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Putting A New Face On Sudoku’s Ancient Ancestor
One of the world’s most ancient math puzzles, the magic square has traditionally been a numbers game. Electrical engineer Lee Sallows gives the ancient construct shape, creating an entirely new sort of puzzle in the process. If you’ve played Sudoku, then you’re familiar with the concept of the magic square. It’s a grid filled with…
By Mike Fahey Published January 24, 2011 -
Wizard and ToyFare Print Editions Shut Down
The print versions of ToyFare and Wizard magazine, which used to be the dominant publication about mainstream American comics, are no more. Wizard will resurface next month as an online publication called Wizard World, according to Newsarama
By Stephen Totilo Published January 24, 2011 -
Geomagic Gallery
By Mike Fahey Published January 24, 2011 -
The Pope Would Like You To Be Yourself Online
Pope Benedict XVI warned against “excessive exposure to the virtual world” in a statement released by the Vatican today. And he advised people to avoid giving “in to the illusion of constructing an artificial public persona for oneself.” The 83-year-old Pope didn’t name his favorite social networks, but the head of the Catholic Church may…
By Stephen Totilo Published January 24, 2011 -
Excitebike’s Bikes Weren’t All That Exciting, Were They?
In 1985 Nintendo kept North American children glued to their consoles via the magic of poorly designed motocross bikes. We were so stupid back then. Trying to apply real-world logic to classic video games is silly. They weren’t built for realism back then. They were a form of easy entertainment, and sometimes developers had to…
By Mike Fahey Published January 24, 2011 -
One Year After Red Dead Redemption, It Will Be Time For L.A. Noire
Rockstar Game’s next game, as ambitious as its last one, will be out in late May, according to a just-released new trailer. L.A. Noire goes on sale May 17. The trailer and the date leaked this past weekend, but the trailer quickly got pulled from the web. It’s officially out now and we can show…
By Stephen Totilo Published January 24, 2011 -
Game of the Year 2010: The Readers’ Choice Award
Capturing more than 12,000 of the nearly 30,000 votes cast in our Game of the Year poll, this cross-platform game captured Kotaku’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Award. No, it’s not Red Dead Redemption. Congratulations to Mass Effect 2, which earned more than 40 percent of the total votes for game of the year. Call of Duty:…
By Brian Crecente Published January 24, 2011 -
The Nintendo Download Delivers Hot Girl-On-Girl-On-Skates Action
Have you ever wondered why there aren’t more officially licensed female roller derby video games? Jam City Rollergirls for WiiWare is here to help. Frozen Codebase fills a gap many of us didn’t realize existed today with the release of Jam City Rollergirls, the first official roller derby console game I can personally recall without…
By Mike Fahey Published January 24, 2011 -
Nintendo Download Gallery
Jam City Rollergirls Publisher: Frozen Codebase Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Mild Violence Price: 1,000 Wii Points Description: Blast off into the wild world of roller derby. Lace up your skates and join up with real-life roller derby teams the Texecutioners, Dairyland Dolls, Brewcity Bruisers, Rat…
By Mike Fahey Published January 24, 2011 -
Stop This Senseless Video Game Console War
Why do we scream at each other? That’s what commenter Manly McBeeferton wants to know in today’s Speak-Up on Kotaku, recalling a simpler time when we used to play video games instead of arguing about them. Hardcore. Casuals. Gamers. Lend me your ear. It’s time to put a stop to console wars. It’s time to…
By Mike Fahey Published January 24, 2011 -
Gaming Skills May Have Saved This Man’s Life
When a semi-truck carrying 30 metric tons of sand jackknifed through the concrete barrier into oncoming traffic on Ontario’s Highway 401 Friday morning, driver Matthew Krizsan narrowly escaped what might have been a fatal accident. Krizsan and a female companion were driving along the highway on Friday morning with a dashboard-mounted video camera running when…
By Mike Fahey Published January 24, 2011 -
Nintendo’s Big, Pricey Bet on 3D
Would you pay $250 for 3D gaming, movie watching and picture taking you can carry in your pocket? That’s the question Nintendo is gambling on this spring when it rolls out its latest in a long a series of what has been traditionally incredible popular portable gaming consoles. The 3DS hits the U.S. on March…
By Brian Crecente Published January 24, 2011 -
I Want You For The Weekend
Not me. The dancing tiger. Look at him get down! Attended a Buddhist “hoji” (or memorial service for Mrs. Bashcraft’s deceased grandfather) on Sunday in Himeji, Japan. Osaka and Himeji are only like an hour and a half by car, so it wasn’t too far. It was a nice service and a nice lunch, but…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Gal☆Gun Escapes, Underpants Seemingly In Tact
After checking out creepy cute shooter Gal☆Gun at last year’s Tokyo Game Show, Kotaku could safely confirm that the game was wall-to-wall underpants. Then, there were concerns those underpants were killed off. Now? Now it seems that they’ve returned to the on-rails shooters. The game has players blast pheromones at an onslaught of female admirers.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Xbox 360 Hostess Game Helps To Ring In Akihabara’s Return
This past Sunday, Akihabara was re-opened to foot traffic, two-and-a-half years after a brutal killing spree that left seven dead. This weekend, folks came to pay their respects, and folks came to celebrate the return of “pedestrian’s paradise”. As thousands of otaku poured out on the main drag in Tokyo’s geek mecca Akihabara, the folks…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Over 800 Children Herded Together For Handheld Gaming
If anyone wonders what a gathering of 800 people playing portable game consoles look like, it looks like this. Because that’s exactly what happened this weekend in Odawara City in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture. At the city’s shopping center Dyna-City, a meet-up kicked off for “playing handheld gaming consoles at the same time”. In a space…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 24, 2011 -
Professor Layton’s Puzzles Paid For This Stadium
Well, it’s name. Fans of professional American sports will be used to seeing stadiums named after companies. Insurance companies, banking companies, telecommunications companies. It’s a shame, then, that unlike in Japan, none of them are named after video game developers. Hakata no mori Stadium, in Fukuoka, has that honour, as since 2008 it’s been known…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 24, 2011