Thursday, January 17, 2008
New 8-Bit Theater Tackles Adventure, Contra, David Bowie’s Head
11:30PM Luke Plunkett | Hey, new 8-Bit theater, courtesy of BoingBoing. This week? Two features. One stars Adventure, as it could have been. Or, should have been. The other? Contra, re-imagined as a trippy music clip that hurts both my eyes and ears. Enjoy! More »
Brand New Final Fantasy XIII Images
11:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Haven’t seen new images for a while. Take these as proof that Square Enix (most likely all of Square Enix) is hard at work on both Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy versus XIII. The new issue of Japanese manga Shonen Weekly Jump has images of both. Of course the release date is still “unannounced,” and we’re not expecting the games to drop before late 2009 — if we’re lucky. Hit the jump for a shot of vsXIII. More »
Sega To Open A Ton Of Amusement Parks (Nowhere Near You)
10:30PM Luke Plunkett | SegaWorld’s dead, right? Don’t tell Sega! They’ve just signed a deal with Dubai-based property firm Emaar to open a whole load of “indoor theme parks” across…the Middle East and North Africa. The first, to be built in the Dubai Mall, will feature arcade cabinets, more complex/expensive simulators and a roller-coaster, and will be based heavily on Sega’s Japanese Joypolis centres. Sega CEO Hajime Satomi: Entertainment is about living dreams, it is about experiencing joy and culture. In joining with a company of Emaar’s stature and power, we hope to convey the pleasure and excitement inspired by great entertainment to people all over the world. Hajime, I think most of the people you just excited live nowhere near Dubai. Sega and Emaar to open Middle East theme parks [GI.biz] More »
Hey Japan, Learn English From Cosplay Foreigners!
10:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Hey, it’s not only businessmen who need English. Nerds need it, too! You know, so they can play import Xbox 360 games and crap like that. Enter Cosplish, which claims to be not only Japan’s first Cosplay English school, but the world’s. (Matt Alt was telling me, though, that they’ve had otaku-geared English conversation clubs for years. There are even sites like this or books like Moetan, which are directed specifically at otaku learning English.) The school has its schedule up for February — looks like a couple times a week in Akihabara, each class is an hour long. I gotta agree with Matt Alt: The idea of learning English from a guy dressed as Amuro is terrifying. Cosplish [Official Site] More »
Can Games Companies Learn From Apple?
9:30PM Luke Plunkett | Well, should they? It’s a question GameDaily are asking: Apple’s making big bucks from stylish, intuitive devices and software, so why don’t games companies get with the carbon-copying in a bid to increase sales? Examples: Microsoft and Nintendo’s reliance on abstract points for their online stores is confusing, while Apple use real money. Microsoft allow publishers to set their own prices for online content, while iTunes has hard limits. The 360’s blades are difficult for a novice to navigate, while an iPods’ menu is not. The 360 and PS3 are hardly triumphs of design, while Apple products are usually gorgeous, etc etc etc. What do you think? Should gaming companies be learning (and we suspect Nintendo have been quietly doing so for years now) from Apple’s success? What Game Companies Can Learn from Apple [GameDaily] More »
PS3 Exclusive Gets Exclusive Noodles
9:00PM Brian Ashcraft | What better way to promote an Edo period game with women in S&M gear? Noodles! Yep, starting next month, PS3 exclusive Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! (aka Yakuza 3) instant udon noodles will go on sale in Japan for ¥210 (aka $US 1.96) a cup. The Ryu ga Gotoku games always get the best promotions. Heck, the first Ryu ga Gotoku held an pre-game event in an actual hostess bar! Ryu ga Udon [Dengeki Online] More »
You’re So Getting Another Pokemon Ranger
8:30PM Luke Plunkett | Pokemon Ranger, the mixed entrée to Pokemon Diamond & Pearl’s Peking Duck, did OK for itself. Sure, it wasn’t a patch on the complete Pokemon experience, but hey, it had the Pokemon name on the box, so it was always going to sell well. Indeed it’s sold so well that Nintendo have announced a sequel, which will no doubt do everything the last one did, but with new Pokemon. Exciting! New Pokemon Announced For DS [IGN] More »
First Devil May Cry 4 Review
8:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Sure, reviews don’t really matter, do they? Some of you are going to pick up Devil May Cry 4 no matter what. The game’s first review hits PSM3 magazine today. From the review: Most games these days tend to hold your hand all the way through,” says PSM3, adding “Devil May Cry is not like that. It’ll throw a million demons at you because it wants to, put in half a dozen arbitrary fights in a 30-foot stretch of map, force you to survive for ages on a tiny sliver of health… and then give you a D at the end of the level because you weren’t doing enough combos… Weirdest of all, the difficulty curve seems to peak in the middle of the game… There are bits in DMC4 that you’ll absolutely love, and bits that you’ll hate. Sounds fun. Game drops January 31st in Japan, February elsewhere. First DMC4 Review [CVG] More »
Gaming’s Greatest…Horses
7:30PM Luke Plunkett | Greatest horses in gaming history? Sure, why not. MTV’s Stephen Totilo, aware of the pivotal role they’ve played in so many of our gaming adventures, is compiling a list of the medium’s most memorable steeds. Or, at least, every horse from a game he can remember. And while there are the usual suspects (Agro, Epona) and some unusual – but welcome - suspects (Sunset Riders), I think the list could have done with a few additions. More »
