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A Nice Nintendo Gift for Quake Victims
An individual who apparently is in a refuge shelter because of the March 11 earthquake received a special package from Nintendo. This, it seems, is it. Nintendo is sending out DSi units with DS Terebi attachments. Released in 2007, DS Terebi is a 1seg-based tuner that enables the DS to receive 1seg television broadcasts. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Culture
This Concept Art Flies Right Into the Danger Zone
In 2008, publisher THQ shitcanned a project called Stormbirds, an aerial combat game that was looking to take on the likes of Ace Combat and HAWX While the game died, its surprisingly colourful art lives on, and today we’re looking at concept artist Stuart Jennett’s wonderful contributions. Jennett, formerly a comics artist with Marvel, is…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Even Nathan Fillion Wants you to Chill On the Uncharted Movie Talk
We get it. You want Nathan Fillion to play the part of Nathan Drake in the Uncharted movie. Sony knows it, we know it, Fillion knows it. He knows it so intimately, in fact, he’d like you to stop being so crazy about it. “I am certainly still interested in playing Nathan Drake”, the Firefly…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 -
UncategorizedA Robot Begins His DDR Odyssey
What are you doing this summer? This dude is having his robot friend Darwin pick up Dance Dance Revolution. Beats cutting grass! But if some DDR players think using the bar is poor form, what will they think about attaching oneself to it by velcro?! Next up, Mike is teaching Darwin to see the arrows…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
An Amazing Mass Effect Gun That Exists In the Real World
Harrison Krix, aka Volpin, is a master craftsman. We’ve featured his work here on Kotaku before, whether it be related to Portal or Fallout 3. But this Mass Effect 3 gun is on another level. At first glance, it’s no more impressive than his other guns. It doesn’t blink, for example. But a look at…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Quick! Zone of the Enders or Miku Hatsune Figures? Which Do You Want?
What do Gradius, Zone of the Enders, Love Plus, and Miku Hatsune have in common? Plastic! At the recent Wonder Festival in Tokyo, figurines and sculptures went on full display, with fan favorites like love sim Love Plus and virtual idol Miku Hatsune appearing in spades. Check out the images in the gallery, courtesy of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Ladies of Team Fortress 2
These aren’t the first depictions of Team Fortress 2‘s (mostly) male protagonists as women. Won’t be last, either. But it may well be the most adorable! Artist botjira’s take on the cartoon mercenaries as pin-up girls gets sexy when it has to, but mostly just keeps things cute. Though, going by the spirit of the…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
From Creepy to Cute, Cosplay at Wonder Festival
This weekend, the bi-annual Wonder Festival, an event for video game and anime figurines and sculptures, roared through Tokyo. And whenever there’s a nerd gathering, there’s gonna be cosplay. Sister site Kotaku Japan and website Gigazine were on hand to check out the festivities, the figures, and the costumes. 「TIGER & BUNNY」コスプレ, 「本気」スキル発動のジンオウガ装備＆『モンハン』, 「コード・オブ・プリンセス」コスプレ, アツい夏のホットな女子コスプレイヤーたち…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Former Microsoft Developer Killed In Traffic Accident
Former Microsoft Game Studios developer Steve Lacey, who had worked on titles like Crimson Skies and the Flight Simulator series, has been tragically killed when a drunk driver smashed into his car while trying to collide with another vehicle in an incident of “road rage”. Lacey was 43. [King5]
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Esports
Watch EVO 2011 Go Down from the Comfort of Your Couch
The world’s biggest, baddest fighting game tournament, EVO 2011, is fast approaching (it’s this weekend!), and if you can get there and see it in person, that’s awesome. If you can’t, that’s OK! You can still watch it from home. First things first, if you’re at a PC or are packing a laptop, you can…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 -
UncategorizedGlenn Beck, Nazi Germany, Angry Birds, Oh My!
Angry Birds is not just a game. See, the birds are angry because the pigs took their eggs—eggs the birds worked for. Redistribution of eggs, Nazi Germany, and comparing the police to pigs. A snippet of pundit Glenn Beck’s talkshow, courtesy of Jeff Grub at Bitmob Seriously, why would we play Angry Birds when Tiny…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
Here’s One Theory Why Japanese Games Aren’t as Big as They Used to be
Ever since this console generation kicked off in 2005/06, Japanese developers have become increasingly irrelevant to the purchasing habits of many Western gamers. There are plenty of theories as to why this is. And Dead or Alive creator Tomonobu Itagaki has one. “In Japan, in this industry, they are lacking not just in technology, but…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 -
UncategorizedPokémon, Japanese Icon
Pocket Monsters first launched in Japan back in early 1996 on the Game Boy. Later that year, a card game followed. By the late 1990s, the series was supposed to be a fad, a passing fancy. Yet this month in Japan, two Pokémon feature films hit Japanese theaters. Pocket Monsters isn’t a fad, in Japan,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
There is CityVille In China (and it’s Legal!)
Super-popular Facebook game CityVille now has a little brother, developers Zynga releasing a version of the game in China. An official version. It’s called Zynga City, and has been largely overhauled for the local market, with buildings and events geared toward Chinese tastes and experiences. It’ll also, fitting for a nation hooked on MMO games,…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
If You Update Our Firmware, Tell Us Why
There’s a new 3DS update in the wild. And it does, well…something. What exactly that is, Nintendo isn’t saying, because when Nintendo updates the 3DS, it doesn’t tell you what it’s updated. Aren’t we entitled to know that? Sony does the same thing on the PlayStation 3, firmware updates often accompanied by vague statements about…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 26, 2011 - Uncategorized
A Family’s Miis Aid in Return of One Stolen Wii
A Jacksonville, Florida family’s Wii is back in their possession after being stolen and pawned, thanks to a handful of Miis. According to a report from FOX 30 from Jacksonville, the Witherspoon’s Wii was stolen, alongside several televisions, during a burglary in May. Police tracked a stolen television to a local pawn shop, where the…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 25, 2011 - Uncategorized
Just A Couple Slimes
Welcome back to the workweek, Kotaku readers. I know. Bummer. But we’re back from Comic-Con, better rested and in possession of two new Slimes. That, ladies and gentlemen, represents the entirety of my Comic-Con haul. Did you fare any better? Granted, I did walk away with a free book and one free Team Fortress 2…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 25, 2011 - Uncategorized
Take Some Friends With You to Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Beautiful adventure game Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet comes to Xbox Live Arcade next week. It is a mysterious, quiet game—Dimmu Borgir music notwithstanding—that is Metroid-like, full of exploration, power ups and re-exploration, at least on the single-player side. But there is a multiplayer side to Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet as well. This 10-minute-long video of…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 25, 2011
