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  Korea Institutes National Curfew For Kid Gamers

  South Korea this week passed a new law that would ban children under the age of 15 from playing online games between midnight and 6 a.m., The Chosunilbo reports. The National Assembly legislation is aimed at “protecting children from game addiction”. It’s still unclear if this will be for computer games only or include all…

  By Brian Crecente Published April 21, 2011
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  That Garage Band Version of Portal 2’s Theme Song You Haven’t Heard

  You know what this Dean’s List Dropouts version of Portal 2’s Want You Gone wrap-up song is missing? Johnny Rotten screaming the Jonathan Coulton-penned lyrics. Oh, to dream. [Thanks Jer]

  By Brian Crecente Published April 21, 2011
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  If you didn’t like talking about video games you wouldn’t be here. So get to it. Let’s hear some talking! Our thanks to ever-dependable reader ShinLord for his Preteen Mutant Ninja Class Pranksters. Like to see your artwork featured on Kotaku? Submit your own at #TAYpics (Read this thread for directions on how to do…

  By Drew Cohen Published April 21, 2011
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  Guild Wars 2 Charr Aren’t Your Average Cat People

  In Guild Wars the warlike, feline Charr were one of the greatest threats the humans of Tyria had ever faced. In Guild Wars 2 they might be Tyria’s greatest hope against the power of the Elder Dragons, when they aren’t busy coughing up hairballs or desecrating innocent sandboxes. The Charr haven’t historically gotten along well…

  By Mike Fahey Published April 21, 2011
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  The Magic Of Idols (And Harry Potter)

  THE MAGIC OF SMILES | TOKYO, JAPAN: Members of idol group AKB48 promote the Japanese release of LEGO Harry Potter and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. (Photo by Game Watch Impress) Make Games Or Porn? He Picked Games. Back before Sega game designer Toshihiro Nagoshi turned golden brown, he was just another…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  Let’s Watch A Few Seconds Of Prototype 2 Gameplay Footage

  In the first Prototype game, protagonist Alex Mercer was the good guy. In the second game, he’s the bad guy. In this latest trailer, the game’s developers waxed about Mercer and the decision to make him the enemy. The thrust in the sequel is that players are James Heller, who was infected by the “Blacklight”…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  Sonic And Mario Heading To London Olympics

  That is, according to “leaked” press release on a Czech website. The inevitable sequels to Mario and Sonic’s last Olympic outing takes the two to the London Olympics via the Wii and the 3DS. Previous Mario and Sonic outings took them to the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics. Apparently, new sports such as soccer and (horseback?)…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  The Lovely Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP Now Micro-sized For iPhone & iPod touch

  Surely you’ve heard of Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP by now. We’ve talked about this exquisite graphical adventure for many moons. But as of right now, thankfully, the point and touch adventure experience, rich in wondrous sights and sounds, is available for a wider audience. Already released on the iPad, Sword & Sworcery EP has…

  By Michael McWhertor Published April 21, 2011
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  Naughty No More Heroes Has Different Developer

  Like previous port No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise, upcoming adults-only Move-supported title No More Heroes: Red Zone isn’t being developed by NMH creators Grasshopper Manufacture. Instead, it’s being developed by outside studio AQ Interactive. Load time concerns start…now! [via Red Zone Official Site]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  More Sonic Generations Footage, More Hopes Raised

  And so the cycle starts anew. Sonic Generations lets players play as a classic, sidescrolling Genesis Sonic or as modern, control-him-from-behind-in-3D Sonic. As Kotaku previously pointed out, there are no special powers and no playable friends. This latest gameplay trailer is a few minutes longer than the debut trailer, so that’s a few added minutes…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  The Colour Of Video Games

  Colour can be a strange and wonderful thing. Sometimes, all it’s used for is to fill in the lines, or make something appear more “real”, or more interesting. Yet other times it can be as powerful a force in our identification of a game as any character or soundtrack. So we got to thinking: can…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 21, 2011
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  Ever Wonder Who The Guy At The Beginning Of Every Valve Game Is?

  A Reddit user by the name of vism did, so they emailed Valve boss Gabe Newell. And actually got a response, if not from the big man himself. The man in question, who is displayed during the opening credits of Valve games (and can be seen in the clip above), sadly remains a mystery, but…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 21, 2011
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  Just Because There’s A Forest, Doesn’t Mean This Game Looks Like Alan Wake

  Folks are saying that upcoming survival horror game Silent Hill: Downpour kinda looks like Xbox 360 thriller Alan Wake. Much of the comparisons seem to steam from screenshots depicting heavily wooden environments – kinda like in Alan Wake! “I think it’s a bit odd for anyone who hasn’t even seen the game to be drawing…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  Minecraft And The G-Man, Together For Charity

  There’s currently a battle going on over on the site of the Humble Indie Bundle, where two indies who have “made it big” – Minecraft creator Notch and Garry’s Mod creator Garry Newman – are jostling to see who can donate the most money. Accuse them of showboating if you will, but since proceeds from…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 21, 2011
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  What’s It Like Fighting The Best Street Fighter Player?

  It sucks. Well, unless you’re really, really, really effing good. And even then… In this clip, Japan-based YouTube user dabu0205 is in some arcade, where his opponent is none other than Daigo Umehara (note the back of his head), perhaps best known for this. He’s a fighting game superstar. Umehara is Street Fighter character Yun,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  Turn Your Body Into A First-Person-Shooter Controller

  Novint, the folks behind that most curious Falcon peripheral, are back again with yet more hardware curios. This time, it’s the ability to turn your arm into a motion-controlled rumble pack. It’s latest device is called Xio, and Novint says it adds the sense of “touch” to gaming. “Unlike current motion control technologies out there,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  The Universe Is Beautiful When People Aren’t Trying To Blow You Up

  When a game is set in space, invariably it’s set there so you can fly a spaceship and shoot at things. Space Engine does away with all that nonsense, leaving you with just…space. Billed as a “free universe simulator”, whether you call it a game or not depends on how much you like exploring (and…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 21, 2011
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  So How Much Work Went Into Duke Nukem Forever?

  Duke Nukem Forever, the game that was in development for forever, was first revealed in 1997. This year it’s finally being released by another studio, Gearbox Software, which began working on the game in 2009. “I have estimated that 3D Realms invested between 3,500 and 4,500 man-months of effort into the game, a lot of…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  The Folks Behind Crummy Ports And Crappy Concerts Are Gulped Up

  Japan’s 5pb., known for Xbox 360 games like Steins; Gate and crappy Miku Hatsune concerts, is being absorbed into its affiliate company. Oh, 5pb. also has crappy shmup ports. No word if the 5pb. brand will survive. [via ソーシャルゲーム情報]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published April 21, 2011
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  Monkey Ball‘s Got Nothing On This

  We got our first look at gorgeous indie…racer (?) Proun last year, but the game’s developer, Joost van Dongen (one of the devs behind De Blob and Swords & Soldiers), has just released a second trailer. And it’s even better. The game’s currently shaping up for a Spring release on the PC. If you want,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published April 21, 2011