Dragon Quest Builders director Kazuya Nino has announced he’s leaving Square Enix, where he’s been for the past seven years. According to Nino, his next career move has already been decided and he’ll be discussing that in the near future.

Enako, Japan’s most popular cosplayer, recently threw out the first pitch for the Chunichi Dragons. Previously, Enako revealed that she has made up to $90,000 a month thanks to her cosplaying, promotional activities and patrons.

Kanada Myojin Shrine (Kanda Matsuri Procession). Tokyo, Japan. By Jimmy Ho | Instagram | Official Site JPGs is a photo peek into wherever gamers might find interesting. If you’re a photographer and have images you want to share, drop us a line!

The Week In Games: Off The Chain!

It’s almost September, and you know what that means. It’s time to ride the cybernetic battle cat of your dreams into the alien frey. Huzzah! PlatinumGames’ newest Nintendo exclusive is finally here, and it looks like it might actually live up to the hype. I still don’t really understand what the game is about, but…

The Original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Soundtrack Is Still A Blast

Gaming series known for their superior soundtracks often have one thing in common — a wide array of powerful or catchy music orchestrated to fit a specific environment. Though plenty of games (mostly annual sports series) have used popular prerecorded tunes as part of their soundtrack in the past, they rarely stand out from the…

That Time Nintendo Took the Game Boy (and Pokémon) Online

When it comes to online play and digital distribution, Nintendo always seem two steps behind its competitors. But things weren’t always like this, at least in Japan. Back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s Nintendo actually brought both the Famicom and Super Famicom (known as the NES and SNES elsewhere) online via powerful console…

Psst. Hey. Ben here. If you’re in need of a fun gaming podcast, you should definitely check out my newest show — Memory Card. Every episode covers the history surrounding a weird and wonderful character, console, accessory or game. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify

Looking Back on Dragon Ball Z’s Best Filler Episode

When the Dragon Ball Z anime premiered in April of 1989, it was a mere six months behind its Dragon Ball manga source material. For a half-hour show that aired every week without fail, this wasn’t much of a gap to fill. It was important to the Dragon Ball Z showrunners that the anime storyline…

What Is Your Favorite Game Sequel?

There are great sequels. And then there are all the crappy ones that seem like little more than cynical cash grabs. I’m going to focus on the former. Sometimes, the best sequels take a classic formula and evolve on them. I loved Final Fantasy II (IV in Japan), Uncharted II, Mass Effect 2, Super Mario…

The Brilliant Use of Verticality in Minish Cap’s Palace of Winds

There are so many great, memorable levels in the Zelda series, from Majora Mask’s Stone Tower Temple to the Arbiter’s Grounds in Twilight Princess. But a level that’s always stayed with me from the series is the Palace of Winds from the Minish Cap.  Developed by Capcom and Flagship, The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap…

A Plague Tale Is One Of The Most Disturbing Games I’ve Played

It’s been so long since a game has truly scared me that A Plague Tale: Innocence caught me completely off guard. Tense, terrifying, and meticulously crafted, Plague Tale excels at making you feel utterly helpless. Set in late 1349 in Aquitaine, France, the medieval setting is one of the game’s strengths, distinguishing itself with the…

Romance Of The Three Kingdoms XIII Is A Flawed, But Addictive, Entry Into The Series

The very first time I was a guest writer for Kotaku, I wrote about Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV, which was my favorite in the series. I’ve played ROTKIV too many times to count as its strategy gaming at its best. I did play many of the games after IV, but missed IX-XII. With…