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CultureShop Contest‘Shop Contest: Photo Bombing Pokémon Snap
New Pokémon Snap is out! That means my Twitter feed is currently filled with cute Pokémon photos. It’s honestly a nice change of pace. But let’s have some fun with these Pokemon photos! Your challenge this week: Add some non-Pokémon creatures or characters to Pokémon Snap images! Who or what can you add to these…
By Zack Zwiezen Published May 2, 2021 -
CultureMicrosoft Looked Into Reducing Its Xbox Store Cut From 30% To 12% [Update]
According to internal documents filed in the ongoing Epic Games vs Apple case, Microsoft has plans to reduce its cut on digital downloads on the Xbox console store from 30% to 12%. Found in court documents, first spotted by The Verge, Microsoft shares various information and data about its digital storefronts on Windows 10 and…
By Zack Zwiezen Published May 2, 2021 -
CultureSplitscreenThe Matrix Online Died 12 Years Ago, But Fans Are Still Keeping It Alive
Nothing lasts forever. Neither you nor I, and especially not video games. Despite the promise of digital immortality, recent games have suffered the slings and arrows of content being retired, servers getting sunsetted, and entire storefronts falling away into the sea. Oh, and who could forget the tragic death of Mario, who this year’s Oscar…
By Nathan Grayson Published April 30, 2021 -
CultureThe Nintendo Download: Oh Snap
There are only 19 games coming to the Nintendo Switch over the next week, but don’t be sad. One of them is New Pokémon Snap, another is R-Type Final 2, and none of them is sexy anime mah-jong. Actually, I can’t guarantee that none of this week’s releases are sexy mah-jong, but I’m pretty sure.…
By Mike Fahey Published April 29, 2021 -
CulturePlease Enjoy These Fake Nintendo Games That Should Also Be Real Nintendo Games
As it has managed every year since 2005, even through global pandemics, Japanese game store Meteor is once again holding its annual Famicase exhibit where it asks artists from around the world to submit their original designs for Famicom cases. Cases for games that don’t actually exist. We’ve been covering the exhibit for 14 years now,…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 28, 2021 -
ReviewsSwitchNew Pokémon Snap: The Kotaku Review
After 21 years, gaming’s least violent on-rails shooter triumphantly returns to usher in a new generation of Pokémon paparazzi. New Pokémon Snap adds layers of complexity to the monster photo safari without straying too far from what made the original so damn lovable. New Pokémon Snap tasks you with helping Professor Mirror and his research…
By Mike Fahey Published April 28, 2021 -
CultureEarth Defense Force 2 Coming To Nintendo Switch In Japan
This summer, Earth Defense Force 2 will be released in Japan under the title Earth Defense Force 2 for Nintendo Switch. Clever! The game is based on the PlayStation Vita’s Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders From Planet Space, which was a remake of 2005’s Global Defense Force. Soon, folks can shoot up giant insects on…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 28, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsA Golden Wii Made For Queen Elizabeth II Is Now For Sale
Back in 2009, as part of a publicity stunt for… Big Family Games, publisher THQ commissioned the creation of a golden Nintendo Wii, and had it delivered to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II The Queen likely never received the console—as outlined in this excellent episode of People Make Games—but it did eventually find its way…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 27, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanJapanese Pop Star Teams Up With Square Enix For Some Fancy CG
Koichi Domoto, one half of the Japanese boy band Kinki Kids, has roped in Square Enix for his upcoming solo album Playful. It’s Domoto’s first standalone project in six years, and the album also comes with a bonus short movie. So far, there have been a handful of teasers released, allowing fans to see how…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 27, 2021 -
CultureSuper Mario Party Finally Gets New Online Play In Free Update
After nearly two and a half years, Super Mario Party is getting new online play options in a free update When the game first launched in October 2018, it did have online—albeit in a rather limited form as only a small number of the mini-games could be enjoyed. With today’s update, Nintendo is beefing up…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 27, 2021 -
CultureThe Week In Games: Pokémon Paparazzi
New Pokemon Snap is out later this week on the Nintendo Switch. So grab your camera and get ready to snap some photos of Pokémon while singing Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi. I’ll be busy playing Returnal on PS5, but I will get around to New Pokemon Snap eventually. However, will it still be new by the…
By Zack Zwiezen Published April 25, 2021 -
CultureShop Contest‘Shop Contest: Lego Luigi
After a few early leaks, Nintendo and Lego officially confirmed that Lego Luigi is coming to joining his Lego brother in block jumping adventures. Sounds like a fun Photoshop contest to me! Your challenge this week: Share Lego Luigi with the world! Sure, Lego Luigi doesn’t come out until August, but we can have fun…
By Zack Zwiezen Published April 25, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanOpening Osaka’s Super Nintendo World Last Month Seems Like A Mistake
On March 18, Shigeru Miyamoto appeared at the Super Nintendo World opening at Universal Studios Japan. For the photos, he seems to have briefly removed his mask, which was probably safe. However, in light of the ensuing state of emergency, the photos reflect poorly on the seriousness of the pandemic, especially now it’s been announced…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 23, 2021 -
CultureThe Nintendo Download: It’s Picross Day, Motherpuzzlers
Another Thursday, another 35+ new games for the Nintendo Switch. This week one of those games is Picross S6. The rest of them? Shantae? MotoGP 21? Dungholes? Not nearly as important. It must be hard being a Nintendo Switch game released the same day as a new installment of math deduction puzzler Picross. It doesn’t…
By Mike Fahey Published April 22, 2021 -
CultureBehold, A Little Pikachu Photo Printer From Nintendo And Fujifilm
Nintendo and Fujifilm have joined forces for a small printer called Instax Mini Link for Nintendo Switch Smartphone Printer. As PetaPixel and the official release explains, the printer makes it possible to print out in-game images, and is based on Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Link smartphone printer, but with added Switch-themed red-and-blue accents. There’s also a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 22, 2021 -
ReviewsBacklogClock Tower Is Creepy As Hell For A Super Nintendo Game
I had one simple reason for playing 1995 survival horror classic Clock Tower decades after its original release: I didn’t want to be a poser anymore. Clock Tower first became a personal brain worm of mine thanks to an episode of GameCenter CX (which you can still check out right here on Kotaku). Watching comedian…
By Ian Walker Published April 21, 2021 -
CultureHOLD IT! The Great Ace Attorney Games Are Finally Getting Released Outside Japan
Time to brush up on your jurisprudence, y’all, because today Capcom announced The Great Ace Attorney games are finally being released outside of Japan. Dubbed The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles. The collection features both Ace Attorney spin-offs, The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures and The Great Ace Attorney: Resolve, which will come to the PS4, Nintendo…
By Ash Parrish Published April 21, 2021 -
CultureOdds and Ends8-Bit Theater Avoids Final Fantasy Copyrights With 20th Anniversary Script Book
From 2001 to 2009, writer Brian Clevinger of Atomic Robo fame produced a hilarious webcomic called 8-Bit Theater, which follows the misadventures of a dysfunctional adventuring party. Unfortunately, that adventuring party is comprised of Final Fantasy game sprites, so Clevinger can’t reprint them without getting sued to hell by Square Enix. That is unless he…
By Mike Fahey Published April 21, 2021
