Nintendo 3DS Message Board older than one year ago

To celebrate the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, Nintendo spent a lovely spring afternoon scaring the crap out of children. The video (above) is quite fun. The game is good, too: Donkey Kong Country Returns was one of my favorite games for the Wii, and the 3DS version is even better, mostly because it doesn't require you to waggle any controllers. And it's portable!

2013 is approaching the halfway point and this year, we've already seen several heavy-hitting game releases. Oftentimes it's difficult to choose a single game to buy out of several when you have a limited budget. The biggest and most influential factor in making a choice is usually other players' opinions. Gamer recommendations will trump the flashiest, most expensive-looking trailers any day. This week, Japanese gaming magazine Weekly Famitsu published a collection of ten Japanese gamer-recommended games that were released in Japan this year, along with categorical scores for each game. The list is as follows (Scores are rated from 1 to 5): DMC: Devil May Cry . Scores: System: 5 Story: 2 Character: 4 Graphics: 4 Sound: 2 Other: 1 Impressions: "It may look different, but the exhilaration is unmistakable. The title does not lie!" (Male, 21) "I like how the music changes with the combat. The music fits well with the visuals." (Male, 30) "The graphic design is unique and is enjoyable just to watch." (Male, 29) "I was worried that the developer changed but the gameplay exceeded my expectations and I was very satisfied." (Male, 37) "I was moved by Dante's motivation to save his friends." (Male, 31) Demon Gaze . Scores: System: 5 Story: 3 Character: 4 Graphics: 2 Sound: 4 Other: 3 Impressions: "The gameplay is superbly designed with the player in mind!" (Male, 28) "I like the design quality throughout the game." (Male, 17) "If you're to play one RPG on the PS Vita, this is it!" (Male, 31) "I get engrossed in how fun gathering equipment is." (Male, 24) "The 'Demons' are so cute, I desperately try to keep them from going berserk." (Male, 34) "It's very easy to play and I'd recommend it to any novice dungeon RPG player." (Female, 23) The Guided Fate Paradox . Scores: System: 5 Story: 4 Character:4 Graphics: 2 Sound: 3 Other: 2 Impressions: "Before I realized it, I was hooked on the story and not just the battle system." (Male, 17) "Exploring the depths of dungeons is so engrossing that I find myself losing track of time." (Male, 31) "The angel sprites are adorable!" (Female, 27) "I love the opening music as well as the multitude of background music pieces for the fairy empire." (Male, 34) "The sheer multitude of customizable/progressive elements of is the staple of a good Nippon Ichi Software game." (Female, 19) "The game has tons of enjoyable elements to keep you playing even after you've cleared the story." (Male, 22) Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus: The Girls' Proof . Scores: System: 4 Story: 3 Character: 5 Graphics: 5 Sound: 3 Other: 3 Impressions: "Tons of breasts! Of course I love it!!" (Male, 20) "The DLC costumes are quite… provocative." (Male, 18) "I also love the individual character background music." (Male, 38) "Scenario writer Yukinori Kitajima's story is very engaging." (Male, 24) "The game was hard to find after its initial release. I remember searching all over the place for it." (Female, 24) "I enjoy trying to collect all the characters' costumes and accessories." (Male, 32) Macross 30 . Scores: System: 5 Story: 4 Character: 4 Graphics: 3 Sound: 2 Other: 2 Impressions: "Even if you're not a fan, you'll find yourself yelling, 'Here I come, cutie! Yeeha!!'" (Male, 36) "I love that it's a complete original story!" (Male, 16) "I appreciate how it felt like a celebration of the series' 30th anniversary." (Male, 36) "It feels great to obtain new unit blueprints, I find myself getting obsessed." (Male, 21) "The original animated sequences were good." (Male, 18) "The original characters were uniquely appealing." (Male, 29) Soul Sacrifice . Scores: System: 5 Story: 4 Character: 2 Graphics: 3 Sound: 4 Other: 3 Impressions: "It's a waste to own a PS Vita and not play this game!" (Male, 32) "The unique world and story seem like they should have shown up in a game sooner. I was able to enjoy the game as an entirely new experience." (Male, 22) "The graphics are gorgeous. I was glued to the screen watching the magic effects." (Male, 21) "The character Librom was quote charming and I grew attached to it through the game." (Female, 28) "Both the single player and multiplayer are a lot of fun!" (Male, 19) Far Cry 3 . Scores: System: 5 Story: 4 Character: 5 Graphics: 4 Sound: 3 Other: 3 Impressions: "The world shown around human madness really drew me in." (Male, 32) "I liked taking over enemy bases." (Male, 19) "The game's character designs were hard to relate to at first, but I was surprised at how playable the game was." (Female, 20) "The co-op mode was also fun to play." (Male, 36) "With all the achievements and collectibles, it's hard to find a good point to stop." (Male, 32) "It's fun to explore the island like a tourist." (Male, 23) Dungeon Travelers 2: The Royal Library and the Demon's Seal Scores: System: 5 Story: 3 Character: 4 Graphics: 4 Sound: 2 Other: 2 Impressions: "Sometimes I'd get so caught up by the cute monsters that my party would get massacred by accident." (Male, 25) "Battles require an element of strategy, but are overall fast paced and enjoyable." (Female, 26) "The dungeon layout and enemy strength are well balanced." (Male, 29) "The interface has been tweaked since the last game, making it much easier to play." (Male, 22) "I've been building up all 16 heroines so there's never a dull moment." (Male, 17) Tomodachi Collection: New Life . Scores: System: 5 Story: 1 Character: 5 Graphics: 2 Sound: 4 Other: 1 Impressions: "I'd bust out laughing at the things my Mii would do!" (Female, 25) "The graphics look realistic. Even the steam from food looks tasty, I find myself staring at it." (Female, 29) "Collecting items is fun. I'm enjoying playing." (Male, 12) "I like how I can interact with other players with the network features." (Female, 30) "I take screenshots whenever I encounter an interesting scene." (Female, 36) 7th Dragon 2020-II Scores: System: 5 Story: 4 Character: 3 Graphics: 3 Sound: 4 Other: 3 Impressions: "Great quality that any fan of the previous games can enjoy!!" (Male, 24) "With very little load time from the UMD, I could play with hardly any stress." (Male, 17) "The mini characters running around during the battle sequences are adorable." (Female, 27) "I'm a novice gamer so I really appreciated the 'CASUAL' mode." (Female, 23) "I'm a fan of the previous game, so it was nice to see characters from the last game and what they've been doing since then." (Male, 31) ファミ通.com [ファミ通.com] 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. contact the author of this post, write to cogitoergonihil@gmail.com or find him on Twitter @tnakamura8.

As part of their partnership with Sega, Nintendo will release a whole bunch of Game Gear games on the 3DS Virtual Console. Full list below.

Old school Legend of Zelda games Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons will be out on May 30th for the 3DS Virtual Console. The games will be $5.99 each but a special promotion will have them at $4.99 through June 20th.

Sonic: The Lost World, the next Sonic game, will launch exclusively on the Wii U and 3DS, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said today in a Nintendo Direct video. It's part of a new Nintendo-Sega partnership.

Nintendo and Sega just announced Miku Hatsune: Project Mirai 2 for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan. It will have new songs and more features than the previous game.

There's a Nintendo Direct coming this morning at 10am Eastern. You can watch it right here, or keep up with Kotaku for live coverage of 3DS/Wii U news as it happens.

This is the new male Pokémon trainer for the upcoming Pokémon X/Y. His legs are long—too long. Don't believe me? Here is a comparison (via Twitter user Twillcoco) of Pokémon X/Y's male trainer and the male trainers from Pokémon Black & White and its sequel. The trainer's legs do look kinda long in the game, too! Twillcoco even has a cute little cartoon with the new trainer: He's riding either a bullet train or an airplane, and apologizing for accidentally kicking the seat in front of him. The little sign says, "No matter how long your legs are, don't kick the seat in front of you. Mind your manners." Words to live by. Xくん足長い許さない [@Twillcoco] 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.

The Starship Damrey is a video game. It's for 3DS. It's out today. It's called The Starship Damrey. That's about all we know about this new Level-5 product, and the creators want to keep it that way: the point, they say, is to keep us on our toes, like back in the NES days when all we needed was a controller and some good ol' fashioned pen and paper. Watch the above trailer if you want to hear a bit more about Damrey, which appears to be some sort of horror adventure that I'm stoked to check out. Just gotta get myself a bigger SD card. Damnit, 3DS, stop being so awesome.

Shin Megami Tensei IV, the upcoming role playing game by Atlus, is a game about samurai. The protagonist is a samurai, actually. That means you have two mandates: to take care of the demons (would this be an SMT game if that weren't the case?) and to keep the peace. Also probably more than those two things, but hey. One thing at a time here; anything more will be revealed via plot twist while playing, I'm sure. Oh, and, here's a cool new tidbit according to the YouTube description on this trailer: the game will have branching plot lines, along with the previously discussed StreetPass functionality. Sweet.

The never-ending march of LEGO games from Warner Bros. and Traveller's Tales continues with LEGO Friends. Based on the toy line of the same name, LEGO Friends is aimed at young girls and offers lots of activities as the titular friends explore Heartlake City.

Players can customize their character and living space - right down to the choice of pet and pet accessories - and work to build relationships with their friends, hoping eventually to reach "True Friend" status (aren't we all?). Activities include things like horse riding, photography, pet training, dancing and, our personal favorite, delivering cupcakes.

LEGO Friends heads to DS and 3DS this fall.

As I play an advance copy of the newest version of Nintendo's beloved Animal Crossing games, I've again been pondering the nature of Tom Nook, a character who could teach Bowser and Mother Brain a thing or two about tormenting a Nintendo gamer. Tom Nook, if you don't know, is one of the recurring characters in this series of games that involve setting up and living in a cute little village. Typically, these games start out with you having to take a loan out from Nook, who is, by the way, a raccoon. You have to have a house in the game. You need the loan to pay for one. So the games start with you being put in debt by this guy. Nook then makes you work for him to pay off the loan and seems to be laughing at you all the way. In the new game, June's Animal Crossing: New Leaf for Nintendo 3DS, you owe him a little bit of money in the beginning but are actually free of obligations from him quite quickly. Still, the memory of a more aggravating Nook still burns. I'm not alone in seeing the evil in Tom Nook's soul. In fact, when I was discussing the game recently with its top three Kyoto-based creators of Japan, we were talking about the idea of there being enemies in the unusually-friendly Animal Crossing series. The game's producer, Katsuya Eguchi, told me that he thinks the bees or scorpions that you occasionally agitate in the game count as enemies. "Can we all agree that Tom Nook is kind of a bad guy as well?" I asked. They all laughed. "No matter how much you work, he just takes all the money from you," Eguchi replied, through a translator. "I hate that guy," I said, provoking more laughter. "We think he is very misunderstood," one of the game's two directors, Aya Kyogoku, said. "He’s just passionate about his business. He’s not like a loan shark. He doesn’t add a handling fee or anything like that. He can wait as long as it takes for you to pay back. He’s not as bad as other people might think he is." That might be true, but Tom Nook will always be Animal Crossing's Ganon to me. I'll have more from my conversation with the new Animal Crossing's creators in the coming days. Subsequent coverage will be a little more serious. It's just that this Tom Nook guy... he really gets to me. To contact the author of this post, write to stephentotilo@kotaku.com or find him on Twitter @stephentotilo

Bravely Default's official Twitter account recently uploaded some Agnes Oblige figurines that were apparently done as a 3D printer test. They are somewhat rough. But if this one was finished and coated, it'd look pretty nice, I reckon. Bravely Default is coming to Europe later this year. It'll be out in North America in 2014. こんなのが簡単に作れちゃうの面白いですね, 質感はこんな感じ, 実は2人います [BDFF_OFFICIAL] 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.

But that's okay! Because this Eevee themed 3DS XL is still really cute—and interesting looking. Joining the previously released Pikachu 3DS XL, the Eevee themed one is also limited edition and sold only via the Pokémon Center stores in Sapporo, Tohoku, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka. Apparently, this is the first image of the special 3DS XL, taken at a Pokémon Center in Japan. Notice how the Pocket Monster appears on the handheld's bottom. The Pokémon stores have been recently teasing an Eevee 3DS XL. But snagging one won't be easy: Between May 15 and June 3, the Pokémon Center shops will hold a raffle to see who can win a chance at purchasing this rare item, which is priced at 18,900 yen (US$189). イーブイ3DS [@ruritokn] To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft.

Nintendo Japan just unveiled a new colour of 3DS. It's not red. It's metallic red. It'll be released in Japan on June 13.

Naomi Kyle and friends fight off Resident Evil zombies in part 1 of 3 of the newest IGN Original series!

Oh, joy joy joy! WayForward and D3Publishers are teaming up with Adventure Time writer Pen Ward again for a second Adventure Time game, the companies announced today in a press release. That image here of Finn? That pretty much explains how I feel about this. (Minus the punchiness.) I quite enjoyed the first 3DS/DS Adventure Time game WayForward/D3 released last year, and I'm very happy to see it return to the 3DS, as well as make a debut on the 360, PS3, PC, and Wii U. One of the few qualms I had with the otherwise delightful adventure game based on one of my favorite shows was that it leaned more towards the kid-game spectrum. Which was to be expected, and it didn't make for a bad game by any means. It just meant I could tell it wasn't made with me—a freakish Adventure Time fan and self-described adult—in mind. That they're bringing it to all the major (current) consoles means they're likely taking this thing more seriously. Or, at least, as serious as Adventure Time can be. Continuing in the tradition of naming the thing something I will never remember and will continuously have to Google, this sequel is being called Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! Here's the basic premise: In a completely new storyline and adventure and featuring the voices of the show’s most popular characters, fans will have to save the Candy Kingdom by exploring the mysteries surrounding a massive Secret Royal Dungeon deep below the Land of Ooo. Select from an assortment of fan-favorite characters from the show, including Finn, Jake, Marceline, Cinnamon Bun, and more, and team up with your friends in four-player co-operative multiplayer as the Adventure Time world comes to life. Four player co-op! Now that's exciting. There are so many great characters, it'd be a shame to not take advantage of that for a multiplayer experience. I just sincerely hope that the return of the voice actors means we'll be hearing more from them rather than the one or two lines for atmosphere we got in the 3DS game.

Another handy Power Up Rewards e-mail from GameStop arrived in my inbox today. A game that you can download to your 3DS without going into a store is "exclusively at GameStop." GameStop isn't even selling it for an exclusive price. Does anyone in gaming use the word exclusive correctly?

Bit.Trip.SAVE For your buying pleasure today, we're bringing some seriously discounted bundles on big EA titles courtesy of Gamefly. Apply code GFDMAY15 to all of these. Bon appetite. • Crysis 1+2 Maximum Edition+Wars+Warhead [Origin] ($12.74)• Dead Space 1+2 [Securom and Origin] (8.50)• Kingdoms of Amalur Complete [Origin] ($6.79)• Bulletstorm + Syndicate [Origin] ($6.79)• Dragon Age 1+2+Awakening ($8.50) Aside from those, don't miss out on the Bit.Trip Bundle, the gun, or the toaster. On Tuesday we featured the Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones for their lowest price ever at $102. That sale is still on, and the universal praise lauded on these cans is now also coming from many of the people in our office who have been snatching them up. We can't recommend them enough. [Amazon] The router you might not need but definitely deserve. Need more storage in your life? Here's a 4TB USB 3.0 external HDD for cheap. Need a new gaming keyboard? Here ya go. Tech • Logitech F310 Gamepad ($20) | Newegg via Deals | Possibly lowest ever | Use code EMCXRWX75 • Logitech Z130 Speakers ($15) | Amazon via Deals | Lowest ever • Azio Levetron Click Mechanical Keyboard ($44) | Geeks via TechBargains | One of, if not the lowest price we've ever seen for a mechanical keyboard. • Logitech K310 Washable Keyboard ($27) | Amazon via eDealinfo • Creative Sigma Gaming Headset ($40) | eBay(Newegg) via eDealinfo | $80+ elsewhere • Dell UltraSharp 24" LED Monitor ($279) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains• Acer 22" LCD Monitor ($100) | Newegg via TechBargains | Normally $150 • $125 off current iMacs | Amazon via Dealzmodo • 10' Lightning Cable ($8) | Rakuten via Deals • Refurbished Nook Color ($67) | Newegg via TechDealDigger | $115+ elsewhere | Use code EMCXRXL52 • Today Only Sony Cybershot 16.2MP Digital Camera ($100) | Best Buy via 9to5Toys • FitBit Zip Activity Tracker ($48) | Walgreens via TechBargains | Normally $60 | ZIP20 • Leupold Ventana Angled Spotting Scope ($200) | woot! via eDealinfo |$275+ elsewhere • Corsair Vengeance 16GB 1600 Desktop Memory ($108) | Newegg via TechBargains | Use code EMCXRWX39 • Windows 8 OEM ($74) | TigerDirect via TechBargains | Use code PTV90334 Inventory There is nothing on Earth manlier than biodegradable ammo.• Max Force Long Range Shadow Hawk 100 ($10) | Drugstore.com via eDealinfo | $30+ elsewhere • Game Music Bundle ($1 or $3) | Groupees | 3 or 7 soundtracks including Spelunky • Converse Highscore Unisex Watches ($25) | Groupon • FREE "Modern Love" song by David Bowie | Google Play • 3pk Motion Activated Soap Dispensers ($15) | DealGenius • Domo Toaster ($19) | Amazon via Deals Movies and TV • Snakes on a Plane [Blu-ray] ($5) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals • True Blood Seasons 1-4 [Blu-ray] ($30/each) | Amazon via Deals • Justified Season 1 or 2 [Blu-ray] ($17/each) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals • Sons of Anarchy Seasons 1-4 [Blu-ray] (~$52) | Amazon UK via Daily DVD Deals • Gold Box Friday Night Lights Complete Series [DVD] ($40) | Amazon PC • Bundle Bit.Trip Beat/Runner/Core/Void + 4 soundtracks ($12) | Steam | Normally $34• Bit.Trip Runner2 ($11) | Steam | Normally $15 Gamefly |Use GFDMay15• Crysis 1+2 Maximum Edition+Wars+Warhead [Origin] ($12.74)• Dead Space 1+2 [Securom and Origin] (8.50)• Kingdoms of Amalur Complete [Origin] ($6.79)• Bulletstorm + Syndicate [Origin] ($6.79)• Dragon Age 1+2+Awakening ($8.50) • Tomb Raider Survival Edition [Steam] ($29) | GetGames via Digital Game Deals • GOG Indie Adventure Sale [DRM-free] | Great games including To The Moon and Botanicula • Today Only Castle Crashers ($7.50) | Steam | Normally $15 • Total War: Shogun 2 Gold [Physical] ($20) | Newegg via TechBargains | $40+ elsewhere | Use code EMCXRWX93 • Pre-order Sanctum 2 + FREE Super Sanctum TD [Steam] ($11) | Green Man Gaming | Normally $15 | Use code GMG25-5GT67-87HJ9• Sanctum + DLC + Soundtrack ($4.74) | Steam • Pre-order Call of Juarez: Gunslinger + FREE Bound in Blood ($15) | Steam • Hitman: Absolution [Steam] ($5) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution Professional Edition [Steam] ($9) | Amazon• Sleeping Dogs [Steam] ($10) | Amazon• Tomb Raider [Steam] ($30) | Amazon PS3 • Injustice: Gods Among Us ($50) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals• Battlefield 3 ($20) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals• Mass Effect Trilogy ($40) | Amazon• Pre-order Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix ($40) | Amazon• Skyrim ($30) | Amazon• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon• Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ($35) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon• Child of Eden ($9) | Amazon 360 • Need For Speed Most Wanted Limited Edition ($30) | Microsoft • Last Day Twisted Pixel Bundle [LIVE] ($10) | Microsoft • 2pk 360 Controller Battery Pack ($15) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains• LIVE 12 Months ($45) | Amazon via Reddit • Injustice: Gods Among Us ($50) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals• Mass Effect Trilogy ($40) | Amazon• Skyrim ($30) | Amazon• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon• Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon• Halo 4 ($28) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon | $27+ elsewhere iOS Actually didn't know this had an iOS version.• FREE Mushroom Wars | iTunes via Apps-aholic • FREE Carmageddon | iTunes • Crazy Taxi ($1) | iTunes via TechDealDigger | Normally $5 • The House of the Dead: Overkill - The Lost Reels ($3) | iTunes via TechDealDigger | normally $5 Android • FREE Burn the City + $1 MP3 Credit | Amazon Keep up with Shane Roberts on Kinja and Twitter. Check out Dealzmodo for more great tech deals, and Deals.Kinja.com for even more discounts. Welcome to the new Moneysaver, now brought to you by the Commerce Team every weekday at 2:15pm ET. We're here to bring Kotaku readers the best gaming deals available, and to be clear, we also make money if you buy. We want your feedback.

'Tis better to have bought and saved than never to have bought at all. Today's PC, 360, and PC sections are filled with great deals on some of the biggest releases of the past two years, including Hitman: Absolution for a paltry $7.50 on Amazon. Don't miss $15 off a $100 iTunes card at Best Buy, which is like free money if you're an iOS user. On Tuesday we featured the Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones for their lowest price ever at $102. That sale is still on, and the universal praise lauded on these cans is now also coming from many of the people in our office who have been snatching them up. We can't recommend them enough. [Amazon] The router you might not need but definitely deserve. Need more storage in your life? Here's a 4TB USB 3.0 external HDD for cheap. Need a new gaming keyboard? Here ya go. Tech • iTunes $100 for $85 | Best Buy via Ben's Bargains • Macbook Airs $125 off (starts at $875) | Best Buy via 9to5Toys • V-Moda Crossfade M-80 Metal Headphones ($132) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | Normally $165+ • MiiKey MiiRhythm Bluetooth 4-Channel HD Stereo Headphones ($97) | woot! via Dealzon | $175+ elsewhere • LG 29" UltraWide LED IPS Monitor ($540) | Newegg via Deals | Use code EMCXRXL25 • 2pk Lightning Cables ($3) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • Today Only Slingbox 350 ($150) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | $170+ elsewhere • CREE LED Waterproof Headlamp ($5) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • Jakks Pacific Night Vision Goggles ($40) | eBay (1saleaday) • Shell-Shocker Trinity 3.4GHz/8GB/1TB Desktop ($270) | Newegg via TechBargains | Use rebate Inventory • Superhero Comic Book Sale ($15 for 1-year subscription) | Discount Mags via TechBargains | Normally $25 | Includes Batman, Superman, etc. • Churro Maker ($14) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $20+ elsewhere • Wall Mount Fish Bowl ($16) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • Definity Push Up Bars ($10) | Amazon via Deals • FREE 8x10 Collage Print | Walgreens via Deals | Use code COLLAGE4YOU • Banana Republic 30% off | Use code BRMOMDAY• Kohl's 20% off | Use code FAMILY20 Blu-rays • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy [Blu-ray] ($29) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• Robin Hood 2010 [Blu-ray] ($6.50) | Amazon via Deals• The Patriot Extended Cut [Blu-ray] ($10) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• Fringe: The Complete Series [Region free, Blu-ray] (~$89) | Amazon UK via Daily DVD Deals• Falling Skies Season 1 [Blu-ray] ($22) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals PC • Pre-order Total War: Rome II + DLC [Steam] ($45) | Green Man Gaming via Dealzon | Normally $60 | Use code GMG25-5GT67-87HJ9 • Today Only Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition ($15) | Gamestop via Digital Game Deals • Hitman: Absolution [Steam] ($7.50) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution Professional Edition [Steam] ($11.50) | Amazon • Sleeping Dogs [Steam] ($10) | Amazon via Digital Game Deals • Tomb Raider [Steam] ($30) | Amazon via Reddit • Dishonored [Steam] ($15) | GamersGate via Reddit • Skyrim [Steam] ($15) | GamersGate via Reddit • Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate [Steam] ($10) | GamersGate via Reddit • Burnout Paradise Ultimate Box ($5) | Steam • Mass Effect 3 [Physical] ($10) | Amazon PS3 • Injustice: Gods Among Us ($50) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Battlefield 3 ($20) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Dualshock 3 Blue ($38) | DailySteals • Mass Effect Trilogy ($40) | Amazon• Pre-order Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix ($40) | Amazon• Skyrim ($30) | Amazon• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon• Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon• Call of Duty: Black Ops LTO Editon ($20) | Amazon• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ($35) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon• Child of Eden ($9) | Amazon • Dishonored [PSN] ($30) | Sony via Barrel_Trollz • Assassin's Creed 3 [PSN] ($40) | Sony via Barrel_Trollz 360 • Gears of War 3: Epic Edition ($60) | Target via FatWallet • Injustice: Gods Among Us ($50) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Battlefield 3 ($20) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • 2pk 360 Controller Battery Pack ($15) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • LIVE 12 Months ($45) | Amazon via Reddit • Mass Effect Trilogy ($40) | Amazon• Skyrim ($30) | Amazon• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon• Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon• Call of Duty: Black Ops LTO Edition ($20) | Amazon• Halo 4 ($28) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon | $27+ elsewhere• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ($39) | Amazon 3DS • Star Fox 64 3D ($20) | Kmart via Daily Game Deals iOS Lifehacker's favorite VNC Client• Screens ($10) | iTunes via Lifehacker | Normally $20 The best to-do app.• FREE Clear | iTunes via Lifehacker | Normally $2 • FREE Shellrazer | iTunes via Apps-Aholic • FREE Tiny Troopers | iTunes via Apps-Aholic • FREE Asphalt 7: Heat | iTunes via Apps-Aholic • FREE Tap-Fu | iTunes via Apps-Aholic Android • FREE Jumbline + $1 MP3 Credit | Amazon Keep up with Shane Roberts on Kinja and Twitter. Check out Dealzmodo for more great tech deals, and Deals.Kinja.com for even more discounts. Welcome to the new Moneysaver, now brought to you by the Commerce Team every weekday at 2:15pm EST. We're here to bring Kotaku readers the best gaming deals available, and to be clear, we also make money if you buy. We want your feedback.

Mario & Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move leads the march of digital offerings for Nintendo hardware this week. The line-up also includes old-school games like Xevious and Solomon’s Key. Here’s the full list.

Okay, a little clarification is probably needed here. The new peripheral, the Pokémon TRETTA Lab for Nintendo 3DS, is a 3DS attachment and software bundle developed by Japanese toy company Takara Tomy A.R.T.S and game developer Marvelous AQL that allows players to load data of captured Pokémon from the arcade game, Pokémon TRETTA, to analyze, compare, and simulate battles with. Time for a little more clarification: Pokémon TRETTA is an arcade game geared for children that lets them enjoy the experience of searching for, battling, and catching Pokémon. What makes the arcade game different from the standard video game is that when Pokémon are captured, the game dispenses a plastic chip called a TRETTA that contains the data of the obtained Pokémon. Players can then load Pokémon from their TRETTA to battle and catch more Pokémon. The game contains roughly 240 different Pokémon which probably leads to desk drawers full of plastic chips. What's interesting about the new peripheral is that it is an attempt to create a bridge between the arcade and the home/hand-held console and brings part of the console experience outside the bounds of the video arcade. Game developers have been experimenting with such creative strategies in the past to help stimulate the video arcade market (The arcade version of Project Justice had a Dreamcast memory card slot that allowed players to load and fight using custom characters they had created in the Dreamcast version of the game and the original arcade version of The iDOLM@STER would send emails to players encouraging them to come to play). The new Pokémon TRETTA Lab is not a port of the arcade game, but rather appears to act as an extension. Players cannot catch new Pokémon, but can admire and strategies with the Pokémon they already have, thus serving as a catalyst to encourage players to play the arcade game. Pokémon TRETTA Lab for Nintendo 3DS is scheduled for release in Japan on August 10th, for ￥3,800 (US$38.45) and will include a TRETTA scanner attachment for use with the free Pokémon TRETTA Lab Main System software, and a 3DS holder (both standard and XL versions included). 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.

The fifth Mario vs. Donkey Kong game is upon us, though this is now the Mario and Donkey Kong series: Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move for the Nintendo 3DS. Any good? Yeah, good little puzzle game with some weird not-as-good mini-games. It's $10, download-only. I'll give you a tour. Just watch the video above. You'll see all four main modes and some of the game's side stuff. The weirdest thing about this series is that the games in it are sort of the successor to Donkey Kong. This is not the legacy I thought Donkey Kong would have, though I guess it's better than going further in the Donkey Kong 64 direction (amazing rap song notwithstanding).

It's the end of the world as Shepherd knows it, but you'll feel fine with these deals. Today we bring you Mass Effect Trilogy on the consoles for $40, along with a new Humble Bundle, and some sweet Blu-ray Steelbooks from Amazon. We've also got four previous deals of the day still going directly below. I'm Commander Shepherd, and this is my favorite collection of gaming deals on the Internet. Here are your new headphones, you're welcome. Want a deal on a new 50, 60, or even 70-inch TV? Click here. Need more storage in your life? Here's a 4TB USB 3.0 external HDD for cheap. Need a new gaming keyboard? Here ya go. Tech Incoming Mother's Day, brace for impact. Here's a promo.• Kindle Fire HD 16GB ($180) | Amazon via Deals | Normally $200, lowest ever | Use code FIRE4MOM | Same code takes $20 off other models as well. Got some stock Android into your life.• HTC First ($1) | ATT via 9to5Toys • Today Only dB Logic Headphones ($19) | Best Buy via Deals | Lowest ever • FREE After Rebate Sony Four-Conductor Earbuds w/ Remote | Newegg via FatWallet • LG 42" 1080p 120Hz LED Smart HDTV ($512) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $569+ elsewhere• Samsung 32" 1080p LED Smart HDTV ($348) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $400 elsewhere • Logitech G400 Optical Gaming Mouse ($29) | eBay via eDealinfo | $50+ elsewhere • Viewsonic 24" LED Monitor ($140) | Amazon via Deals | Tied for lowest ever • iLuv App Station iDevice Alarm Clock/Speaker Dock ($25) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $61+ elsewhere • Today Only Philips Fidelio iDevice Docking Speaker ($50) | CowBoom via 9to5Toys | $100+ elsewhere • Today Only Pioneer In-Dash iDevice-Ready Receiver w/ CD Player ($50) | Best Buy via Deals | Tied for lowest ever • Jabra CRUISER 2 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone ($53) | Amazon via TechDealDigger | $63+ elsewhere • Skype Credit $10 for $20 | CollegeBudget via Ben's Bargains • PowerColor Radeon HD 7850 2GB Video Card w/ FREE Infinite/Tomb Raider/Blood Dragon ($155) | Newegg via TechBargains | Lowest price ever on a 2GB 7850 | Use rebate For your ultra-budget rig.• Galaxy GeForce GT 610 1GB Graphics Card ($20) | Amazon via eDealinfo | Use rebate • Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Champion 5.1 Sound Card ($104) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $130 elsewhere • Logitech G27 Racing Wheel [PS3/PC] ($200) | B&H via TechBargains | $238+ elsewhere Blu-rays • Watchmen [Steelbook, Blu-ray] ($13) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals • Batman [Steelbook, Blu-ray] | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • Gladiator [Steelbook, Blu-ray] ($13) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals • Django Unchained [Blu-ray/DVD/Digital/UltraViolet] ($18) | Amazon via Deals | Lowest ever • The Last Starfighter 25th Anniversary [Blu-ray] ($7) | Amazon • Thor [Blu-ray/DVD] ($15) | Groupon via eDealinfo • Sin City [Blu-ray] ($5) | Best Buy via Deals • Predators [Blu-ray] ($10) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals PC The Humble Double Fine Bundle [PC/Mac/Linux]• Pay anything to get Costume Quest, Stacking, Psychonauts• Pay ($1+) for [Steam] keys• Beat the average ($8.09+) to get Brutal Legend• Pay ($35) to pre-order Broken Age (and get everything else) Tropico Bundle | IndieGala• Pay what you want for Tropico Reloaded, min. $1 for [Steam] key• Pay ($5.20+) for Tropico 3 - Steam Special Edition• Pay ($9.10+) for Tropico 4 - Steam Special Edition • The FREE Bundle #6 | 5 games including The Silver Lining • StarDrone (Pay what you want/charity, min. $1 for Desura key) | IndieGameStand • Today Only Snapshot [DRM-free] ($4) | GOG | Normally $10 • Today Only From Dust ($5) | Steam • Hitman: Absolution [Steam] ($7.50) | GamersGate via • Sleeping Dogs [Steam] ($10) | Amazon via Digital Game Deals In case you missed it for Free yesterday.• Mass Effect 3 [Physical] ($10) | Amazon via FatWallet PS3 • In-Store Persona 4 Arena ($20) | Target via Reddit | Normally $60 • Mass Effect Trilogy ($40) | Amazon via Deals • Pre-order Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix ($40) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals | Includes limited edition art book. • Skyrim ($30) | Amazon• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon• Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon• Call of Duty: Black Ops LTO Editon ($20) | Amazon• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ($35) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon• Child of Eden ($9) | Amazon Playstation Plus Update• FREE Sleeping Dogs• Papo & Yo + Soundtrack ($9) | Normally $12 • Logitech G27 Racing Wheel [PS3/PC] ($200) | B&H via TechBargains | $238+ elsewhere • PS3 Console w/ extra controller Bundle [multiple choices] ($259+) | Walmart via FatWallet 360 • Mass Effect Trilogy ($40) | Amazon via Deals • FREE Doritos Crash Course 2 | Microsoft • Skyrim ($30) | Amazon• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon• Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon• Call of Duty: Black Ops LTO Edition ($20) | Amazon• Halo 4 ($28) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon | $27+ elsewhere• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ($39) | Amazon • Xbox 360 4GB w/ Forza 3/Alan Wake/1 month LIVE ($175) | Groupon via Dealzon Wii U Vita 3DS The scanner is reading darkly. [See some previous posts.] iOS The best to-do app.• FREE Clear | iTunes via Lifehacker | Normally $2 • IM+ Pro ($2) | iTunes via 9to5Toys | Normally $10 Android • FREE My Kingdom for the Princess + $1 Amazon MP3 Credit | Amazon • FREE NFL Kicker 13 | Google Play via Reddit Inventory • Monty Python Black Knight Plush Toy ($13) | Amazon via Deals | Lowest ever • Fenix LD22 Cree LED Flashlight ($39) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • ThinkGeek Buy One Get One 50% off Shirts | ThinkGeek via FatWallet • LOLShirts All Shirts for ($9) | LOLShirts via Ben's Bargains | Use code SUMMER • Ray-Ban Aviator or Wayfarer Sunglasses [many choices] ($75) | eBay via TechBargains • GAP 30% off | Use code GAPMAY Keep up with Shane Roberts on Kinja and Twitter. Check out Dealzmodo for more great tech deals, and Deals.Kinja.com for even more discounts. Welcome to the new Moneysaver, now brought to you by the Commerce Team every weekday at 2:15pm EST. We're here to bring Kotaku readers the best gaming deals available, and to be clear, we also make money if you buy. We want your feedback.

Pre-orders, free stuff, and a Pizza Compass. Newegg is the MVR (most valuable retailer) of the day with discounts and pre-orders galore. Grab upcoming Playstation 3 exclusive Beyond: Two Souls for $8 off with code EMCXRXN226, and Shin Megami Tensei IV for the 3DS for the same discount with EMCXRXN225. A couple other Newegg highlights: • Pre-order Minecraft ($17) | Newegg via TechBargains• EVGA GeForce GTX 680 4GB + FREE Metro: Last Light ($546) | Newegg via eDealinfo | Use code EMCXRXN38 and rebate. Also, don't miss out on a FREE copy of Mass Effect 3 (after rebate), if you haven't gotten around to playing it yet. Here are your new headphones, you're welcome. Want a deal on a new 50, 60, or even 70-inch TV? Click here. Need more storage in your life? Here's a 4TB USB 3.0 external HDD for cheap. Tech • Optoma HD33 1080 3D DLP Projector ($1141) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $1320+ elsewhere • Multi-Color E27 LED Light Bulb with Remote ($5) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • Today Only Toshiba Satellite 15.6" Laptop 4GB/320GB/Radeon HD 6310 ($270) | Best Buy via Deals• Dell Inspiron 15.6" Laptop 4GB/500GB/Intel HD Integrated Graphics ($300) | Amazon via Deals | Use code INTELPCS • EVGA GeForce GTX 680 4GB + FREE Metro: Last Light ($546) | Newegg via eDealinfo | Use code EMCXRXN38 and rebate. • Cohesion XP 11.2 Gaming Chair w/ Wireless Audio ($119) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals Movies • Drive [Blu-ray/UltraViolet] ($10) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• Game of Thrones Season 1+2 [Blu-ray] (~$62) | Amazon UK via Daily DVD Deals | Region-free• Resident Evil: Damnation [Blu-ray/UltraViolet] ($10) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [Blu-ray] ($8) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• Safety Not Guaranteed [Blu-ray] ($10) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• The Big Bang Theory Seasons 1-5 [Blu-ray] ($~73) | Amazon UK via Daily DVD Deals | Region-free PC • FREE After Rebate Mass Effect 3 | Newegg via Deals• FREE After Rebate Roller Coaster Tycoon Gold | Newegg via Deals• FREE After Rebate Venetica | Newegg via Deals • Bundle Tom Clancy's EndWar, H.A.W.X., Chaos Theory, G.R.A.W., Rainbow Six Vegas ($6.00) | GamersGate via Daily Game Deals • Serious Sam Complete Pack ($19) | Steam PS3 • Pre-order Beyond: Two Souls ($52) | Newegg via TechBargains | Normally $60 | Use code EMCXRXN226 • Skyrim ($30) | Amazon via 9to5Toys • Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Call of Duty: Black Ops LTO Editon ($20) | Amazon via Deals • Little Big Planet 2: Special Edition ($10) | Best Buy via Deals • Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ($35) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon• Child of Eden ($9) | Amazon 360 • Pre-order Minecraft ($17) | Newegg via TechBargains • Skyrim ($30) | Amazon via 9to5Toys • Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning ($20) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition ($20) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Call of Duty: Black Ops LTO Edition ($20) | Amazon via Deals • Halo 4 ($28) | Amazon• Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon | $27+ elsewhere• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ($39) | Amazon • Sennheiser X320 Xbox Gaming Headset ($70) | World Wide Stereo via eDealinfo | Use code REKJ03 Wii U Not yet. Vita Not yet. 3DS • Pre-order Shin Megami Tensei IV ($42) | Newegg via TechBargains | Normally $50 | EMCXRXN225 • Fire Emblem: Awakening ($35) | Newegg via TechBargains • 3DS Flame Red ($135) | Best Buy via Tech Bargains | $150+ elsewhere• 3DS XL Red/Black ($180) | Best Buy via Tech Bargains | $200+ elsewhere iOS • Bastion ($1) | iTunes via Deals • Arkham City Lockdown ($1) | iTunes via 9to5Toys | Normally $6 • FREE AirDisk Pro | iTunes via Deals • FREE Adobe Ideas | iTunes via Dealzmodo Exactly what it sounds like.• Pizza Compass ($1) | via Gizmodo Android • FREE Wings of Fury: First Strike + $1 Amazon MP3 Credit | Amazon via Dealzon Inventory These X-Men tees truly are amazing.• X-Men T-shirt Design Contest Winners | We Love Fine via io9 • ThinkGeek Sale, 75% tons of items | ThinkGeek • Typographical Chess Set ($90+) | via Gizmodo • Brooks Brothers 25% off | Brooks Brothers via Dealzmodo | Use code FNFBB6 Keep up with Shane Roberts on Kinja and Twitter. Check out Dealzmodo for more great tech deals, and Deals.Kinja.com for even more discounts. Welcome to the new Moneysaver, now brought to you by the Commerce Team every weekday at 2:15pm EST. We're here to bring Kotaku readers the best gaming deals available, and to be clear, we also make money if you buy. We want your feedback.

Confession: despite my job, sitting down and playing a game is often incredibly difficult for me thanks to depression. How depression disables me from enjoying things doesn't always present itself in the same way. Sometimes, the way I think about a game's objective ruins it, even though there's nothing wrong with the game per se—I might, for example, look at Skyrim as a giant to-do list. Sometimes my depression rebels against the idea of moving forward and making progress, and games aren't really something you can passively play. You've got to make decisions, you've got make plans, you've got to take action. Progress: kind of the antithesis to depression, no? And sometimes my depression makes it seem a game asks too much of me, requires me to be creative in a way other media don't. The only reason depression isn't as debilitating in real life for me is because I know I need to get it together enough to make money, to eat, and vaguely take care of myself. But in order to ensure survival, I have to find motivation. Often that motivation seems to come less from me than it does expectations of what a normal, healthy life is supposed to look like. It's a form of pretending, in a way. You're supposed to go out. You're supposed to socialize. You're supposed to exercise. There are a number of things I do that might make it difficult for someone to know there's something 'wrong' with me, but depression still tints everything I do. That includes games—and it also means that it's difficult for me to look at the games I play outside of the context of depression. The games I attach myself to the most give me something in spite of my depression. I often cite Gears of War as one of my favorite games because its mechanics are so evocative, so palpable, it's difficult to play the game and not feel something. In a world where many things feel dull (did you know that diminishment of color vision accompanies depression?), that's something I welcome. I don't quite remember what happiness feels like, but I do know what the crush of a headshot in an intense competition feels like. Maybe that sounds sad, but, listen—I'm going to take what I can get. It wasn't always like this, of course. Sometimes I go back to a game I know I used to love and it seems alien to me, an artifact of a time that seems too distant to have happened this lifetime. And if it did—well, whoever that happened to...that was a different person, no? Stephen recently wrote about not "getting" Animal Crossing: I've tried the GameCube version, the DS one and the Wii one. Nintendo kindly sent me a copy of the 3DS one—June's Animal Crossing: New Leaf—which I just started playing yesterday. And by "playing" I mean that I've dug up some fossils, written a couple of letters to virtual animal-people, shaken some fruit from trees, stepped on some flowers, sold some seashells, fished some fish and stood outside stores that open later than I wake up and close before I again try to play the game at night. People love Animal Crossing! Do they love that stuff? Am I doing it right? Am I really supposed to be writing letters to virtual animal-people? Funnily enough, it's exactly what I'm going through now while playing it even though there was a time when I did find enjoyment in doing all those things. Now it seems more pointless, in a way. But if I gave up every time a game didn't make me feel anything, well, I'm not sure I'd play very many games. As I mentioned before, part of coping is finding something—anything—to motivate me. Stuff that allows me to go through the motions, if you will—even if I don't feel much while doing it. At the start, most of what the game presented me wasn't of interest. Why should I want to pay off my mortgage? Why should I want to collect stuff like fossils? Animal Crossing presents this very romantic idea of domesticity—of wanting that big house, the white picket fence in some quiet, sleepy town—that I'm not sure I identify with. The lifestyle you pick up because, well, that's just what you do, you know? What to latch onto here? If some of my motivation doesn't come from me, exactly, in real life—then maybe that could be true in the game too? Though nobody can visit my town yet (outside of press), the way I started thinking about the game was in the context of other people. Impressing other people is a goal, much like any other. How can my house wow other people—how should I decorate, how should I landscape? What sort of items would other people consider cool? What sort of neat designs can I come up with to share? How do I dress to command awe? I'm not far enough into the game to enact plans for these questions yet—I don't have enough money, and I haven't seen enough of what it has to offer to know—but I'm still actively thinking about it as I go along. It's causing me to interact with most of the game and see what it has to offer. My town, although untouched by visitors at the moment, has been entirely molded by them in a way. It might seem insincere, and it's definitely a form of pretending that's all about meeting the expectations of other people, but thinking about Animal Crossing like this has helped me move forward with it. Impressing other people is a goal, much like any other. Regardless of the reason, and regardless of how useless the exercise might seem at times, as I play now, I'll still occasionally notice things. My secretary calling herself a "good puppy." The way the townsfolk light up when they notice me sometimes—they have something important to tell me (a new nickname, probably). Ah, my mom sent me something in the mail again—how'd she fit a bed into the mailbox? Or the faint hope that the pesky creature, the one that bobs my bait a handful of times before biting down—maybe whatever lurks in the water is a rare fish this time. Sometimes I might shift back to looking at Animal Crossing as detachedly as I did Skyrim—a large to-do list—but the external motivation of impressing other Animal Crossing players keeps me going for long enough that I can see stuff like that. The charming stuff, I mean. The stuff I might miss if I gave up altogether—the stuff I know is in there but that I can't immediately recognize as pleasant anymore. To compare with something from real life for a second—I took up painting recently. I'm not the artistic type, it just seemed like something that I could do for myself. Something healthy, as decided by more well-adjusted people than I. Admittedly I don't know what I'm doing. The initial empty canvas, watching myself try to construct a picture from an aimless void—trying to construct a visible whole of something...that was grueling. It seemed useless—what I came up with wasn't very good—but I forced myself to keep going anyway. I kind of hated the entire ordeal, but some parts of the picture—the way the color soaked in, the way a line looks—captivates me, briefly. The simplest things can defy you when you're depressed—getting out of bed, remembering to eat, remembering how to have fun. Hell, even a brushstroke can resist you. Despite that, I think I'm looking forward to the next canvas, if not the next experience in Animal Crossing. It's like—faintly, faintly, somewhere, whatever tangled itself up wrong remembers how to rewire itself for a second. Somewhere the spark sputters again. The thing about carrying on pretending—in real life, in games, whatever it is—is that eventually, hopefully, it's not pretend anymore. The Multiplayer is a weekly column that looks at how people crash into each other while playing games. It runs every Monday at 6PM ET.

You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger darling. So you've saved quite a bit of money on all those blu-rays and games by reading the Moneysaver, and now you're ready for a really big screen to watch and play them on. Here's a 70" LED Smart HDTV from Vizio for under $1700, a bargain to say the least. 3D has failed to launch, and 4K isn't becoming the norm anytime soon, so you can ignore those premium features and save big on this screen. 70 inches is about as big as normal people can afford unless they're buying a projector, but that's a lead deal for another day. [Amazon] If 70 inches sounds outrageous, we've got great deals on 60" and 50" Smart TV's in our Tech section as well. But where will you sit while you watch these big screens? We've got a deal on a gaming chair just for you. Need more storage in your life? Here's a 4TB USB 3.0 external HDD for cheap. Tech • Vizio 70" 1080p 120Hz Razor LED Smart HDTV ($1698) | Amazon via FatWallet• Panasonic VIERA 60" 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV ($1325) | Amazon via Dealzon | $1748+ elsewhere• LG 50" Cinema 3D 1080p 120Hz LED Smart HDTV w/ 4 pair of 3D Glasses ($967) | Amazon via eDealinfo • 3M Streaming Projector Powered by Roku ($170) | Amazon via Deals • AOC IPS 23" LED Monitor ($150) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $180+ elsewhere • Sony Wireless RF Headphones ($58) | Amazon via TechDealDigger | $78+ elsewhere• Sennheiser RS 160 Digital Wireless Headphones ($157) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $200+ elsewhere• Section8 Artist Series Earbuds [Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, etc.] ($3) | Best Buy via 9to5Toys • Logitech Ultimate Ears Air Speaker for iPad/iPhone ($230) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $370+ elsewhere • 6pk 10' 3D Capable HDMI Cables ($15) | 1SaleADay via FatWallet • Belkin Dual USB Charger/3 Outlet Travel Surge Protector ($10) | Amazon via 9to5Toys | $15+ elsewhere• Monster Outlets To Go [3 Outlet, 2 USB] ($13) | Amazon via TechDealDigger | $23+ elsewhere• Monster Cable Home Theater 8-Outlet Surge Protector ($23) | Amazon via eDealinfo | $40+ elsewhere Definitely not enough USB ports.• Satechi 12 Port USB Hub ($21) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains Actually didn't know Monoprice made a gaming headset. For this price I may test it out just as a curiosity.• Monoprice Amplified Gaming Headset [PC/PS3/360] ($28.71) | Monoprice via DealNews | Use code dealnews25 • Cohesion XP 11.2 Gaming Chair w/ Wireless Audio ($119) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • XFX Double D Radeon HD 7850 1GB + Infinite/Blood Dragon/Tomb Raider ($145) | Newegg via Dealzmodo | Use code EMCYTZT3405 and rebate. The ultimate impulse buy.• Night Scope 4x30 Binoculars ($10) | DailySteals Movies • Terminator 2: Judgment Day Skynet Edition ($4.75) | Amazon via eDealinfo• Reservoir Dogs 15th Anniversary ($4.75) | Amazon via eDealinfo• The Hunger Games [Blu-ray/UltraViolet] ($12) | Amazon via Deals• Transformers Prime Season 1 Limited Edition [Blu-ray] ($25) | Amazon via Deals | Lowest ever• Transformers Prime Season 2 [Blu-ray] ($25) | Amazon via Deals | Lowest ever• Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut ($4.70) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• Jack Reacher [Blu-ray/DVD/Digital] ($20) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals• Anastasia ($5) | Amazon via Daily DVD Deals • Our friends at Deals.Kinja.com have informed us that Best Buy has a whole lot of blu-rays on sale for $5. If Amazon hasn't already price-matched they probably will soon. • Harry Potter 8-Film Collection [DVD] ($40) | Amazon via FatWallet PC • The Witcher 1+2 [Will activate on GOG] ($10) | Gamefly via Deals | Use code GFDMAY20 Gamefly Valve Sale [Steam, obviously] | Use code GFDMAY20• Portal 2 ($4)• Orange Box ($4)• More • Sleeping Dogs [Steam+Origin] ($4) | Origin via Reddit | This is from the Polish store, but the code is region-free. Use a VPN or Firefox with NoScript extension. • Pre-order Remember Me [Steam] ($38) | Green Man Gaming via Dealzon | Normally $50 | Use code GMG25-5GT67-87HJ9 • Brutal Legend [Steam] ($8) | Gamestop via Reddit | Normally $20 • Bleed (Pay what you want/Charity, min. $0.25 or $1+ for Desura key) | IndieGameStand • FREE moon.chase.star [Desura] | Desura via Reddit • Pre-order Final Fantasy XIV: Realm Reborn ($20) | Newegg via Daily Game Deals | Normally $30 | Use code PRE32166021 • Defiance Collector's Edition [Physical] ($80) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals PS3 • Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen ($35) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals | Normally $40 • Hey, Listen! 2 Games for ($76) | Toys R Us via DealNews | Many combinations result in lowest prices ever. | Choices includes Tomb Raider, Far Cry 3, Black Ops 2. • Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | $27+ elsewhere • Child of Eden ($9) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Ni no Kuni ($36) | Newegg via eDealinfo • Devil May Cry HD C0llection ($16) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • In Store 250GB PS3 w/ Infamous, Uncharted 1+2, 30-Day Plus Card ($200) | Target or Toys R Us via Deals Remember this?• Playstation 24" 3D LED Display with Playstation 3D Glasses and Motorstorm Apocalypse ($178) | Cowboom eDealinfo • CANADA FREE Used Hitman Absolution | Gamestop via Reddit | Probably a mistake, grab it. 360 • Hey, Listen! 2 Games for ($76) | Toys R Us via DealNews | Many combinations result in lowest prices ever. | Choices includes Tomb Raider, Far Cry 3, Black Ops 2. • Halo 4 ($28) | Amazon • Gears of War: Judgment ($35) | Newegg via TechBargains • Dead Space 3 ($30) | Newegg via TechBargains | Use code EMCXSTX229 • Hitman: Absolution ($20) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | $27+ elsewhere • Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ($39) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • Devil May Cry HD C0llection ($16) | Amazon via Daily Game Deals • SteelSeries Spectrum 7XB Gaming Headset ($90) | Newegg via eDealinfo | $119+ elsewhere • Kinect + Kinect Adventures ($100) | Amazon via Dealzon Wii U Not yet. Vita Not yet. 3DS • 3DS Flame Red ($135) | Best Buy via Tech Bargains | $150+ elsewhere• 3DS XL Red/Black ($180) | Best Buy via Tech Bargains | $200+ elsewhere iOS Not yet. Android • FREE Doodle Hockey | Amazon via eDealinfo Inventory Shit got real.• SOG Tactical Tomahawk ($26) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains | 15% comes off at checkout. • Lodge Pro-Logic Cast Iron Pizza Pan ($30) | Amazon via Ben's Bargains • Walgreens 15% off | Walgreens via FatWallet | Use code MOM15 Keep up with Shane Roberts on Kinja and Twitter. Check out Dealzmodo for more great tech deals, and Deals.Kinja.com for even more discounts. Welcome to the new Moneysaver, now brought to you by the Commerce Team every weekday at 2:15pm EST. We're here to bring Kotaku readers the best gaming deals available, and to be clear, we also make money if you buy. We want your feedback.

You've probably seen Actresses without Teeth. Or Celebrities Without Eyebrows. Or Small Face Celebrities. Now, There's Pin the Face on the Celeb. Lovely. On 2ch, Japan's largest internet forum, a net user uploaded a series of "Pin the Face" style images of celebrities. Like the game Pin the Tail on the Donkey, physical features are being moved about. However, this isn't a game per se. And nobody is blindfolded. It's internet hijinks. Here's the first celeb: Atsuko Maeda. In case you are not familiar with Atsuko Maeda, she is a pop singer and actress. She used to be a member of AKB48, which is a popular Japanese idol group. And here's how her mug was rearranged. The second is Ayame Gouriki, who is an actress and model. She also voiced the character Maria in 3DS game Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure. And here are her features moved about. There isn't any evidence of this becoming a meme yet in Japan—though, Japanese people on Twitter seem thoroughly amused. What might keep it from exploding meme wise is long "Pin The Face" images must take. Apparently, the 2ch user who created these images first erased each celeb's facial features. Then he or she cut out each celeb's features from another print-out. And finally, after printing out the blank face, he or she arranged the features in various manners, taking photos of each version. An afternoon well spent. I guess! "Even though they're the person's same features, they look like a totally different person depending on where you arrange them," the 2ch user wrote. The whole thing sounds...rather time-consuming! But, at the same time, it's somewhat charming to see something somewhat analog (scissors? cutting?) in our very digital age. Charming and, as some of these photos show, nightmare inducing. 福笑い楽しすぎwwwwwwwww [2ch] 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.

I know how to have fun playing a Mario game, a Zelda game or a Metroid game. I get Pikmin. I get Fire Emblem. Hell, I got Cubello. But I never got Nintendo's Animal Crossing series. Help me understand! I've tried the GameCube version, the DS one and the Wii one. Nintendo kindly sent me a copy of the 3DS one—June's Animal Crossing: New Leaf—which I just started playing yesterday. And by "playing" I mean that I've dug up some fossils, written a couple of letters to virtual animal-people, shaken some fruit from trees, stepped on some flowers, sold some seashells, fished some fish and stood outside stores that open later than I wake up and close before I again try to play the game at night. People love Animal Crossing! Do they love that stuff? Am I doing it right? Am I really supposed to be writing letters to virtual animal-people? My colleague Patricia Hernandez knows how Animal Crossing is meant to be played. She's an aficionado. We're having her review it, not me. Me? I need advice. What's the secret? Play it in small doses and watch the seasons change? What if I don't care about drawing my own shirts? Am I doomed to not get the glory of this game? Wait... Is the trick here for me to stop thinking of Animal Crossing as a game? Is it better thought of as something else? I'd like to have the kind of fun other people have with this series. Thank you.