-
Nintendo’s New Voice Recognition Software Being Tested in Japan
Nintendo is working with mobile phone carrier NTT on new voice recognition tech that can convert spoken words into text. The tech is aimed at students with disabilities. Words are converted to text, and the data is stored and accessed through the cloud, allowing students to also review and study later as well as see…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
How a Mickey Mouse Parody Killed a Fan Game
In Japan, “doujin” titles are the video game equivalent of fan fiction. A very, very small percentage of doujin game developers go pro. The vast majority is confided to making fandom for fun. Because of that, many Japanese game companies look the other way. Disney is not a Japanese game company, and Disney is so…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
Is This the Smallest Game Boy Ever Made?
The original Game Boy was big enough to fit in an enormous pocket. This Game Boy is big enough—make that, small enough—to clean your teeth. Measuring 0.02mm by 0.1mm, this Game Boy cannot play video games of course, but it does have drawn on buttons and a screen. It’s smaller than a one yen coin…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
A Shirtless Man Holding Large, Pointy Objects
Elffi is the pride of Finnish cosplay. The 23 year-old, who is currently studying business management, represented his country at the World Cosplay Summit in Japan—which is like the Olympics of cosplay. Whether it’s Final Fantasy: Dissidia or Bleach, Elffi finds a way to bring these Japanese creations to life by either taking off his…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
Everything About This Game Is So Buddhist!
Professional game artist Richmond Lee Chaisiri grew up in a Buddhist household in Thailand, a devout Buddhist nation. So what’s Buddhist about Asura’s Wrath? Everything! The Characters, the environments, the ultra violence, the cosmic scope, the super powers, the anime hair…All of it! Let’s begin the tour! Exhibit 1 – The Story Asura’s Wrath tells…
Richmond Lee | Art-Eater Published January 30, 2012 -
This Wind Waker Sequel Doesn’t Exist. But Its Trailer is Awesome.
Canadian animator Joel Furtado wants to see Nintendo make a sequel to Wind Waker. In HD. Since they’re likely to do no such thing, he went and made his own trailer for the dream project. Called The Legend of Zelda: The Lost Oracle, it looks…well, for a guy working on this for fun in his…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2012 -
Playing Against Napoleon Dynamite on Xbox Live Needs Less Quizzing, More Tater Tots
Famous people are just like you and me. They put on pants one leg at a time. Some of them love video games and enjoy mixing it up on Xbox Live. But the vast majority of them don’t advertise their superstar online. Though, some celebrities have such recognizable voices, that the moment they open their…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
Link, You’re Going to Need a Bigger Sword
The irrepressible Dan Hipp inadvertently spoils the ending of the Zelda movie that never existed with this epic image. That or it’s suggesting that the Wii U can handle a lot more enemies on-screen than the Wii could. A lot more. MISTERHIPP: …LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED. [Mr. Hipp]
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2012 -
This Custom Portal 2 Toy Has Its Eye on You
The work of custom toy creator Christian Hooton is no stranger to Kotaku. Whether it’s StarCraft or Portal, Hooton’s craftsmanship dazzles. Check out his latest creation: a 7-inch Portal 2 Wheatley light-up toy. Hooton worked about a month to finish the Wheatley, which is made from lightweight plastic and has a moveable center “eye” that…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2012 -
The Very Best In Cosplay: Eric Ng
When you look at cosplay photos here on Fancy Pants, the cosplayers themselves are only half the project. Sure, with their craftsmanship and modelling they’re the focus, but if nobody was around to take their picture, then it’d all be for naught! So today’s instalment of my little celebration of the very best in cosplay…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2012 -
It’s a Proper Game of Thrones: Season Two Trailer
Oh boy oh boy oh boy
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2012 -
Mod Makes Mass Effect on PC Look Absolutely Incredible
Mods can make Skyrim look better. They can make Grand Theft Auto look better. They can make, well, just about any PC game look better. Including Mass Effect A man by the name of JeanLuc761 has made a high-resolution texture pack for Mass Effect 1 & 2 that takes the series’ relatively-muddy original textures and…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2012 -
Let’s Take the New Steam Mobile App for a Spin!
With the new Steam mobile app (yes!) currently only available in beta form (no!), many of you probably can’t actually access it. Never mind. This video is the next best thing. This video was also recorded on my shitty old digital camera (my iPhone’s lovely HD recording obviously unavailable because…that’s where the Steam app is),…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2012 -
The iPad’s Unofficial Take on Wind Waker is Looking Great
I’m not normally one to get that excited over iOS games, especially ones in development, but then Oceanhorn isn’t like most other iOS games, because most iOS games aren’t like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker I know, looking forward to this clone while lambasting others make my a hypocrite, but fuck it. Wind Waker…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 30, 2012 -
What it Looks Like When 999 People Play a Video Game at Once
If you remember 2011, there was an ambitious idea to build a first-person shooter in which 1000 people could play against each other. Well, over the weekend that game – Man vs Machine – gave the 1000-player mark a damn good shake. Sadly, it “only” managed 999 players at once, but really, I’m sure a…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2012 -
Piracy is the Only Thing Keeping Many Old Video Games Alive
Pirating new video games is a crime. But there’s long been a rather grey area around the piracy of old games. And when I say old, I don’t mean 2008 old. I mean 1988 old. Sure, the blockbusters turn up on services like Nintendo’s Virtual Console, and original entries in still-running franchises can be bundled…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2012 -
Man Turns Office Into Aperture Science Waiting Room
Reader Adam is rightfully very proud of his new Portal-themed room, which doesn’t just look like a part of the series’ Aperture Science, it acts like it as well. That Cave Johnson portrait? It’s not a print, it’s actually a hand-painted original. That test chamber panel? It’s not just a picture, it lights up, just…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2012 -
Skyrim Valentines Day Cards Remove the Need for Bards
This Valentines Day, let that special someone in your life show them how much you really care, by giving them a card that actually shows they’ll always be #2 behind The Elder Scrolls series. Jemma Salume is the artist behind these adorable cards, which while dabbling in established memes, also go the other way and…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2012 -
Mario’s Fire Flowers are Too Dangerous for Real Humans
Internet magician Freddie Wong shows why the fire flowers of the Mushroom Kingdom are not the fire flowers of Planet Earth. We simply cannot handle that kind of power in three dimensions. Or with our highly flammable clothing.
By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2012