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  Why We Play Games, And Why We Grumble About Them

  Sometimes, one gamer’s flaw is another’s feature. Even the highest-rated games aren’t always perfect – but what determines the flaws we’ll tolerate versus the ones we can’t forgive? It all depends on why you play games. Some of our best-loved gaming experiences, from God Hand to Psychonauts, earn adoration for the strength of their ideas…

  Leigh Alexander Published February 25, 2010
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  Time’s running out. Comment here about video games, while supplies last. Confused about commenting on Kotaku? Read our FAQ.

  By Stephen Totilo Published February 25, 2010
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  Alpha Protocol Slips Into Stores on June 1

  Role-playing action title Alpha Protocol goes on sale for the PC, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 June 1, Sega announced this morning. Obsidian Entertainment’s modern-day role-playing game has players taking on the role of spy Michael Thorton as he tried to uncover who was behind the missile attack on a passenger plane. Gamers that pre-order…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 25, 2010
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  But… How Does He Know?

  To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: EXCER-CISE! Oh yeah, I’d totally like to take up kendo. Not sure how soon I can start — but I’m definitely keen to. Been taking lots of walks recently. So Micro Bash is a little over one years old. He kinda babbles on, makes noise, can’t really talk and the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Game & Watch Reborn As Keychain

  In the early 1980s, Nintendo began releasing a series of handhelds. They were created by Gunpei Yokoi, who would go on to create the Game Boy. And now they are keychains! Japanese toymaker TakaraTomy is releasing solar powered Game & Watch keychains. Since they are keychains, they are smaller than actual Game & Watch. The…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Dengeki Office Hijinks Continue!

  There was the time the slave gladiator came to work, and the other time in which dudes got spanked. This time, it’s PSP gaming day at Japan’s Dengeki.com. Ladies cosplaying as characters Ryomou and Kanu showed up at the site’s offices to play a round of Ikki Tousen: Xross Impact and…play around? 脱衣を賭けたバトルが始まる!? 『一騎当千 クロスインパクト』プロモに闘士参上…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Kojima Productions On MGS4 Budget Claims

  Hollywood loves talking money — salaries, budgets, you name it. The game industry doesn’t. Some developers have been very open about how much their titles cost to produce. Other developers have not revealed their budgets. As Kotaku mentioned earlier when posting the Digital Battle.com list of games with the biggest budgets: “The sticky part of…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Europe Gets A Bunch of Nintendo Release Dates

  First Australia had its Nintendo Summit and then America has its Nintendo Summit. Now Europe is having its…Nintendo Summit. For big titles like Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Other M, Nintendo of Australia gave release dates like “mid-year”. Super Mario Galaxy 2 will be released in North America on May 23, but won’t be out…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Space Invaders Meets Alfa Romeo

  Alfa Romeo’s MiTo hatchback faces down oil drums and gas pumps in a Space Invaders-style shootout. The MiTo went on sale in 2008, and Space Invaders debuted in Japanese arcades in 1978. These commercial has been running in Europe. Video: Alfa Romeo MiTo promoted through new “Space Invaders”-themed ad [Rpmgo Thanks, Andrey!]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Nintendo: No New Hardware “Any Time Soon”

  The Wii was released in November 2006. The GameCube was released in 2001. About time for a new home consoles, right? Um, no. “I don’t think it’ll [Wii successor] be any time soon,” Nintendo of America exec Cammie Dunaway told GameSpot at the recent Nintendo Summit. “Even though our installed base it, at this point,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Brace Yourself For Fable III Crap

  Call it merchandise. Call it stuff. Call it crap. Fable III developer Lionhead Studios is already thinking about things to sell you. “With the release of Fable III imminent this year we’ve started thinking about different kinds of merchandise for the game,” Lionhead wrote on its Facebook page. There are literally hundreds of things we…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  SNK Announces The King of Fighters XIII

  The latest entry in the 2D King of Fighters series has been announced by Osaka-based game developer SNK Playmore. It is The King of Fighters XIII. The title runs on the Taito Taito X2 arcade system board. Details are scant, and SNK is expected to reveal more about the arcade fighter in a preview next…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  iTunes Application Explicit Option Comes, Then Goes

  Apple cracked down on titillating apps with a Victorian laundry list of no-nos. Then, it seems, Apple created a new “Explicit” category in the Application Store. Then it vanished! The new “Explicit” category didn’t show up in the App Store per se, but a developer spotted the new section in the submission software. But hours…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Report: The Ten Most Expensive Video Game Budgets Apparently Are…

  As video games get bigger and bigger, video game budgets get bigger and bigger, too. But what’s games have the biggest budgets? The sticky part of video game budgets is that some developers will not confirm the actual budgets, and there is some speculation in these numbers. But here, according to website DigitalBattle.com, here are…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Don’t Worry, DSi XL Fits In My Rear Left Pocket

  …in case you were wondering if a jeans pocket could hold the DSi XL. (I’d mention that I’ve been sitting on this photo for a few weeks due to Nintendo embargo restrictions, but you’d accuse me of making a pun.)

  By Stephen Totilo Published February 25, 2010
• Reviews

  Nintendo DSi XL Review: Super Size Me

  The Nintendo DSi LL, (DSi XL in the West) is the latest addition to the hugely successful Nintendo platform. “LL” is the Japanese equivalent of “XL”, or “extra large”. But is bigger really better? Released in Japan in late November, the Nintendo DSi XL features 4.2 inch screens that are 93 percent larger than the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 25, 2010
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  Metroid: Other M: A Change of Perspective

  Team Ninja’s take on Metroid doesn’t just give the game a new look, it changes Metroid’s entire perspective, literally, and gives voice to a heroine we’ve never really heard speak. Following ten months of near-total silence on Team Ninja’s feverishly anticipated Metroid: Other M, I finally got to strap on Samus Aran’s arm cannon and…

  matt cabral Published February 25, 2010
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  Split/Second Hits This May

  Part racing game, part blowing stuff up, Black Rock Studio’s Split/Second hits May 18, Disney Interactive Studios announced today. The game is due out on the PC for $50 and Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 for $60. The game is set to hit Europe on May 21. I haven’t had a chance to check the…

  By Brian Crecente Published February 24, 2010
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  Kotaku Off-Topic: Rebel Commander

  For the first time, I took my taxes to a paid preparer. First thing tomorrow morning I meet with them to approve the documents. The anxiety I feel is absolutely the same as my parents getting my report card. Ordinarily I do my own taxes but because I’m filing in three different states for 2009,…

  By Owen Good Published February 24, 2010
• Reviews

  The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom Micro-review: Snack Of The Clones

  The puzzle’s the thing in The Odd Gentlemen’s time-twisting, brain-teasing platformer The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, a pie collecting adventure made fascinating by the eponymous Winterbottom and his superhuman ability to clone himself. In The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, players control the umbrella-wielding Winterbottom and his many clones, which are recorded loops of the pie-hungry…

  By Michael McWhertor Published February 24, 2010