This Week’s Windows Phone Charts: Cracking Sands and Circling Words

Welcome to the second-ever Kotaku Windows Phone game charts. In this second installment of this thrilling series we explore how the game rankings ebb and flow from week to week. I think it turned out rather well. In fact, I think it turned out so well that we’ll maintain the same theme every week, until…

The Puzzles In The Newest Professor Layton Sure Look Different

While previous Professor Layton games have featured mostly static, two-dimensional puzzles, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask has more interactive, 3D fare. Which is appropriate, since it’s on the 3DS. THREE DEE. Miracle Mask is out this Sunday.

You Get To Be Mayor And Go Swimming In The New Animal Crossing

Not going to lie. I put way, way more hours into Animal Crossing: Wild World, the first DS entry in the franchise, than I ever should have. After managing to catch a coelacanth on my first day I was, well, hooked. Catch fish, collect bugs, cultivate flowers, buy clothes, decorate your home… these are the…

New Paper Mario Trailer Stars One Hell Of A Goat

Or at least one goat. And a boat. And a world map! And lots of other delightful, charming content that the Paper Mario series is known for. Paper Mario: Sticker Star is out for 3DS on November 11.

Fire Emblem: Awakening Looks Absolutely Tremendous

At E3, Reggie casually mentioned (to Kotaku) that the newest Fire Emblem game will be coming to North America Thank god for that: footage from the game is looking wonderful. Fire Emblem: Awakening is out for 3DS in early 2013.

Dishonored Receives Dunwall City Trials DLC This December, Story Add-Ons Coming Next Year

Maybe you’ve already finished Arkane Studios’ critically acclaimed stealth/action hybrid. Maybe you yearn for more blinking, possession and sneaky killing through Dunwall’s cobblestone streets. This December, you’ll get your wish as challenge-based and story-centric DLC starts rolling out for Dishonored Dunwall City Trials—which will cost $4.99 or 400 Microsoft points—will offer up ten skill-centered tests…

Land ho! PC Gamer reports that the sequel to 2006’s The Ship will hit Kickstarter’s new UK site on October 31st.

Two new DLC packs are in the New Super Mario Brothers 2 e-shop today, Nintendo announced in today’s Nintendo Direct

CastleVille ‘To Bee or Not to Bee’ Quests: Everything You Need to Know

While bees and gardens normally go hand in hand, in the case of CastleVille‘s newest content update, the game’s Gloom Bees are anything but productive. In fact, they threaten the very future of the Gloom Garden, so it will be up to you to complete a series of eight ‘To Bee or Not to Bee’…

Civilization Online MMO Will Let Players Try to Rule the World, But Only From Asia

Sid Meier’s famous Civilization games are all about bold land grabs and spreading one’s influence all over the globe. So it makes sense for publisher 2K Games to finally unveil an MMO version of the long-running series. A press release sent out today announced that Civ developer Firaxis will be working with XLGames, the Korean…

Love the BBC TV series Merlin? Bossa Studios’ Facebook game of the series is now in open beta

Watch Notch Test Out 0x10c’s Multiplayer Right Here [Update: It’s Over]

Markus Persson’s been slowly pulling back the veil of mystery surrounding his next sci-fi-centric game. Now, you can watch him play against others in a test of 0x10c‘s competitive multiplayer via Twitch livestream. Seems like pure chaotic fun. Watch live video from realnotch on www.twitch.tv

Kotaku Timeline: Blizzard’s Next Big MMO… Titan

Are you ready for Blizzard’s next MMO? Their first since 2004’s World of Warcraft? Well, tough, Blizzard’s not done making it. The game is codenamed Titan and has been in development for a long, long time. What kind of game is it? We know it’s supposed to have broad appeal. We know that Blizzard has…

The Pink-Haired Kitty Girl Rule Also Applies to Mobile Defense Games

There is no such thing as a bad game that features a pink-haired girl with kitty ears — even the most hideously unplayable mess is somewhat redeemed by such wondrous presence. Luckily for Gamevil, Arel Wars 2 is pretty damn playable as well. A deep and satisfying free-to-play defense game now available for iOS (the…

Nintendo is offering free online for Wii U title Monster Hunter 3 (-tri) G HD Ver. Generous!

Luigi’s Mansion 2 Is Ready to Flash Ghosts Next Spring

In Nintendo’s news stream, Nintendo Direct, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced a new feature to the sequel to the game featuring Mario’s brother mostly doing what he does best (screaming in fear); Luigi’s Mansion 2 Luigi’s ghost sucking proton pack, the Poltergust 3000 will be getting an upgrade to combat stronger, more resistant ghosts; a…

Square Enix is aiming for next February to beta test the Wii U version of Dragon Quest X.

Nintendo Just Unveiled Its Own iTunes

It’s called Recochoku (レコチョク). That’s short for “Record-Chokusetsu” or “Record Direct”. And it looks to be Nintendo’s take on iTunes. As Kotaku commenters have pointed out, this is an existing music service in Japan. Nintendo is bringing it to its handheld. The service begins on the 3DS this December in Japan, and there will be…

Portable Gaming Rules in Japan

One of the more noticeable differences between the East and the West is the prevalence of the handheld console. The popularity of handhelds in Japan is fairly understandable. For one thing, the high population density makes open space one of the island country’s most precious commodities. Also, the widespread use of public mass transit leads…

Upcoming 3DS title Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Magnagate and the Infinite Labyrinth goes on sale in Japan on November 23.