Nintendo

These Critics Can’t Quite Decide Whether to Love or Hate Game & Wario

Some thought it disappointingly shallow where others had an unusual, but ultimately enjoyable experience. Nintendo’s latest Wario-themed Wii U-exclusive assortment of quirky and highly imaginative minigames, Game & Wario, is unquestionably divisive. The minigames themselves got a lot of complaints, and were said to be a mixed bag concerning quality and depth, but Game &…

“What The F**k Kind Of Game Is Earthbound?”

The following is an excerpt from Earthbound, Ken Baumann’s upcoming book about Nintendo’s cult classic 1994 RPG. “I mean, you have to pray to beat an emotion!” Scott laughs. “Yeah.” “How did this game get made?” • It’s hard for me to reconcile EarthBound with any video games I’ve played since. Most games traffic in…

This Yakuza Ad Is Awesome Even if You Don’t Speak Japanese

Everybody from Kotaku East is asleep right now. So I don’t have the benefit of their multilingual skills when it comes to translating this advert for the HD re-master of Sega’s first two Yakuza games. The language barrier is no real obstacle here, however. I can tell that things start off sweet and then get…

On June 26, Nintendo is holding a Pikmin 3 Direct for Japan. It will feature a special guest: comedian and filmmaker Hitoshi Matsumoto.

How To Compose A Great Town Theme Song In Animal Crossing: New Leaf

I am head over heels for the Animal Crossing: New Leaf soundtrack. Kazumi Totaka’s music is so graceful and sparse, relying as much on suggestion and space as it does on melody. But one of the best musical aspects of the game is the one you can compose for yourself. Early in the game, you’ll…

Nintendo Fans Fight To Get 3DS And Wii U Region-Free

If 2012 was the year of Kickstarter, 2013 is the year of the fan petition. Following in the footsteps of the successful #PS4NoDRM campaign, a number of passionate Nintendo fans are setting out to get the Wii U and 3DS region-free. Nintendo’s current consoles are region-locked, meaning that you can only use each one to…

This Real Life Version of Super Smash Bros. Looks Rad, Sounds Catchy

If you’ve ever wondered what brawling Smash-style would be like in real life, well, turns out it looks pretty dang fun. At least, it does in Screen Team‘s music video of the song “SMASH,” which includes not only franchise veterans like Mario, but also newcomers like Wii Fit Trainer and Mega Man duking it out.…

Find Out How Many Creators of this Game Are Female Or Hate Peas

The credits in the new Nintendo game Game & Wario are as weird as the rest of the game, but they’re also possibly the best credits ever. They serve a serious, modern purpose. And they make some good jokes. The serious purpose: they break the team down by job focus (directors, programmers, producers, etc.) and…

Game & Wario: The Kotaku Review

Are there insane people working at Nintendo HQ? Game & Wario suggests there are. Behold, one of the weirdest pieces of software ever made by the House of Mario, a game that is not a WarioWare game, is not a great game, but is a comedic must-play triumph. If you were a person to have…

Nintendo’s Turn For a 180? ‘Let’s Play’ Drama Might Have Happy Ending

A month ago, Nintendo played the unfeeling corporate villain in an online spat about popular Let’s Play videos and the gamers who make them. A month later, there is evidence of a possible resolution. The most positive sign is that Zack Scott, the popular YouTuber who first raised the alarm about Nintendo cracking down on…

Nintendo President’s Animal Crossing House Is Decorated With His Face

What would you find in Reggie Fils-Aime’s bedroom? Well, we can’t tell you what’s in his real-life bedroom. His Animal Crossing bedroom, however, has bedsheets with his own face on them. Really! Not only that, but in this video tour, Reggie rolls around in those sheets. It’s pretty fantastic, if not a tad ridiculous. Like…

The Real Reason Nintendo Will Never Make A Pokemon MMO

We want it. We have to have it. Our desire for it burns like the heat of a thousand suns, but what would happen if Nintendo did make a Pokemon MMO? Gaming humor site Dorklymay be on to something here. I doubt even Valve’s Gabe Newell could save us. For more sick and twisted video…

An In-Depth Chat With The Genius Behind Super Smash Bros.

Masahiro Sakurai is in pain. The creator of Super Smash Bros. suffers from calcific tendonitis in his right shoulder, and it shows: Sakurai often holds his arms as he talks, and he says he can’t use a regular mouse anymore. It hurts too much. Still, he is cheerful and friendly—if a little subdued—when talking about…

The conversations between the villagers in Animal Crossing: New Leaf never cease to amaze me. Without exception they’re all mildly insane. What’s the weirdest thing an Animal Crossing townsfolk has said to you?

The Solution to the Wii U’s Third-Party Drought? More Nintendo Games.

The Wii U isn’t doing all that well when it comes to third-party support. Many games skipped the console early this year, the latest Rayman got delayed, and the new Call of Duty isn’t guaranteed to be on there, either. Now, Nintendo says they need to strengthen their own Wii U lineup to turn this…

Hope You Weren’t Expecting A New F-Zero Game Anytime Soon

As Nintendo cycles through its back catalogue, we’ve seen the return of everything from Kid Icarus to Donkey Kong. One series that’s remained dormant for a while, though, is F-Zero, and sadly, it seems it’s going to stay that way. “I certainly understand that people want a new F-Zero game,” Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto told…

Nintendo’s E3 Presentation, Now Shorter And With Way More Jokes

Nintendo may not have given an “official” E3 press conference, but that doesn’t mean they skipped the show entirely. If you didn’t get up early enough to watch their Nintendo Direct and its accompanying announcements (or if the lousy feed crapped out), you may be wondering just what they showed. Maybe you’d like to watch…

Shigeru Miyamoto and the Damsel In Distress

Shigeru Miyamoto made Donkey Kong, and, in the process, put a woman on top of some girders for Mario to rescue. His Super Mario and Zelda series perpetually involve saving a princess. If we’re going to talk about women in games, we should talk to him about it, right? Last week, I did. I need…

Nintendo just eliminated the best reason to not buy their newest games digitally. The company’s newest firmware, 6.0.0-11U, now lets you back up game saves for most downloaded games (not Animal Crossing), so you can now delete games to save space without losing your saves. Download away!

Super Mario Theme Song Gets Awesome Rap Lyrics, Courtesy of the Roots

It is my personal opinion that Black Thought is one of the best rappers to ever step to the mic. You may disagree. But, last night, the Roots’ lead vocalist dropped a set of lyrics dedicated to Super Mario Bros. over a re-arranged version of Koji Kondo’s immortal theme song. That definitely makes him an…