• 

  Uncategorized

  A Super Mario Bros. Super Drum Medley

  Drummer virtuoso Andrea Vadrucci beats out a super drum medley of the “Super Mario Bros 3” theme in this stunning three minute and 45 second video. Just watching makes my arms and foot hurt. [Thanks Travis]

  By Brian Crecente Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  AsiaSoft Cracking Down On Home-Run MapleStory Servers

  MapleStory’s Singapore distributor looks to cut down on a rash of home-run pirate servers, as a plucky teen take the world of big-headed platform battles into his own bedroom. A story from The Straits Times focuses on 16-year-old Sean Lee, who runs a pirate server out of his bedroom, allowing players to access the pay…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Innovative MMO Twin Skies Not Quite As Innovative Anymore

  Neopets creators Adam Powell and Donna Williams have decided to strip the 3D portion of their MMO Twin Skies in order to focus on creating just another free-to-play online flash game. Originally envisioned as a 3D MMO that users would be able to interact with directly via flash game content, an announcement yesterday on the…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Metacritic’s Best And Worst of 2008

  Metacritic put together a list of the best and worst games of 2008 on every console. The top reviewed aren’t that surprising, but there are some real doozies in the duds. The list was created by looking at average review scores and includes a couple Grand Theft Auto IV mentions, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Second Life Cheating Husband Surprised by Movie Deal

  The man at the heart of the Second Life story, which Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski seeks to turn into a movie, was caught off guard by news of the film adaptation. After Crecente posted the news of Verbinski’s purchase of the rights to the 2007 Wall Street Journal article about a man…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Lord Of The Rings: Conquest Demo Hits 360

  Xbox 360 owners now get to taste the delicious flavor of large scale battles over the fate of Middle Earth as the demo for EA and Pandemic’s Lord of the Rings Conquest hits Live. Out for the PlayStation 3 for a good week and a half now, the Lord of the Rings: Conquest demo is…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Microsoft Rewards Soldiers with Mediocrity

  I was browsing the Fort Bliss PX with my folks yesterday when I stumbled across this bad boy: An “Xbox 360 Military Appeciation Bundle.” That’s right Microsoft rewards the men and women defending our country with a discounted copy of a mediocre game from 2007. Patriotism or overstock?

  By Brian Crecente Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  That New Year Smell

  To: Crecente From: Luke So, new year, huh? That’s EXCITING. Another 12 months of news, games and game news to look forward to. Or dread. Probably both. Here’s what you all missed while enjoying your day off: Americans Spent 2008 Playing World Of Warcraft, PlayStation 2 Games Rock Band’s January Lineup Includes Roy Orbison, Lenny…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Skate 2 Demo To Grind, Fall Then Smash Into 360s On January 8

  I picked up Skate on the cheap with some post-Christmas cash. Am absolutely loving it. Can’t remember the last time skateboarding in a game was so much fun. So I’m looking forward to Skate 2! And only have to wait a week to get my hands on (some of) it. A competition page on Xbox.com…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Throw Four Korg DS-10’s Together, You Got Yourself A Hoedown

  Last month, four Australians got together at a record label party. Each had a copy of the Korg DS-10 synthesiser for the Nintendo DS. The four joined forces, improvised then rocked out. You can catch an mp3 of the event – IF Records’ 13th birthday party – here. Not the greatest of tunes, I know…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Law Firms Setting Up Video Game Teams

  Games are getting bigger. As they get bigger, they become big business. And as they become big business, they attract lawsuits, and lawsuits attract lawyers. Video game lawyers. The LA Times have an interesting article up about how many of America’s biggest law firms have, in recognition of both the specialist needs and increasing size…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Get Game & Watch On Your iPhone (Before Lawyers Take It Down)

  No way in hell Nintendo will ever put games on the iPhone. Not even Game & Watch ones. Which is why, we guess, Mobile 1UP have stepped in and done the next best thing. These “developers” have ported bootleg versions of four classic G&W titles and made them available in the iTunes Store: GW Parachute,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Japanese TV Networks Afraid Of The Big Bad Wii Video Service

  As you know, Nintendo are teaming up with Japanese ad agency Dentsu to launch a video service on the Wii next year. Japanese Wii owners are intrigued. Japanese TV networks, however? They’re afraid. A senior executive at Fuju Television – the biggest network in Japan – says that if the Wii was able to become…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  You’ll Need Teamwork To Finish This Left 4 Dead Tank

  Left 4 Dead is scary. Paper? Not so scary. But paper folded to appear as though the paper takes the form of Left 4 Dead’s scariest bad guy, THE TANK? OK. That’s…scary enough. You can download a pack containing the outlines and instructions here. [4chan]

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Gears Of War 2 Figures Grant Your Chainsaw Diorama Wishes

  While NECA’s first lines of Gears of War figures lagged badly behind the release of the original game, their third line – featuring Gears of War 2 characters – is a little more punctual. Series 3 will comprise 6 figures: a new Marcus Fenix, a COG soldier and three Locust (Theron Palace Guard, Grappler and…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Banned 360 Commercial: The Auditions

  Waaay back in 2005, this European commercial was minted to help promote the launch of the Xbox 360. It was promptly banned for encouraging violent behaviour. The ad’s auditions, however, aren’t anywhere near as troubling. Click to view XBox Commercial Audition – watch more funny videos

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Well, At Least Microsoft Are Using Home

  After the first few days, how many of you are still using Home? Hands up? Yeah. That’s what I thought. Ah well. Hey, Sony, look on the bright side; at least Microsoft are using it! A program instituted by Portsmouth University in the UK – aimed at cutting the cost of travel and communications for…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 2, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Rock Band’s January Lineup Includes Roy Orbison, Lenny Kravitz & Steve Miller Band

  Someone’s accidentally posted most of Rock Band’s January DLC lineup on the game’s forums. Oops. The listings were quickly taken down but, like an elephant, the internet never forgets. Seems we have at least three bands lined up for the month. As we reported last month, Roy Orbison is coming to the game, and the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 1, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Americans Spent 2008 Playing World Of Warcraft, PlayStation 2 Games

  We get a fair idea of which games sell the most. But what about the games we play the most? Little harder to quantify. That hasn’t stopped surveyors Nielsen from trying to find out! According to their “best of 2008” lists – which record stuff like the ten highest-grossing movies, biggest-selling albums, etc – America’s…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 1, 2009
• Uncategorized

  Kotaku’s Most Read and Commented Stories of 2008

  We’ve given you the site’s most popular videos, features and reporting, but what single story was the most read on Kotaku in 2008. And which story elicited the most comments? Surprise! The most popular involves nudity! Most Read Playboy’s Jo Garcia Pwns Wii Fit Girl Nintendo Announce New DS: The Nintendo DSi The Top 50…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 1, 2009