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CultureThe Original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Soundtrack Is Still A Blast
Gaming series known for their superior soundtracks often have one thing in common — a wide array of powerful or catchy music orchestrated to fit a specific environment. Though plenty of games (mostly annual sports series) have used popular prerecorded tunes as part of their soundtrack in the past, they rarely stand out from the…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 25, 2019 -
CultureTotal RecallThat Time Nintendo Took the Game Boy (and Pokémon) Online
When it comes to online play and digital distribution, Nintendo always seem two steps behind its competitors. But things weren’t always like this, at least in Japan. Back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s Nintendo actually brought both the Famicom and Super Famicom (known as the NES and SNES elsewhere) online via powerful console…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 25, 2019 -
UncategorizedThe Haunting Discoveries Of Outer Wilds
My Outer Wilds journey had me awash in emotions from fear to joy to sadness. There was one discovery, however, that made me unexpectedly queasy. It also left me with a lingering sense of overwhelming dread that morphed into much more. Mobius Digital’s game, which was released earlier this year on Xbox One and PC,…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published August 25, 2019 -
UncategorizedPsst. Hey. Ben here. If you’re in need of a fun gaming podcast, you should definitely check out my newest show — Memory Card. Every episode covers the history surrounding a weird and wonderful character, console, accessory or game. You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify
By Ben Bertoli Published August 25, 2019 -
AnimeLooking Back on Dragon Ball Z’s Best Filler Episode
When the Dragon Ball Z anime premiered in April of 1989, it was a mere six months behind its Dragon Ball manga source material. For a half-hour show that aired every week without fail, this wasn’t much of a gap to fill. It was important to the Dragon Ball Z showrunners that the anime storyline…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 25, 2019 -
UncategorizedI Played Breath of the Wild With My Sister And Put Her Through Hell
It’s not often I replay games, but when my sister asked for something to play together, I suggested The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. More than two years had passed since I completed Link’s adventure on my own, and I wanted her to experience it ahead of the recently-announced sequel. Let me recount all…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published August 25, 2019 -
CultureSunday Comics: That’s Kinda Dumb
Hello! It’s time for Kotaku’s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich. Published Aug 19. Read more of Awkward Zombie Corpse Run by Alex Di Stasi. Published Aug. 22. Read more of Corpse Run Clueless Hero by…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 25, 2019 -
UncategorizedWhat Is Your Favorite Game Sequel?
There are great sequels. And then there are all the crappy ones that seem like little more than cynical cash grabs. I’m going to focus on the former. Sometimes, the best sequels take a classic formula and evolve on them. I loved Final Fantasy II (IV in Japan), Uncharted II, Mass Effect 2, Super Mario…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 24, 2019 -
UncategorizedThe Brilliant Use of Verticality in Minish Cap’s Palace of Winds
There are so many great, memorable levels in the Zelda series, from Majora Mask’s Stone Tower Temple to the Arbiter’s Grounds in Twilight Princess. But a level that’s always stayed with me from the series is the Palace of Winds from the Minish Cap. Developed by Capcom and Flagship, The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 24, 2019 -
UncategorizedA Plague Tale Is One Of The Most Disturbing Games I’ve Played
It’s been so long since a game has truly scared me that A Plague Tale: Innocence caught me completely off guard. Tense, terrifying, and meticulously crafted, Plague Tale excels at making you feel utterly helpless. Set in late 1349 in Aquitaine, France, the medieval setting is one of the game’s strengths, distinguishing itself with the…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 24, 2019 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryRomance Of The Three Kingdoms XIII Is A Flawed, But Addictive, Entry Into The Series
The very first time I was a guest writer for Kotaku, I wrote about Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV, which was my favorite in the series. I’ve played ROTKIV too many times to count as its strategy gaming at its best. I did play many of the games after IV, but missed IX-XII. With…
By Peter Tieryas Published August 24, 2019 -
UncategorizedBy The Gods, I Just Want To Hang Out At Charon’s Shop In Hades
Escaping the House of Hades is no easy task. The ever-changing pathways through the Underworld are filled with danger—vicious specters prowl, eager for a kill, and traps are scattered everywhere. The music is a steady, pulsating rhythm to amplify that struggle. It can feel daunting. That’s why, whenever Charon’s shop appears, it’s a welcome respite.…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published August 24, 2019 -
UncategorizedCollecting Things (And Silly Animals) In Dragon Quest Builders 2 Is Stressful Fun
There has never been a video game checklist that I didn’t simultaneously love and hate. The Explorer’s Shores islands found in Dragon Quest Builders 2 are chock full of them, and I could not resist their siren songs. They led me to mini-adventures that were fun and mildly frustrating, as well as an absurd encounter…
By Narelle Ho Sang Published August 24, 2019 -
Uncategorized7 Classic Cartoons That Deserve A TV Special
With a wide variety of animated movies and TV series accessible around the clock, it’s easy for viewers to fall into the bottomless pit of nostalgia that is streaming classic cartoons. While Hulu, whose selection includes the likes of Rugrats, Dexter’s Lab, and Dragon Ball, is undoubtedly the current champion of throwback cartoon streaming, they’re…
By Ben Bertoli Published August 24, 2019 -
UncategorizedAn Ode To Video Game Pockets
Hi Kotaku! It’s Ben, Narelle, and Peter back as your guest writers for the weekend. We have a variety of articles planned; Narelle will be writing about Breath of the Wild with her sister and some of the fun quests in Dragon Quest Builders 2; Ben shows some love for the Game Boy and Tony…
Peter Tieryas & Ben Bertoli & Narelle Ho Sang Published August 24, 2019 -
CultureTwitchTwitch Suspends Popular Leftist Streamer After Controversial 9/11 Comments
During a Twitch stream earlier this week, popular leftist streamer Hasan Piker made a statement that would, by pretty much any measure, be considered incendiary. “America deserved 9/11, dude,” he said. “Fuck it, I’m saying it.” Today, Twitch suspended Piker for one week. Emotions had been running high in the leadup to the statement on…
By Nathan Grayson Published August 23, 2019 -
UncategorizedFive-time Evo champion SonicFox is live on Twitch with a charity drive for The Trevor Project, which focuses on crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth. His goal is $20,000, with various donation incentives—from playing piano to shaving his mustache—spread out along the way.
By Ian Walker Published August 23, 2019 -
CultureMajora’s Mask Speedrunners Get World Record Under An Hour By Playing The Ocarina 63 Times
As of six days ago, speedrunners have found a way to complete The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask in under an hour. The moody Ocarina of Time sequel is best known for its lengthy sidequests and countless collectables. A glitch allowing players to access a hidden debug menu has cut out much of the necessary…
By Heather Alexandra Published August 23, 2019 -
OpinionImpressionsModern Warfare‘s Alpha Has Me Feeling Good About The Gameplay
This weekend, Call of Duty players on PlayStation 4 are getting hands-on with this fall’s Modern Warfare. Activision has launched an early alpha of the new 2v2 “Gunfight” mode, and so far it’s mostly good vibes and fast-paced gameplay for Infinity Ward’s rebooted Duty Modern Warfare’s alpha was originally scheduled to hit the PlayStation store…
By S.E. Doster Published August 23, 2019 -
OpinionImpressionsLife Is Strange 2‘s Fourth Episode Puts Its Hero Through The Wringer
By the end of the latest episode of Life Is Strange 2, the game’s protagonist Sean Diaz has nearly been broken, physically and mentally. But at least he still has his brother. The most recent episode is the fourth entry in the series, which will eventually be five episodes. Its story continues in the same…
By Gita Jackson Published August 23, 2019