Overwatch League’s Dallas Fuel Lets Players Be Themselves, Even When That Causes Trouble

Last month, Overwatch pro Félix “xQc” Lengyel found himself apologizing profusely into a video camera from atop an accidental throne of cardboard boxes. It was not his finest hour, but in some ways, it’s just part of the job. Dallas Fuel is the closest thing to a star-studded lineup you’ll find in Blizzard’s fresh-from-the-incubation-tube Overwatch…

That Nintendo Labo Robot Game Looks Awfully Familiar

Those who watch Nintendo closely probably got a whiff of déjà vu from today’s announcement of Nintendo Labo, its new line of Switch games with DIY papercraft controllers. And for good reason. Two Nintendo Labo sets, which include the game cartridge and the materials to put together the mechanical controllers, will release on April 20.…

In case you were wondering whether you can actually buy the Official Nintendo Tape and Stickers seen in the Labo trailer…of course you can. From Labo’s announcement press release: A special Customization Set that includes fun stencils, stickers and colored tape will also be available to purchase on April 20 at a suggested retail price…

Battlerite Gets A New Champion In Its Latest Update

Patch 1.3 released today. In addition to tweaking the UI and making some other slight quality of life adjustments, it also reworked Battlerite’s existing champions and added a new one: Zander.   The magician character is all about card tricks and misdirection. As such, he can create portals, transform into a rabbit, and also create all…

The Internet Reacts To Nintendo Labo 

Nintendo Labo is basically high-tech cardboard, so naturally the internet is still trying to process the Japanese developer’s “new interactive experience.” While some people hoped for news of new Switch functionality, or perhaps Smash Bros., nobody guessed it would end up being DIY arts and crafts. Leave it to Nintendo to continually subvert expectations and…

Nintendo Announces Nintendo Labo, A Wild New Experiment For Switch

Nintendo today announced Nintendo Labo, a wild new experiment for the Switch that will allow players to insert the console into assorted pieces of cardboard, creating items like robots, fishing rods, and pianos. “Nintendo Labo combines the magic of Nintendo Switch with the fun of DIY creations,” the company explains on the Labo website. You’ll…

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Battles Sure Do Escalate Quickly

Partway through the second act of Divinity: Original Sin 2, you visit an area called the Blackpits. While you’re there, you get into a fight. It is not an easy fight. At around 10:30PM last night, I loaded up the game. I picked up immediately after my party had entered the main area of the…

They Are Billions, As Told By Steam Reviews

On its face, Steam sensation They Are Billions appears to be about three of gaming’s most-hallowed S’s: survival, steampunk, and (s)zombies. That, however, is all just window dressing. Truth is, They Are Billions is a game about failure, which is where all the best stories come from. Steam users have been sharing some doozies. In…

The Beginner’s Guide To Shipping

When I hear the term “shipping” I usually try to remember if I ordered something online that I can track obsessively until it reaches the office. But over the past few years I’ve heard it in reference to imagining romances between characters in games like Fire Emblem and Overwatch. I was happy to discover that…

The Designer Of Towerfall Watched Us Play His Excellent New Game, Celeste

A few days ago, the game designer Matt Thorson was watching me idly jump around one of the many comically challenging rooms in Celeste, his new game that is on the verge of release. “Wow, it’s nice to just watch someone play the game,” he said, his voice brimming with sincerity. When a game is…

Claymation JRPG Hylics 2 Is Looking Twisted As Heck

Designer Mason Lindroth released the first Hylics back in 2015, the culmination of his various experiments combining abstract claymation with JRPGgame systems. Hylics 2 has been in the works ever since, and as the latest preview trailer shows, it seems to be coming along nicely. While the presentation of Hylics 2 is reminiscent of the…

Fortnite Battle Royale‘s Success Is Hurting Epic’s Other Games

Yesterday a representative for Epic Games’ online battle arena Paragon posted a message on Reddit casting the future of the game in doubt. Today, on the Unreal Tournament forums, fans are worrying over the fate of the latest installment of that beloved series. Both games share a common problem: the runaway success of Fortnite Battle…

The Death And Resurrection Of The Fighting Game Community’s Most Beloved Message Board

The last few weeks have been a turbulent time for Shoryuken, the world’s leading fighting game website, and full disclosure, my former employer. After the outlet’s owners announced plans to shutter their message boards, the competitive community was sent into a frenzy, worried what the move meant for the future of genre discussion. And while…

Romance Games For Women Began With A Management Sim

Otome games like Mystic Messenger and Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side are made specifically for women. The genre began with with Koei’s 1994 game Angelique. Nowadays, otome games are mostly visual novels with lots of reading, but the genre started with a dialogue-light management sim. When I sat down with Tim Rogers to play it for…

Android: Netrunner: The Kotaku Review

The card game Android: Netrunner does not feel like a game. Jacked into its system, Android: Netrunner’s thorny mechanics melt away until all that’s left are electric impulses in my brain interfacing with my opponents’. It becomes a stylish dance of psychology. Android: Netrunner is not a new card game, but it’s the most captivating…

Arcade Runner Is The Perfect Relaxation Tool

Void Wisp is an arcade game all about soothing soundscapes and living life as close to the edge as possible. Players control a small mote of light floating through an obstacle course of shapes and laser beams that create noise the closer you get to them. In order to get the most points, players need…

New Mod Adds Mario 64 Characters To Goldeneye 007

At long last, someone finally put Mario 64 characters inside GoldenEye 007 StupidMarioBros1Fan spent the last four months working on a mod of GoldenEye 007 that adds Princess Peach, Koopa Troopas, and of course, Mario himself. Along with a fully-reskinned multiplayer mode, the crossover is peak N64 nostalgia and finally playable. They originally uploaded a…