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  This Week In XBLA: Death By Cube And Vandal Hearts

  Square Enix‘s blood-filled box shooter Death by Cube is joined by the prequel to Konami’s 1996 tactical role-playing game Vandal Hearts to form this week’s new additions to the Xbox Live Arcade. Robots shooting cubes filled with blood – this is the perfect way to describe Square Enix’s new twin-stick shooter, Death by Cube, which…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 18, 2010
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  When Darksiders’ Hero Goes Off The Juice (Or A Little War Never Hurt Anyone)

  War’s prop sword from Darksiders, as found in a box mailed to my house and promptly wielded (sorta) by Tristan. Later to be given away at Kotaku’s annual fundraiser.

  By Brian Crecente Published January 18, 2010
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  Apple Invites Us To Jan 27 Special Event, Think iSlate?

  Invitation sent to Kotaku today: “Please join Apple on January 27 for a Special Event.” Assumption made by Kotaku today: iSlate reveal? Now, why would Kotaku be sent that? “Come see our latest creation,” the colorful invitation states. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple’s long-rumored tablet computer, the iSlate (perhaps?) would…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 18, 2010
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  Here’s What You Get For Preordering Skate 3

  EA’s Skate 3 might not come with a high tech plastic skateboard controller like its chief “competition,” but putting money down on the sequel does earn you this nifty exclusive skate park. Now that I think about it, “Doesn’t come with a high tech plastic skateboard controller” could actually be a selling point. Easily as…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 18, 2010
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  How To Pick The Best Game of 2009

  You might be wondering what happened to our annual Game of the Year awards. Don’t worry they’re coming, we just didn’t see the need to rush them. I know it’s crazy, but I’ve always felt that the game of the year should be decided after the year has actually ended. I know that may be…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 18, 2010
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  Hellgate To Reopen In The West, For Real This Time

  Just when you thought North America and Europe were safe from the invasion of hell spawn, Korean online gaming publisher HanbitSoft goes and acquires international publishing rights for Hellgate from Namco Bandai, and all hell breaks loose. Yes, this time they mean it. HanbitSoft first announced plans to reignite Hellgate: London in November of 2008,…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 18, 2010
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  The Nintendo Download: Everybody Let’s Muscle March

  Men (and bears) in tight bikini briefs invade the Nintendo Download this week, bringing Dark Void Zero, Starship Defense, The Secret of Shinobi, and more along for the wild ride. Namco Bandai’s Muscle March (500 Wii points) is one of the oddest titles to hit the WiiWare service so far. Thieves have made off with…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 18, 2010
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  iPhone Chart Toppers: Doodle Jump Hops Onto the Charts

  This week’s charts remain mostly unchanged, though it appears that more people have discovered the fun-little vertical platformer Doodle Jump. I downloaded Trenches last night. Great game, but man is it short. Super short. Here’s the full list: Which do you think should be the top game? Check out all of our iPhone game reviews.…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 18, 2010
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  The Best Games Of, Sort Of, The Decade

  The decade isn’t over. It has a year left. Well, screw it: everyone else thinks the decade is over. If I don’t write this thing, right here, right now, I’m probably never going to write it; if I write it next year, everyone will call me a jerk-off goody-two-shoes know-it-all. What this is, right here,…

  Tim Rogers Published January 18, 2010
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  Poor George Washington lived in an era before double-jumping. You, however, do live in the age of the double-jump. Celebrate your good fortune and comment here about video games. Confused about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ.

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 18, 2010
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  Video Games Survive Recession, But At What Cost?

  Despite the recession and a drop in video game sales last year, December was the biggest month in the history of video games. A combination of console price cuts, a holiday rich in spending and the recent release of several chart-busting titles helped the game industry pull in $5.53 billion in December alone, according to…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 18, 2010
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  Driver’s License So Lost, Can’t Drive

  To: Crecente From: Bashcraft Went to the police station this morning to report that I lost my driver’s license somewhere between Narita Airport and Dallas, Texas last month. Had to fill out some forms and get my picture taken again. My picture turned out pretty DARN HOT I must say. The biggest drag? It takes…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 18, 2010
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  This Is How You Promote Final Fantasy XIII Figures

  With real people dressed up in costume, that’s how! As Square Enix launches a set of Play Arts figures, and Akihabara’s Kotobukiya retail shop has a special event in store. Or rather, outside store. Over the weekend, a troupe of Final Fantasy XIII were available to pose for photos. There was even a time table…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 18, 2010
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  Activision Won’t Give Up On DJ Hero Just Yet

  Last October, Activision’s turntable game DJ Hero tanked. Fret not those who shelled out for game and its peripheral, Activision won’t be ditching the series just yet. If you’re going to make a commitment to doing something original, the odds are that you’re not going to get it right on the first chance,” Activision boss…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 18, 2010
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  Here, Your Blueness…Have Some Beatles: Rock Band Sales Figures

  For all the money spent on securing the use of The Beatles, the Rock Band title of the same name is yet to outsell its predecessor, Rock Band 2. But is there a silver lining in that money pit? Maybe. MTV’s Scott Guthrie has disclosed that “more than 1 million” Beatles songs have been downloaded…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 18, 2010
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  Venezuelan President Says Games Are “Poison”

  As we’ve covered a few times before, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is not only a nutty man, he’s a nutty man that hates video games. Hates them so much be believes they’re “poison”. “Those games they call ‘PlayStation’ are poison”, Chavez (left, in his Brotherhood of NOD costume) said on his weekly show Alo Presidente.…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 18, 2010
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  Nintendo Claims DSi XL Not Only For Old People

  The DSi XL‘s larger size, jumbo touch pen, bigger screen and refined old people colors (Wine Red?) made it seem like the DSi XL is targeted at old people. That’s not necessarily true, says Nintendo. When the DSi XL launched in Japan late last year as the DSi LL, Nintendo rolled out an ad campaign…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 18, 2010
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  Why I Am Alive’s Been Delayed

  When a game is as oft-delayed as Ubisoft’s I Am Alive, it raises questions. Has it been cancelled? Are there production issues? Does it need a better title? All of those are valid, but only one is the actual reason. And it’s number two! Step on down number two and, speaking through Ubisoft boss Yves…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 18, 2010
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  Tekken Voice Actor Dead, Police Investigating Suicide

  Daisuke Gouri passed away this past Sunday at around 3:00 pm in Tokyo after being discovered wandering the streets in Nakano ward, blood dripping from his arm, before collapsing face-down. He was 57 years old. Besides an impressive list of anime credits, Gouri also voiced Bass Armstrong in the Dead or Alive series, Mister Hercule…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 18, 2010
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  Man Facing Prison Over R4 Cartridges

  It’s not just the Japanese throwing people in prison over R4 flash cartridges; Britain is in on the act too, with a man sentenced to prison for importing R4 carts. Yun Can Meng, a British resident, will spend the next twelve months behind bars after importing 26,500 of the cartridges, with the intention of selling…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 18, 2010