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Though Pokémon fusions have had a recent resurgence on websites like Tumblr, people have spliced Pokémon together for a while now. That's how Alex Onsager, the man behind the Pokemon Fusion website, initially got the idea: by watching others fuse Pokémon 'by hand.' But one day he thought to himself, what if I build something to automate the process for people? "I realized that there would be two main steps required," Onsager explained to me via email, "(1) resizing the head and placing it on the right part of the new body, and (2) swapping the colors on the body to match the new head. I make a quick prototype, inputted the first 3 pokemon, ran the script, and laughed out loud when I saw the results." And that's how Pokemon Fusion started. The website didn't immediately blow up like it has now—at current, during peak times, the website gets 300 requests a second—but he knew right away that he had landed on an entertainment goldmine. So he got to work. "I spent a weekend polishing the script and setting up a website, and released in August 2010 with maybe 50 Pokemon supported," Onsager said. He made an entertaining website, sure—but that didn't mean he expected it to be popular. Heck, he didn't really go out of his way to tell people about it. "I did almost no promotion for the site myself, other than posting it to a private message board while I was working on the first version," Onsager recalled. And then one day, the website got on Reddit somehow—and that's when it really took off. Looking back now, why it took off is a less of a mystery to Onsager. "I think the biggest appeal to the site is that it's simple," he muses. "There is very clearly only one thing to do, and you simply press a button to see something new. I also think that Pokemon has a very wide appeal to both kids and adults, and a lot of people are familiar with at least the original 151. It definitely helps if you're familiar with the originals, so that you can appreciate the ridiculousness of the fused creations." The particular reason it's such a popular website now has to do with a Tumblr trend which involves making artistic depictions of the fused Pokémon—we highlighted some of them here. Onsager says his favorite mash-ups have to be Psychamp: and Cunine: Not bad picks. The question that seems to be on everyone's mind, however, must be whether or not Onsager has plans to expand: at current, only the original 151 Pokemon are supported. But that's a purposeful decision. "This is basically following my "keep it simple" mentality. The original 151 are the most well-known, and can appeal to a wide audience. They also hold some sentimental value for me, since I started playing the original Red version. I'm still in the process of adding the final ones, but I'm working on finishing as soon as possible." "I haven't been doing a good job of keeping up with the newer generations since I don't own a DS. Maybe I'm just looking at it through sepia-toned glasses, but I definitely would say that I prefer the original designs. If you're constantly adding new Pokemon you need to make sure the new designs stand out against the old ones, so I think it's easy for the newer designs to get more and more outrageous. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I do prefer the older ones." While that might sound disappointing—imagine what fun could be had if we had hundreds of Pokémon at our disposal to create freakish Frankenstein Pokémon—at the very least, fans never have to worry about paying to use the site or any other annoyances. Those things aren't in the plans either, according to Onsager. Outside of the Pokemon Fusion website, Onsager works as a game designer at Happy Elements, a social game company over in Japan. He sounds content there, and although he's not keeping up with the newest Pokemon, and although his work on the Pokemon Fusion website is nearing an end, he admits that every once in a while, he has to pull out Pokémon Emerald. You know. For old time's sake. (Top image: Lickitung + Pidgeotto by catsbooksandtheholylance.)

After several delays, the HD remake of the planet's best lawyer simulator is finally live on iOS. You can get the first three Phoenix Wright games on iPhone and iPad right now. The app is totally free, and it comes with the first two cases of game #1. If you like what you play, you can buy the rest of the first game for $6 and the other two games for $7 each. Or you can buy the whole pack for $17. That's pretty damn cheap for three of the best adventure games out there. Originally released for the Game Boy Advance in Japan, and then for the DS in the West, the first three Phoenix Wright games are hilarious, well-written, and ridiculously charming. I haven't spent much time with the iOS version, but it looks pretty thus far. If you've played it, post your impressions here.

The Locksmiths discuss Mirror's Edge 2, Xbox One hardware details, and Sony's brilliant play with Destiny.

Ever since Razer started making their skinny 17-inch Razer Blade laptop, I've been wondering when a gaming PC company was going to come along and deliver a powerful gaming laptop with the slender form factor of an Ultrabook. That would be today. Meet the new Razer Blade, a 14-inch gaming laptop that's skinnier than Apple's Macbook Air. I've been comparing the original Razer Blade to the regular Macbook since day one. It's an apt comparison, what with the same short profile and all-metal chassis. The 17-inch blade is still a sexy beast, but holding on to that 17-inch screen meant that even at under seven pounds, sheer bulk was still an issue. I've got one of the originals, and finding a case that fit it was a chore. But that won't be the case (sorry) with the new Razer Blade. At under 14 inches wide, 9.3 inches deep and a ridiculously tiny .66 inches high, the 4.1 pound machine Razer is presenting at a special event in San Francisco today is small enough that our own Kirk Hamilton, currently attending the event, should be able to slip it under his shirt before he leaves. Slightly slimmer than the .68 tall Macbook Air, Razer has managed to pack a whole lot more power in the new Blade than any laptop with a similar form factor has ever dreamed of. It's sporting an Intel Haswell processor, 8 GB of ram and a Nvidia GeForce GTX 765M with 2GB of GDDR5. The smaller size means it's got to rely on an SSD for storage (128GB, 256GB or 512GB), but a frugal gamer should be able to keep a handful of titles loaded at even the smallest size. “We’ve designed and built the thinnest, most powerful 14-inch laptop in the world,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, CEO and creative director via official announcement. “Thinner than a dime and more powerful than other traditional desktop replacements today, we’ve created an entirely new category of thin and powerful laptops that is generations ahead of other PCs.” Of course being generations ahead of the curve doesn't come cheap. The new Razer Blade starts at $1,799. You could easily build a comparable (or better) system at a fraction of the price, but it would't be so skinny you could barely see it in profile. For fans of the original 17-inch Blade, don't worry — it's getting an upgrade as well. The upgraded Razer Blade Pro, now aimed at both gamers and PC professionals, goes up for preorder on June 3, the same day as its smaller, sleeker replacement. The New Razer Blade Price: Starts at $1,799 Availability: Razerzone.com – Pre-Order June 3 — United States and Canada Product features: Future 4th gen Intel Core processor (formerly codename ‘Haswell’)8 GB Onboard Memory (DDR3L – 1600 MHz)NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M (2 GB GDDR5) & Intel HD4600Windows 8 64 Bit128 GB SSD, with optional 256/512 GB SSD (mSATA)Qualcomm Killer NIC N1202 (802.11a/b/g/n + Bluetooth® 4.0)14.0 in. HD+ 16:9 Ratio, 1600 x 900, with LED backlightBuilt-in stereo speakers3.5 mm audio microphone/headphone combo jackArray microphone(3x) USB 3.0 port (SuperSpeed)HDMI 1.4a audio and video outputDolby® Home Theater v47.1 Codec support (via HDMI)Built-in full HD webcam (1.3 MP)Compact 150 W Power AdapterBuilt-in 70 Wh Rechargeable lithium ion polymer batteryRazer Anti-Ghosting Keyboard (with adjustable backlight)Razer Synapse 2.0 EnabledKensington Lock13.6 in. / 345 mm (Width) x 0.66 in. / 16.8 mm (Height) x 9.3 in. / 235 mm (Depth)4.135 lbs. / 1.876 kg Razer Blade Pro Price: Starts at $2,299 Availability: Razerzone.com – Pre-Order June 3 — United States and Canada Product features: Future 4th gen Intel Core processor (formerly codename ‘Haswell’)8 GB DDR3L (2 x 4 GB 1600MHz)NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M (2 GB GDDR5) & Intel HD4600Windows 8 64 Bit128 GB SSD, with optional 256/512 GB SSD (mSATA)Qualcomm Killer NIC N1202 (802.11a/b/g/n + Bluetooth 4.0)17.3-in. Full HD 16:9 Ratio, 1920 x 1080, with LED backlightStereo 2.0 speakers3.5 mm audio microphone/headphone combo jackHD Webcam (front-facing, 2.0 MP)Array microphones(3x) USB 3.0 port (SuperSpeed)Codec supports 7.1 (via HDMI 1.4)Dolby Home Theater v4Razer Anti-Ghosting Keyboard (with adjustable backlight)Razer Switchblade User InterfaceRazer Synapse 2.0 EnabledBuilt-in 74 Wh Rechargeable lithium ion polymer batteryKensington Lock16.8 in. / 427 mm (Width) x 0.88 in. / 22.4 mm (Height) x 10.9 in. / 277 mm (Depth)6.58 lbs. / 2.98 kg

Check out our reviews and wikis for these two portable classics.

Late last year the HeroClix folks introduced TabApp, an iOS and Android app that utilizes physical toys to play a relatively limited video game. This year they spice things up with TabApp Elite, giving the toys a Skylanders-esque base station and a much more interesting game to play. My main complaint with the original TabApp was that they did absolutely nothing with the spinny, clicky bases that define HeroClix toys. Sure, the figures could be used in the physical game, but in the app they were nothing more that plastic placeholders for virtual characters. With TabApp Elite, the dials matter, switching characters like Batman and Superman between different combat roles in a hex-based action strategy game that plays a a lot like Activision's Skylanders Battlegrounds, the flagship game of that franchise's mobile push. Here's how TabApp Elite works. First, download the free app from iTunes or Google Play. Then, realizing it isn't much of a game without the figures, go to the store and get some. You can get the starter kit with Superman and the ClixStation for $18.99 on Amazon. Might want to pick up some additional characters, keeping in mind that the DC figures from the original TabApp will work in the new game as well, just by placing them on the screen. Finally, ignore any instructions and fumble about for five minutes while recording a video. And that's it! Action strategy fun with big-headed versions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and more, and a big plastic thing with a horrible speaker. Seriously guys, fix that speaker.

This is all well and good until some rival Civ proposes a trade embargo on you. Then you're kinda screwed. Jerks.

Warhammer pounds the competition into the ground, Phoenix Wright returns in a new collection and Magicka's free in today's ASU.

No word yet on pricing or an official launch date, but a smaller Galaxy S4 is on the way.

The studio that started the video game Kickstarter revolution is going back to Kickstarter for their next game—and it sounds bloody fantastic. Described as a strategy game inspired by X-COM, Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire Emblem, and Game of Thrones (wow!), the new title is called Massive Chalice, and the folks at Double Fine are looking for $725,000 to make it happen. An excerpt from their Kickstarter page: MASSIVE CHALICE is a single player turn-based tactics game within a multi-generational strategy campaign built for replayability. As an immortal King or Queen, you must unite your kingdom under a powerful dynasty, eliminate the demonic threat, and reforge the MASSIVE CHALICE! The game is structured into two main layers: strategy and tactics. In the strategy layer, you oversee your kingdom, arrange royal marriages, conduct research, and make the far-reaching decisions that will determine the fate of your legacy. In the tactics layer, you fight brutal turn-based battles to defend your kingdom using small squads of customizable heroes. Permadeath is inevitable: your heroes will grow, age, and eventually die. You'll have to choose between keeping your favorite heroes on the battlefield or retiring them from combat to foster a new generation of warriors. Drawing from roguelikes we love, content is modular and randomized. Each playthrough begins with a random assortment of male and female heroes from various bloodlines, guaranteeing that each game is unique. Your knowledge and skill will increase over multiple playthroughs, but the details of every game will change based on your decisions and the whims of fate. Sounds awesome, no? Of course, if you're skeptical about Double Fine starting a new Kickstarter project before delivering on their last one, Broken Age, I certainly don't blame you. As with any crowdfunded game, there's always a risk that the creators will over-promise and under-deliver. That said, Double Fine is a well-established studio, and this game does sound pretty damn sweet. You can check out the new Kickstarter right here.

If you've been asking for an HTC One with stock Android, your wish has been granted.

The spanking-new music system, Google Play Music: All Access, will hit the App Store in the coming weeks.

Now you can finally grab a cheaper iPod touch (with a couple caveats).

In the middle of a dated metaphor about cavemen killing dinosaurs to make ends meet Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC's Morning Joe, called men in their twenties weak, unmarriable gamers. Speaking on the topic of shifting gender roles and female breadwinners, Joe stated the following about my generation: "Men in their twenties, who unfortunately I think are weak, and stay at home, and play videogames and are weak, weak, weak and unmarriable! They’re just...there are no good men out there! Other than my son and his friends." Look, I’m not expecting miracles from cable TV pundits, particularly not Joe. But putting aside the generational differences for a second (You say my generation is ‘weak’, I say we’re ‘terminally unemployed and totally screwed’), we need to get beyond this idea of gaming as a weak or passive form of media. It’s not that what he’s saying is surprising, it's the carelessness with which that stereotype is used on a day-to-day basis by media across the board. But of course, I’m sure Joe's sons are totally the exception.To contact the author of this post, write to chrisperson@kotaku.com or find him on Twitter @papapishu

The BBC surely meant well in profiling Sophia George, first game designer in residence at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Opening the public's minds to gaming, yes, yes. Good stuff. But... ...am I the only one who was worried she was going to bump into all that nice art while walking and gaming simultaneously amid all that fragile, smash-able art? Jump 30 seconds in if you want to get to the first dangerous moment in the clip. There are times, TV producers, when you don't need to have your interview subjects walking through your b-roll. While they're playing games on a tablet in an art museum full of expensive sculptures is one of them. To contact the author of this post, write to stephentotilo@kotaku.com or find him on Twitter @stephentotilo.

Used games. Love'em or hate'em, you've probably got some opinion on the furor surrounding how we'll buy, sell, and borrow video games in the future. Microsoft has already revealed plans to restrict used games in some way for Xbox One, and Sony has been murky about how the PS4 will handle them. Tons and tons of gamers are still campaigning for pro-consumer policies on the PS4, and at least a few Sony execs are paying attention. But the company has yet to say anything official. So being the relentlessly-pestering reporters we are, we've reached out to Sony several times over the past few days with questions about their policies. Here's what we asked: 1) Sony has previously said that the PS4 does not require an online connection. To be clear, is this true perpetually, or will the console need to occasionally connect online? If so, how often? 2) Will games need to be registered online in order to use them the first time out? 3) Will the PS4 games be able to be bought and sold used? Or will there be an online activation fee that essentially causes a used game to cost as much as a new game, thereby eliminating the relevance of used games? Last night, a Sony representative finally got back to us. His response: I looked into this, and at this point we’re not providing any additional clarification beyond what we stated around the PS4 announcement. If anything changes, I’ll be sure to keep you posted. We're expecting to hear more at E3 in a week and a half—and of course we'll be pressing both Microsoft and Sony for more details at every opportunity. Hopefully they've got straight answers by then.

This whole game seems like a metaphor for my childhood, in that the main character is perpetually sad, wet, and invisible. Don't ask.

Donkey Kong returns to Returns with some changes, but is it enough for players to ret...come back?

More bank robbery for your PC and/or PlayStation 3, if you're into that kind of thing.

Here's what's going on at Talk Amongst Yourselves, Kotaku's reader-written blog: DanimalCart eloquently discusses Anita Sarkeesian's sexism in gaming videos, DamsonRhee refuses to let Ghost Writer die (again), and SylverFyst shares some reader-friendly comics of the DC variety. And you can always go join the voices talking about video games and life in TAY Classic and in the TAY: Open Forum.

One minute you're relaxing in an upscale coffee shop in the heart of the big city, the next you're in the back of a moving truck, holding on for dear life as a sea of hungry humanity surges against you. This is World War Z for iOS and Android, and the situation isn't pretty. Based on the upcoming movie adaptation of Max Brook's historical record of the great Zombie War, the mobile game presents a more personal look at how to survive in the post-undead world. The player takes on the role of Doug, a man with an obvious military background who is trying to reach his son a midst the chaos of a global zombie outbreak. The problem is his son is in Japan, and he's in America. Luckily Doug has the skills he needs to survive. He's handy with firearms. He swings a mean crow bar. His insatiable curiosity has him rifling through papers and tapping at computers as he navigates abandoned buildings, something I would not give one shit about if there were zombies flooding — literally flooding — the streets of the town I was in. He's even got people skills, which is how he hooks up with an altruistic helicopter pilot promising to wait for him atop a tall building until nightfall. There's a real story to the World War Z game, cleverly unfolding through a series of cell phone conversations between Doug and his fellow survivors. Over the course of several conversations we learn more about our heroic avatar. We might even begin to root for him, which is generally a bad idea where zombies are concerned. They're the epitome of hopelessness, when they aren't relegated to set dressing for a morality play about humanity or the government being the real monsters. Gameplay consists of a mix of exploration and combast, similar to Phosphor Games Studio's previous Unreal Engine 3-powered offerings, The Dark Meadow and Horn. Expect things to touch around every corner. Books give experience points. Documents give experience points and unlock journal entries, fleshing out the game's back-story. There are computers to tap, bodies to check, bullets to collect — Phosphor Games really wants players to explore, even if it means rushing headlong into situations where you're facing off against every dead thing in town. It's pretty amazing how well World War Z covers its bases, control-wise. There's a casual tap-to-move. There's the finger slide. There are virutal joysticks, should you prefer. Shooting can be automatic when a zombie is in your sights, or the much more challenging free aim, because you don't need no help. Despite all of the cloning needed to get hundreds of figures on screen at once, knocking over vehicles and making a genreal nuisance of themselves, Phosphor manages to once again demonstrate their mastery of the Unreal Engine 3 on mobile, pulling off a game that could easily pass for a last-gen console offering. What impresses me most is how they still took the time to make sure the zombie hordes had appropriate levels of lens flare. For a movie tie-in, World War Z is much better than I expected it to be. It feels a lot like Horn and The Dark Meadow stuck in a blender with zombies, messy but satisfying. Not a bad way to end the world. World War Z Genre: Survival HorrorDeveloper: Phosphor Games StudioPlatform: iOS, AndroidPrice: $4.99 Get World War Z in iTunes — Available Today on Google Play / Amazon App Store

When Danny was sixteen, he started collecting Japanese swords. But after he saw The Last Samurai as an adult, he knew swords weren't enough. He wanted his own suit of samurai armor. So, he spent two years of his life making one. Danny, now 42, is getting a great deal of attention online in Japan for his homemade yoroi (armor). Originally, Danny ordered a replica samurai suit from America, reports LabaQ (via 2ch). The armor was too small for him, so Danny decided he needed to make his own. With the help of a metalworking craftsman friend, books, and the internet, Danny began work on a suit of samurai armor. The process was long and taxing: The small metal plates were hammered by hand and then strung together by over 700 feet of rope. The suit weighs nearly 80 pounds! Danny even decided to make a full set of weapons and a flag for his set of armor. The suit isn't for display only, and Danny, a bank teller by day, regularly cosplays with his wife, who dresses in a kimono. Online in Japan, many people seem impressed by the suit. "Sorry for thinking that this was going to be some crappy cardboard outfit," wrote one commenter. "This is high quality," added another, while yet another thought the outfit looked like something worn by a mid-level boss in Capcom's hack-and-slash game Onimusha. Others pointed out the slight discrepancies in the samurai armor, but most were more than willing to overlook any nitpicking. Perhaps one commenter summed it up best: "Danny isn't *crag*ing around." No, Danny is not. ベルギー人「日本のサムライが好きすぎて…」戦国武将のヨロイを造って本気のコスプレ [LabaQ via 2ch] The Golden Dragon [Danny's Site] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

Leave it to a game about cloning to strike out and establish its own identity with an entirely unique aesthetic.

This is Nao Nagasawa. She's here to unleash fists of fury. And do so at the office, apparently! With Wong Kar-Wai's Grandmaster coming out in Japan, website Movie Enter! thought it would be a good idea for Nao Nagasawa to show off how Chinese martial arts can be used in your daily life—whether that's dealing with creeps, vending machines, or even office romances. The result is a series of amazing GIFs. (You might need to wait a few seconds for them all to load.) But what if you like your co-worker? Well... And after all that fighting, you get really thirsty. Of course, this isn't serious! And as far as movie promotions go, it's pretty clever. Nagasawa is especially good at pulling off the kicks and attacks. She's appeared in Super Sentai (Power Rangers) and Kamen Rider shows since 2002, so no doubt, she's had her share of martial arts training. オフィスでの護身術から恋愛術まで！ [Movie Enter!] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

Adorable, but melancholy and dreary. For the sake of my sanity, I really hope those two get a happy ending. Rain, Sony Japan's platforming adventure, comes to the PlayStation Network this fall.

In Hong Kong, Starbucks patrons are upset and for good reason: the coffee chain's Central Hong Kong branch has used "toilet water" to brew coffee since it opened two years ago. According to Apple Daily, a staffer would push a cart into a men's restroom in a nearby parking garage, fill it will water, and then push the cart back to Starbucks, where the "toilet water" would be then filtered. This would happen up to seventy times a day. The bathroom faucet was used because there was no nearby water source. The faucet that Starbucks used was only a few feet away from a urinal. There were concerns about hygiene, and Hong Kong's Food and Environmental Hygiene Department told Apple Daily that this Starbucks' use of water was not within regulations. Since this discovery, the department has apparently issued a warning to the coffee chain's Central Hong Kong restaurant. Ben Cowling, associate professor from the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health, told HK Magazine that filtering the water should remove harmful bacteria. However, a purifier would be necessary to remove the smaller-sized viruses that could be present in the water. But that wasn't his only concern, HK Magazine pointed out. "If the staff need to frequently visit the toilet, they may increase the risk of bringing other pathogens from the washroom into their food and drink preparation area," Cowling added. Patrons are understandably upset. One woman told Apple Daily that it was Starbucks' responsiblity to have a clean water supply, no matter the cost. "People with common sense wouldn't have used the water from toilet pipes," said a male Hong Kong resident. Many Starbucks patrons expressed uneasiness about the whole situation. While it might be debatable whether what we all are drinking is technically "toilet water", the thing that many patrons seem to find most offensive is where the water was taken from—literally, a faucet next to a urinal. "Making huge profits globally but chose [SIC] to use toilet water for making coffee in that store rather than spending a few cents to use distilled water," wrote Hong Kong resident Kevin L on the Starbucks Facebook page. "We pay a few dollars to buy a cup of coffee (and you know your profit margin) and we get this kind of disrespect for our mind and health!" On Facebook, Starbucks Hong Kong issued this reply: "Please kindly accept our apologies for the concerns raised by the coverage on the water source at the Bank of China Tower store. While the water used at that store was drinking water and certified as safe, we would like to clarify any misperceptions, as quality and safety have always been our top priority. We are now using distilled water to serve that store while we work with all parties on acceptable options." The Starbucks began using distilled bottled water this past weekend. Starbucks Hong Kong [Facebook] 中環STARBUCKS公廁攞水沖咖啡 [Apple Daily] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft. Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

Hey guys. Classic Star Wars RPG Knights of the Old Republic is out on the iPad this week. Expect more coverage from us in the morning.

Surprise! Bioware's classic Star Wars RPG has surprise-launched for iPad. But do the port's touch controls hold up?

Let's not pretend the Oculus Rift is just for games, people! There are a ton of other uses for the pioneering virtual reality headset. Like this one, which lets you virtually watch a movie. At the cinema. Which isn't as stupid as it sounds. The easy way out would just be to play a movie on the Rift's screens, but since that would defeat the purpose, the Korean developer behind VR Cinema 3D got clever. They've created a virtual cinema, which the Oculus lets you walk around inside. So yeah, you can sit down and watch the movie, or you could...get up and move around. If you're one of the lucky ones with an Oculus Rift dev kit, you can download the software here and try it out yourself. VR Cinema 3D for Oculus rift [YouTube, via PA Report]