All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

MMOs are at their best when you're gallantly fighting alongside compatriots, using abilities with a group of friends (or strangers) to topple bad guys and win epic loot. But let's face it -- even in a massively multiplayer online game, you can't always have a full party of helpful members to with which to face your challenges. Sometimes you're up late, playing by yourself, and you've got to grind it out alone.

And that's where the road meets the rubber in an MMO: Is the game fun even without the multiplayer element? I got a chance to see Sony Online Entertainment's DC Universe Online in action at a pre-E3 event a few weeks ago, and played a combat-based level by myself. And while I did get to see some new features of the game by browsing through the menus and beating up Harley Quinn's henchmen with my Batman-alike, I'm sorry to say that DCUO's combat isn't quite as enthralling as it could be.

01. Shiryu - Midnight Resistance 2010 (6:00) (Amiga, 1990) 02. Shiryu - Beyond the Galaxy (Force 2010) (6:47) (Arcade, 1989) 03. Shiryu - Geoscape MMX (8:24) (PC, 1994) 04. Shiryu - Axelay Unkai Revisited (4:15) (Super Nintendo, 1992) 05. Shiryu - Orchestral of Rage (5:26) (Megadrive, 1992) 06. Shiryu - Super Aleste Amazonas Revisited (3:20) (Super Nintendo, 1992) 07. [...]

WayForward designer Stephan Frost combines experience and literature to delineate two schools of thought on how children’s games handle multiplayer, and on approaching a young audience for testing and implementation of design ideas.

Microsoft says design still isn't final.

#livechats It's been a long time Kotaku. How are things? Have time for a chat? No, don't worry this isn't an intervention. You don't drink too much, really! More »

#feature The pressure was enormous. Legions of fans worried. Prince of Persia, the movie, was more than a summer blockbuster. "Maybe I'm being melodramatic," says movie scribe Doug Miro. Then again, maybe he's not. This was a Hollywood video game adaptation. More »

This week marks a truly monumental point in the history of PlayStation Home, as one of the world’s biggest sporting events receives a dedicated space. PlayStation Home’s FevaArena – a virtual stadium devoted to the 2010 FIFA World Cup – will serve as the rallying point for soccer (err…futbol!) fans that want to play exclusive games, collect rewards and limited items, and indulge in their affinity for the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world. Start at the FevaShoot mini-game, where you can hone your penalty kick skills and earn points that can be cashed in for special rewards. Then head over to the FevaSimulation Center, and track the simulated progress of your favorite teams throughout the World Cup (and cash in some of those points for exclusive furniture and clothing rewards). Afterwards, you and your friends can hop into the Photo Booth or shop for exclusive virtual items (such as your favorite team’s jersey) from the FEVA Arena’s unique Mall area – all from the comfort of your console.

The FevaArena’s doors will open this Thursday, June 3rd for North American soccer fanatics, but a “Global Lounge” will be introduced on Thursday, June 10th, allowing over 14 million users from 32 countries around the globe to converge in one space to play games together and attend special events. PlayStation Home historians will recognize the FevaArena’s Global Lounge as another first in the platform’s ongoing evolution, informed directly by community feedback gathered from users across all regions of PlayStation Home.

BioShock 2 fans will have yet another reason to log in to PlayStation Home come this Thursday, when 2K Games releases their BioShock 2 Rapture Apartment. This visually dazzling personal space transports its inhabitants to the dystopian city of Rapture, in all its waterlogged, creepy glory. And, in true BioShock 2 fashion, it has plenty of Easter Eggs that only the most ravenous players will unearth (hint: try to figure out how to get to the second floor!) We’ve grabbed a few screenshots to whet your appetite, but trust me when I say these preview shots do not do this space justice. Pick one up later this week (or ask a friend for a tour), because you absolutely have to see this space up close for the full experience.

Anime fans will be treated to a full episode of Kekkaishi for one week, starting this Thursday. Watch the first episode for free in the PlayStation Home Theater, and then download it from the PlayStation Network by going to the PlayStation Store > TV Shows > Anime > Viz Media. Follow the journey of the legitimate heirs of the Hazama clan, Yoshimori Sumimura and Tokine Yukimura, carry out their family tradition of the Kekkaishi and set out to exterminate the Ayakashi demons that appear within the Karasumori site. And while you are in the Theater, be sure to check out the Killzone 3 video, courtesy of our friends here at the PlayStation.Blog.

From our daily Featured Game parties (we’ll be playing everything from LittleBigPlanet to multiplayer DLC from Dante’s Inferno this week – check out the posters in the Gamer’s Lounge or www.us.playstation.com/PSN/Home for more details) to our ongoing Top Avatar competition (this week is “Horror Week” – scary, eh? – check out the thread here), we have a new event waiting for you every day of this week (and every day that follows). If you haven’t been to one of our community events lately, we highly recommend that you log in this week and reacquaint yourself with the large and diverse group of gamers that make up the PlayStation Home community. You’ll quickly find that there is something for every PS3 fanatic going on at all hours of the day and night.

I also want to give all you guys and gals a quick reminder that PlayStation Home v1.36 is now live (we deployed this patch early Tuesday morning instead of during our regular Thursday content/maintenance windows, so it bears repeating). If you’ve not yet installed this patch, we recommend that you log in and download it today, as it will result in a more optimized in-world experience (specifically, you should notice that the loading times have been reduced even more). Helpful hint: If you notice that the yellow HDD activity light on your PS3 is flashing when you are greeted with the 1.36 patch notification, please wait for it to stop and then press X to start the installation process (Note: If you press any buttons while the yellow HDD activity light is flashing you will automatically restart your PS3, which is not necessary to apply this patch.)

See you in Home!

Blade Kitten, Krome Studios' downloadable action-adventure game based on a webcomic, is expanding beyond its originally announced PSN release. The side-scroller will also be released this September on XBLA and PC.

The game now has a publisher, as well: Atari. The addition of a publishing partner may have something to do with its wider release. In the announcement, Atari president Jim Wilson relayed his excitement about delivering Blade Kitten to "an already rabid platforming fan base of gamers on XBLA and PSN." You'll have to stop platforming long enough to play it!

After last week's feast, today's European PSN update seems just a little thin. PS3 players get a handful of new titles, including Planet Minigolf, Death Track: Resurrection and the beloved PS1 classic Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus; while PSP owners get a metric ton of sales and price reductions on their downloadable titles. Oh, and P.O.D. shows up on Rock Band. We know, we've been waiting on pins and needles for this momentous occasion, as well.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Los Angeles, CA, June 02, 2010 –(PR.com)– Innex Inc. announced today that it has secured distribution rights for the first shooting peripheral in history intended for mature video game players only. The simulated machine gun will feature a warning label and is designed exclusively for gamers aged 17 and older. The gaming weapon—named the RapidShot—will be [...]

#nba2k11 2K Sports just confirmed to CNBC that Michael Jordan, as rumored earlier, will be featured on the cover of NBA 2K11. Asked how Jordan would appear in the game, 2K said only that there will be "some really good surprises." More »

WEST COAST WIGOUT 2 Video game inspired music concert Official main page with full info: http://gamemusic4all.com/westcoastwigout West Coast WIgout 2 takes place June 15th, 2010 at Gallery Nucleus (http://www.gallerynucleus.com) in Alhambra, CA, A huge night of video game inspired rock, jazz, hip hop, and chiptunes. After the first day of E3 see how video games have influenced [...]

New update brings emperor penguin and minions.

There are plenty of ways to get to Rapture: You could survive a plane crash in the middle of an ocean; or be abducted by one of its citizens as a child. Heck, if you're a really good swimmer and can hold your breath for a long time, you probably have a decent shot. We're in favor of a safer, more practical alternative: Buy a copy of Bioshock 2.

We're also in favor of the most frugal alternative: Amazon's Deal of the Day. Bioshock 2 is half-off today from the online retailer, available for $30 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 -- and the PC version is even cheaper: $26.

Now, there's our idea of the perfect summer vacation: babysitting our little sister.

RARE has gotten themselves a set of new logos in order to better reflect the company, as well as the changes that the industry has made over the years. As you probably know, RARE can still make games for Nintendo portable platforms whenever they want. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen anything, though.

Atari acquires the rights and nails down when you can get it.

Atari acquires the rights and nails down when you can get it.

Filed under: X3F TV Good news for fans of adorable dogfighting: Snoopy Flying Ace is now available on Xbox Live Arcade. Even better, it's actually pretty enjoyable. Even better, the trial version offers thirty minutes of online play, so you can try out a dogfight with some real people. Watch the latest XBLA in Brief to see if Snoopy deserves your 800 ($10).

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Xbox.com: Add Snoopy Flying Ace trial version to your Xbox 360 download queue

- new date is June 19th - Capcom wanted to release the game alongside Nintendo’s new DSi XL color schemes - Nintendo Channel demo available in Japan - play an exclusive scenario not in the retail game - help Kanon, a girl that spends Christmas by herself, get back her smile - demo also available on DS Station tomorrow and [...]

#psp We're going to be giving away five codes for Armored Core Last Raven Portable this Thursday on Kotaku's Facebook. More »

#crime A Virginia man faces charges of charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty and disorderly conduct after allegedly hurling his girlfriend's kitten against the wall after it disconnected the video game he was playing. More »

With the whole "video games" business a total failure, apparently, Nintendo is returning to the trade for which it was founded back in 1889: playing cards. Next month, Nintendo will offer three sets of "Mario Trump" playing cards through Japanese retailers. The "Dot" deck features sprites of Mario characters, with pixelated text and symbols; the "Standard" deck features hand-drawn Mario art; and the "Neon" deck features the 3D renders we've come to associate with Mario in the last ten years.

While none of these decks is quite as lovely as the Club Nintendo hanafuda cards (in our opinion), they'll all be a lot easier to acquire. Instead of requiring imaginary currency accrued through the registration of Nintendo games, these decks will be sold for regular money: ¥1,050 (call it $11.50). Expect to see them offered from your favorite importer, like NCSX or Play-Asia, around their scheduled July release date.

[Via Andriasang]

Check out more screens and level maps in our Flickr set The ultimate kid-flying fantasy exclusively for Wii™, players will master the skies as a daring pilot in Kid Adventures: Sky Captain, an action flight game where they compete to become Sky Captain. In Kid Adventures: Sky Captain, players will have the option of inviting a friend [...]

The first dance game dedicated to fitness, fun and weight loss for the Nintendo Wii.

Calabasas, CA and Krakow, Poland– June 2, 2010 - Emergent Game Technologies announced an agreement with Bloober Team, a developer focused on high quality games for next-gen consoles, to license the popular multi-platform engine Gamebryo for the downloadable action-adventure horror game Last Flight in development for WiiWare™. “We were shopping for a fully featured game engine [...]