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  Dan Bull’s Mass Effect Rap Rolls With An “Asari That’s Older Than Atari”

  Step aside, “Paragon | Renegade” by Adam WarRock. There’s a new Mass Effect rap opus in town.* The Mass Effect Epic Rap—by Dan Bull, who we’ve featured around these parts before—offers up a clever rhyming synopsis of the events of the first two games in BioWare’s hit series. I think my favorite line might be…

  By Evan Narcisse Published February 27, 2012
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  Pack Your Preorder Bonuses, Dungeons & Dragons Online Goes to the Forgotten Realms June 25

  Can you believe Dungeons & Dragons Online turns six-years-old tomorrow? They grow up so fast. Turbine celebrates with the release date and extensive preorder bonuses for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game’s world-hopping expansion pack, Menace of the Underdark In the six years since Dungeons & Dragons Online first launched (as Dungeons & Dragons Online:…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 27, 2012
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  It’s Like Uncharted, But Smaller and with Real Fire

  Uncharted | DUBAI, UAE: Uncharted brought to life with miniatures. (Photo: azixero | flickr) Fake iPhone Gas Stoves Seized in China Apple makes a lot of different things, such as laptops, displays, and phones. It does not make gas stoves-regardless if the Apple logo and iPhone brand seem to indicate otherwise. More » The Three Biggest…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  For the PS Vita, It’s a Long Hard Road Back to China

  The Playstation Vita was released last week in the US and while Sony hasn’t released sales numbers for any region other than Japan, it is evident that China’s “gray market” dealers are stocking up on Vita systems, games and accessories. One vendor Kotaku spoke with in Beijing recommended the Vita over the 3DS and suggested…

  By Eric Jou Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  This Fruit Costs Twelve Bucks. Just This.

  In Japan, “omimai” (お見舞い) is when you visit folks in the hospital. My mother-in-law broke her back, so we’ve been several times. But it’s not only family members—like elsewhere, friends and extended family visit, too. My brother-in-law’s company sent a huge dekopon fruit basket, as well as cookies and cakes. My mother-in-law then divided up…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
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  Meet the Chinese Company Who’s Fighting Apple

  There’s a legal brouhaha going down. Proview Shenzhen is trying to stop Apple from selling the iPad in China, where it’s made. It’s even filing suit in California, where the iPad is designed. Previously, Kotaku reported that Proview, which developed an “iPad” desktop computer years ago, felt deceived by Apple’s agreement and is trying to…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Now You Can Get Lost in the Sky

  On Feb. 27th, Atlas opened its official site for the upcoming 3DS game, Etrian Odyssey IV Denshou no Kyosin (Collosus of Tradition). The website currently has an introductory page, character page, and a systems page—all of which will be further updated soon. Along with the series’ original system of mapping your own route to explore…

  By Toshitaka Tachibana Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Xbox Booth Babes Bundled Up with Scarfs and Sweaters

  Say what you want about Xbox Japan—how it struggles and has a rough time—but one thing it does better than any other Japanese operation is dress its event companions. It’s not that Xbox event companions wear super revealing outfits, but rather, that they wear sensible outfits they feel comfortable in. That, as Xbox Japan told…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  The Three Biggest Gaming Companies You’ve Never Heard Of!

  The Big Three, Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are names that almost every gamer recognizes. However, in China there are three companies that are just as big as those, and you probably have never heard of them before. Tencent, NetEase, and Shanda, three major Chinese companies that are expanding their reach beyond China. Combined, they capture…

  By Eric Jou Published February 27, 2012
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  Kotaku East

  Unboxing Nerdy Stuff. In the Bathtub.

  In my day, I’ve seen loads of unboxing videos—you know, those clips in which people remove products from, well, their boxes. I thought the strangest one I’d ever see depicted shirtless fat men unboxing Skyrim. I was wrong. This is YouTube user Nervli (aka Melonpan). He unboxes otaku stuff in this bathtub. However, I worry…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Sine Mora Shoots Up a Release Date

  Digital Reality and Grasshopper Manufacture’s shooter Sine Mora will released on Xbox Live Arcade March 21 for 1200 Microsoft Points, Grasshopper revealed today.

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  An Elevator TO SPACE

  If you thought you were going to have to wait until 2307 for Gundam 00 style space elevators, good news! You might only have to wait until 2050. That is, if a Tokyo-based company gets its way. Obayashi Corp. hopes to construct an operational elevator, able to whisk passengers 36,000km above Earth. According to the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  How One Photographer Conquered Chinese Cosplay

  A few weeks ago Kotaku showed you some cosplay photos from photographer Mengjie Luan. Meng, a 29 year-old web editor, has been snapping off pictures of Chinese cosplayers over the last 5 years. Meng sat down with me last week to show off some of his photos and to talk about the Chinese cosplay community.…

  By Eric Jou Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Mass Effect Explained with Cute Schoolgirls

  As far as space operas go, Mass Effect‘s storyline isn’t *that* hard to follow. But if you are a latecomer to the series, you might need a primer. So what better way than with Asari schoolgirls wearing sailor uniforms? Japan’s Dengeki Online is serializing the manga, which is titled “Teach me! Professor Mordin!”. Drawn by…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Unusual Anime Promises Unusual PSP Game

  Bakemonogatari, the famous anime series based on novels by Nishio Ishin, will have its own PSP game, Bakemonogatari Portable, released in Japan this August. There’s a limited edition version with its own PSP case, a DVD and CD with bonus content, and a special booklet with gaming info. Aiming to keep the anime series’ unique…

  By Toshitaka Tachibana Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Fake iPhone Gas Stoves Seized in China

  Apple makes a lot of different things, such as laptops, displays, and phones. It does not make gas stoves—regardless if the Apple logo and iPhone brand seem to indicate otherwise. I know better, you know better, and the Chinese government knows better. On Feb. 23 in Wuhan, authorities raided a warehouse with stacks of green…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Kotaku East Starts Now

  Kotaku East runs from 4am to 8am EST. For more info about Kotaku East click here

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012
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  Brazilians Shake Their Asses to Mario

  Brazil’s Carnival parades are some of the biggest, and certainly the danciest shindigs on Earth. Especially when they draft the Mushroom Kingdom in to help out. Reader Marcelo sends us these clips taken over the weekend in the Rio suburb of Santa Teresa, as a Mario-themed posse shakes their way down the streets. I’ve seen…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 27, 2012
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  The Very Best In Cosplay: Beethy

  Our running focus on the very best in cosplay is not, as some may have noticed, just looking at models/costume builders. We’ve also been looking at the people behind the camera, like LJinto and Eric Ng Or, in today’s case, Australian photographer Benjamin “Beethy” Koelewijn. Beethy has most recently been taking snaps of the new,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 27, 2012
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  The Dog from the Oscars Also Works for Nintendo

  This month is Responsible Pet Owners Month. And to mark it, Nintendo hired Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier from The Artist, as its official spokesdog. This month is also the Academy Awards. During last night’s Oscar presentation, Uggie was on stage as The Artist won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He donned a bowtie…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 27, 2012