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Kotaku Off Topic: It’s A Party
Another day, another successful run of mostly video game related posts. Not this one. This is Kotaku Off Topic, where we’ll discuss the highs and the lows of the moment. I’m about to cap this successful week off with a massive caloric binge, involving burgers made out of bisons, onion rings, high alcohol beer and…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Making Manhattan Chowder with Crysis 2
If you discount the static and deliberately skipping video what you have here is a blend of Crysis 2‘s trailer and its closed-doors demo, shown at E3. Spoiler alert: The MetLife building goes down, and it goes down hard. This should give you a better idea of what I was trying to get across –…
By Owen Good Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Finally, Nickelback Comes To Rock Band
They said it would never happen. But MTV Games and Harmonix aren’t going to let discriminating taste get in the way of Canada’s greatest musical contribution to the modern age, Nickelback, from coming to Rock Band. The band’s brand of thoroughly authentic music will come to the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3 on June…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Exec ‘Severely’ Doubts Value of Some TV Advertising
In a heavy-hitter’s roundtable with an industry advertising blog, the man in charge of marketing Homefront doubts that television advertising does much for many video games, and would rather advertise on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live than CBS and NBC. “One of the bigger questions we have to ask ourselves is how important is television?”…
By Owen Good Published June 25, 2010 -
UncategorizedThe Definitive Guide To How Many Helicopters Call of Duty: Black Ops Will Probably Have
When Call of Duty: Black Ops hits this November, it could be the most helicopterest game of all time. All time! Just going by the game’s debut trailer, we’re expecting a new chopper less than every four seconds. Researcher Carlos Helicopters of the Call of Helicopters blog scrutinized the next Call of Duty game’s helicopter…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Friendly Reminder: Super Mario Bros. Crossover Now Featuring Ninja Gaiden
As promised, Jay Pavlina has delivered Ryu Hayabusa from the NES Ninja Gaiden as the seventh playable character in the flash sensation Super Mario Bros. Crossover. Other character-specific abilities have been included in the game’s 1.1 update. Mega Man now jumps more realistically, and can use Rush Coil to get to higher spots on the…
By Owen Good Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
MDK2 To Make A Killing On WiiWare, PC This ‘Winter’
The latest Interplay game to make the leap to Nintendo’s WiiWare service is MDK2, BioWare’s shooter from the year 2000, joining other WiiWare-bound re-releases like Clayfighter and Descent. But that’s not all Interplay and developer Beamdog have in store. MDK2 will also be exhumed in high-definition form for the PC as MDK2 HD, thanks to…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Mario Kart Saved My Eyesight
A British youth overcame what is called “lazy eye syndrome” thanks to a doctor’s prescription of Mario Kart DS, restoring his right eye from “near blindness” to a 250 percent improvement. At age 5, Ben Michaels was diagnosed with ambylopia in his right eye, which results in a steady decline in vision in that eyeball.…
By Owen Good Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
AbNo
To: Owen From: Crecente Yay Friday! It’s been a looooong two weeks. I think I’m going to do absolutely nothing. And maybe cook and drink. What you missed: Are You As Good At Gaming As This Person? Do it Yourself Counter Strike Squirt Their Orders Are To ‘Make A Better Donkey Kong Country’ The Halo:…
By Brian Crecente Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Here’s Where You Can Play Kinect Right Now
Can’t wait until November to play with Skittles the tiger or flail wildly until slightly moist with some Kinect Sports? Good news! Microsoft will be demoing its new motion controller “nationwide” for the public at retail this weekend. If you live near one of the four Microsoft Stores—located in Scottsdale, AZ, Lone Tree, CO, Mission…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Regardless of World Cup, EA Sports Predicts an American Triumph
Landon Donovan’s miracle goal on Wednesday did far more than propel the United States to the World Cup’s knockout stage. It’s made America the No. 1 soccer video game market on the planet. So says Electronic Arts, whose FIFA series of console games is both the biggest-selling and highest-rated sports video game in the world.…
By Owen Good Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
A Half-Dozen Glimpses of Lost in Shadow
Upcoming Wii puzzler Lost in Shadow is an amazing little game. And it’s not just a platformer with a twist. While there are some interesting elements to the gameplay that has you controlling a lost shadow traveling through the shadows of the physical world, there’s also something interesting in the story we know so little…
By Brian Crecente Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Marvel’s Flaming Skulls, Alien Symbiotes & Vigilantes Coming To A Sackboy Near You
Will the adorableness of LittleBigPlanet’s Sackboy be lessened when sporting a flaming Ghost Rider skull or the slippery alien garb of Venom? When the new Marvel-themed blow out comes to LittleBigPlanet next month we’ll find out. Starting July 7, PlayStation 3 owners will be able to wear the Punisher’s skull of vengeance upon their Sackboy’s…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Two Turntables And A Sequel
Is DJ Hero 2 best played as a battle? Last week I played DJ Hero against someone. I had never done this in 2009 using the first DJ Hero game, but I was in the Activision demo area at E3 and the people making this fall’s DJ Hero 2 had two turntables set up. Two…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
The Nintendo DS Makes Colorful Splash In Japan
Nintendo’s price drop on the bigger and now brighter version of its Nintendo DSi is going over pretty well in Japan, with the handheld tripling sales after the change. The Nintendo DSi LL got three new colors this week—blue, green and yellow—along with a new price, 18,000 yen, down from 20,000. That puts the DSi…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Babysitting Mama Controller Comes In Only One Color
UGO’s Tracey John got a plush baby in her arms at E3. The baby contained a Wii Remote, the better to let her control Babysitting Mama. She reports that manufacturing costs will limit the “controller” color to Caucasian-only. But in the game you will be able to babysit a baby of one of six different…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
The Bloodiest Game Of E3?
I didn’t play the original 1990s arcade game Splatterhouse. I told Crecente last week that the new one I played at E3 felt like a more violent God of War. Be careful, he warned me. That analogy might upset fans of the classic Splatterhouse. OK, but can I say the game was gory? More gory…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
What Are You Playing This Weekend?
I’m cleaning my Maverick M4A1, equipping my kevlar vest and helmet, maybe picking up an HE grenade and flashbang, and getting back into some Counter-Strike this weekend, a chance to revisit just how terrible I am at this game. Well, I’d say I’m more average than terrible, but when you’re playing against grizzled, teenaged Counter-Strike:…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 25, 2010 - Uncategorized
Make Money Winning Video Games, With The Help Of A Billionaire
What brings the world’s richest daredevil back into video games? Balloon-riding, building-jumping billionaire Richard Branson believes you want to get paid for beating gamers online. The Branson-branded VirginGaming.com launched last week amid the blizzard of video game news emanating from Los Angeles’ E3. It’s live now and legal in 36 states for you to sign…
By Stephen Totilo Published June 25, 2010