- Kotaku East
Is Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition a Tactical Success?
We’ve already taken a look at the tactics-style gameplay and use of historical figures in our coverage of Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition on the Nintendo DS. But when it comes down to it, was Poké-fying the world of feudal Japan a bold new step for the future of Pokémon, or would Nintendo have been better…
By Richard Eisenbeis Published March 23, 2012 - Kotaku East
Chinese Schoolgirl Caught Smuggling a Whole Buttload of iPhones
This month, a Chinese schoolgirl was nabbed, smuggling not one iPhone, not two iPhone, but twenty-five. Chinese custom authorities discovered the high school senior was moonlighting as a smuggling mule. According to a recently released report, the girl was picked up on March 13. She arose suspicions, because apparently, unlike other Chinese schoolgirls, she wasn’t…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 23, 2012 -
UncategorizedYou May Sign Up For the Hybrid Beta Now, Shoot It Out In April
When game developer Jeremiah Slaczka isn’t answering your questions right here on Kotaku, he’s making a multiplayer shooter called Hybrid with his team at development studio 5TH Cell. He’d love for you to join the beta of his game and try it out before its summer release on Xbox Live Arcade. But, hey, disclosure people!…
By Stephen Totilo Published March 23, 2012 -
UncategorizedGhost Recon: Future Soldier‘s Online Co-op Requires Synchronicity, Stealth, and Shooting People in the Head
Ubisoft IP director Adrian Lacy makes the coordination, concentration, and carnage of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier‘s ‘Valiant Hammer’ online cooperative campaign mission seem so natural in his narration of this walkthrough video that you almost forget it’s a group of people that know the game inside-and-out are playing. I’m hip to picking up Future Soldier…
By Mike Fahey Published March 23, 2012 - Uncategorized
Zangief Looks a Little Meaner With his Shirt on
Serbian artist Filip Acovic decides to redesign Soviet brawler Zangief, beating him up a little and covering up that glorious thatch of welcome mat all over his chest. Street Fighter II Redesign – Zangief [DeviantArt, via XombieDIRGE]
By Luke Plunkett Published March 23, 2012 - Uncategorized
They’re Making an Adventure Time Game for Nintendo 3DS? Hooray!
Pendleton Ward, creator of Adventure Time, tweeted earlier tonight that his computer crashed while he was making an animated GIF to announce an Adventure Time 3DS game. Wait, what? From his Twitter: “Dang.. Compy crashed while I was drawin a gif of this 3DS wavin it’s arms around announcin the Adventure Time 3DS game.” This…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 23, 2012 - Uncategorized
‘Dawnguard’ Trademark Filed, May Point to Skyrim Expansion
No plans for a downloadable expansion for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have been announced yet, but a trademark filing spied at the end of February is believed to tip off its name or part of it anyway: Dawnguard. ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Games, filed the trademark; “downloadable software” is listed in…
By Owen Good Published March 23, 2012 - Uncategorized
What If Final Fantasy VII‘s Villain Were a Lady?
Don’t let that long hair and fine features fool you; Final Fantasy VII‘s Sephiroth is definitely a dude. Crystal Graziano is definitely not. The cosplayer recently tried her hand (sword?) at Sephiroth. The result, above, is Lady Sephiroth. And it so works. OnPaperWings [DeviantArt] (Top photo: BigWhiteBazooka)
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 23, 2012 - Uncategorized
Draw Something & Kate Winslet’s Chest Won an Academy Award in 1998, You Know
In this little-known, deleted sequence from James Cameron’s boat-sinking classic, Leonardo DiCaprio tries out a large, prototype version of iPhone hit Draw Something. “Draw Something like one of your French women”, she’s purring. Titanic Draw Something [College Humor]
By Luke Plunkett Published March 23, 2012 - Uncategorized
Pre-Order Your Portal Gun. Right Now!
Fears of that Portal Gun replica gun being on infinite hold are hopefully vanished to infinity! Starting today, collectible toy maker NECA is kicking off pre-orders for its replica Aperture Science Handheld Portable Device. So far, the following retailers have “approved allotments” that they will receive at the end of next month: Rockin Robot, Think…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 22, 2012 -
UncategorizedWould Somebody Please Put This Guy’s Music In a Video Game? [Update]
Above the words you’re reading right now, you will find the music video for the song “Drugs,” as rapped by Kadillak Kaz, SnoopyBlue, Big2DaBoy and Cakeboi Sav. Why isn’t this song in a video game? Why isn’t any song by Kadillak Kaz in a video game? I mean, exactly how many times does a man…
By Stephen Totilo Published March 22, 2012 - CultureTotal Recall
No Total Recall Tonight, Sorry!
Due to local historian Luke Plunkett being away for the rest of the week, drinking himself under a table somewhere in Australia’s Snowy Mountains, there will be no Total Recall tonight. It’ll return on Friday evening with Kirk Hamilton at the wheel.
By Luke Plunkett Published March 22, 2012 - Uncategorized
Somewhere There Is a Crime Happening
Hello, Kotaku! Welcome to your Thursday evening open thread. Have you had a good week? I’ve been quite sick, but I’m better now. Here, as always, are some things from around the internet for you to enjoy and maybe talk about. Celebrities read tweets about themselves – Ha. A Cool NPR story on fostering creativity…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 22, 2012 - Uncategorized
Seattle’s Space Needle Was Turned Into a Giant Angry Birds Slingshot
The future of manned space flight may be uncertain—private, federal, aliens?— but somehow or another, the Angry Birds have vowed to escape Earth’s gravity. The beginning of their journey started appropriately enough at the Space Needle in Seattle, where development studio Rovio had a giant version of their rotund redbird tethered to the iconic building.…
By Evan Narcisse Published March 22, 2012 -
UncategorizedHow Fifteen Seconds of Music Hooked Me for Five Years
It was a crappy, gray, rainy day in January, 2005. I was in New York visiting my then-boyfriend, on my the week of break left before my final semester of grad school started back home in Boston. Although I had the luxury of a student schedule, he had to go to work, leaving me to…
By Kate Cox Published March 22, 2012 - Uncategorized
Mario Meets Morrissey, At Long Last
Look, I know that 8-bit covers of pop tunes are not a new thing. But all the same, I liked this cover of The Smiths’ “This Charming Man” done by Soundclouder Lazyitis. I don’t know why I liked it! I’m not even a huge Smiths fan. The melody tone is fairly irritating. It just… worked…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 22, 2012 -
UncategorizedThe Kotaku Mixtape Vol. 3: Jazz in Games
Bombastic, orchestral soundtracks are great and all, but they’re not always what’s called for in a game. Sometimes you need something a bit more laid back – a bit more cool. Sometimes you just need a little jazz. Today on the Kotaku Mix Tape, we’re listening to some of the best jazz that gaming has…
By Chris Person Published March 22, 2012 - Uncategorized
Frat Rock Never Sounded So Ethereally Beautiful
I love Boston’s “More Than a Feeling,” mainly because it is such a solid Rock Band jam. It’s a fun song, full of crazy-high male vocals, epic guitarmonies, and a big singalong chorus. (And yeah, okay, it’s not entirely fair to call this anthemic tune “Frat Rock.”) At any rate, I’ve never heard it like…
By Kirk Hamilton Published March 22, 2012