-
Kotaku EastLowest. Score. Ever. (In Super Mario World)
Everyone’s heard about high score runs, but how about the opposite? In this video, NicoNico Douga user Haru@Yotsuba sets out to get the lowest possible score in Super Mario World on the SNES. Mario World becomes a very different game in this challenge, where killing Koopa Troopa or breaking a brick is the same as…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Super Cars? Super Cute, Super Cool, and Super Geeky.
At this weekend’s Wonder Festival in Chiba, Japan, collectible figures and cosplayers weren’t the only thing on display. There were also super cars—and race queens. The Neon Genesis Evangelion racing team (yes, there’s an Eva racing team!) was on hand, showing of its Super GT cars and bikes. The Eva team’s “race queens”, dressing as…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
iPads Yanked only from Some Chinese Stores. Still Available in Shanghai and Beijing.
Yesterday, a report surfaced that after Apple lost a lawsuit over the term “iPad” in China, the tablet was getting pulled from the country’s shops. Via sister site Gizmodo, the news was that the Chinese Administrations of Industry and Commerce was seizing iPads. Officials at Shijiazhuang Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau, however, were confiscating the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku EastLittle Deviants Is a Game You Will Never Play in Public
Vita launch title Little Deviants is a portable game on a portable system. But some mini-games in this collection aren’t exactly suitable for your average morning commute… Little Deviants was released in Japan on Dec. 15, 2011 for the PlayStation Vita. It will be released in North American and PAL territories on Feb. 22, 2012.…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Kids Don’t Walk Much These Days (Video Games Blamed)
According to a Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education poll, today’s Japanese kids walk 30 percent less than they did 30 years ago. Experts attribute this to video games and other indoor activities. [Yomiuri]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Man Gets Hello Kitty Haircut To Amuse His Father
When your loved ones are down, you’ll do anything to cheer them up and make them laugh. For 50 year-old Hu Han-yan, getting his father’s spirits up meant one thing: a Hello Kitty haircut. According to Taiwan’s TTV News, the man’s 84 year-old father was feeling ill before the spring festival. Hu, a successful businessman…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Move Over Romance, It’s Time for the Killers
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms was a Chinese historical fiction novel written in the 14th century, and it wasn’t about romance at all—well not romance as in love. It is a story about the struggles of three kingdoms and their battle for power and dominance over China. The story is full of treachery and…
By Eric Jou Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
The Girls Are Fake. The Sausage Party Is Real.
Today is Valentine’s Day in Japan. The day is slightly different from its American counterpart—2012, more so. Early this morning, gamers lined up so they could spend the day with someone special: their virtual girlfriends. Love Plus is a dating simulator. New Love Plus, released today for the 3DS, is the latest in the series.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 14, 2012 -
Kotaku East
These Plastic People Are Wonderful
The Wonder Festival isn’t only about cosplay. Rather, the event is dedicated to figurines and models. So of them are production models, which are mass-produced, while other pieces are limited edition or even one-off pieces. This year’s Wonder Festival was held at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. Sister site Kotaku Japan and figure site…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Swedish, Sixteen, and Stunning
Earlier this month, it was revealed that a Swedish “bishounen” (beautiful young boy) named “Yohio” will be making his debut in Japan this spring. Yohio currently plays for a Swedish visual kei band called “Seremedy”, and he became interested in Japan after getting into anime as a kid. Some of his heroes are Japanese Visual…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Meet China’s New Nerd Goddess
Over the course of the Chinese New Year, a young girl took China’s internet population by storm. Unlike other previous net celebrities, this lady didn’t do it by showing off skin, being outrageous, or destroying public goodwill towards the red cross, instead she did it through cosplay. She became famous because of a series of…
By Eric Jou Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
A Collection of Right-Wing Japanese Propaganda Buses
If you’ve ever spent any time in Japan, you’ve seen them: big black buses blaring right-wing propaganda. And today, you’re going to see an entire fleet of them. If Japanese itasha enthusiasts gather, Japanese right-wingers do, too. Here, it was also to mark Japan’s creation. This weekend, that’s exactly what happened. Feb. 11 is National…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Boy, Is China’s Illegal Gray Market Blatant
Looking for pc games in China? Not a problem, they’re sold everywhere. Console games and consoles? Not a problem, they’re also sold everywhere, despite the fact that video game consoles are banned in China. The sale of gaming consoles in China falls into the category of the gray market. Despite the connotations of a black…
By Eric Jou Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Mmm… Octopus Tentacles
Have a nice weekend? This Sunday, like so many Sundays before, I made dinner. I was actually somewhat nervous about our Kotaku East rollout, and I do find cooking (and drinking while cooking) relaxing. So I made one easy dish I can make fairly well: takoyaki. Takoyaki is often translated as “octopus balls” in English,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Giant Gundam? No, Tiny (and Adorable) Gundam.
Japan is famous for its giant mecha statues. But not all Gundam are huge. At this weekend’s Wonder Festival in Chiba, a little kid showed up with his father, ready to cosplay. The kid wore a homemade Gundam costume, proving once and for all that you’re never too young to dress like a giant mecha.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
The Wonder and the Horror of Japanese Cosplay
The Wonder Festival roared through Japan over the weekend. The biannual event is a gathering of figure collectors and makers—as well as cosplayers. Sister site Kotaku Japan was on hand to capture the cosplay festivities, which range from fantastic to frightening. Japanese websites Asagawo Blog and Gigazine were also on hand, too. You can see…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
This Isn’t a Happy Meal. McDonalds Gets Exclusive 3DS Content.
For a limited time, McDonalds in Japan will be distributing free game content for customers with Nintendo 3DS handhelds. The DLC will be exclusive to the 3DS game Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3 but they will also be distributing a free original game, McDonald’s Slime Ship Battle DX. There will be 4 exclusive downloadable…
By Toshitaka Tachibana Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku East
Japanese Analysts Expect Metal Gear Solid 5 in 2014
If you’re one to believe analysts (ha!), note that Nomura Securities is forecasting that MGS5 will be out by March 2014. Apparently, Nomura doesn’t realize how long it takes Hideo Kojima to get games out the door. [Nihon Securities Journal]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012 -
Kotaku EastBig in Japan, Made in England
Music wasn’t what brought singer Emi Evans to Japan. But it’s what made her stay—and what is making her famous. With her work on Dark Souls and Nier, the British-born singer is quickly creating a name for herself. Evans is no overnight success. Hers is a long journey that began in Nottingham, England and one…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 13, 2012