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This Means Beard War
Yesterday, I had the audacity to say that former Ubisoft man Patrice Désilets had the most beautiful beard in the video game industry. Other developers, however, disagree. I got a few emails overnight from bearded industry professionals, but my favourite was one from Matt MacLean, lead systems designer at Obsidian (Fallout: New Vegas, Dungeon Siege…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2010 - Uncategorized
The NBA Jam That Could Have Been
The upcoming NBA Jam reboot wasn’t always an NBA Jam game. It was originally called NBA Bounce, and looked very different. 1UP has a gallery of concept art for the title, showing the long creative road the game took from its days as an ad-filled Bounce to the classy NBA Jam remake it is today.…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2010 - Uncategorized
Will There Ever Be A Nintendo Theme Park?
Just imagine it: Like Disneyland, but with video games and Nintendo characters. During a recent meeting with investors, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata discussed the topic. “Countless times, the idea of a theme park has been debated and discussed, and there have been rumors in various forms,” Iwata said. “But at the present moment, there are…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2010 -
UncategorizedWatch Some Guy Complete A Lap Of Top Gear’s Test Track
The highlight (for me, anyways) of upcoming racer Gran Turismo 5 will be racing a full lap of the Top Gear Test Track. Until it’s out, I’ll have to make do watching this guy complete a circuit instead. It looks as amazing as you’d expect, even via shaky cam, but there’s something nagging at me.…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2010 - CultureTotal Recall
Ninja + Golf = Ninja Golf
Released in 1990 on the Atari 7800, Ninja Golf is a golf sim that has players fight to where their ball has landed. Ninjas can’t make golf exciting, but ninjas fighting mud-slinging gophers, sand cobras and very large frogs can. More here Ninja Golf [Instant Ramen]
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2010 - Uncategorized
The New Pokemon Series’ Name Takes Some Liberties
The current Pocket Monster animated series is called “Pokemon: Diamond and Pearl”. That makes sense as that’s what the games based on it are called. The name of the new series? Later this year, Nintendo will release the next generation of Pokemon games, Pokemon: Black & White. A new generation of Pokemon means a new…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2010 - Uncategorized
Street Fighter Sneakers Keep It Classy
Some sneakers based on video games can be tasteful! Others, less so. These Street Fighter Dunks, rumoured to be part of an official collaboration between Capcom and Nike, are thankfully the former. Resisting the urge to plaster the shoes with character likenesses and tacky logos, the two pairs – based on Chun-Li and Ryu –…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2010 - Uncategorized
Team BioShock Meets Team Oblivion, Shares Tea & Biscuits
Irrational Games, the studio behind BioShock and System Shock 2, has kicked off what looks to be a great series of podcasts in which they interview other top developers. To get things started, Ken Levine interviews Todd Howard. Who needs the media when developers can just interview each other? Not these guys, it seems, as…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2010 - Uncategorized
Intel’s “Project Offset” Game Cancelled
For years, developers from computing giant Intel had been working on a game, called Project Offset. Note the use of past tense in that sentence. Intel has cancelled the game and scattered the development team to the winds, releasing the following statement to Big Download: Intel purchased Offset Software to improve our game development knowledge-base…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2010 - Uncategorized
Nintendo Doing XL Sales In Weekly Japanese Console War
Just like last week, the cheaper, re-colored Nintendo DSi XL is killing it in the sales department, enjoying a comfortable lead against the PlayStation and Xbox competition. The Nintendo DS family benefited from more than just a recent price cut. Strong sales of games like Love Plus+ and Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side 3rd Story also…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
Kotaku Off Topic: I, For One, Welcome Our New Spider-Man
In Kotaku Off Topic, action is our reward. That and stimulating conversation about everything from games to comic books to movies to hey I’m eating a burrito right now. Join us. First topic of discussion? That guy. That guy, Andrew Garfield, will replace Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, the spectacular Spider-man of the big screen.…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
Yes, Yes, We Know What You’re Going to Say Next
Maurice Lamarche is Mr. Freeze in Arkham Asylum 2, but he played The Riddler with MTV News, outing a special guest in Star Wars: STFU 2. When his agent got him the gig, I hope he said IT’S A PART! Said Maurice to MTV: I’ll just say that I have been paid to say the…
By Owen Good Published July 1, 2010 -
UncategorizedPortal 2’s New ‘Gel’ Gives You That Wet Look
Valve’s sequel to first-person puzzler hit Portal has more than just portals, cubes and more portals. In addition to Aerial Faith Plates, Excursion Funnels, Pneumatic Diversity Tubes and Thermal Discouragement Beams, there’s… gel. Specifically, the Repulsion Gel, which is a fancier term for a gooey trampoline, and the Propulsion Gel, which will rocket Chell and…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
NHL 2K11‘s Winnebago is Equipped with Boom Room [Corrected]
This is a promotional vid for a Vancouver-to-New York tour of NHL 2K11, but it gives a good look at the motion control upgrades for this year’s game – including a nifty puck-juggling mechanic that is certain to be abused. Cover athlete Ryan Kesler – you might remember him from the Americans’ silver medal performance…
By Owen Good Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
Disney Has Its Tap Tap Revenge
The maker of Justin Bieber Revenge, Lady Gaga Revenge and even plain old Tap Tap Revenge has a new and magical owner. Disney has snapped up Tapulous, the developer of iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch megahits. Obviously, that means Disney is investing (once again) in its video games endeavors. Tapulous is now part of the…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
Iran Gets Its First MMO
With help from a national foundation for games development, Iran has published the country’s first online game, an MMO called Asmandez Asmandez – its English title is Sky Fortress – supports 5,000 users at the same time. The head of Iran’s National Foundation for Computer Games said it was developed in hopes of inspiring other…
By Owen Good Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
Sony Hears You On Those Ico, Shadow of the Colossus HD Remakes
While Team Ico’s The Last Guardian was distressingly absent from E3 2010 and speculation around high-definition remakes of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus is sadly just speculation at this point, Sony is “very aware” of fans’ expectations. The man in charge of Sony’s worldwide development studios, Shuhei Yoshida, tells Joystiq that, as far as…
By Michael McWhertor Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
It’s Dangerous To Go Alone… Take These Condoms
Ben Marsh’s Play Condoms packaging, which aims to “create a desire to purchase the product for aesthetic reasons, rather than the necessity of condoms,” promoting safe sex. Make sure to read the NSFW instruction manual. Seen via TinyCartridge
By Michael McWhertor Published July 1, 2010 - Uncategorized
A Glimpse of Madden’s Swagger
A brief clip gives an idea of the gameplay ramifications of Madden NFL‘s new “swagger” stat. In short, it’s not much, but at least it doesn’t seem to be limited to scoring situations. Bottom line, this is a set of animations attached to a branded stat. They do seem to be player-specific: Chad Ochocinco and…
By Owen Good Published July 1, 2010