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Do Video Games Shape Who We Are?
Can video games have a Western canon? It’s a question I’ve been pondering since hearing that classic 90s strategy computer game X-COM is being remade as a first-person shooter For gamers of my generation, last week’s news of a new X-COM was akin to hearing that Tom Sawyer was being remade as a cop buddy…
By Brian Crecente Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
Writers Trashing Each Other
To: Crecente From: Bashcraft J.K. Rowling, according to Harold Bloom (2000) “How to read ‘Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone’? Why, very quickly, to begin with, and perhaps also to make an end. Why read it? Presumably, if you cannot be persuaded to read anything better, Rowling will have to do.” James Joyce’s Ulysses, according…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
Call of Duty Series to “Broaden” Its Audience
Video game publisher Activision released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 last year. It made over a billion dollars. Now Activision has decide it will make the series more accessible. Because over a billion dollars is not accessible. And not enough people read Harry Potter books. Have you ever seen Star Wars? Thomas Tippl, Activision’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
PSP Store Display Invites Upskirts
You got to give it to Japanese marketing people. For better or worse, they know how to do attention grabbing in-store displays. This one for PSP brawler Ikki Tousen Xross Imapct is no exception. The display features schoolgirl Ikki Tousen schoolgirl characters Ryofu Housen and Sonsaku Hakufu and their skirts, which patrons are invited to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
This Is A Nice, Nice Xbox 360
When a Hollywood special effects master sits down and whips up a custom Xbox 360 console, this is the end result. Designed by Richard Taylor from WETA Workshop (ie the Lord of the Rings special effects guys, who were also down to work on the aborted Halo movie), the one-of-a-kind console – which is part…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 19, 2010 -
UncategorizedThe McDonalds Nintendo DSi
A few weeks ago, I showed you every Nintendo DS that had ever been released. Turns out I missed one: the official McDonalds Japan DSi console! While we knew that staff in Japanese McDonalds restaurants were being trained on Nintendo’s handhelds, we had no idea they were being trained on official, company-branded consoles. And tastefully-branded…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
No Star Fox? Nintendo, You Have A Volunteer
There has not been a new Star Fox game, recently. The sci-fi adventure series debuted in 1993 and saw a Nintendo DS title in 2006. It’s now 2010, and where’s a new Star Fox game? When game site GamesTM told series creator Shigeru Miyamoto that it would like to see a new Star Fox game,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
What Gets You Banned From Xbox Live Until The Year 9999?
A concerned parent has apparently taken to the official 360 forums, looking for an explanation as to why his son had been banned from Xbox Live until the Year of our Lord, 9999. Microsoft was only too happy to oblige. “Would be helpful if someone could enlighten me as to why he has been suspended…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
Why Is Japan So Behind?
Once upon a time, Japanese games eclipsed Western ones. They looked better, were more fun and were just better. Those days have passed. At last year’s Tokyo Game Show, Mega-Man designer Keiji Inafune said that the Japanese game industry was “finished”. Inafune, it seems, was speaking in hyperbole. The Japan industry is not finished —…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
If Mega Man Was A Hollywood Cartoon, It Would Look A Lot Like This [Update]
Last year, Hong Kong animation house Imagi brought Astro Boy, a beloved Japanese character, to the big screen in a computer-animated film. Astro Boy is great and all, but…what about Mega Man? Artist David Espinoza must have been wondering the exact same thing, because he’s done a number of stunning works showing Mega Man characters…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
Japan’s Biggest Cosplay Event Looks Like This
Cure Cosplay Festival 2, The Land of the Rising Sun’s largest cosplay event, was held over the weekend in Yokohama, Japan. Cue the impressive costumes, dynamic poses and gravity-defying hair gel! Video game, manga and anime characters were represented via the cosplayers. How many can you name? Click through the gallery. More images in the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
Demon’s Souls PAL Release Has Fan-Made Strategy Guide
There’s a feel-good story to be had behind the PAL release of role-playing game Demon’s Souls: not just the fact it’s on its way to Europe and Australia, but that the accompanying strategy guide has been written by fans Yes, when Namco Bandai said the strategy guide was all-new, it wasn’t kidding, having enlisted the…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 19, 2010 -
UncategorizedA Look At Pokemon Black & White Walking Gameplay
Pokémon Black & White is the completely new Pocket Monster series that will be out later this year. We have already seen the first screenshots. But screenshots don’t move. Gameplay does. Japan’s Sunday morning kiddy show Pokémon Sunday provided the first look (and super brief look) at gameplay. And by gameplay, we mean walking through…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
X-Com Homage On Intercept Course With iPhone
If there’s one thing 2K’s announcement of a shooter-focused XCOM remake has done, it’s open the door to a slew of games cashing in on the company’s seeming abandonment of the series’ turn-based roots. Games like this iPhone title! Much like Xenonauts, which we saw last week, Isochron is a game that sets out to…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
An Open Letter To Roger Ebert
Dear Mr. Ebert, I’m writing regarding your recent post “Video games can never be art”. This of course is ground you have touched upon before. Your site is currently being inundated with comments from those eager to defend video games as art. I am not interested in defending video games as an art form. Ironic,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
Crazy Taxi, Sonic, SNK Classics & Quake, Coming Soon To Xbox Live Arcade
If some screenshots are to be believed, a number of classic Dreamcast and PC titles are about to be released on Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade service for the 360. The screens, captured by MasterChief over on the Digiex forums, reportedly show a number of pre-release screenshots for Xbox Live Arcade verisons of Crazy taxi and…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 19, 2010 - Uncategorized
Losing the Triple Crown
To: Luke From: Owen Re: Hawaii My cousin and his wife just had their first baby this week, a tiny little guy who looks uncommonly serene in all the pictures of him so far. My cousin and I share the same middle name, which is also Mom’s middle name. The coincidence there was that we…
By Owen Good Published April 18, 2010 - Uncategorized
Reminder: Our WarioWare D.I.Y. Contest Ends at Midnight
That’s midnight Kotaku time, so, seven hours from now. If you’ve been perfecting your Kotaku-themed WarioWare D.I.Y. mini-game to win the enormous grand prize package Nintendo’s put up, now’s the time to wrap things up and go gold. So be sure to visit the contest page – where you’ll find all the rules and conditions…
By Owen Good Published April 18, 2010 - Uncategorized
Filmmaker’s Blog Outs Canoeing-Style Project Natal Game
Remember James Gunn? The filmmaker who called Microsoft “the most dreadful, non-talent friendly company I’ve ever worked for“? Apparently they patched up. Microsoft invited him to try Natal, and Gunn’s spilled the beans on a game called “River Rush.” On his personal blog, Gunn describes River Rush as two player kayaking type game where both…
By Owen Good Published April 18, 2010 - Uncategorized
Week in Games: Monster Week
In name only. Just nine titles drop in the coming seven days, but Capcom’s Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii is among them, on Tuesday. Afterburner comes to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network this week, too. This week’s count: Two for Wii, 360 and DS, One for PSP, PS3 and PC. Monday (April…
By Owen Good Published April 18, 2010