Kids Don’t Need Fancy Toys To Have Fun—Just Junk

It’s only natural that we should want to protect our kids; they seem so small and helpless, so vulnerable to the dangers of the world. But actually being a kid means constantly negotiating danger and, usually, coming through just fine. A recent article at The Atlantic takes a look at a type of playground that’s…

It’s Fez time, PlayStation Owners. The indie hit Fez is out today for PS3, PS4 and Vita. Buy one copy and you’ll get all of ’em. All I can say is that I am pretty psyched to play this game on Vita.

Boy Is Super Psyched To Get His Tooth Pulled Out By A Mini Helicopter

One of the most dreaded things for me in childhood was pulling out teeth—but this kid? This kid is PUMPED to pull out his teeth. Dang. Malcolm Swan shares this video of a boy named Adam, who decided to get a little creative with pulling out teeth. In this case, he’s using a mini RC…

​President Jimmy Carter Really Did See A UFO, Technically

President Jimmy Carter has talked about his 1969 encounter with an unidentified flying object several times over the years. He’s never really been of the opinion that what he saw was an alien spacecraft, but maintains that he doesn’t quite know what it was, either. On the latest episode of The Brian Lehrer Show, Carter…

Looks familiar? It’s the menu screen from Age Of Empires 2, redrawn in MS Paint over about 24 hours, by deviantart user Bohlen

I don’t know whether to be excited or filled with dread about the tricks system coming to Trials Fusion Yes, the special moves look like they’ll add a lot to the game but they’ll also provide ample opportunities for embarrassment as players chase down Trials‘ particularly punishing brand of perfection.

​How A Horror Game Plans on Using the Real World to Scare You

Imaginary locations are great places to stage heart-stopping scream sequences. Nothing like being lost inside the bowels of a giant monster, an abandoned space station or the burning plains of hell for put the fear in you. But you know what else is really scary? The real world. In particular, that abandoned 7-11 off the…

Stick of Truth Gold Box, Bethesda Sale, Bioshock Triple Pack [Deals]

Amazon’s Gold Box Deal of the Day is one of the first big sales we’ve seen on one of the funniest games out there. $43 gets you a physical copy of Stick of Truth on PS3, 360, or PC, and $45 buys you a PC download, if that’s your preference. [Amazon] If any recent Bethesda…

The Rise of the First-Person Shooter

It’s crazy to think that a younger generation of gamers will grow up having never known a world without first-person shooters. The genre has become an omnipresent fixture in modern-day gaming culture, and its continued evolution is pushing the boundaries of realism and unique gameplay in thrilling ways. Titanfall‘s sci-fi blend of on-foot firefights and…

Xbox One Is $50 Off On Microsoft’s Store

The Xbox One Titanfall bundle is now $450 on Microsoft’s store—joining retailers like Walmart and Target in offering a $50 discount on the newest Xbox—but don’t call it a price cut. Microsoft says the deal isn’t permanent. Here’s Microsoft’s official statement to news outlets including Kotaku: This is not a price drop on Xbox One.…

More Hatsune Miku Heading Stateside, Because Sega Loves Us

Last year Sega gambled on global love of Japan’s premiere virtual idol, releasing the Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F rhythm game in North America and Europe. That gamble must have paid off, because Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd is coming to the west later this year. I am so happy. With improved gameplay, 40…

Two Guys Made This Blade Runner-Styled Adventure In 6 Days

YouTuber ThingsWePlay takes us through The Last Night, the overall winner of the 2014 Cyberpunk Game Jam. It’s a pretty simple game, but the amount of art that they made for the game is impressive, and looks great. Check out all the entries for yourself on the jam’s site here The Last Night [YouTube] Watchlist…

​Indie Game Studio Survives 20 Years, Makes A Wild Video About It

When you’re a company that’s created beloved game series like Spyro the Dragon and Ratchet & Clank, there’s a lot to be proud of. But this grunge/rap music video that Ted Price and crew made to celebrate on Insomniac Games’ 20th anniversary? This might be their shining achievement. This goofy clip runs down some of…

Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Jeff Garlin Rags On The Need For Speed Movie

No, really. He hated it. Including the bits with Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul. Although, Jeff Garlin did admit on Conan O’Brien’s show that he only lasted for about 20 minutes before needing to leave the theater, mouth agape. So maybe it got marginally better thereafter? I don’t know. I didn’t see it. The only…

You Have Just ONE WEEK To Finish 24 On Netflix

THE CLOCK IS TICKING, BAUER. On April 1, Netflix is removing 24 from their instant streaming services. That means you have just one week to catch up on the high-octane show before it comes back for a 12-episode limited run in May. This is terrible news for those of us who have been rewatching the…

Today’s selection of articles from Kotaku‘s reader-run community: Games Got Me Through My Most Helpless Moments • Packaging In The Game Industry Has Improved • Weapon Shop de Omasse: The TAY Review TAY Classic—TAY Open Forum—Beginner’s Guide To TAY Follow them here.