All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

The Game Over art show is about to end, so if you’re in the area you should check it out!

It's elementary, my dear Watson. Just examine these screens.

#screengrab Observe: a view into a world where Kirby is common and popular. "The 126 Faces of Kirby" by Buci01 at Deviant Art [Via Press The Buttons] More »

We've seen many games unlock new content in PlayStation Home, like the Batcave from Batman: Arkham Asylum. However, what we haven't seen yet is the ability to unlock content in-game from Sony's online world. That changes this week, with the addition of the SOCOM OPFOR game space. A Home-exclusive minigame will challenge players to assemble an assault rifle in 12 seconds or less. The prize? A golden AK-47 that can be transferred into SOCOM Confrontation.

Likely, this is just the beginning for expanded Home integration. Associate Producer KC Coleman commented on the PlayStation Blog: "It's truly a win-win-win situation. It's a win for Home because we have opened up a huge door that will allow developers to continue to blur the line between PlayStation Home and PS3 games." See a trailer after the break.

#xboxlive No, not that Lost. Just lost. As in technical problems. As in the Kotaku Talk Radio featuring me, Major Nelson and a Madden guy lost due to a a) magnetic anomaly b) plane crash or c) computer malfunction. More »

Luc Bernard is working on yet another new title, and here’s all the details we have at this moment… - codenamed Reaper - a game that will probably be too big for downloadable services - “epic action/platforming sidescroller with 4 player multiplayer” and “maybe [his] first 2D AAA title with an experienced team in every category.” - Sean Beeson, [...]

Third-party controller company PDP has unveiled a new line of controllers for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii designed to attract attention, and/or help land airplanes. The Afterglow line is a set of transparent controllers with LED lights inside, so they glow in a way sure to dazzle and irritate your roommates.

That's not the only feature, though it's the one that stands out the most on account of they freaking glow. The Wii controller features + and - buttons above the A button, in the manner suggested by N'Gai Croal back in 2007, and is paired with a (glowing) nunchuk with a retractable cord. The wired PS3 controller swaps the Dual Shock's D-pad and left stick placement to be more like the Xbox 360 controller. The Afterglow Xbox controller, a licensed product, appears to be pretty much identical to the official controller, but with what IGN calls an "improved ergonomic design."

Also, these controllers allow us to reference The Last Dragon. That's ... a feature ...

See more images of the Afterglow line at IGN.

Click image for more lulz
AS today is the last full day you'll get a chance to enjoy Halo 2, Bungie has apparently gone and pulled the joke lever. In preparation for tonight's festivities, we went online to download all of the extra maps for the game and get a round of practice in, only to find a few peculiar messages -- like the self-esteem booster you see above.

For the most part, the messages are pretty jovial, though there are a few odd ones that take it a bit too far. Head into the gallery below to check 'em all out.

The Wii version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is distinct from the other, HD consoles' version. In this new trailer, you can see some of the unique elements in play, including the ability to use the Wiimote pointer to place "sand rings" on solid objects, creating handholds for the Prince.

The Ubisoft Quebec-developed Wii game does have a few things in common with the PS3 and Xbox 360 Forgotten Sands game, as well. For example, they're both pretty! Ubisoft has worked some magic of its own to render such fine visuals on the Wii. All versions of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands are set for the same May 18 release date.

Brand new looks at the multiplayer game.

Click image for more lulz
Because today is the last full day you'll get a chance to enjoy Halo 2, Bungie has apparently gone and pulled the joke lever. In preparation of tonight's festivities, we went online to download all of the extra maps for the game and get a round of practice in, only to find a few peculiar messages -- like the self-esteem booster you see above.

For the most part, the messages are pretty jovial, though there are a few odd ones that take it a bit too far. Head into the gallery below to check 'em all out.

#squareenix Dragon Quest X, unsurprisingly, was not revealed today by Square Enix. Instead, another Dragon Quest Wii game was, Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory, nary an X in sight. More »

Been hankering for more Dragon Quest since the release of The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors? Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest Victory for Wii in Japan, an adaptation of the Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road arcade game. The Wii version is set to launch this summer and features card-based battles for up to four players via local split-screen and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game will also include a "Tournament" mode, in which players face off against a succession of NPCs in a virtual town, collecting cards.

Perhaps the coolest feature of all is connectivity between the arcade and Wii games, using a DSi. Players will be able to download a special DSiWare app that will scan in the arcade version's cards, allowing transport over to the Wii game. The price of the DSiWare app is currently unknown.

[Via andriasang]

Been hankering for more Dragon Quest since the release of The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors? Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest Victory for Wii in Japan, an adaptation of the Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road arcade game. The Wii version is set to launch this summer and features card-based battles for up to four players via local split-screen and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game will also include a "Tournament" mode, in which players face off against a succession of NPCs in a virtual town, collecting cards.

Perhaps the coolest feature of all is connectivity between the arcade and Wii games, using a DSi. Players will be able to download a special DSiWare app that will scan in the arcade version's cards, allowing transport over to the Wii game. The price of the DSiWare app is currently unknown.

[Via andriasang]

Been hankering for more Dragon Quest since the release of The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors? Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest Victory for Wii in Japan, an adaptation of the Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road arcade game. The Wii version is set to launch this summer and features card-based battles for up to four players via local split-screen and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game will also include a "Tournament" mode, in which players face off against a succession of NPCs in a virtual town, collecting cards.

Perhaps the coolest feature of all is connectivity between the arcade and Wii games, using a DSi. Players will be able to download a special DSiWare app that will scan in the arcade version's cards, allowing transport over to the Wii game. The price of the DSiWare app is currently unknown.

[Via andriasang]

A portion of a Nintendo Life review… Besides the basic fun of the card games themselves, there’s not much going for this simplistic collection. The former can be quite great, however, and it’s not hard to get lost in a game of Hearts, Klondike or Freecell. Poker, on the other hand, is completely dull against these [...]

Soldner-X 2 has finally locked onto a release window. Coming this May, the PSN-exclusive shooter will provide more bullets and more bosses for hardcore shmup fans. Seriously, there may be too many bullets in this launch trailer (embedded after the break).

With an added "challenge" mode for those of you that eat bullets for breakfast, Soldner-X 2 looks like a frustratingly fun addition for the PSN's summer catalog.

There's a new Xbox 360 bundle headed to the land of the rising sun, and it's oddly appropriate. Spotted by Siliconera on Japanese retail site Famicom Plaza, the bundle -- apparently slated for an April 28 release -- includes an Xbox 360 Elite with the usual trimmings, along with Forza Motorsport 3 and Bayonetta.

While the pairing might seem strange at first, think about it. What it amounts to is cars and overtly sexual women, which have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship on magazine covers since time immemorial. The bundle clocks in -- get it, racing? -- at ¥29,000 ($312). Siliconera notes that both games normally retail for around $75, making this a pretty good deal for prospective 360 owners in Japan.

As we all know, Earthbound 64 was in development for quite some time. For whatever reasons, the game never actually saw the light of day. The thing is, it did make it so far into development that you could actually reserve it at some retailers. That’s what you’re looking at above…a receipt [...]

Well, that fan-art is scary as hell! I like it, but it freaks me out! I guess that’s a sign of interesting art?

Sam Fisher is a frugal guy. He doesn't like to waste anything. Why waste two whole bullets to execute a hapless goon when you only need one, right? In that same spirit, tipsters have informed us that Buy.com's eBay store has for Splinter Cell: Conviction priced to move at only $41.99. Oh, and that includes free shipping. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a deal worthy of Sam "Mr. Frugal" Fisher any day of the week.

[Thanks, Pat and Sergey]

#contest If you have WarioWare D.I.Y., if you want prizes, if you must make a micro-game that uses the word Kotaku, then, man (or woman), do we have a contest for you. Details here. Deadline approaching. More »

Capcom’s ready to unleash the next masterpiece in its retro digital dynasty. Starting tomorrow, April 15th, fans can own two incredible Capcom classic releases — Final Fight and Magic Sword — all for the price of one ($9.99). Make way for Final Fight: Double Impact, hitting PlayStation Network with a vintage vengeance!

In Final Fight, players follow the heart-pounding adventures of Cody, Guy, and Haggar — three heroes fighting their way across crime-ridden Metro City in hopes of saving Haggar’s daughter from the evil clutches of Mad Gear. In Magic Sword, users will take on the role of a brave warrior and his eight allies, all bearing the daunting responsibility of cleansing evil forces from an ancient tower.

These two games take us back to a time when arcades were sanctuaries of youthful bliss. They are un-self-conscious treasures, clear in their pursuit to inflame the imagination and turn players into brawling action heroes. At Capcom, we’ve sought to reacquaint our fans with this experience and refine it in the process.

Both Final Fight and Magic Sword are playable in HD, leveraging modern technology to elevate the visuals to the eye-popping standards of today. But we realize that some fans are purist about there retro experience and for them we’ve provided mode options that allow them to toggle back to a classic mode that renders the game in its original format.

Outside of mailing a real live arcade cabinet to your house, Capcom has gone the extra mile in delivering the best retro experience possible. Play settings offer a classic arcade bezel to play with that looks so real, you’ll be looking for a slot on your console to drop a token in (we promise, it’s not there). The “GGPO” network technology creates a frame-accurate arcade experience across the internet with online voice chat and the ability to join games in progress. Thanks to the innovative open invite system, other fighters can jump into a game seamlessly just like the kids did in the pizza parlors and 7-Elevens of yore. And of course we’ve got essentials like the leaderboards for both games that track scores and instigate the inevitable smack-talk buffoonery we all love.

Final Fight: Double Impact has trophies and a ton of rewards. Cool nuggets like the collectable art pieces will make multiple playthroughs all the more satisfying. Vault mode houses the gallery of curated pieces which are fun to look at in between the head-bashing. Other extras include original game art, full motion video (including a long-forgotten epic Final Fight cartoon), manga chapters from Udon, and fan art for completing in-game challenges. There’s also an awesome soundtrack composed by the talented team behind the score for Bionic Commando Rearmed. Original music will be available as well.

We are incredibly excited to finally bring these games to the PlayStation 3 audience. Make sure to hit the PlayStation Store tomorrow and download this historic release!