All of This Paper Forms the Blueprint For One Video Game

It required 100 meters (328 feet) of calculator paper to map out the sidescrolling video game Beeing You can see it here, stretched out before you, courtesy of Gonzalo Oxenford, one of the game designers who sketched the layout for their bee-themed sidescroller by hand. Each level map can be rolled up. So you can…

Discuss the games you’re playing, loving and hating over at Talk Amongst Yourselves , won’t you?

One Stranger Made a World of Difference to a Fifteen-Year-Old’s Journey

Since the year before I got married, it’s become an annual ritual, an immutable part of my life. For one week every summer, my husband’s family all get together in a bunch of little apartments down by the beach, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The horde of us are about thirty strong, these…

The Xbox 360 demo for Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is now live in North America. The PlayStation 3 version drops tomorrow.

This Prototype Legend of Zelda Cartridge Can Be Yours for a Mere $150,000

Why spend $15 on a box-less copy of The Legend of Zelda for the original Nintendo Entertainment system when you can spend $150,000 on a mustard yellow NES cartridge adorned with a faded label with the game’s name typed on it? It’s collectible craziness available right now on eBay. Now I can understand paying a…

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance: The Kotaku Review

There are moments in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, when, caught up in a storm of hectic keyblade slashing and chromatic aerial theatrics, you might not notice the ticking timer on the bottom of your screen. Until it hits 0. Then, abruptly, as if the game has decided you were having too much fun,…

Tekken Tag Tournament 2‘s Fight Lab Looks a Lot More Fun Than… Tekken

Some people live for the thrill of intense, one-on-one fighting. They thrive on the click of arcade stick buttons and sideways glances at the player attempting to steal their thunder. Me, I just want to be a robot kicking a bear wearing a ballerina costume while dodging chickens. Most of my Tekken memories involve me…

Here Is What’s New in New Super Mario Bros. 2

In 2006 Nintendo released New Super Mario Bros.—the first big 2D Mario title since the SNES’ Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. This game would go on to be the best selling game of the DS’ formidable library, selling over 28 million copies worldwide. Now, six years later, it’s a new decade and a new…

HD Games Are Like Putting on Tons of Make-Up. Wait, What?

While I can appreciate the skill and art that goes into make up, I find this Sony teaser to be baffling. It’s comparing HD editions of video games to a woman being made up. The central point is that a woman whose face is covered in make up is the same woman underneath. But the…

All Female Theater Group Bringing Ace Attorney To Life (Again!)

The Takarazuka Revue has twice done productions based on Ace Attorney. Those went so well that the troupe is planning on doing a third next January. It will center around Miles Edgeworth. Takarazuka actress Hiro Yuumi will play Miles—hopefully not in that Louis Vuitton raincoat. She’ll be reviving her Edgeworth role from previous productions 宝塚歌劇『逆転裁判』第3弾、2013年1月に公演決定！　今回の主役は検事マイルズ・エッジワース（御剣怜侍）！！…

Man Declares Love to Booth Babe and Is Taken Away by Security

At the recent China Joy gaming expo in Shanghai, a young man in mirrored sunglasses stormed the stage with a bouquet of roses that were made from 100 yuan bills. He presented the roses to a booth companion and confessed his love to her. She didn’t exactly seem pleased and neither did show security. The…

Final Fantasy III Is Totally Coming to Ouya

Square Enix is bringing its Android version of Final Fantasy III to Ouya. Sure, FFIII is a game you’ve played—and bought—a million times. And you can buy it again when it hits Ouya in March 2013! [Square Enix]

3DS XL Forced on the Circle Pad Pro

While you probably wouldn’t want to do this yourself (it certainly doesn’t look comfortable!), one Japanese gamer apparently forced the recently released 3DS XL on the Circle Pad Pro and got it to recognize the larger 3DS—which makes sense! Nintendo will release a Circle Pad Pro for the larger 3DS. If you don’t like destroying…

New Super Mario Bros. 2 Is, Well, a Mario Game (And That’s Not a Bad Thing)

Six years ago, Nintendo returned to its 2D platforming roots with New Super Mario Bros. It went on to become not only the bestselling DS title but also the third bestselling hand-held title ever (behind Pokemon Red/Blue and Tetris) with over 28 million copies sold worldwide. After a brief detour to the Wii, the series…

Japanese Cosplayers Turn Up the Summer Heat

Holy crap summer in Japan is hot. That doesn’t keep the country’s cosplayers from wearing full body costumes, such as Godzilla or Jin Roh outfits. It also certainly doesn’t discourage them from wearing skimpy ones, either. At the recent Wonder Festival, a slew of cosplayers turned up to show off their costume creations. Sister site…

Kids, Stop Sticking Your Fists in Pikachu’s Mouth

This is a thing, I guess. Children in Japan continue to cram their hands in Pikachu’s open mouth—most recently, at a Pokémon event in Kyoto with celebrity Shoko Nakagawa. STOP IT, KIDS, JUST STOP IT. ピカチュウ、ギザカワユス♪　中川翔子さんが京都駅の一日駅長 [産経]

Sorry China, No PS Vita for You (Yet)

The PlayStation Vita was released in Japan nine months ago and went sale around most of the world by this past spring. However, there is one market that the Vita hasn’t been announced yet: China. Earlier this year there was speculation that Sony was in talks with telecom company China Unicom about releasing the system…

Phantasy Star Online 2‘s Character Creator Brings Sci-Fi Anime Characters to Life!

Like most MMOs, Phantasy Star Online 2 comes with a robust character creator. And with its sci-fi setting, it’s perfect for making all sorts of futuristic characters. I, for one, made Kotaku’s very own anthropomorphic avatar, Kotaku-tan, as my character. Of course, I am not the only one to re-create a character. Japanese players have…

Indecent Cosplayer Banned for Being…Indecent

Late last week, unknown Chinese model Li Ling made a name for herself after causing a ruckus. She appeared at the China Joy gaming expo in a highly revealing cosplay. Dressed as Athena, Ling caused quite a stir. Her revealing costume showed off more than her underpants—way more. Online in China, some heralded Ling’s arrival,…

Persona Fighting Game Patch Incoming!

Xbox 360 owners dealing with Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena lag issue, take heart! The game’s developer, Arc System Works, is readying a patch, which will be released sooner, hopefully, than later. [Atlus]