Here’s what’s going on Talk Among Yourselves, our reader-written blog: DocSeuss contributes a deeply personal post why he keeps coming back to TAY Kotaku. JJtheTexan plumbs the N64 and GameCube eras in his catalog of long-lost Nintendo games And feel free to jump in and help decide what the next game for TAY’s Game Night…

Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded: The Kotaku Review

Sex was gross, unknowable and weird. Yet, for some reason, I was supposed to want it. These were the lessons I learned from Leisure Suit Larry way back when, which I had no business playing as a teenager. In 2013, the updated sex/comedy game still feels like something I shouldn’t be experiencing. But, this time,…

You Have Bested Me, Scribblenauts Unmasked

Here’s exactly how my short play session with the upcoming Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure went at the San Diego Comic-Con this weekend. “What about…DAMMIT!” Rinse and repeat. Since reading about Stephen Totilo’s adventures in 5th Cell’s upcoming DC Universe joint, I’ve been itching to give the game’s Bat Computer a go. I’ve been…

Angry Birds Star Wars II‘s Telepods Tech Is Really Quite Clever

Announced last week, Angry Birds Star Wars II gives fans the ability to swap out the bird (or pig) line-up in their iPad or Android game using physical toys, but Hasbro’s Telepods technology isn’t Skylanders. It’s much simpler than that. At the bottom of every packaged Angry Birds Star Wars Telepods figure, seen here in…

The Spy From Team Fortress Would Be An Excellent James Bond

Apart from the fact that Spy is originally from France, he’d still perform well in Her Majesty’s Secret Service. This video mashing up Team Fortress 2 with the most recent James Bond flick is so incredibly well done it leaves that impression. Guess who plays the antagonist with the funky hair. Spyfall [YouTube. Video by…

I didn’t know there was a final boss in Fifa 13, but there he is, and he’s guarding the goal like something straight out of Dark Souls, ready to wipe out the entire field with a single kick (if he can stand up). Dayshot is an image-based feature that runs every morning, showcasing some of…

Hayao Miyazaki Called “Anti-Japanese,” a “Traitor,” and “Dim-Witted”

Kaze Tachinu, the latest Studio Ghibli film, opened this weekend in Japan. Its director, Hayao Miyazaki, is stirring up plenty of controversy online. The reasons why might surprise you. They might not. As previously mentioned, the film is fictionalized biography of Jiro Horikoshi, who created the iconic World War II fighter plane, the Mitsubishi A6M…

On July 29, the Australian Classification Board willsit down to have another look at and possibly re-classify Saints Row IV, for which they refused classification last month—a decision which effectively banned the game in Australia. This follows the recent appearance of a low-violence version of the game on Steam.

This is 300 Heroes, The Most Incredible League Of Legends Clone

Last month, Luke brought us this little nugget of gold from the interwebs called 300 Heroes—a shameless League of Legends clone that offers users a chance to play as “over 300” different heroes from various intellectual properties. Despite the fact that it’s such a terrible case of copyright infringement and possible theft, the game is…

Chinese Protest Houses Defy Progress

In Chinese, they’re called “nail houses” (钉子楼 or “ding zi lou”). These protest abodes stick up for as long as the owner—and ultimately, the Chinese government—allows them to. Then, they’re smashed down. Recently, Chinese site XinhuaNet ran photos of a nail house in Rui’An, Zhejiang Province. The entire building, save for one corner, has been…

In a Kickstarter update, American McGee announced that famed Hong Kong writer/director Tsui Hark is now part of his Alice: Otherlands animated film project. “I’d join the team to make this project a wonderful success,” said Hark, whom McGee called “one of the masters of kick-ass.”

Game Programmer Quits Job To Sell Street Food, Doubles Salary

On the streets of China, street vendors sell a delicious flatbread called “shaobing”. This wonder of creation is incredibly cheap and incredibly filling—they come in all sizes and shapes as well as a with a variety of fillings. These little flatbreads have also helped change the life of one Chinese game programer. First reported by…

These Fans Want to See The Latest 3DS Digimon Game Localized

It seems the people want a new Digimon. On Change.org, an Italian fan of the monster-collecting-and-fighting game series started a petition, asking Namco-Bandai to localize the latest entry, Digimon World Re:Digitize Decode, overseas. Calling itself Operation Decode, the petition has already amassed almost 4,500 signatures at the time of writing. There’s a Facebook page, and…

Nintendo Ads Show the Differences Between the U.S. and Japan

Pikmin 3 is already out in Japan. It’s headed to the U.S. on August 4. The game is the same, but the Pikmin 3 commercials couldn’t be more different. Let’s have a look. Here is the Japanese commercial for Pikmin 3. In the ad, actress Juri Ueno watches a Red Pikmin carry a cherry. She…

Catch This Trailer for the Newest Pokémon Anime

Debuting on Japanese TV in 1996, the Pokémon anime keeps going and going! Here’s the trailer for the upcoming Pokémon X/Y animated series. Once again the series features Ash Ketchum, but of course, the Pokémon X/Y Pocket Monsters are new. Of course! The Pokémon X/Y anime debuts this October in Japan. Pokemon X & Y…

“Forever Alone Fail” Wins Over Japan

Earlier this spring, a “Forever Alone fail” pic showed a gentleman in a suit, sleeping. The text read that his girlfriend took the snap. However, you could see his feet in the mirror holding a smartphone. Over the weekend in Japan, that photo has created a viral sensation. As Know Your Meme points out, this…

Here’s The Beautiful First Trailer To Miyazaki’s Next Animated Film

Kaze Tachinu is the latest film from acclaimed Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, his first at the helm since 2008’s Ponyo. Set prior to World War Two (or, at least, the West’s involvement in Japan’s side of it), it focuses on the man who would go on to design the Zero, one of the best fighters…

New Star Wars Figures Know How To Make Money

A second series of those awesome Star Wars Black Series action figures are on the way, and they’re hitting four of the biggest fan favourites all in one shot. Where the first batch featured Luke, Vader, Darth Maul and a Sandtrooper, the second line will have Han Solo, Boba Fett, Greedo and…Slave Leia. It’s almost…

Minecraft Leaves The Earth, Heads Into Space

Just when you think you’re done being impressed by what people can do with Minecraft, somebody comes along with a mod that literally takes the game to another world. Galacticraft is a mod released earlier this year that turns your little Minecraft dude into an astronaut, able to jump into a rocket, fly above the…

If There Is A God, This New Syndicate Tribute Will Get Made

A little extreme, perhaps, to hinge the existence of a higher power on the funding for a video game project, but this isn’t your average Kickstarter. It’s for a game that is, in everthing but name, a new Syndicate title. So it’s important I wrote about Satellite Reign a few weeks back, but the team…