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  The Abominable Snow Link

  Back in 2006, Kotaku reader Ryan sent a photo of a Yoshi snow sculpture he spotted. It’s 2011. Ryan spotted another sculpture. Same yellow house, same snow covered lawn, but this time, there’s a large snow sculpture of Link from Zelda Nice snow handiwork, yellow house Nintendo lovers! We’ll check back in five years.

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  What Did You Get from Santa?

  Bus | SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Santa tries to find his way home. (Photo: Wally Santana | AP) The Cosplayers and Booth Companions of the 2011 Asia Game Show From Dec. 23 to Dec. 26, the Asia Game Show rolled through Hong Kong. The show is in its tenth year, and this year, it featured the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  The Tekken Figure of Your Pink-Haired Dreams

  Tekken character Alisa Bosconovitch is getting the bishojo (“beautiful young girl”) treatment from famed Japanese figure maker Kotobukiya. Priced at ¥7,140 (US$90), the PVC figure is 1/7 scale and will go on sale next May in Japan. Alisa will appear in Tekken Tag Tournament 2, which is slated to be out holiday 2012. 「鉄拳タッグトーナメント２ TEKKEN美少女　アリサ・ボスコノビッチ」展示サンプル…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  You Want a Deal? Get Final Fantasy XIII-2 on the Xbox 360

  When Final Fantasy XIII-2 launched in Japan earlier this month, it sold only half a million copies on the PS3 in its first week, which isn’t near the 1.5 million copies FFXIII moved in its first week in Japan. I say “only” like half a million is something to sneeze at—it’s not. And post release,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  The Cosplayers and Booth Companions of the 2011 Asia Game Show

  From Dec. 23 to Dec. 26, the Asia Game Show rolled through Hong Kong. The show is in its tenth year, and this year, it featured the PS Vita in full force, cosplayers, booth companions, and a “Female Entertainment Area”. With it now Dec. 27 in Asia, Kotaku looks back, with photos courtesy of reader…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  Nintendo 3DS Games Getting Paid DLC. Here’s the First Title.

  For years now, additional downloadable content has been a staple. Nintendo, unlike rivals Microsoft and Sony, has not embraced downloadable content. Until now. According to Japan’s Nikkei, Nintendo will be begin offering paid DLC for the Nintendo 3DS next March. Available through Nintendo’s online services via credit card or prepaid card, the first DLC will…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  These Are the Best Gundam Statues in the World

  The Gunpla Builders World Cup 2011 is the world cup of Gunpla, or Gundam plastic model building. With entries from countries all over the world, spanning two divisions (one for over-fifteen years-old and there other for under-fourteen), it showcases the most stunning Gunpla in the world. And now, the competition picked the best of the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  One Man’s Very Zelda Christmas

  Kotaku reader Mike didn’t have any old Christmas. He had a Zelda Christmas, complete with a box, rupees, and a Master Sword that Mike purchased from his sisters. According to Mike: It started with a box. In the box were a green hat and a satchel of rupees and a small note saying I could…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  What Are the Chances of a (Another) Metal Gear Solid Remake?

  Released back in 1998, the first Metal Gear Solid is one of those titles for which gamers continuously cry “remake”. Hideo Kojima, the game’s creator, seems perfectly happy with the game. “Looking back, there’s not anything in particular I want to go back and fix. If you change anything, you change the game—and I want…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  My Top 10 Moving Moments in Gaming 2011

  This year has been good to gaming. Hold on, let me restate that. This year has been amazing to gaming. To me, it feels like this year was this generation’s swan song, the last push of gaming before all the developers go find some foxhole to hide in while they develop games for the PS43…

  By Chris Carolan Published December 26, 2011
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  The Long, Hard Search for the Infamous Mario Porno

  You’ve seen the photos. Porn star Ron Jeremy dressed as Mario. The images weren’t simply some silly cosplay photo. Rather, they were promotional images for a dirty movie—a dirty movie that’s difficult to find. Over on the Something Awful forums, forum user Doorknobjohnny began searching for the movie behind the photo, Super Hornio Brothers. There…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  Get this Zelda Shirt While You Can

  The King of Games, purveyor of fine Japanese t-shirts, is offering a limited edition Zelda tee. How limited? Like, a one-time-only-printing limited. Pre-orders kicked off on Dec. 24, and they will wrap up on Feb. 20 for an early May 2012 delivery. The King of Games will print the shirt only once, meaning that once…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  The Mysterious Nintendo Wii U Launch Window Narrows

  Last summer, Nintendo revealed that the Wii U, its upcoming new home console, would be released sometime between April and Dec. 2012. That big window of time just got a smidgen shorter. According to Japanese website Inside Games, Nintendo stated that the Wii U is slated to go on sale between next June and the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published December 26, 2011
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  Is Skyrim Kotaku‘s Game of the Year?

  Oh look. Somebody is voting for Skyrim as Game of the Year. How shocking Truth be told, I very nearly voted for something else. Total War: Shogun 2 had me hooked for most of the year, and its near perfection of the series’ blend of strategic planning and real-time tactics seemed to make it, for…

  By Luke Plunkett Published December 26, 2011
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  Who Will Win Kotaku‘s Game of the Year 2011 Debate?

  What was the best game of the year, according to those of us here at Kotaku? We don’t know. We don’t know… yet. Throughout the week of December 26, we will present five Game of the Year arguments. Five Kotaku writers will present their case for GOTY. Others on the team will respond. Long time…

  By Stephen Totilo Published December 26, 2011
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  Here’s a Christmas Classic Because Hey, Why Not

  If TBS can give us a 24-hour marathon of “A Christmas Story,” then we’ll wish you a Merry Christmas with video gaming’s counterpart, the unforgettable boxing of a NINTENDO SIXTY-FOURRRRRRR! YES! YES! Merry Christmas, everyone. Hope that your day is as exciting and as joyous as these little gamers were so many years ago.

  By Owen Good Published December 25, 2011
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  Of the Hundreds of 99-Cent Comics You Can Download Today, Buy These…

  Merry Christmas. You should download some comic books. To celebrate the holiday, major digital comics apps are selling several hundred comic books for 99 cents. Most of them are on sale in ComiXology, the digital storefront that you can access from iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Kindle Fire and any web browser. Dark Horse Comics’…

  By Stephen Totilo Published December 25, 2011
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  If You Got a New Phone or Tablet Today, Buy These Games First

  If you got or you gave a mobile device this morning—iPhone, Android phone, iPad or tablet—chances are there’s a “what now?” factor in the discussion. Chances are you or someone else may also have given or been given a little money to put some apps on the thing, too. What do you do? What are…

  By Owen Good Published December 25, 2011
• Culture

  Weekend Comics: Everything’s Ring-a-Ding

  Welcome to your weekend read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Dec. 19.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published Dec. 23.—Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by…

  By Owen Good Published December 24, 2011
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  Looking Back on Sports’ Movers, Makers, and Video Gamers in 2011

  A walk-on running back; a dad who couldn’t tell his kids what he did; a fat kid who started going to the gym and never stopped. A guy who came to know his sport’s greatest venue in ways some champions never will. The top man at sports video gaming’s dominant publisher, and a college student…

  By Owen Good Published December 24, 2011