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Midweek Moneysaver: Bundle Up
This Wednesday edition of Kotaku’s The Moneysaver catches all the offers, promotions and bargains that can’t wait until the weekend. The Midweek Moneysaver is brought to you by Dealzon. Software Amazon PC digital bundles • Desert to Sea Bundle – BioShock, BioShock 2 & Spec Ops: The Line is $9.99 (3 downloads, separately $45) •…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2013 -
Nintendo and the Cult of Personality
Mario. Link. Donkey Kong. These are the faces of Nintendo. But those aren’t the only Nintendo icons. There’s also this guy This guy is Satoru Iwata. He is the President of Nintendo Co., Ltd. Chances are, however, if you like Nintendo games and Nintendo game news, Iwata is more than just a corporate suit. Way…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2013 -
Can You Spot the Error in This Temple Run 2 Menu?
Osbervant reader Jon has been playing Temple Run 2 on his Android device since it launched last week and didn’t notice the error on this menu screen until last night. I didn’t notice it until he pointed it out, so he wins. I point out the error not to call out Imangi Studios’ tiny team…
By Mike Fahey Published January 30, 2013 -
Anti-Censorship Group Scolds Massachusetts Over Arcade Game Removals
Gamers have good reason for feeling beat up as the American conversation on gun violence seems to lurch inevitably toward scary scary video games as a scapegoat. The Entertainment Consumers Association—the voice of the gamers—went to Washington last week and came back convinced that lawmakers have made up their minds about games as a culprit.…
By Owen Good Published January 30, 2013 -
The Beautiful Short Film Disney Showed Before Wreck-It-Ralph
Posted online yesterday, this gorgeous Oscar-nominated short, directed by John Kahrs, is well worth your time. If you saw Wreck-It-Ralph in theaters, you might have seen this already. If not… well, what are you waiting for? Paperman – Full Animated Short Film [YouTube]
By Jason Schreier Published January 30, 2013 -
Lordy, The Last of Us Art Book Is Scary Beautiful
The Last of Us comes out on May 7th and there’s still lots of mystery surrounding the post-apocalyptic world of Naughty Dog’s upcoming PS3 game. A few glimpses of The Last of Us‘ ruined world have surfaced but you’ll get a chance to get a deep look at the making of the game’s ravaged world,…
By Evan Narcisse Published January 30, 2013 -
It Doesn’t Get Much More Social Than a Game That Teaches You How to Flirt
You’re an alien from a distant planet, sent to Earth to harness the most powerful force in the universe, generated by a Living Organism’s Volatile Emotions—LOVE. That’s the strangest backstory for a dating simulator I’ve ever heard. It’s the backstory to Flirt Planet, a social game aimed at helping awkward internet denizens learn social interactions…
By Mike Fahey Published January 30, 2013 -
The Launch Commercial For Skulls of the Shogun Has A Morbid Twist
Children die. I promise that isn’t as horrible as it sounds. This commercial for Skulls of the Shogun, a turn-based strategy game that came out on Xbox Live today, is actually kinda great. Dead children and all.
By Jason Schreier Published January 30, 2013 -
I’m going to get this shirt for my cat.
By Tina Amini Published January 30, 2013 -
This Is How Lucasfilm Convinced J.J. Abrams To Direct Star Wars
After the J.J. Abrams news broke out, a lot of folks were in shock—wait, he’s going to direct both Star Trek and Star Wars? And, more importantly, didn’t J.J. say he wasn’t going to do Star Wars, anyway? What happened; how was he convinced? In a profile about Kathleen Kennedy, The Hollywood Reporter reveals that…
By Patricia Hernandez Published January 30, 2013 -
There Is A Gorgeous Warcraft Mod In The Works For Starcraft II
We probably won’t see Warcraft IV soon, but with Starcraft II‘s map editor and with enough time anyone can create something similar. Members of the New Dawn team are in the middle of it, and this developer video shows a really atmospheric preview. Orcs, murlocks and zeppelins fight each other amidst only a few remaining…
By Gergo Vas Published January 30, 2013 -
How Gaming Helps Me Get Over My Fear Of Flying
My Apple iPad 2. Crisp display with a density of 132 ppi. Reacts to multi-touch gestures. Contains accelerometer, gyroscope. Reacts to involuntary shakes in hands. Enough battery life to last the majority of a cross country flight. Reacts poorly to excessive, clammy sweating. Does not register uncontrolled clenching of fists/jaw. Eight-megapixel front-facing camera accurately captures…
By Holden Miller Published January 30, 2013 -
Video Games Are ‘A Bigger Problem Than Guns,’ Says Actual U.S. Senator
On MSNBC today, U.S. senator Lamar Alexander (a Tennessee Republican) set a new benchmark for insanity by claiming that games are worse than guns. “I think video games is a bigger problem than guns, because video games affect people,” he told host Chuck Todd. Once again, this is an actual U.S. senator. An actual senator…
By Jason Schreier Published January 30, 2013 -
FarmVille 2 Animal Mastery: Everything You Need to Know
Crop mastery has long been a staple of FarmVille 2. But farmers have never had that same “master them all” incentive to continue tending to animals if they no longer need their resources. That all changes with this week’s addition of animal mastery to the game. Your hard work and dedication will be rewarded with…
by Brandy Shaul | Games.com Published January 30, 2013 -
Let the launch trailer for psychedelic first-person adventure Antichamber mess with your mind.
By Evan Narcisse Published January 30, 2013 -
Splinter Cell: Blacklist: A Pleasing, If Somewhat Hollow, Return To Form
The more venerable and successful a video-game series, the trickier it must be to make sequels. Fans who have been around since the beginning likely start feeling a bit put-out about changes made over the years, changes that welcomed the very newcomers who might balk at an old-school return to form. That conundrum certainly seems…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 30, 2013 -
Arranger Is Like A Musical Zelda Meets Psychonauts
If you’ve been paying attention to our burgeoning mobile coverage, you can’t have missed talk of Arranger, an iOS game by musician Arman Bohn from a few months ago that recently got an updated iPad version. (That’s the one I’ve been playing: it works really well on iPad.) Arranger is a retro-themed musical RPG. I’ve…
By Kirk Hamilton Published January 30, 2013 -
Say Hello To Kotaku‘s Most Far-Flung Editors (And Team NYC)
Last month we had Kirk, Owen and Fahey visit us at headquarters from their respective US cities. This month Luke and Ash visited from Australia and Japan, respectively, and of course I made sure to get our group picture in after our team dinner last night. We had kangaroo. Sorry Luke. Oh, and, Kirk’s ghost…
By Tina Amini Published January 30, 2013