All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

Monster Hunter 3 may have fumbled just a bit there, but it’s clear to see that the game is holding pretty steady right now. We’ve heard good things about sales the world over, so hopefully we’ll see Monster Hunter 3 hit the top 10 NPD for its launch month!

Some volcanic ash may have gotten in the way for a few weeks there, but now Aussie gamers can finally enjoy Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. The game should be on store shelves all over Australia, so rush out to your local retailer and pick up a copy!

A spectacular new puzzler in the tradition of Lemmings and Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis.

Another pretty good 3D racer on DSiWare.

Another option for fans of tower defense, but not a very compelling one.

#playstation2 It's rare that Sony makes announcements about new PlayStation 2 games, but not too surprising when that game is Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow, the latest PSP game to come to the company's last-generation console. More »

An administrator on the Sega forums has detailed what purchasers of Alpha Protocol on PC can expect from the Uniloc DRM system. With some publishers employing excessive DRM, it's good for PC players to know what they are getting into.

Sega details that initial activation of the game will require an internet connection, but after that they should be good to go. Five activations are allowed per license key, with users having the option to deactivate a computer's license if they wish. Most importantly, the DRM will allegedly be removed through a patch 18-24 months after release.

PC owners who submit to the DRM can pick up a copy June 1. In tragic irony, those who refuse to submit to any DRM will likely be able to download the game around the same time -- or earlier -- from their favorite torrent site. But don't do that.

[Via Big Download]

Billy Hatcher, sans Billy.

I can’t believe that the Game and Watch series is still goign strong. There may not be any new entries in the franchise, but at least the old games are getting some face time on new Nintendo platforms. They may not be the most entertaining games, but you have to love them for [...]

#impressions On its surface, LEGO Harry Potter may look an awful lot like LEGO Batman, LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Star Wars, but dig down a little past those colorful those bricks and you'll discover some major shifts in the way the game looks and behaves. More »

#downloadables Not only does this week's Nintendo Download feature adorable anime zombie combat, it's also got 1970's kung-fu movie-themed mini-games. This could be the most perfect Nintendo Download ever! More »

Some new ambitious screens.

Since last week's release of the first two episodes of "Bright Falls," the six-part prequel to Alan Wake, we've been feverishly wondering how a live action video game tie-in could be so ... non-abysmal. To find the cause of this phenomenon, we went straight to the source: the series' writer and director, Phillip Van.

Check out our interview with Van just past the jump to learn about the thematic inspirations and environmental tribulations that went into the creation of "Bright Falls."

While the PS3 hasn't been plagued by RROD levels of system failures, it is still vulnerable to its own share of problems, most notably the "yellow light of death." Should your system experience an irrecoverable crash after Sony's official one year warranty, there isn't much you can do except send the system to Sony for repair, a process that carries a hefty price tag: upwards of $150.

Sony has announced an alternative solution: the PlayStation Protection Plan, which allows new PS3 and PSP owners to purchase additional coverage. According to SCEA's VP of operations, Glenn Nash, the PlayStation Protection Plan was created for "consumers looking for added peace of mind ... interested in an extended service plan that's backed directly by SCEA and leverages our technical expertise." However, while Nash touts Sony's reputation for "the highest quality in engineering and design," Sony is charging a sizable sum for the extended warranty to protect all that high-quality engineering -- especially compared to Microsoft's no-cost three year warranty for RROD-related damages.

A one-year extension for the PS3 will cost $49.99, while a two-year plan will cost $59.99. The PSP plan is $29.99 for one year, and $39.99 for two years. An "accidental damage" option is also being offered for $10 more. Ironically, Nash adds that "it's because of the reliability of the PS3 and PSP systems that we can offer the PlayStation Protection Plan." Essentially, you don't need it. Additional details are available on Sony's official website.

Coming from the official Gaijin Games blog… Since BIT.TRIP VOID came out in Europe & Australia so long after the US release, we thought we’d give you foreign BIT.TRIPPERS a little surprise with BIT.TRIP RUNNER. Nice to know Europe doesn’t have to wait a ridiculously long amount of time to get the next Bit.Trip game. They [...]

If you haven't played a TrackMania game before, let us encapsulate the experience for you: you build the craziest, most impractical, most car-destroying track you can imagine, and then you race it. That's TrackMania's whole deal. Now, developer Firebrand Games is bringing that experience to the Wii with TrackMania Wii, allowing you to assemble your ridiculous courses with the Wiimote's pointer interface. It'll make it really simple to design something on which driving is impossible! The trailer above introduces the track editor interface.

Trackmania Wii is officially set for a September release in Europe. While nothing has been announced for North America, Amazon currently has a May 26 release listed, via publisher Dreamcatcher.

#betawatch The Halo: Reach beta is finally live, and we've assembled some handy information to help you get started in what could be the biggest console game beta ever. More »

Auction here Super NES ruler Yellow Legend of Zelda NES test carts Captain N animation cels Captain N jacket Lot of 8,690 Scratched GameCube games Defective Lot of 429 Nintendo GameCube Games (Apprx 233 Complete)

Filed under: Podcasts The show is a bit on the short side this week, thanks to one Mr. Alan Wake. Still, even with time cut short, we manage to squeak out all the major news this week, including Call of Duty: Black Ops and, of course, the Bungie / Activision partnership. There's also some talk about Alan Wake, so be sure to tune in.

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
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Hosts: Richard Mitchell (SenseiRAM, @senseiram), Alexander Sliwinski (Sli Xander, @xandersliwinski), Xav de Matos (Snypz, @xav) and Dave Hinkle (KnifefightYaDad, @davehinkle)

Music: Intro/Outro: "Electromooq" by Uma Floresta. Break: "Subliminal Message" by Happy Birthday.

For fans: Xbox 360 Fancast Facebook group

#nostalgia Jay Pavlina recently released a sensation of a video game, a remix called Super Mario Bros. Crossover that allows gamers to play Super Mario Bros. as the heroes of Mega Man, Metroid and Castlevania. Other legends almost made it in. More »

#podcast All Sid Meier ever did for video games was create Civilization. Oh, we think that merits a podcast red carpet! The legendary designer will be our guest on Kotaku Talk Radio this week. Get ready to call in on Wednesday. More »

Time to take a look at where another Pokemon could have come from, or at least, been inspired by. Today’s subject is Mawile, which may look quite scary when viewing from a certain angle!

click to see more screens?XSEED has acquired the North American publishing rights to Ivy the Kiwi? for Wii and DS, the latest game from Yuji Naka's post-Sega studio, Prope. The puzzle game, presented in a unique "storybook" art style, stars a baby kiwi trying to navigate her way back to her mother. The player uses the stylus or pointer to stretch vines to bounce Ivy through levels and around obstacles. Along the way, players can attempt to pick up optional orange feathers for extra challenge -- that is, if they don't mind keeping a baby bird separated from her mother even longer, the monsters.

In Japan, the game was originally released on Windows Phone, with console releases published by Namco Bandai. XSEED is planning a "summer 2010" release -- there's still a question mark on the specific date.