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Is Everyone Going To Go Back-Touching Bananas?
In 2007, Apple unveiled the first iPhone. It featured a revolutionary “pinch” gesture, which found its way into other phones and devices. Likewise, Sony’s NGP is ready to shake up the way we interact, just by letting us rub its back. The NGP features a front OLED touch screen as well as a rear touchpad.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 - Uncategorized
Did PSP Gaming Result In Japan’s Big Soccer Wins?
This weekend, Japan’s “Samurai Blue” soccer team beat Australia to win the Asia Cup. Pundits are pointing to the team’s young players and new coach, Alberto Zaccheroni. But there might another reason for their chemistry — perhaps, like Monster Hunter. Like many athletes (and Japanese people, for that matter), Samurai Blue players enjoy playing video…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 - Uncategorized
Two Words Helping Overthrow A Government
“Game Over”. It’s a term synonymous with video games, yet right now in Egypt, it’s also a rallying cry for mass political action. As political turmoil grips the Middle Eastern state, with people clamouring for the removal of President Hosni Mubarak, “Game Over” has quickly become a simple, effective slogan for protesters to employ. In…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 31, 2011 - Uncategorized
Does This Look Like Gundam To You?
Whether it’s video games, anime or plastic toys, Gundam is a Japanese cultural institution. No wonder the country wasn’t happy when a Chinese theme park ripped it off. Lawyers attacked, and the statue was removed. Now, it’s back. Last December, a 15-meter mecha was constructed at China’s Floraland Park and caught heat for looking too…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
UncategorizedThis Minecraft Video Will Make You A God-Damned Sexual Tyrannosaurus
Just as you think you’re getting to the point where you loudly exclaim “enough of the f**king Minecraft videos already”, along comes one that turns Minecraft into Predator Minecraft. There’s the music. The Predator language. The invisibility. The skulls. There’s even the lumberjack stalking sequence and…oh, OK, so that part’s new to this vid. Everything…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 31, 2011 -
UncategorizedMeet The Man Responsible For Your North Korean Fears
This is John Milius. Writer, director and NRA member, Milius is bringing his vision to video gaming next month with Homefront. The game’s trailer very much plays on paranoia — fears both real and imaged. The man who wrote the game brought his gung-ho swagger to Hollywood films for years. During the late 60s and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 - Uncategorized
Uncharted’s Creators Are Not Developing Uncharted For The NGP
The most exciting piece of game footage shown off during Sony’s big NGP reveal last week was of a portable Uncharted game. A game that is not being handled by the series’ creators, Naughty Dog. No, as we saw with the last PSP, the handheld versions of key franchises are being worked on by a…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 31, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Xbox 360 That Thinks It’s The End Of The World
The Xbox 360 was recently redesigned to make the thing look better. More stylish. If, instead, you’d like to lock it away behind a giant (and slightly terrifying) sci-fi gas mask, well, have we got the deal for you This is the C11 XBOX360 MLG Vault, which may look like an Xbox 360 case mod…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 31, 2011 -
UncategorizedSee The NGP, And Its Games, In Action!
Late last week, Sony revealed its new portable, currently codenamed NGP, to the world. Perhaps you read my liveblog? Now you can watch the real thing, complete with English voice-overs. The event showed off the new NGP as well as games like Uncharted and Little Deviants. Game developers like Capcom’s Jun Takeuchi (Resident Evil 5)…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
UncategorizedWhen It Comes To Kooky Japan, Don’t Believe The Hype
Japanese schoolgirls hitting the streets of Tokyo with blinking LED teeth. Sounds like a crazy fashion trend. Too bad it’s just crazy and a fantasy propagated by the Western media. Earlier this month, a New York Times blog post mentioned a new fashion trend: LED for teeth. “Method Man might have helped make gold fronts…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 31, 2011 -
UncategorizedTrack and Fail
Eugene, Oregon is known as “Track Town USA,” thanks to the University of Oregon. Falling well short of that standard is yours truly, slapping the wrong goddamn buttons on Konami’s Track & Field, here at the Eugene City Brewery. Yeah, I tried the old comb trick (here with a knife.) This couldn’t have been more…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 -
UncategorizedDead Space 2 Designer Made This Awesome Minecraft Trailer
A Visceral Games engineer built this Minecraftized trailer to celebrate Dead Space 2. “I put it up in time for launch but it was too dark,” he writes. “Now that the partying has worn off, I remembered to brighten it.” The trailer was done by Michael Noonan, a gameplay engineer for Visceral. “The whole environment…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 - Uncategorized
The Week in Games: Don’t Retreat, Rearm
High-profile downloadables lead the coming seven days of game releases, beginning with Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2 on PSN Tuesday (and Xbox Live on Wednesday), plus the first map pack extension in Call of Duty: Black Ops. Tuesday (Feb. 1) Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 (PSN) – The sequel to 2008’s show-stealing, charm-your-pants-off reboot of Bionic Commando…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 - Uncategorized
Top 5 of Top 10 Lists: It’s Time for Androgyny
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. •The 25 Most Androgynous Video Game Characters [UGO] Give UGO some credit, it actually includes androgynous characters from series other than Final Fantasy, which could…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 - Uncategorized
Warcraft Gold Farmers Get An Ultimatum From PayPal
The makers of World of Warcraft have struck back at the game’s gold-farming black market, convincing PayPal to suspend the accounts of those using the service for gold-selling transactions. Warning letters went out this month. Blizzard’s complaint to PayPal accused gold-farmers of selling Blizzard’s intellectual property, i.e. the virtual goods. PayPal’s complied and sent notices…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 - Uncategorized
Dragon Quest VI Arrives Too Late For Gaming Grandmother
In 1995, Enix America closed, throwing plans for an English release of Dragon Quest VI into doubt. “I may not live long enough to see Dragon Quest VI,” wrote one fan. She wasn’t exaggerating. She was 76 at the time. After 15 years, Dragon Quest VI will get an English localization on Feb. 14, but…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 -
UncategorizedComing February It’s … Rémi Kart 2!
Not a game, but it is a sequel to “Rémi Kart,” the hilarious viral vid by Rémi Gaillaird, the famous French prankster who also trashed a supermarket in a Pac-Man video. Rémi Kart 2 is due in February. What would a Rémi video be without him getting chased by the cops?
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 - Uncategorized
Kotaku ‘Shop Contest: Evony, In Perfect Harmony
The inspiration for this week’s ‘Shop Contest challenge comes from Manly McBeeferton, who out of nowhere dropped a Minecraft/Evony mashup into our #minecraft tag. I figure there are many more games that could use the treatment. Come ‘Shop, My Lord! No source images per se, but you’ve got a few exploitable angles here. 1) The…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011 - Uncategorized
Weekend Talk Amongst Yourselves
We know you can’t wait to get both your thumbs on the NGP; for now, you’ll just have to talk about it, and other video games, in Kotaku’s official forum. Ursus-Veritas is the weekend winner of the #taypics derby. There are six chances each week to get your handiwork featured. Just shop up this image…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2011