- Kotaku East
Suggestive Games and Cute Food! Boys-Love Manga Comes Alive in This Tokyo Bar
In Japan, there are tons of maid cafes for nerds to patron and gaze at young women in maid outfits. But what about females who aren’t interested in looking at other ladies? Or dudes who don’t like girls? Where are they supposed to go? MiracleJumP in Tokyo’s geek district Akihabara is a “boys love” cafe…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 29, 2012 - Kotaku East
Military Strategy? No, Orgarhythm Is a “Music Strategy” Game
Takeshi Hirai, the main programmer for Shenmue and the technical director for Space Channel Part 2, is bringing rhythm and tactical warfare together to the PS Vita. Scheduled for release in Japan this summer, Orgarhythm is “music strategy” genre game published by game maker Acquire, in which the player takes on the role of a…
By Toshi Nakamura Published March 29, 2012 - Kotaku East
Lunatic Builds Transformers “Theme Park”
And I mean “lunatic” in the most admirable and amazing way possible. Under the guidance of sculptor Zhu Kefeng, a team of artists in China have cobbled together around 600 giant statues of Transformers (and some other cartoon characters) and put them all on display at a single location, the “Mr. Iron Robert Theme Park”.…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 - Kotaku East
Japan Doesn’t Really Want Its Own Assassin’s Creed, Either
Wouldn’t Japan made a great setting for Assassin’s Creed? Beautiful cities, amazing weaponry, and, yes, ninja. The game’s developers begs to differ, saying that Japan wouldn’t make a good AC setting. But what does Japan think? Japan, for the most part, agrees. Sister site Kotaku Japan translated Kotaku‘s article, which detailed Ubisoft’s reasons for not…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 29, 2012 -
Kotaku EastIn China, Kids Are Turning into Anime Characters with Pointy Chins and Huge Eyes
It’s the new thing. Apparently! Young Chinese are uploading pic after pic of themselves looking googly-eyed into the camera, sporting sharp threads, and even sharper chins. The “pointy-style” isn’t just for girls as some guys are getting in on the act, too. The look really started to take off last summer when a girl named…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 29, 2012 - Uncategorized
GAME Stores Stop Refunds, One Asks Customers Not to be Violent
GAME, one of the biggest retailers of video game products in the world, is in serious financial trouble. So much so it’s had to enter administration, and part of that deal means the store can’t offer refunds or exchanges on its products. Which looks like it’s making some people walk into the stores and be…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 - Uncategorized
Portal, as a Very Short Cartoon (Well, gif)
British artist Pinali sets our hearts aflutter with this animated take on Portal’s Chell (in her Portal 2 outfit). I keep thinking, if I watch it long enough, the “camera” will pan across and just follow her as she starts shooting the place up. Portall [Pinalinet]
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 -
UncategorizedMan, AirMech Looks so Freaking Good Right Now
So last year, a few of us got our hands on AirMech, and thought it was pretty special. It’s like classic action/strategy game Herzog Zwei got into Macross cosplay in a big way. The version we played, though, was a very early alpha, which while immensely promising was also a little thin. Months later and…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Littlest Team Fortress 2
Pixel artist Gas 13 gives the world a game it can only dream of: an isometric, pixellated Team Fortress 2 You can see it at the original resolution below, pixel integrity maintained. ISOMETRIC TF2: BADLANDS [PixelJoint]
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 - Uncategorized
There’s (Hopefully) Still a Future for Used, Rented and Borrowed Games
Oh boy. Once people had got past the news we’d heard about the next PlayStation Orbis’ specs and release date, they got real angry about the fact it’s likely to include some measure of “anti-used games” technology. Just like the next Xbox console. That subsequently led to people thinking that they’ll never be able to…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 -
UncategorizedNew Game of Thrones Trailer as Heavy on Story as it is on Giant Necks
The upcoming Game of Thrones RPG would like to remind you there’s more to it than music and combat. There’s also a story, and dialogue, and sadly dialogue that isn’t being spoken by the amazing James Cosmo. Cosmo, who plays Jeor Mormont in HBO’s Game of Thrones TV series, is one the best of a…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 -
UncategorizedThe Dark Knight Rises Trailer Looks Great in LEGO
You know, I haven’t actually seen the live-action version of this trailer. For most movies these days, I go into blackout mode, try and save myself for when I see the actual flick. So I’m in a weird spot now. I’m going to go see this movie later this year, and I’m going to see…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 29, 2012 - CultureTotal Recall
The History of Early Computer Games. In Iraq.
There’s a really interesting piece up on HG101 in which Iraqi gamer Salwan Asaad, now living in Egypt, recounts his experiences growing up in the 1980s with the region’s fledgling scene. Unlike the hell-in-a-handbasket Iraq has become in the last twenty years, Asaad remembers during the 1980s it was a (relatively) more prosperous state, and…
By Luke Plunkett Published March 28, 2012 - Uncategorized
Total Recall Starts Now!
Time for your daily look back at the history of video games!
By Luke Plunkett Published March 28, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallLook How Awesome Old Video Games Were in Old Movies
Seeing video games in a movie these days, or even a movie based on a video game, is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s expected. But during the 1970s, it was something to be marvelled at. This clip collects cameo appearances on the silver screen by the arcade games and home consoles of the 70’s,…
Luke Plunkett & Chris Person Published March 28, 2012 - Uncategorized
Determining The World’s Metal-Band Distribution
Can you guess where the most metal bands might be? I bet you can. Or you could just check that image, I guess. Greetings, Kotaku, and welcome to the evening Open Thread. Some fun and provocative things from around the internet for you: An amazing wind map of the entire nation – Holy shit! Battle…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 28, 2012 - Uncategorized
Nobody Knows When the Hell Super Mario Bros. Was Released
It’s commonly held that Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System is one, if not the greatest game of all time. People constantly talk about its historical importance, and how it was largely responsible for the unprecedented success of the NES console. But when did it come out? Most people say 1986, but no…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 28, 2012 - Uncategorized
Let’s Bring These Sherlock Holmes Games Back, Adventure Gamers
Now this is a blast from the past. I remember playing through the first volume of Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective ages ago. It was a full motion video adventure game, and my memories are very fond. The games were more stodgy, goofy Sherlock than cool, sexy Sherlock, but that didn’t make the mystery-solving any less…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 28, 2012 - Uncategorized
Report: SimCity Needs Your Internet the Whole Time You’re Playing
Maxis and EA’s upcoming SimCity game looks pretty cool, but Joystiq is reporting that the game will require an internet connection to play. Lead designer Stone Librande told the publication that regardless of where the game was bought, people playing the game will need to be connected to EA’s Origin service to play the game.…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 28, 2012