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Gorgeous Mech Shooter Hawken Arrives Free-to-Play in December
With each new clip and screenshot of its indie shooter capturing the hearts and minds of mech lovers around the globe, Adhesive Games further ingratiates its growing fan base with the news that Hawken is coming in December, and it will be free-to-play. Remember back when free-to-play either meant a game was of relatively poor…
By Mike Fahey Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Welcome to Kotaku’s official forum, Talk Amongst Yourselves, where we gather on a daily basis to discuss the joys and wonders of gaming all rolled up into one. Commenter Pan1da7 poured his heart and soul into today’s Katamari TAYpic. If you look closely you can probably make them out. More images now, dammit! I mean……
By Mike Fahey Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Before The Last of Us, Naughty Dog Looked at Making a New Jak & Daxter
When you look at how cinematic Nathan Drake’s exploits are, it’s a bit weird to think that the same company that’s turned out the realistic Uncharted mega-franchise also made the cartoony Jak & Daxter series. But Naughty Dog has in fact done both, and was considering a return to the buddy adventure franchise before they…
By Evan Narcisse Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
One of 2012’s Best Sports Games Might be This Cute Football Sim
In late 2010, developer Kairosoft released one of its older mobile management games, long out in Japan on standard phones, in the West. That game was Game Dev Story. And it was brilliant. Following on from that title’s success, the company has slowly but steadily been bringing more and more of its catalogue to Western…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Guild Wars 2 Press Beta Weekend Entry Achieved
As the internet (and our comments) stirs with news about the upcoming Guild Wars 2 press beta weekend, rest assured that Kotaku will be there, doing Guild Wars-y things. You’ll read all about it Monday, February 20.
By Mike Fahey Published February 6, 2012 -
UncategorizedThe PS Vita is a Social Beast That Will Entangle Us All in Its Loving Tentacles
What the latest Inside PS Vita is trying to say is that by purchasing a Vita you’re becoming a member of a global gaming community connected by glowing threads of gaming-infused light, wrapping about you like a brilliant cocoon in which you’ll never feel lonely ever again. I might be reading a bit much into…
By Mike Fahey Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Chun-Li and Poison Picking on the Tekken Dude
Ouch | TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Namco’s Katsuhiro Harada got picked on by Capcom bullies at the Taipei Game Show. (Photo: Game Watch Impress) Dying in an Internet Cafe Is More Terrible Than You Can Imagine As Kotaku previously reported, a 23-year-old man recently died at a Taiwanese internet cafe. Nine hours later, someone noticed. The country’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Sights of Taiwan’s Big Gaming Blowout
Now in its tenth year, the Taipei Game Show was expected to draw over 300,000 visitors. As previously reported, this year’s show also packed in overseas game companies to show new hardware, like the PS Vita, as well as new games. Click through the above gallery to check out the festivities. And be sure to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 -
UncategorizedCan You Handle the Bullets? The Beauty? The Madness?
Cave’s newest shooter DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou recently got its first arcade location at Japanese game center Taito Hey! in Tokyo’s Akihabara. The vibrant shooter looks stunning—wonderful in every way. This is what Cave does better than anyone else. Dodonpachi Saidaioujou 1st location test [YouTube]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Let The King of Fighters Bring You to Climax
Oh my! The King of Fighters XIII is getting a new version, The King of Fighters XIII: Climax. It apparently brings characters from KOFXIII‘s home console versions, such as Nests Style Kyo, to arcades. Location tests kick off next weekend in Tokyo and Osaka. The King of Fights XIII: Climax [Kotaku Japan]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Dying in an Internet Cafe Is More Terrible Than You Can Imagine
As Kotaku previously reported, a 23-year-old man recently died at a Taiwanese internet cafe. Nine hours later, someone noticed. The country’s Next Media Animation—who’s behind all those computer animation recreations—portrayed the event in its news story. The computer CG scenes, along with the actual news scene, make the clip not only highly disturbing, but also…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
My In-Flight WiFi Is Better than Yours!
Back in November 2011, Air China (China’s national airline) launched its in-flight wifi service. Unfortunately it wasn’t a real wifi network, users only connected to the in-flight intranet instead of the real internet. Users could access services such as the in-flight movie and music selection but not social networking sites or instant messenger services. Now,…
By Eric Jou Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Square Enix Is Not Remaking Final Fantasy X
Instead, as the company explained at the Taipei Game Show, Final Fantasy X is getting a HD remastering—like Metal Gear or Shadow of the Colossus—and not a full-on HD remake. [Gematsu via FF-Reunion]
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 -
UncategorizedJapanese Cosplayer Is Too Hot for Taiwan
Won’t somebody think of the children? You think of the children; Ushijima Ii Niku (“Good Meat”) is going to push every envelope she can with her daring cosplay. Taiwan’s TTV visited the FancyFrontier event in Taipei, which is filled with self-published comics. As Kotaku previously posted, the event is crawling with cosplayers. But they’re wearing…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
PS Vita Will Support the Mac OS
On Feb. 8th, Sony is launching the System Firmware Ver. 1.60 for the Vita. Here is some of what this update contains: a new Map application, video recording, and Mac OS support. The new map application will allow the user to locate his current location, search for specific addresses, and set destinations. The application can…
By Toshitaka Tachibana Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
Glittery Crotch Is Not Already Dead. Somebody Purchased It.
Fist of the North Star‘s Kenshiro got a life-sized statue last fall. It was covered in 500,000 Swarovski crystals, apparently worth ¥10,000,000 or $130,000. For those not familiar with Fist of the North Star, watch this. It’s badass. The figure was put on the Yahoo! Auction block, with the winning bid hitting ¥3 million yen…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
The Taipei Game Show Is Looking To Go International
TGS, no not the Tokyo Game Show, but instead the Taipei Game Show is closing today in Taipei, Taiwan. In its 10th year the Taipei Game Show is looking to attract more visitors by becoming more international. Companies such as Sony Computer Entertainment and Mircrosoft have set up large booths to show off their latest…
By Eric Jou Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
An Examination of Japanese Characters’ “Whiteness”
Japanese anime, manga, and game characters sometimes have blond hair. Sometimes they have blue eyes. But, that’s merely cosmetic, no? There must be some sort of analysis that cuts closer to the bone. Literally. Back in fall 2010, Kotaku ran a story titled “Why Do Japanese Characters Look White?” It was based on a post…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 6, 2012 - Uncategorized
The NES Zapper Becomes a Transformer. A Bright, Orange Megatron.
New York LEGO builder Baron von Brunk has done something I’m surprised it’s taken decades for someone to do: take Transformers villain Megatron as inspiration and build a transforming NES Zapper. Christening his Nintendo-themed Transformer Plasmashock, von Brunk provides instructions on how the robot was created and how it transforms, before pledging to do a…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 6, 2012 -
UncategorizedThis is Cannon Fodder 3. Sort of.
We got a little excited last year when we heard a new Cannon Fodder game was being developed. Excitement quickly gave way to not-giving-a-fuck, though, when it turned out the game was for the Russian market and was likely never going to be released in the West. Still, it appears while we had our collective…
By Luke Plunkett Published February 6, 2012