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Donkey Kong Country Returns Concept Art
By Michael McWhertor Published January 11, 2011 -
After A Good Ass-Kicking, Actor Finds Solace In His Nintendo DS
In late November, kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa XI got in a scuffle that resulted in the 33-year-old being punched down a flight of stairs and getting his face smashed in. Now, he’s killing time with his Nintendo DS. After drinking with colleagues at a gay bar in Tokyo, Ichikawa went to a member’s-only karaoke club.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 11, 2011 -
The 3DS Will Not Be Banned In China
The Xbox 360 is banned in China. As is the PlayStation 3. In fact, most consoles are banned in the world’s most populous nation, with the exception of a select few. Like the Nintendo 3DS. As it has with previous pieces of hardware — like the DS — Nintendo has been able to secure a…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 11, 2011 -
Arizona Shooter Pegged As ‘Big Video Gamer’ By Classmates
Here we go. Jared Lee Loughner, the Tucson man accused of attempting to kill Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, has been identified as a “big video gamer” by former classmates. Oh, and he really enjoyed reading Mein Kampf. While a YouTube account linked to Loughner doesn’t actually list video games as one of his interests—allegedly, he…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 11, 2011 -
The Best Game Review You’ll See All Day
Even if you’ve never played Super PSTW Action RPG – and it’s a good bet many of you haven’t – you should still watch this review of the flash game. And yes, I said watch, not read. Newgrounds user RicePirate has compiled a typographical video – complete with astounding voice work – bringing a “review”…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 11, 2011 -
From Muskets To Jokers, These Were My Favorite Gaming Moments Of 2010
I had many fond memories playing my way through 2010, but none were as fond as these. In no particular order or preference, below you’ll find my favourite gaming moments from 2010. Some make the list because of their entertainment value, others the satisfaction I derived from getting there, while others still are here because,…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 11, 2011 -
Escape From Las Vegas
Boy are we glad to be back from Las Vegas, where nightly off-topic conversational posts can happen without interference. Care to celebrate with some underwater alcoholism? Or maybe just some good clean commenting fun? Some of us are still recovering from CES indulgences, which were highly caloric. My cleanse, you might call it, will be…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 10, 2011 -
Beauty Is In The Ear Of The Beholder With Turtle Beach’s New Line-up
At CES 2011, Kotaku went ears on with the latest gaming headphones from Turtle Beach. From the inexpensive to the damn that’s expensive, we walked away impressed, particularly with one headset’s ability to expertly handle phone calls and shell casings. That headset would be the Ear Force PX5, a pair of headphones designed with the…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 10, 2011 -
It took a team of physicists all this time to figure out how DVDs work
Though DVDs have been consumer-grade tech for years, it wasn’t until yesterday that scientists announced they were certain why they worked. Now we know that burning a DVD is really more like freezing it. DVD burning image by Filipe La Rotta It’s been well known for decades that if you train a laser onto a…
By Annalee Newitz Published January 10, 2011 -
This Is How Kinect Turns Your Face Into A Talking Avatar
At CES 2011, Microsoft unveiled Avatar Kinect, a new Xbox 360 app that uses the Kinect camera to track your facial expressions for a personalized, glorified chatroom. Just what does Avatar Kinect see? More than you might think. This brief tech demo illustrates how Kinect follows the head and multiple points on a person’s face…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 10, 2011 -
FireHero: Guitar Hero With Actual Giant Flames
It’s been a while since I bothered playing Guitar Hero, but you know what would change that right quick? If each button I pressed lead to a corresponding flame shooting sky-high. That’s the magic of FireHero. And it is incredible. The twisted brainchild of Chris Marion, interfaces a Guitar Hero guitar with a microcontroller, which…
By Brian Barrett Published January 10, 2011 -
Nintendo Wants To Avoid Deadly Game Drought With 3DS
Suffering Nintendo fans may not have to suffer as much with the Nintendo 3DS. The company’s president says that owners of the stereoscopic 3D handheld won’t be twiddling their thumbs waiting for new games for the device. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata tells the Nikkei Keizai Shimbun newspaper that it’s “important that you be able to…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 10, 2011 -
Zombie Snow Apocalypse II
I made it back from Vegas just in time it seems. Now I await the Zombie Snow Apocalypse. What you missed Gaming Still Grabs Some Spotlight at the Consumer Electronics Show Watch The PlayStation Phone Running PSone Games Kinect Brings Broken Bones To A Whole New Audience 4 Videos Of Resident Evil Games Looking Fantastic…
By Brian Crecente Published January 10, 2011 -
Tron-ify Your Team Fortress 2 With Custom Skins, User
Kotaku reader “chandan1014” is taking his entry in last week’s Kotaku ‘Shop Contest to the next level. Now you can enjoy a Tron-ified Team Fortress 2, thanks to this Tron: Legacy-inspired skin pack. The first release of sleek black, blue and orange Team Fortress 2 skins contains “Tronified skins for all nine classes for both…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 10, 2011 -
The Visible Yoshi
Take a look at Yoshi’s custom sculpted innards! Jason Freeny created this piece for the My Plastic Heart “New Moon 2011” Group Show in NYC. Related Rampages: Mario Anatomy Sculpt | Gingerbread Man Yoshi Anatomical Sculpt by Jason Freeny (Facebook) (Twitter) Via: gamefreaksnz Need your daily fill of geek eye candy? If so, head over…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 10, 2011 -
Wesley Snipes Lives Vicariously Through A Video Game
Wesley Snipes may be in prison, but that doesn’t mean he can’t let his inner action hero shine. The tax evading actor is working with Lapland Studios on Julius Styles: The International, a game for the ass-kicking thinking man. Wesley Snipes is currently serving three years in prison for tax evasion, and that sort of…
By Mike Fahey Published January 10, 2011 -
An Unforgettable Plane Ride And The Rest Of My 10 Favorite Video Game Moments Of 2010
A fluke victory in a multiplayer game. A memorable battle against a giant foe. An amazing come-from-behind win. There were great moments in the games we at Kotaku played last year. These are my 10 favorite gaming moments. (Spoilers) We’ll have favorites from the rest of the team throughout the week. Note: This list is…
By Stephen Totilo Published January 10, 2011 -
Plastic Surgeon Topples Hot Sauce Man, Algebra Teacher To Claim Donkey Kong Throne
In the battle between three men over who is the world’s best Donkey Kong player, a New York plastic surgeon has claimed a fresh victory. Will this barrel hopping high score war ever end? Not any time soon. According to high score tracking group Twin Galaxies, expert Donkey Kong player Hank Chien has once again…
By Michael McWhertor Published January 10, 2011