portrayalsof the cast of Game of Thrones as bad 80s and 90s stereotypes? A group of cosplayers went to Dragon Con dressed as all of them Adam Albert took the images, which are so good they even get the original poses right. [via Fashionably Geek]

​Ask Dr. Nerdlove: The Neediness Problem

Hello Internet! Welcome to Ask Dr. NerdLove, the only dating advice column that knows it’s dangerous to go alone. While we help you find your co-op partner in the MMO that is life, it’s time to look at a couple of common questions about dating etiquette in the 21st Century. What are the rules for…

The Internet Reacts To Final Fantasy XV’s New Trailer

Last night, a new trailer hit for the long-awaitedFinal Fantasy XV. The internet seems to have a consensus on it: the game is looking spectacular. There’s lots of hype right now—partially because the game looks great, but also because folks hadn’t seen new footage in a long while. The Final Fantasy fandom was hungry for…

Fire Emblem Cosplay Never Dies In Battle. Ever.

I’ll warn you all, I’m still mulling over the possibility of turning this “cosplay” blog into a “Fire Emblem cosplay” blog. Cosplayer is Calssara, photos by Midgard1612

Destiny Protip: Dance More

Dancing is a fun feature in Destiny, but it can also be a really useful tool when you’re alone defending a control point. We also have highlights from someone defending a control point with punches, and the most enjoyable crash ever in Just Cause 2 Kotaku reader Ivan sent in a video showing how he…

Krispy Kreme’s Ghostbusters Donuts Look Too Cute To Eat

I love Ghostbusters. I also love donuts. So why am I intimidated by the prospect of Krispy Kreme’s newly announced “exclusive offer of two new marshmallow Kreme™-filled Ghostbuster treats?” Well, can you imagine biting into that face? These two cheerful-looking deserts are part of a seasonal campaign that Krispy Kreme is conducting in partnership with…

One Man’s Idea For A Final Fantasy VII Remake

It’s a crime that the only time this website has featured the work of veteran artist Feng Zhu was for a freaking Duke Nukem game. So let’s fix that. Feng’s been working in video games since the 90s, and has been involved with series and games like *deep breath* The Sims, Dead Space, Wing Commander,…

Screw Apple’s Watch, Nintendo’s Watches Were Way Cooler

Hey everyone, Apple is making a watch. You might have heard. It’s like a normal watch, in that it goes on your wrist and tells the time, but it also does some computer stuff. Sound familiar? Of course it does. Other companies have been doing it for years. Including Nintendo. Sort of. OK, so Nintendo’s…