The Week In Games: Dead Week

Dead Space, the 2008 survival horror hit, repressurizes your living room environment with a widely anticipated sequel entering orbit this Tuesday. Other major drops include Monday Night Combat over Steam and Breach, the team-based downloadable FPS. Monday (Jan. 24) Jam City Rollergirls (Wii) Monday Night Combat (PC) Rocks N’ Rockets (DS) Tuesday (Jan. 25) Dead…

Kotaku’s Top Five List of Top 10 Lists

Each week throws off several new video game lists ranging from the humorous to the trivial. What’s better? A list of those. Here’s a roundup of the rundowns out there. •10 Musician Video Game Vanity Projects [Joystick Division] Neither Green Day, the Beatles, Aerosmith nor Metallica show up here, mostly because those games weren’t ridiculous.…

A Comeback Player Takes To The Field In MLB 2K11

Major League Baseball 2K10 got many big-picture details right, but still left me with a laundry list of demands for MLB 2K11, which I happily ticked off before getting a preview of the game this week. More demanding pitching accuracy, for starters. Last year’s control set was a delight – I preferred pitching with it…

With Kinect, You Are The Epic Controller

The mods and uses developed for Kinect off open-source drivers keep outdoing one another. If I could, I would start every day this way. Except I’d substitute the roar of a sports crowd for the THX introduction. Motion Emotions [Gerry Chu, via Giant Mecha]

Tennis, Everyone Is The Name Of Top Spin’s Latest Game

Well regarded as a series, Top Spin’s last entry in 2008 took some risks that were, in hindsight, inadvisable for an American-published game simulating a sport that has lacked a dominant American men’s professional for several years. 2K Sports’ Top Spin 4 puts a focus back on playability, aligned to a sport that’s seen growth…

Warcraft Helped Them Through The Pain Of Divorce

The mainstream stereotype of video games, especially MMORPG’s, as antisocial diversions that rip up relationships is well known. That makes Wanda Kirk’s recollection, of how playing World of Warcraft with her son helped her through her divorce, heartwarming indeed. Kirk, a mother nearing 50, writes that she ordinarily would have refused her nine-year-old son’s request…

Kotaku ‘Shop Contest: Your Mom Hates ‘Shops

Dead Space 2’s campaign to appall mothers has been deemed a success. Rather than dismiss the moms from their focus grouping, lets keep ’em around to work on some other games we like – or find equally hideous. As with most challenges, I’ll stay hands off here, but your ingredients today are one of these…

Sunday Comics

Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Jan. 17 – Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published Jan. 18 – Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik published Jan. 21 – Read more of Penny Arcade Manly Guys Doing Manly Things by Kelly Turnbull published Jan.…

Kotaku ‘Shop Contest Source Images

Weekend Talk Amongst Yourselves

Is your overconfidence your weakness? Or is it your faith in your friends? Find the answer inside Kotaku’s official space for discussing all things video games. Hisilarn is the weekend winner of the #taypics derby. There are six chances each week to get your handiwork featured. Just shop up this image and submit it to…

Kotaku ‘Shop Contest: Facebook Games From Hell Winners

Facebook games’ lack of a soul and ability to steal yours was the subject for last week’s ‘Shop Contest. Not as many people entered this week’s showdown as the last making it appropriately, a more casual affair. On with the finalists! Action Fitz (1) and ARYXANDRE (2) had two of the better takes on modern…

GameStop Pegs 3DS Titles At $40 To $50 In U.S.

Most Nintendo 3DS games will cost $40, though two are listed at $50 in a list GameStop is giving to customers who preorder the new handheld. Projected release dates are given for 26 titles, with the 3DS remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time confirmed for June 2. Kotaku was sent this list…

Why Does EA Sports Want To Know Where The Band Sits?

I have no idea what this signifies, but the fact they’re asking is curious. EA Sports wants to know where the band sits in all 120 stadiums in major college football. Band geeks are marching to the rescue. NCAA Football has, for several games, featured crowds in the home team’s colors – with a swath…

A Fighting Game With A Sports Name Kicks Up A Fuss

Being unlicensed means you can be uncompromising, says Ricci Rukavina. It also means you’re unaccountable, especially to those heavily invested in a sport built with violence and blood, who bristle at any association with them. Rukavina’s studio, Kung Fu Factory, sparked controversy when it released a trailer for Supremacy MMA, the fighting game it plans…

The Meat-erland Calls!

No, мать зовет is not “MEAT BOY” in Cyrillic. A famous piece of World War II propaganda was the inspiration for the winning box art submission for Super Meat Boy’s lone retail release, in родина – Russia. Large size inside. [via Super Meat Boy’s Twitter, thanks Maritan]

A Video Game Reunites The WWE And The Macho Man

In 1994, the WWF and an emotional Vince McMahon bid farewell to hall-of-fame wrestler Randy Savage. On March 29, the Macho Man ends a 16-year estrangement from the wrestling circuit with his appearance in THQ’s WWE All-Stars. Savage, by far the most requested performer in THQ’s wrestling titles, will be a featured character in WWE…

Box Scores: A Shooting Suspect

Word to the wise: If you’re playing a ranked match of NBA 2K11, leading by two with less than a minute left, and your opponent calls timeout to bring in someone you’ve never heard of, good chance he’s the shooter. Whomever had the Lakers against Kotaku reader Mobile Vulgus‘ San Antonio Spurs learned that the…

The Moneysaver: Smokey Deals

Well, thank you, Mr. Bandit. And as the pursuer, may I say you’re the goddamnedest pursuee I’ve ever pursued. Now that the mutual bullshit is over, where are the coupons, you sumbitch? Hardware • Sony Playstation 3 160GB Console plus $50 Amazon Credit for $299.99 with free shipping. Held over from last week, the deal’s…

L.A. Noire Trailer Leaked; Releases May 17

Someone leaked the L.A. Noire trailer that was supposed to go out on Monday. Too late, we now know that Rockstar’s crime thriller will arrive May 17. You’ll solve many crimes in the game; here we learn about the biggest. A serial killer is an unusual direction for a story set in 1947. People have…

The Week in Review: Greatest Of The Year

In this week Kotaku offered its four nominees for Game of the Year and engaged a public discussion of which deserved the honor. Hundreds of you joined the fray, which was the purpose all along. The arguments for the nominees were, roughly speaking: Most fun (Black Ops); Best in class (NBA 2K11); Best of two…