The Time of Year When Steam Gives You Lots of Game for Little Money

Steam’s annual Summer Sale begins today and runs until July 10th. These tend to be good-and you can also unlock achievements in games that can also net you prizes. Check it out! [Steam Store]

A Field Guide To Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon‘s Giant Killer Bugs

We’re less than a week away from the alien insect carnage of Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. In order to best prepare, be sure to consult this handy field guide to see what killer bugs you’ll need to kill dead. Vicious Cycle Software and D3Publisher unleash Insect Armageddon…

Why the Street Fighter that (Almost) Killed Street Fighter Deserved to Come Back

After Capcom released Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike near the turn of the century, the company pretty much got out of the Street Fighter business. The series faded away for a decade and fighting games, once a marquee attraction became a side show. Good going, 3rd Strike. And…. welcome back? This year, riding the wave…

Let’s Go To Comic-Con, Voltron Force!

It might not feel like it, but we’re in the midst of a Voltron revolution, and nowhere will that be more readily evident than at next month’s first Voltron Comic-Con panel ever, where THQ will be on hand to show us what sort of video games the five lions will be forming up to create.…

Which Wii Game Did GameStop Refuse To Accept for a Trade-In?

We just sent our intern to GameStop to trade in a few games (we needed some other games for coverage… and a new PlayStation 3 power cable). GameStop accepted our copy of Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Xbox 360), our copy of WWE All-Stars (Wii) and even our DS copy of Beastly: Frantic Foto (DS).…

How Rage Reflects Id’s Lengthy Legacy

Back in 1992, id Software released Wolfenstein 3D, a title that ushered in an entirely new genre and showed developers and gamers just how immersive and visceral a video game could be. Two decades later comes Rage For nearly 20 years the company has been improving the formula, creating more powerful technology, constantly redefining the…

Can a Single Screenshot Make You Want To Play a Game?

I don’t know the name of this soon-to-be-announced PC exclusive shooter from Polish developer Flying Wild Hog, but this one brief glimpse is all I need to know this is a world I’d like to hang out in. How about you?

Five Great New Ways To Kill Dead Rising Zombies

I learned new lessons in the art of zombie-killing in a noisy hotel suite in New York City yesterday. My textbook was the upcoming video game Dead Rising 2: Off the Record. In the demo of the game that I played, Dead Rising hero Frank West tests new, creative ways to slice, freeze, melt and…

The Nintendo Download Delivers Kirby, Euchre, and Some Final Fantasy Game

In this week’s exciting installment of the Nintendo Download, Kirby’s Dream Land is the next old school Game Boy title for the 3DS, DSiWare gets Hearts, Spades, and Euchre, and some old role-playing game hits the Virtual Console. What the hell is a Kefka? It’s a rather busy week for the Nintendo Download, with big…

How’s That Uncharted 3 Beta Working Out for You?

Now that the beta test for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is in full swing, commenter B-Money kicks off a discussion of its pros and cons in today’s triumphant episode of Speak Up on Kotaku. Uncharted 3 beta thoughts: 1) Having a sprint button is awesome 2) New melee sucks (is there even a counter button…

Children Not Allowed at Call of Duty Fest

For those of you considering attendance at this fall’s 12-acre, $150-a-pop Call of Duty festival, but worried about an abundance of under-aged gamers spewing their obnoxious, curse-laden diatribes at you in person, don’t be. You have to be 18 or older to attend. Of course, that doesn’t stop obnoxious adults from showing up.

Hellgate Open Beta Welcomes Careful Demon Slayers

T3 Entertainment’s relaunch of the online multiplayer demon hunting PC game Hellgatekicks off its open beta phase today, inviting players in North America do help rid the world of the hellish hordes starting tonight at 7:30PM Eastern.

Talk Amongst Yourselves

Did you know that talking about video games can make the world a better place? No? Or that you could do that on the internet, right here? Because you can. As a matter of fact, we encourage it! What in the world of gaming is on your mind today? Today’s TAYpic is courtesy of Rictor…

Disney Universe Costumes

Big-Headed Disney Costumes Bring Fun, Mayhem to the Multiverse

There’s something inexcusably adorable about taking a virtual child, stuffing them into a big-headed, full-body Disney costume and then tossing them off a cliff. But I just can’t help myself. It’s maybe after the fourth of fifth time of doing this to the nice Disney PR lady’s character in Disney Universe that I realize that…

Hex-Based Hand Holding Happiness is Key in iPhone Puzzler Joining Hands

A different brand of hex-based strategic gameplay, the slick and charming puzzler Joining Hands, is now available for your iPhone or iPad. It’s a game about holding hands, a game about connecting cute creatures to achieve total happiness. 10Tons Ltd.’s Joining Hands, a $2.99 USD game available from Apple’s iTunes store, challenges you with arranging…

Back When Sega Had Balls (and Consoles)

Kickin’ | LONDON, ENGLAND: In 1999, Sega sponsored Arsenal. (Photo: Craig Prentis | Getty) Real World Modern Warfare 2 Maps Highlight of Call of Duty Convention This fall Call of Duty fans will be able to shoot up their friends in real-world, life-sized replicas of two of the game’s maps, grab a bite to eat…

Nintendo Honcho vs. a Stupid Question

There’s a saying that the only stupid question is an unasked one. That’s not true. Earlier this week, Nintendo held its investors’ meeting. Shareholders were able to ask Nintendo brass questions. One of them was dumb! Don’t believe me? Here’s the question: I worry about the stock’s falling price. I own stocks, but I do…

Bungie Aerospace is an Unexpected Twist from the Makers of Halo

While most of Bungie Studios is laboring on the next big thing to follow Halo, a small portion of the company is launching something called Bungie Aerospace. It’s not a game or a tech platform. It’s a plan, an initiative to partner with small developers to help them make mobile and social games—and to let…

Steins; Gate Is Doing Alright for an Adventure Game

According to the game’s developer, over 300,000 copies of the Dr Pepper lovin’ Steins; Gate have been shipped in Japan. Not bad for an adventure series. Steins; Gate is available on the PC, Xbox 360, and PSP. [Twitter]