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Podcast: GTA V, Wii U, Next-Gen Consoles

Is Grand Theft Auto V the best game ever or just the best game ever? Can Nintendo save the Wii U? What does “next-gen” actually mean? A few months ago, right after E3, Kirk and I put together an impromptu podcast. Kotaku readers seemed to like it, so we’re bringing it back. Starting today, we’re…

Here’s what’s going on Talk Among Yourselves, our reader-written blog: It’s a SnackTAYku Interbational smackdown! Zarnyx and Supergeek each offer up takes on dim sum houses in their native Trinidad and Netherlands. Readers also get GiantBoyDetective’s review of PS3 platformer Puppeteer And you can always go join the voices talking about video games and life…

The First Great Mobile Japanese Action RPG Is Getting A Sequel

Released in early 2010, EXE-Create’s Japanese action role-playing game Across Age was a turning point in my mobile gaming career — the moment I realized that the types of games I really loved would soon be in my pocket. Across Age II is coming this winter, and I’m positively giddy. The only real issue I…

28 Minutes Of GTA V‘s Stolen Planes, Tanks And Selfies

The original plan was simple. Drive to the airfield and take the plane Trevor uses to run drugs and show off flying in GTAV. Unfortunately, I forgot that I had landed that plane in the middle of the highway and abandoned it. Plan B: Go to the airport and steal a private jet. What could…

Grand Theft Auto V’s iPhone App Is Like a Gangsta Nintendogs

It’s all the rage for AAA console games to have smartphone apps that hook into the main console game. So, yeah, GTA V has one, too. But, at least Rockstar Games isn’t taking theirs too seriously. Here’s how iFruit is described on the Apple App Store: “How would we survive without apps? Apps can transform…

If Any Game Needs A Remake, It’s Mutant League Football

For a game that spawned a cartoon spin-off, a comic book and an action figure line, there’s been no activity at all on the Mutant League Football front since the game was released on the Sega Genesis back in 1993. Do you want to bring it back? That’s what game creator Michael Mendheim would like…

Looks Like We’re Getting A Sweet New Documentary About Retro Gaming

Above is the five-minute official trailer for Man vs Snake, which tells the story of Tim McVey, the first person ever to reach more than one billion points in an arcade game—on a single quarter, of course. The film’s creators launched a Kickstarter campaign last month which, fortunately, managed to reach its goal, meaning that…

The Story of How Grand Theft Auto Almost Didn’t Happen

Early, discarded concepts and unplayable builds line the arduous history of the first top-down GTA game. This video, from The Guardian, invites us to take a break from waiting for GTA V, grab a cup of tea, and listen to the story of how this legendary series got started. Have a look at the clip…

It’s Almost Like Baldur’s Gate and Wizardry Had A Turn-Based Baby

Spanish indie group Numantian Games is crowdfunding an old-school 2D isometric RPG (with first-person, turn-based battles)—it’s called Lords of Xulima, and it’s well on its way to release. It just needs a little bit of polishing first. Yep, this campaign’s one of those “our game is just about ready but we’d like money for some…

Terraria 1.2 Is Still Coming, Guys, Honestly

It was meant to be out in July. We’re obviously well past that, but Terraria’s big 1.2 update on the PC now has a release date, and that date is October 1.

I Like How These Video Game Cars Break

Bugbear are the team behind the Flatout series, which were games built around the idea of smashing cars into scrap. So of course their next project has a great tech demo showing how the video game cars of tomorrow can be smashed into nothingness. It starts slow, but stick with it. Things get progressively destructive…

Thanks For A Fun Weekend! Crabtree Out.

Thanks for hanging out this weekend, Kotaku! It’s been real. And a big thanks to the other Kotaku editors who faithfully make this thing happen every week and still took the time to help me out. Them’s good apples. Feel free to hit me up on Twitter @DanRCrabtree anytime. I have so much more to…

Welcome Back Space Games. I’ve Missed You.

My growing years were dominated by space flight games. X-Wing, Tie Fighter, Elite, Wing Commander, Privateer. It’s been a sad, lonely gaming existence without them over the past decade or so, so it’s just the best to see the genre making a spirited comeback. Star Citizen looks great, CCP’s EVE shooteris a dream come true…

We Fell In And Out Of Love With Niko

I’d never played a Grand Theft Auto before. I mean, I understood the draw, but ever since I’d played Mafia, I felt no beckon to follow The Sopranos through an open-world Manhattan de-make. Wise guy this, blip-blap that. The whole rigamarole sounded like a chore, really. On top of that, my new girrrrrrrrlfriend and I…

A Most Unexpected Cosplay Gallery

You know, normally, our weekly cosplay roundup features costumes from series like Final Fantasy, or Assassin’s Creed, or Zelda. This week is a welcome change, though, because it’s going to feature some stuff I never dreamed I’d get the chance to feature here. Like Warhammer. And…Ace Ventura. The Warhammer one is just incredible. It’s from…

One Of The World’s Best Developers Is Down To 17 Staff

Criterion, the guys behind the Burnout series and the good Need For Speed games (not the movie), are going through what you could call a transitional period. Like, there’s hardly anyone actually working there anymore. But that’s not a bad thing. Criterion creative director Alex Ward Tweeted over the weekend: Ward says that, with most…

Today, I’m Either 2,718th Or 1st. It’s Up To The Hackers.

In a single day, I became one the best Angry Birds Star Wars players in the world — 8th overall. Today, I’m either 2,718th or 1st. It’s up to the hackers. One of my co-worker’s kids, Vincent, calls me “The Video Game Man.” He’s never read a thing I’ve written (he’s 7) or asked me…

The Braid of First-Person Shooters Is Totally Free

Indie developers can be just the best. Like, for instance, when Piotr Iwanicki and and Blue Brick crew (not a ’70s funk band, by the way) made Superhot in a 7 Day FPS Challenge, then refined it a bit, and then posted it online for free. And it’s brilliant. Kotaku AU describes Superhot as “like…

NFL Sunday Ticket Fails For The Second Week In A Row

It happened last week, and it’s happening again today: the NFL Sunday Ticket, which is supposed to let you watch any NFL game on your computer or mobile device, is failing for some customers across the country. What a mess. Included with copies of Madden 25 for $100, the NFL Sunday Ticket package promised to…

DLC Explained In A Disney Nutshell

I feel like I could sing along to this DLC dub-jam from Destructoid blogger and YouTuber Genki-JAM (aka SMNtoob) without even knowing the words. Yes, it’s partly because I’ve watched Aladdin more times than I’ve played Super Mario RPG (we’re talking double digits, here), but also because of the salient, underlying truths bolstering this satire.…