Harley Quinn's Revenge Is Batman: Arkham City's Bad New Ending 
High Scores And Egos: There's Always A Bigger Doodle 
The Last Moments Of GAME 
How Bad User Interfaces Are Ruining Video Games And Other Wonderful Things 
She Tried To Make Good Video Games For Girls, Whatever That Meant 
The Story Of Doodle Jump: Brotherly Love And Digital Snacks It’s a sad, sad week if you’re the G-Star Expo in Korea these days (‘Korea’s largest video and computer game expo,’ happening next week): lots of Korean companies aren’t attending, and you can forget major foreign companies (with the exception of Microsoft). Nintendo? Despite recently announcing a planned launch of the Wii next year, they said thanks but no. Sony? No PS3 games for you, G-Star! Blizzard? Hey, why would anyone want to exhibit StarCraft 2 in Korea of all places? Admittedly, companies like Blizzard have little need to attend yet another event in Korea, having hosted their own shindigs this year; but the general complaint seems to be ‘Too much effort, too much money, not enough pay off.’ It sounds like a fun time, though, and the past expos have been “dotted with controversies”.
If you’re not one of those types that has to have a new game the second the employees open the box in the store, GameStop’s current StopWatch sale has an offer for you. If you pre-order Super Mario Galaxy within the next two days, you will qualify for free two day shipping. As someone who often can’t get out to the store on launch days due to travelling or what have you, I have turned to online ordering for a lot of my purchases and free expedited shipping is always a bonus if you want your game in a semi-timely manner.
A couple other GS online offers include: $US 10 off any video game or accessory priced $US 29.99 or more with the purchase of Guitar Hero III, and free in game items for ordering Army of Two, Crysis Collector’s Edition and Unreal Tournament III.
Free 2-Day Shipping on Super Mario Galaxy! [GameStop.com]
I think goats are ridiculously cute, even if they are frequently giant trouble makers – if I ever wind up with some acreage, I’d love to have a lop-eared Nubian or two. But Ian Bogost points out a more sinister goat with a ‘serious game’ from the Swiss Volkspartei (SVP) – a mainstream, right-wing group that has all sorts of charming suggested policies – that isn’t the usual light and cheery fare of factory farming and long lines at the airport. The SVP’s darling mascot is named Zottel, and he’s got some not-so-darling games to entertain and educate the population. Don’t let passports fall into the wrong (colored) hands! Shoot EU tax collectors (or their hats, at least)! Overturn speed limits! Who needs XBLA when you’ve got this stuff to keep you busy? Bogost has helpfully translated the point of the four available mini-games (the game is only available in German and French):
Game 1: Stop Abusive Naturalisation Protect the Swiss against foreign overpopulation by intercepting as many passports as possible, which the Leftists and Greens irresponsibly distribute. Catch the passports before they fall into the wrong hands. Steer Zottel left and right with the arrow keys. Use the spacebar to kick aside the judge.
Game 2: Stop Criminal Foreigners Eject black sheep that represent foreign criminals Return the black sheep back where they came from. Control Zottel with the mouse. Move quickly and click the mouse to eject the black sheep and buses full of sheep back across the border. Don’t touch the white sheep please!”
Game 3: End EU Taxation The EU wants more power, influence, and money. This is why it wants to impose its fiscal regime on Switzerland. Shoot the hats off the EU taxmen before they can plunder our reserves. Move the sight with the mouse and clock to shoot. Shoot the bags of money before it makes it to the EU. Stop the taxmen!
Game 4: Suppress Increasing Governmental Shenanigans Collect the radar stations placed around the country. The Greens complicate matters by imposing speed limits. Advance against the Greens to engage them in combat. Use the arrow keys to move Zottel.
The message apparently isn’t too repugnant in Switzerland, as the SVP has a healthy showing in the national government – but I don’t think an innocuously cute goat and new fangled technology can make up for wacky and extremist messages.
Right-Wing Swiss Political Games [Water Cooler Games]
It looks like the high-end mobile games business is starting to catch on here in the States like it has already taken hold in Japan. The latest title to come in to the cell phone fold is Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. The nine level single player game is a pre-quel of sorts that gives gamers an insight in to the events leading up to the console version of the game.
You will play as a member of SAS and US Marine forces who must figure out the source of an ultra-nationalist uprising in the Middle East. Use authentic weapons such as rocket launchers and assault rifles to help your squad achieve success. Chaos and destruction will pave your path!
If you want to try before you buy, a free demo version is available on developer Glu Mobile’s website.
Call of Duty 4 Mobile [Glu.com]
My weekends these days aren’t complete without a helping of the week’s Chinese game company lawsuit goodness (hey, it beats grading papers), and it looks like – despite China-based CDC Games and Mgame tossing around heated legalese the past few weeks – the companies are primed to kiss and make up. The CEOs from both companies met in Seoul to sign an agreement to ‘negotiate in good faith’ to reach some sort of mutually agreeable resolution to the battle over popular MMORPG Yulgang. Just last week, CDC Games was still claiming breech of contract and Mgame was screeching about non-payment, but the tune has definitely changed:
The parties agreed to work together to find a mutually satisfactory result and signed an agreement to agree to negotiate in good faith over the next several weeks to resolve all differences between the parties and reach an amicable solution.
“We are happy that the parties have agreed to negotiate and we are confident that we can reach a win-win solution for all in the near future,” said Xiaowei Chen, Ph.D., president of CDC Games.
Apparently CDC doesn’t feel like being the next Chinese company to rip off a Korean company’s IP (doesn’t look so good when you’re trying to combat low-level piracy) and Mgame doesn’t want to lose their piece of the lucrative Chinese market. We’ll see how this pans out.
CDC Games and Mgame Agree to Negotiate to Resolve Differences over Yulgang [Yahoo]
Kotakuite andrewd86 sends in this picture of his mom’s latest cross-stitch creation, the history of Mario made with loving care as only a mother can do.
She’s crazy about cross-stitching and old school Mario, so it didn’t take much to get her to put the two together. We just picked out some pictures from Google image search, gridded them in paint, and picked out the colors. The Mario’s span from Super Mario Bros. on NES thru Super Mario RPG. We didn’t keep track but it took her well over 100 hours to complete.
Dang, a hundred hours, now that’s some dedication to your craft. Cross-stitch just naturally lends itself to 8-bit art and this is a fine example of what you can do if you put your mind and fingers to work. Now, if only I could find the time in my day to pull something like this off. Sadly there is no time in my day, only Zuul.
Unlike some of my esteemed colleagues, I’m quite looking forward to RE: Umbrella Chronicles. I’ve been a fan of rail shooters since House of the Dead and my very favorite, Carn-Evil. I’ve played RE:UC a few times now at various events with and without the Wii Zapper and while I enjoyed it, I will admit that I liked it better in co-op mode. Something about standing side by side with a friend, taking out zombies right and left with a well placed head shot that just makes my heart light up.
Good morning. It’s time to sign for your early Saturday delivery of Kotaku Originals. This week everyone got into the Halloween spirit, the launch of Manhunt 2 caused predictable uproar and Rock band continues to make us salivate.
“In Three Months, You Will Be Happy”
Wii Remote Rip-offs Spied At Wal-Mart
How Volition Celebrated Halloween
What Are You Playing This Weekend?
ESRB: Manhunt 2 is No Hot Coffee
Who’s Going to Lose: HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, or You?
Join the Super Mario Flight Team
Sony Computer Entertainment Lost Chief Tech Officer?
Midway Having Some Wii Problems
Naruto: Rise Of The Ninja Stealthily Rocks
EA: “Content for Grand Theft Scratchy Has Not Been Removed”
Mario Once More Invades W. Hollywood Carnival
Super Mario Galaxy Japanese Retail Copy
Arse Falling Kept for Mario Galaxy Booklet, Disc
Video Game Reviews Are Broken, Please Fix
The Totally Official Trick-or-Treat Bag
The Witcher: Loading Awesome, Please Wait
NBA Tip-Off Just Part of the Videogame Experience
Red Octane Has No Plans For Xbox 360 DDR Pads
