He Went To War So He Could Make Video Games

When you’re a problem solver like Joe Ricks, nothing stands between you and your dream. For Ricks, the dream was the holy grail of any kid growing up attached to a controller: making video games. So determined was the cash-strapped man, that he risked it all to get the education he needed. Joe Ricks enlisted…

Latest Trailer Reveals the Hellish Tortured Existence of the Skylanders

Remember the music video for Metallica’s “One”, featuring footage from the 1971 film Johnny Got His Gun, about the World War I soldier that lost all his limbs and the ability to see, hear and speak after being hit by a mortar shell? He was a prisoner in his own body, just like the Skylanders…

Insider Trading Allegations Bring More Bad News For Funcom And The Secret World

Funcom, developer of modern-day MMO The Secret World, is just not having a good year. While the game itself is quite interesting, it hasn’t held the attention of players or subscribers, and poor sales led to massive layoffs, including the lead designer. Promised content updates have been repeatedly missing promised launch dates. Making it all…

This MarioBART Map Takes Rainbow Road Right Through San Francisco

Commuting on public transit can be a drag. Sure, it’s better for the environment but it’s not that fun being squished up against smelly strangers, to say nothing of the super-germs that are breeding all around you. But you know what is fun? Mario Kart. Why not mash one of the world’s most-traveled mass transit…

Forget The iPhone 5’s New Tech. I’m Switching Back Because I Miss My Friends

On Wednesday, Apple announced the iPhone 5. I’ll be ordering one today, even though I’ve had an Android for two years. I’m not making the switch because of the phone’s (kinda) hot new tech. I’m making the switch because I miss my friends. Apple’s whole press conference was a touch anticlimactic, if only because the…

Conan O’Brien Reviews Resident Evil 6 So We Don’t Have To

Taking some of the pressure off of us during the upcoming busy fall review seasons, TV’s Conan tackles the biological weapons of Resident Evil 6, making some startlingly insightful comments in the process. It may be a joke, but it’s actually quite interesting seeing how a non-gamer reacts to a game that’s aimed at the…

The Case for Why Bayonetta Could Be in the New Smash Bros.

The upcoming Bayonetta 2 is a Wii U exclusive. Nintendo, not Sega, is now publishing the game. You know what that means? Yep, it probably means that the character of Bayonetta will pop up in the upcoming 3DS and Wii U Smash Bros. games. This, of course, would not be the first time a “non-Nintendo”…

Tokyo Cops Stop Freaky Anime Lady

Earlier this month, cops in Tokyo’s Shibuya stopped a person dressed as an anime female (see above). The mask is called an “animegao” (アニメ顔) or “anime face”. According to Japanese publication Tokyo Sports, the police stopped the cosplayer, asking, “Why are you wearing that mask?” The anime faced cosplayer replied, “That, I cannot say.” The…

Rurouni Kenshin Kansei Succeeds on Innovative Ideas, Fails on Balance

Just over three weeks ago, the 18-year-old series Rurouni Kenshin made its return to the Japanese consciousness with the release of the series’ first live action feature film. But not content to hit just one genre of popular media, a Kenshin fighting game was released that week as well, giving long-time fans more Kenshin at…

Banned Cosplayer Capitalizing on Her Game Show Infamy

This summer, cosplayer Li Ling was booted from China Joy, the country’s largest game show. She was appearing at the booth for ZQgame, who contracted the model to promote its new Saint Seiya game. Ling’s appearance and outfit was orchestrated game PR. Dressed as Athena, Ling caused quite a stir. Her revealing costume showed off…

Now’s the Perfect Time for a Phoenix Wright Comeback

Last week, Capcom announced that everyone’s favorite blue-suited defense attorney, Phoenix Wright, would be returning as the protagonist of Ace Attorney 5. While it may not seem like that long since he last starred in an Ace Attorney game, it has actually been eight long years (five in the West). And his return is the…

A Peek Inside Where They Make Final Fantasy

Japanese game studios, Square Enix included, generally don’t like cameras poking around where they make games. There are obvious reasons for that, such as designs or game info leaking out. Another reason is that, you know, people are trying to work! Still, Square Enix allowed its own cameras into a Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII…

Turn Your iPhone Pics into Japanese Manga Images

Okay, this sounds cool: Sister site Kotaku Japan points to an app called Manga Camera that can make your photos look like Japanese comic book panels. If you’ve ever read manga in Japanese, you’ll be happy to know that Manga Camera has an array of onomatopoeic words with melodramatic shading. So go ahead, make your…

Hollywood’s rebooted Godzilla film will be out May 2014.

The ESRB Knows Dead or Alive Too Well

Japanese fighting game Dead or Alive features a bevy of curvy ladies punching and kicking each other in the face. For years now, the DoA‘s have been talking up two things: Fighting game mechanics and boob physics. So when the Entertainment Software Rating Board had a crack at the latest DoA, Dead or Alive 5,…

Aussie Deli Sandwich From McDonald’s Japan: The Snacktaku Review

McDonald’s Japan has decided to bring the rest of the world to Japan via fast food. Well, not the whole world. For the burger joint’s latest campaign, it’s only been France, India, and Australia. As Snacktaku’s embedded emissary in Asia, I take snack sampling very seriously. Snackology is an extremely important field, and one must…

Square Enix’s Online Shop Seems To Have Been Hacked

Tokyo-based game company Square Enix announced that it believes the third-party server, which hosts its online shop, was breached. While the landing page can be accessed, the Square Enix Online Shop is currently offline and clicking on the Japan catalog brings up a notice about the hack. Square Enix is currently assessing the extent of…

Bayonetta 2 Developers Don’t Want to “Alienate” You

Action game Bayonetta 2, the sequel to…Bayonetta 1, is headed to the Wii U. It’s an exclusive! And Nintendo is publishing the game. This has made some “fans” pissed as hell. Others are happy. But what do the game’s developers have to say? Platinum Games, the studio behind Bayonetta, released statements from staff as well…

Here’s What’s Inside Each Wii U Console Box

Once you open up a Wii U box, you’ll find a bunch of stuff inside. Namely, all of this, as Nintendo seeks to crush the practice of unboxing by doing it for us, months before the product is even released. What I love about these images is the small print down the bottom. As though…

The Wii U Will Be Out In Europe (and Australia) Before Japan

The Wii U is being released on November 18 in the US, and on December 8 in Japan. PAL fans, though, can expect to get their hands on the console right in between those two dates. November 30 is when the Wii U will hit shelves across Britain, continental Europe and Australia. Prices will of…