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CultureSpelunky 2 Speedrunner Beats Game On One Point Of Health
Spelunky 2 has been out for less than a week, and while many players (like me) are still fumbling through its depths, others are kicking its ass. The latest world record speedrun clears the game in under four minutes, with the runner doing most of it on one point of health. As spotted by PC…
By Riley MacLeod Published September 18, 2020 -
CultureMorning MusicThe Legend of Dragoon’s Sprawling Soundtrack Is What Every Epic JRPG Deserves
Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s new, daily hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Today’s tracks come from The Legend of Dragoon, Sony’s attempt to emulate the prestige JRPG adventures of the late ‘90s. Surprisingly, for all its faults, The Legend of Dragoon (longplay, VGMdb) nailed both depth and…
By Ethan Gach Published September 18, 2020 -
Kotaku EastJapanPS5 Preorders On Amazon Japan Were Also A Total Mess
When PlayStation 5 pre-orders started on Amazon Japan, the hardware sold out immediately. Then, the scalpers moved in and starting asking ridiculous prices for their pre-orders, reaching as high as 500,000 yen ($4,790). In Japan, the standard version of the console is priced at 49,980 yen ($478.70). Stores in Japan were not allowing customers to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 18, 2020 -
CultureSorry, The PS5 Won’t Be Backward Compatible With PS3, PS2 Or PS1 Games
As Kotaku previously reported, the PlayStation 5 will be able to play “99 percent” of the PlayStation 4’s library. But what about PS3 games? Or PS2 and PS1 ones? In an interview with Famitsu, PlayStation exec Jim Ryan was asked about PS4 compatibility, as well as that for the previous PlayStation consoles, going back to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 18, 2020 -
CultureIt’s Like Meat Buns Meet Pancakes
You know meat buns? In Japanese, they’re called nikuman (meat bun) or butaman (pork bun). There are other non-meat versions, like pizza-man and curry-man. Add yet another to that list. Behold, hottokeekiman (ホットケーキまん) or “pancake bun”, or “hotcake bun.” These fluffy buns are filled with butter-flavored paste and syrup. This brainchild is a collaboration between…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 18, 2020 -
CultureTrack: Time Warp | Artist: Perfume | Album: Time Warp (single)
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 18, 2020 -
CultureOdds and EndsHideo Kojima, Please Work With Junji Ito
Horror mangaka Junji Ito is apparently down to work with video game auteur Hideo Kojima if the opportunity presents itself. Those sounds you’re hearing are me furiously typing my demands that Kojima call Ito as soon as possible. During a recent Polygon interview, Ito was asked about his involvement with Silent Hills, the late Konami-era…
By Ian Walker Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureDisintegration Released In June, Closing Servers In November
Disintegration, a shooter released earlier this year by V1 Interactive (headed by Marcus Lehto, one of Halo’s creators) tried some interesting stuff, but ultimately couldn’t find much of a fanbase. And so its multiplayer servers are due to shut down just five months later. “We have made the difficult decision to remove Disintegration’s multiplayer modes…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 17, 2020 -
CulturePS5 Pre-Orders Were A Complete Clusterfuck
Yesterday, right after Sony’s big PS5 event, the company announced that pre-orders for the next-gen PlayStation console would “be available starting as early as tomorrow at select retailers.” And then, they weren’t. That’s pretty clear, right? “As early as tomorrow” suggested that some places would have their pre-orders go live on the morning of September…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureLet’s Compare Every Xbox Console’s Launch Lineup
New consoles are coming soon and that means people are starting to look at what games will actually be available at launch. Both Microsoft and Sony have finally revealed which games are launching alongside each console in November. Some are disappointed by all the ports and cross-gen games. But is this any different than previous…
By Zack Zwiezen Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureOdds and EndsSuper Mario Galaxy’s Opening Is Still Terrifying
Super Mario 3D All-Stars, launching tomorrow for the Nintendo Switch, gave me the opportunity to revisit a trio of classic video games. It also brought me face to face with what is perhaps the most terrifying opening of any Mario game, wherein Bowser literally carpet bombs the Mushroom Kingdom. As with most games in the…
By Ian Walker Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureTransphobic Creator J.K. Rowling ‘Not Involved’ in New Harry Potter Game
Warner Brothers, publisher of the upcoming open-world Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy, released an FAQ on the game’s official Discord yesterday. In addition to answering questions about the game’s development and platforms, the FAQ asserts that Rowling, who’s recently drawn criticism for transphobic statements, has no involvement in the game. Teased in yesterday’s PS5 event,…
By Ash Parrish Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureXbox Series X, Series S Preorders Open September 22 At 11 A.M. ET
While online preorders for the PlayStation 5 appeared and disappeared sporadically after yesterday’s showcase, Microsoft has provided Kotaku with the specific time we’ll be able to drop hundreds of dollars on its upcoming consoles next Tuesday. Starting at 8 a.m. Pacific, 11 a.m. Eastern on September 22, folks will have a chance at preordering the…
By Ian Walker Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureHades Is Out Of Early Access Now, And We Love It
Remember how Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre developer Supergiant promised that its Greek mythology-themed roguelike would leave early access sometime this fall? Well, it lied. The autumnal equinox isn’t until September 22, but Hades is officially out on PC and Switch today. Staff writer Ash Parrish, service and advice writer Ari Notis, and I (senior reporter Nathan…
Nathan Grayson & Ash Parrish & Ari Notis Published September 17, 2020 -
OpinionWhy Would I Buy A PS5 Now If Its Best Games Are Coming Out On PS4?
I was going to buy a PS5. As someone who’s primarily been a PC games player, with Nintendo handhelds on the side, picking up a console at its launch is something I’ve never done. I drift in later, when availability isn’t an issue, and there’s already a pile of games to plunder. But I was…
By John Walker Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureNewest Nintendo Switch Direct Ended With An Xbox Game
Announced earlier today during the latest Nintendo Direct Mini, the cute Metroidvania platformer Ori and The Will of The Wisps is coming to the Nintendo Switch later today. Originally released earlier this year on Xbox One and PC, Ori and The Will of The Wisps is the sequel to 2015’s Ori and The Blind Forest.…
By Zack Zwiezen Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureEverything Nintendo Announced In Today’s Partner Showcase
Today, Nintendo dropped a 16-minute Direct Mini, focused on third-party games. While not as earth-shattering as juicy new next-gen console details, we finally got confirmation of some long-anticipated titles. (What’s up, Monster Hunter?) Here’s everything that was announced: A new Monster Hunter is coming to Switch. It’s called Monster Hunter: Rise and, like previous games,…
By Ari Notis Published September 17, 2020 -
CultureTwo New Monster Hunter Games Coming To Nintendo Switch
Nintendo kicked off its third-party showcase today with the reveal of a big new Monster Hunter game from Capcom coming to the Nintendo Switch. It’s called Monster Hunter Rise A trailer showed off classic Monster Hunter battling with giant swords, lots of thrashing of huge creatures and a hunt for a big beast called Magnamalo.…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 17, 2020
