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  There Are No Music Games. There Are Only Rhythm Ones.

  PaRappa the Rapper designer Masaya Matsuura has been called the father of music games. Thing is, he doesn’t believe there are music games. “Strictly speaking I do not believe that ‘Music Games’ as a genre really exists yet,” Matsuura recently told Kotaku. “We just have ‘Rhythm Games.'” This isn’t the first time Matsuura has said…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
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  PokéPark 2: Beyond the World Hits Japan in November

  On Nov. 12, PokéPark 2: Beyond the World will be released in Japan on the Wii. The Pokémon theme park spin-off is the sequel to the 2010 title. [Nintendo]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
• Culture

  Dead Island’s Concept Art Isn’t Sexy, It’s Scenic

  For a game that, when it wasn’t paying big bucks for moody trailers wasn’t afraid to use rotting chicks in bikinis to sell it, this Dead Island concept art is surprisingly free of buxom walking corpses. Sorry. What it does have, though, is a glimpse at a far more ambitious title, one that looks more…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  Wait, There’s a Halo Movie Planned for 2012?

  Here’s an odd thing. The French press kit for the Halo novel Cryptum mentions a Halo movie. Involving Steven Spielberg. With vague words that it’s due in 2012. That’s…not far away. You can see it at the foot of this press handout, also mentioning the involvement of Spielberg’s Dreamworks studios. It’s not the first time…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  Star Wars, As Explained by Some Japanese Lady

  At this year’s Tokyo Game Show, Luke and I had our collective mind blown after speaking to multiple Japanese colleagues who had not seen Star Wars Mika has seen Star Wars and explained it in the above video. Her native language is not English—and she does a valiant job! And before you crack snide jokes,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
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  In Which Your Favourite Video Games Become Beautiful Cartoons

  Artist Gobeur has a neat calling card: she takes video games, sometimes gritty, sometimes less gritty, and makes images in which it looks like there’s an expensive cartoon based on them. Even though there’s no such thing. Some of the franchises she’s worked her magic on include Gears of War, Assassin’s Creed, Mass Effect and…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  Japan, Get Ready To Party with a New Wii Bundle

  This November, Nintendo is rolling out a new bundle in Japan. The white or black Nintendo Wii will come with a regular Wii Remote Plus and a Nunchuk as well as a pink Wii-mote Plus and a copy of Wii Party All priced at ¥20,000 (US$260)—a good deal as the Wii console itself is priced…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
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  It’s Square Enix x Yahoo! Monster x Dragon

  Sigh. Double sigh. The “large scale new title” Square Enix and Yahoo! Japan are teaming up on is Monster x Dragon. It’s a “MMO active time strategy” game. Who knows, maybe it’s good! [ANN]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
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  Soccer Players Kick Ass at Real, Impressive Game of Angry Birds

  Part tribute to the casual video game of the moment, part homage to a series of Nike football commercials that ran a year or two ago, this clip shows a couple of college goalkeepers playing Angry Birds with trash cans, brick walls and anything else they can get their hands on. While the Nike ads…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  Making a Butt-Flashing Music Video Sure Looks Easy (and Breezy)

  Japanese voice actress Chiaki Takahashi of BlazBlue and The Idolmaster fame is releasing her debut solo single, a cover of club tune “Chupa Rico”. So far, Takahashi has gotten more attention for the song’s video. In it, she licks things and shakes her butt. That’s also what she does in this making-of clip from her…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
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  Because You’ve Always Wanted to Play Battlefield: Animal Farm

  This is T-17 Tanky. Watch its trailer above. You’ll either scrunch your face up for a second before turning it off in disgust or think, my God, where has this game been all my life. There’s a slight Cat Shit One vibe to proceedings, but in general, it’s just Battlefield. With only vehicles. And driving…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  Stupid-Looking 3DS Slide Pad Gets a Monster Box

  Nintendo’s dumb-looking and uncomfortable 3DS Slide Pad will be sold separately as well as bundled with Monster Hunter 3 (-tri) G Nintendo is releasing two Monster Hunter 3 (-tri) G bundles in Japan. One comes with the slide pad and the game. It’s priced at ¥6,990 ($91) The other costs ¥20,800 ($271) and comes with…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
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  Skyrim Once had Chickens That Spied On you

  As games near release, the last of their bugs and kinks are ironed out. Some of those remaining are a pain in the ass, while others are hilarious. This Skyrim glitch is definitely the latter. Chatting with PC Gamer about the game’s “Radiant Story” technology, which alters side-quests to make them more involving, Bethesda’s Todd…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  For Under a Grand, You Can Put Magic on Your Desktop

  Sick of buying action figures? Don’t like what others design? You could always make customized figures from bits and bobs of other toys as well as your own elbow grease. Or, you know, you could just print them out. Two things: One, 3D printers are not new, and two, they are not usually affordable. Japan-based…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published October 6, 2011
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  Don’t Expect Red Dead Redemption to Ever Come Out On PC

  Here is a list of Rockstar games from the past decade that have been, or are about to be, released on PC: Grand Theft Auto III The Italian Job State of Emergency Grand Theft Auto Vice City Midnight Club II Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne Grand Theft Auto San Andreas Grand Theft…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  The 3DS Now Comes In a Lovely Shade of White

  Nintendo handheld colour change alert: come November 3, Japanese customers will be able to buy a 3DS in a shade called “Ice White”. It looks, pardon my French, shit hot. Love the contrast effect between the glossy white and the black. It’ll be the same price the 3DS is at the moment in Japan, which…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  See How Much Counter-Strike’s Maps Have Changed

  If you’re not quite sure how much spit and polish has been applied to Counter-Strike’s more memorable levels as part of the game’s upcoming Global Offensive update, check out these comparison shots. Using official screenshots or trailer screengrabs as a base, players have staked out the exact same spots on existing versions of the maps,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  So the Adventure Time Guy Made a Cartoon About Pokémon (and Farts)

  Pendleton Ward (creator) and Natasha Allegri (artist) of Adventure Time fame have made a short cartoon about Pokémon. In which Ash instructs Pikachu on the etiquette of farts. Despite running for only 1:35, it is both amusing and horrifying. You can contact Luke Plunkett, the author of this post, at [email protected]. You can also find…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  CultureTotal Recall

  Remembering Apple’s One Serious Attempt at a Video Games Console

  Today is a day a lot of folks will be remembering the good, the bad and the downright inspirational from the company Steve Jobs helped found all the way back in 1976. So today’s Total Recall will be all about Apple’s one and only crack at the video games market: the Pippin. Sure, the iPhone…

  By Luke Plunkett Published October 6, 2011
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  EVE Online Boss Grovels for Forgiveness After a Summer of Fiascoes

  Wracked by boneheaded decisions involving game expansions and the sale of virtual goods, EVE Online‘s community has been in an uproar for several months. The outrage was so loud that the game’s publisher has now prostrated himself in begging forgiveness, with a 1,500-word self-flagellating unconditional apology. “The estrangement from CCP that many of you have…

  By Owen Good Published October 5, 2011