How Disneyland Helps Make Better Video Games

Video games and theme parks have quite a bit in common—they’re both engineered areas that encourage people to explore, even while controlling the overall experience. All the same, it’s rare to see a veteran game-maker break down all the lessons he takes from Disneyland and applies to video games. This talk by Scott Rogers from…

Christmas Was Very, Very Good to Angry Birds

Of the estimated 17.4 million new Android and Apple phones and tablets unwrapped on Christmas day, nearly half snagged a copy of Rovio’s bird-powered physics puzzler. It sure pays to be nearly synonymous with mobile gaming, doesn’t it? Using statistics gathered by Flurry.com, Rovio celebrates another year of Angry Birds success. 2012 saw the launch…

Make Superman Fly Where You Want, With Remote Control

The guy who filmed this video pulled over because Superman flew overhead. Wouldn’t you? According to YouTube poster Triathlonky, the Superman flyer seen here is most likely a custom job, meaning that you can’t just run out and buy one. But, man, there’s a ton to admire in the sculpt and swoop of the thing.…

Why Journey Should Be Game Of The Year

The first time I played Journey, I thought, “Okay.” It had been a lovely experience, sure. I’d played it to around the halfway mark, taken a short break, then finished it. It seemed very nice. Remarkably pretty, and with a gorgeous soundtrack. Past that, I couldn’t quite nail it down. The second time I played…

FarmVille 2 Prized Chicken Coop: Everything You Need to Know

Before the changes to the Prized Animal feature in FarmVille 2 that made prized animals grow more slowly, players filled their farms with tons of Prized White Chickens, as they grew in a flash. If you’re still holding onto many of these Chickens, but would like to reclaim some space on your farm, you can…

On Further Review, Notre Dame Leads the Voting for NCAA Football 14‘s Cover

So, we know a little more about how NCAA Football 14 is handling its social media vote-off to determine the game’s cover subject this summer. Apparently there were some other polls on the game’s Facebook page factoring into a school’s overall vote popularity. While that means Penn State and Kentucky are not actually No. 1…

Swing on These Swings in New York City, And You Will Make Beautiful Art

If you’re in New York City or nearby, there’s something you’ve got to do by the end of the weekend. Head over to the Park Avenue Armory on 68th street, plunk down $12 and spend an hour or so swinging on swings as you create art. The installation is called Ann Hamilton: The Event of…

That Walking Dead: Survival Instinct video isn’t an official trailer. It’s gameplay footage cut together by a fan.

So Far, Hundreds Is the 2013 Game of the Year

I think I know what you’re thinking: Game of the Year 2013? Already? That’s crazy talk. You’re thinking that 2013 is only three days old. You’re thinking that a racing game fueled by the blood of its players could be 2013 game of the year right now, if said racing game was released some time…

Razer Sabertooth Elite Xbox 360 Controller: The Kotaku Review

In 2010 Razer introduced the Onza, an Xbox 360 controller with enough extra bells and whistles to get it banned from Major League Gaming tournament play. Expect the same treatment for the Sabertooth, a refinement of the Onza that adds even more bells while removing select whistles. It’s not about cheating; it’s about versatility. When…

Why Papo & Yo Should Be Game of the Year

Papo & Yo did something that too few games manage to do: it let me step into the life of another, actual-living-breathing person. And once I did that, I played through an experience that showed me how that person got through a painful relationship and was left with a lesson that I too could pick…

This Fan Game Might Be The Closest We Ever Get To Mega Man Legends 3

By now we’ve all lost hope of ever seeing Mega Man Legends 3, a game mistreated and ultimately cancelled by publisher Capcom almost two years ago. So this fan-made browser game—in which you can drive around as Barrett, a character that would have been playable in Mega Man Legends 3 (RIP)—might be the closest we…

Sony Patent Could Stop You From Playing Used Games, Possibly on the Next PlayStation

A patent application published today resurrects the rumor that Sony’s next gaming console will suppress the playing of used games, and outlines how such a scheme would be accomplished without the use of an always-on Internet connection for verification. In short, an RFID ID stamped onto the new discs would track their usage history and…

Noah’s Ark is Much More Menacing With Explosives and Teeth

The Book of Genesis tells the story of Noah and his Ark, the God-contracted vessel built to contain all the species of the world during the pressing of the holy reset button. While I’m only vaguely familiar with the tale, I’m pretty sure I would have remembered the Ark having evil chomping teeth that spit…

A Guy Who Used to Be a Dragon Is the Star of This Week’s Nintendo Download

Stumbling back to work after the holiday break? Take this friendly tip: don’t mouth off to your boss. Because if you do, next thing you know, he’ll cast you out from the heavens, forcing you to shed your glorious dragon form and ally yourself with all manner of neurotic human striplings. Or maybe you’ll get…

Why Spelunky Should Be Game of the Year

On the surface, Spelunky is a roguelike platformer where you become like Indiana Jones, going farther and farther inside ancient caves holding untold riches and perhaps even lost civilizations. You have some rope, some bombs, a whip and whatever else you find along the way. It’s a difficult game, and you will die a ton.…

Oh God, This Terrible-Looking Gaming Movie Is Actually Coming Out

Since it’s been nine months since the last trailer, we’d assumed/hoped that the movie Noobz (sigh), a tale of online gaming and… bad comedy, had been consigned to the garbage disposal unit of history. Nope. It’s out soon, and here’s a new trailer. Tina described the first one as “ghastly”. I’m going to call this…

Foreign Cosplayers Are Welcome In Japan

Cosplay: the amalgamation of the words “costume” and “play”, and the act of dressing up as a character from comics, manga, movies, anime… Pretty much anything from popular culture or a subculture that people like. For Japanese cosplayers, the culture of cosplay can be a world of fun, photos, and sometimes bitter and petty rivalry.…

Threats Against Manga Artist Lead To Empty Tables At Comiket 83

Kuroko’s Basketball has been having it rough. The popular basket manga, or rather its creator, has been continuously threatened since last October, which has led to the cancellation of all Kuroko’s Basketball-related events, including a stage event at Jump Festa. More recently, Japan’s biggest independent doujinshi event, Comic Market (better known as Comiket), announced that…

Inside Comiket: I Didn’t Have To Line Up To Get Into Comic Market 83

Comic Market, better known among the subculture in Japan as “Comiket,” is currently a bi-annual 3-day event that takes place in Japan. This past December 29th to 31st was the 83rd Comiket, and Kotaku East had a chance to delve into the underbelly of what is currently the largest comic pop culture convention for the…