The demo for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is available for PS3 later today. It released on Xbox Live for Xbox 360 last week. Getting the demo also offers a weapon pack that unlocks when the full game releases Feb. 11.

​Here’s a Joker That Might Actually Kick Batman’s Ass

Bane? Forget that musclehead. Batman’s greatest enemy has always been the Joker. And in armor like this, it’s possible that he wouldn’t get sent back to Arkham like he always does. The impressive medieval get-up comes from Prince Armory, crafters of custom leather battle gear perfect for fans of Arthurian legend. And, of course, where…

(Image removed at the artist’s request and pulled from their own site, too – sorry!) Hard to tell which parts of this amazing Legend of Zelda pictures are painted, and which parts are real. It’s a matte painting, made by artist Saad Alayyoubi for the ambitious Zelda Project.and you can check the original photo reference…

Perhaps the Most Outrageous Celebrity on Japanese Television

This is Natsuki Okamoto. For years, she was a pin-up model. Now, she’s a commentator on a news program. You know, a talking head. And on the program, she wears outfits like this. I’m not kidding. She must be the most outrageous fashion plate on Japanese television. If you’ve ever watched television in Japan, I’m…

Modder Makes Minecraft Level, Puts it in Super Mario 64 DS

There’s not much to do inside the level, mind you, but it’s an interesting proof of concept for sure. Of course, you can’t just grab a world from Minecraft and put it in a DS game willy-nilly. The level itself had to be modeled from scratch, then imported using specialized modding tools developed especially for…

Steam’s collection of classic Hitman games is now complete with the recent addition of Hitman: Contracts to the site’s library. Previously unavailable due to copyright issues, the third game in the series can now once again be bought and, presumably, played. At some point. Maybe.

A Final Fantasy X-2 Comparison: HD vs. SD

Last week we did a side-by-side comparison between Final Fantasy X on the PS2 and its upcoming HD remaster release on the PS3. Now it’s Final Fantasy X-2’s turn to see how it measures up. [*Note: the PS2 version I used in this video was the US release of Final Fantasy X-2.] Final Fantasy X/X-2…

The New Epilogue to Final Fantasy X Makes Me Hopeful For a New Game

In addition to its massive graphical upgrade, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is filled with bosses, dungeons, and side quests never before seen outside of Japan. But there is one thing included that is completely new: a thirty-minute audio drama that has me hoping for Final Fantasy X-3 Taking place a year after the end…

Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino just announced that he will direct a new, still untitled feature film anime, created with Hollywood’s Legacy Effects

Japanese Woman Got a Driver’s License Dressed as Chun-Li

Well, you gotta wear something when you get your license photo, don’t you? Previously, Kotaku reported that in Japan, you can dress up as whatever when you take your driver’s license photo—just as long as you are not wearing a hat. Also, it’s reported that unnaturally bright wigs are not allowed, either. Other than that,…

If You Use Any Of These Passwords, You Should Change It Right Now

Passwords are a fact of life and we’ve all had some bad ones, but if you use one of the following 25 password you might want to rethink your strategy! These are the 25 most common passwords according to SplashData, and there are some humdingers in there! 1. 123456 (Up 1) 2. password (Down 1)…

Track: Animal Keeper | Album: Animal Keeper EP | Artist: George Barnett Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to—and gaming to—at the moment.

Remember The Dead With These Video Game Tombstones

Squish. Squish. Squish. To you, they’re nothing but obstacles, but each one of those Goombas you crushed had a life. Loves. Someone to remember them by. Someone to bury them, pay for a tombstone and mourn for them. Chinook Crafts sell these fantastic little video game tombstones, commemorating those we’ve vanquished during our digital travels…