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CultureTotal Recall
Did You Know GameStop is Named After a Book Store?
It’s one of those things you probably never bothered to think about. “GameStop” sounds like something it took three seconds to come up with. But there’s surprisingly a bit more of a story behind the name. Executive Chairman of the company (and also founder and former CEO) Dan DeMatteo has told Reuters that he named…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 3, 2012 -
Culture
Giant Killing Machines, Direct From Russia
Hope you like giant instruments of destruction. Because Russian artist KaranaK specialises in giant instruments of destruction. Most of the vehicles you’ll see in these galleries are from Star Conflict and Russian game Project Genome. Others are just personal pieces. You can see more on his DeviantArt page Fine Art is a celebration of the…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 3, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
Gotta Catch ‘Em All!
Not the Pokémons. There’s too many of them, and just when you think you’ve got them all, Nintendo goes and creates more. Catching all (or most) of the coloured variations of the Nintendo 64 control pad, though, that’s probably easier. And more impressive. And practical! [via is it real]
By Luke Plunkett Published April 2, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallNothing Says Steroids, or Awesome Box Art, Like Two Crude Dudes
Two Crude Dudes is a terrible game. Just terrible. I remember trying to play it as a kid, on a number of occasions, and every time I picked up a controller I’d be floored by how poor it was. So, uh, why did I keep picking up a controller? Because I so badly wanted it…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 2, 2012 -
CultureAngry Birds Space Fruit Snacks: The Snacktaku Review
The first Angry Birds slipped onto the iPhone with little fanfare, slowly growing into one of the biggest games of all time. For the game’s first proper sequel, Angry Birds Space, developer Rovio comes shooting out of the gate with t-shirts, key chains, stuffed animals, and Angry Birds Space Fruit Snacks. Available in four different…
By Mike Fahey Published April 2, 2012 -
Culture
Feel the Force
Kinect Star Wars is the highlight of April Fools’ week, which is traditionally not a big sales holiday. For anything. Xenoblade Chronicles releases in the west on Friday. Tuesday • Fallout 3 and Oblivion Double Pack (PS3, 360) • Kinect Star Wars (360) Wednesday • I Am Alive (PSN) Friday • Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii) •…
By Owen Good Published April 1, 2012 -
Culture
Sunday Comics
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published March 26.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published March 28.—Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by…
By Owen Good Published April 1, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
Fact-Checking Alan Wake’s Writer Cred
I’ve only played a bit of Remedy’s newest downloadable Alan Wake game—though Evan Narcisse liked it a lot, and I like what I’ve played, too. But then, I have something of a soft spot for Alan, for some reason. The original game sticks with me more than I thought it would; it’s the sort of…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 31, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallGood God, Mortal Kombat on Game Gear Had Some Terrible Audio
I have some fond memories of my Game Gear. I loved that giant hunk of sexy black plastic so much that I forgave its terrible battery life and the other aspects that led to its financial failure. The game I played most was Mortal Kombat, which I was so excited to finally own in some…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 30, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallClue‘s Multiple Endings Confused Everyone Way Before Mass Effect 3
I love the movie Clue. I’ve seen it over a dozen times. I can quote whole sections verbatim, and any time I feel annoyed by someone, I suffer from flames on the side of my face and heaving breaths. The board game is great, but the movie will always be the Clue that has my…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 30, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallThe Ugly Duckling of the Prince of Persia Series
It’s funny, when people think of Prince of Persia games, they think of either the first one, or the ones including and following 2003’s Sands of Time. It’s as though there was a game in there that never existed… That game was 1999’s Prince of Persia 3D The 1989 original, and its 1993 sequel (which…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
The History of Early Computer Games. In Iraq.
There’s a really interesting piece up on HG101 in which Iraqi gamer Salwan Asaad, now living in Egypt, recounts his experiences growing up in the 1980s with the region’s fledgling scene. Unlike the hell-in-a-handbasket Iraq has become in the last twenty years, Asaad remembers during the 1980s it was a (relatively) more prosperous state, and…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 28, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallLook How Awesome Old Video Games Were in Old Movies
Seeing video games in a movie these days, or even a movie based on a video game, is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s expected. But during the 1970s, it was something to be marvelled at. This clip collects cameo appearances on the silver screen by the arcade games and home consoles of the 70’s,…
Luke Plunkett & Chris Person Published March 28, 2012 -
CultureTotal Recall
Nintendo’s Shameless 1970’s Advertising
Before Nintendo made home console titles and hardware, the company made, among other things, arcade games. Behold, then, the might and majesty of Nintendo’s advertising, circa the late 1970s. In which the company releases clones of other people’s games (in this case Space Invaders), and is damn proud of it to boot! Flyers out of…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 28, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallJapan’s Most Famous Foreigner in Today’s (Well, Yesterday’s) Best Game Trailer
UFO Kamen Yakisoban was a 1994 Super NES game that was basically one giant commercial for instant noodles. The star of the show? The dude in the black cape with the fork who ends up covered in giant noodles? That’s Dave Spector, probably the most famous foreigner working in Japan [via VGJunk]
By Luke Plunkett Published March 27, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallJames Cameron, Why Didn’t You Shoot Anything?
The eyes of the world were on Hollywood director James Cameron this week as he became the first man in decades to reach the deepest point of the ocean floor, and the first man to ever achieve the feat by himself. Good for you, James Cameron. Me, all I could think of was, why can’t…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 27, 2012 -
Culture
A Review of Mass Effect 3’s Cupcakes
With Fuss Cupcakes in the news today, having been contracted to bake then send 400 cupcakes to Mass Effect 3 developers BioWare, one man sat down with the company’s wares to try them out. The final verdict? “It was pretty damn delicious”. Take that, BioWare! Just how good are the Mass Effect 3 protest cupcakes?…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 27, 2012 -
Culture
Fallout: New Vegas Isn’t as Dangerous on Paper
In over fifteen years working as an artist in the video game industry, Joseph Sanabria has been in the employ of companies like Obsidian, THQ and Rockstar. For those developers, he’s produced art for games such as Terminator 3 and, awesomely, the Neverhood series. Most recently, he served as art director for Fallout: New Vegas,…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 27, 2012
