I admit that I haven’t watched a lot of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time, but I’m not sure why. I’ve only seen a few episodes, but the ones I’ve seen are absolutely hilarious. For me, at least, the art took some getting used to, but the writing is so good that it more than makes up for it. The show itself is often littered with video game references and even the creators are huge gamers themselves, which probably explains why I love this Adventure Time x Legend of Zelda crossover shirt. It’s currently available at TeeFury for the next 24 hours, so head over there if you want to pick one up. The piece itself was designed by artist TeeKetch. If you’d like to see more of his work, you can check out his DiviantArt & RedBubble. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Feb 22, 2012 in Videogames
I always thought it’d be cool to work on one of Konami’s Metal Gear projects, but until recently that would have been a difficult prospect. Konami always handled production of the series in-house, and since relocating to Japan would have been the first of many hurdles, I never gave it a second thought. Several years ago during his keynote at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Hideo Kojima announced that he was looking to expand his studio, and to embrace western development, and now it looks like he really meant it. Kojima Productions recently posted a recruitment page looking for candidates to work on their next Metal Gear project. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Feb 21, 2012 in Videogames
Foregoing traditional launch tactics, Sony staggered the launch of their PlayStation Vita by offering several different bundles for their new handheld. Having had an opportunity to play several of the launch titles at industry events over the past year, I’ve been dying to pick one up, but with several different bundles available and retailers offering their own deals, deciding which to get and where to shop can be a bit tricky. So, I thought we should probably go over some of the best deals. Read more…
Ever wished you could hang the Hylian Family Crest on your ears? Or maybe a metal shield? Thankfully, these satisfy both requirements but won’t weigh as much as a real shield: Hylian shield earrings! The fantastically-named Bohemian Craftsody has created a bundle of cute Hylian shields in several different form factors. Not up for dangle earrings? There are stud versions available, as well as a ring or pin version. Check them out! Read more…
The latest installment in the Ninja Gaiden series is coming March 23rd, so to get the hype train rolling, we’ve got a new trailer featuring Ryu Hayabusa in action. Looks like he gets to battle some giant robots this time! In addition to single player, the game will also have online co-op and competitive multiplayer, so you can slice up friends and foes alike. Click through for the full 5-minute trailer of gameplay and cutscenes! Read more…
Interested in how games are made? Maybe interested in some charity too? Well today is your lucky day, as the organizers of the incredibly popular Humble Bundle are partnering with Mojang (creators of Minecraft) to create a game in 60 hours for charity. Basically, by the time the weekend is over, you’ll see a finished game show up. Currently, polls on Mojang’s site are dictating that the game will be a “steampunk real time strategy” game. They’ve already started, so hop on over and check out the whole process! Read more…
New iOS game PSA time! Out now on the App Store is Beat Sneak Bandit, the latest game from Simogo. It’s a fantastic little puzzle game that also has a little rhythm game mixed in with it. The aim is to collect as many clocks as you can while staying in time with the beat of the music. It starts simple but ramps up and becomes really involving. And if you’ve ever wanted to play an interactive Saul Bass opening, this is probably the closest you’re gonna get. Read more…
Remember those Minecraft LEGO sets we kept hearing about? Well here it is: the third LEGO CUUSOO crowd-voted project! It’s modular in design, so while it fits together as a single model (as seen above) it also separates into 4 sections that function as their own set. It doesn’t look too bad (and for the LEGO collectors out there, it has lots of handy flat 1×1 tiles in it). You can pre-order it through J!NX’s online store for $34.99 and it’ll release in the summer! Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Feb 16, 2012 in Tech, Videogames
When it comes to mobile gaming, I’m always in the market for a decent control interface. Recently I wrote about Ten One’s Fling Joystick which allows you to stick an analog nub to your favorite tablet or smartphone. While it’s a great alternative to fussing with a touchscreen interface, it has its shortcomings such as a lack of buttons, and so on. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives such as ION Audio’s iCade series. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Feb 15, 2012 in Videogames
There are so many video games out there, and while most gamers find themselves content with the mundane titles the industry churns out on a regular basis, some look to indie developers for an experience they can’t find anywhere else. These developers slave over their games, often without any benefits or guaranteed paychecks, not because they have to, but because they love to, one aspect of which is the music. Indie Game Music Bundle is a collection of soundtracks from various game composers who’ve worked on some of the most popular indie titles, some of which are among the most amazing scores I’ve ever heard. Their latest bundle features even more music and includes artists like Jim Guthrie, and Tomáš Dvořák. Finally, while the majority of the revenue from this project goes to the artists themselves, no doubt to maintain a steady supply of Hot Pockets, a portion of the proceeds also go to the American Cancer Society and Child’s Play. Click here for more info.
Here in the West, Sega’s Yakuza series is considered a bit niche, but that hasn’t kept its fans from falling in love with it. When Sega of America decided to skimp with their localizations, fans were passionately vocal in their opposition. In Japan however, the series has been so successful that it’s led to two films by acclaimed cult-director Takeshi Miike, and a television drama based on the PSP spin-off Yakuza: Black Panther. This April, the drama returns with a second season based on the upcoming sequel. Read more…
NECA promised us a Portal gun replica a while back, and now it’s finally up for pre-order! At least, on Japanese toy sites. Yes, the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device can soon be yours, for only ¥16,000. That’s almost $200, with our currently delightful exchange rate. However, most sites discount it for pre-orders and Hobby Search (sold out) has it for roughly ¥13,000, while AmiAmi is running at ¥12,400 (still available). But, there’s this little thing called Toy Fair happening next week where we’ll be hearing more about an American release. Read more…
I’ll be honest, I hadn’t been paying much attention to Grasshopper’s latest, Lollipop Chainsaw. However, this new trailer for Valentine’s Day looks to be kicking it up a notch in the romance department… that is, if you’re okay with guys that’re only a head. And let’s be honest: if a video game features a girl kicking her boyfriend’s disembodied head into waves of zombies as a power move, well, that’s begging to be posted. Looks like this game is going to be cheesy as it can be! Read more…
Back in December, YouTube user KinectFAAST showed off his Kinect-enabled Skyrim mod. Part of a larger series of mods in which he combines PC games with Microsoft Kinect functionality, the video made its rounds, eventually ending up on popular gaming blogs like Joystiq and Destructoid. Not too long after, KinectFAAST posted a follow-up showing off some of the enhancements he had made since his initial post. In addition to swapping through his favorites via simple voice commands, and simply interacting with the world, newer commands allow him to choose just how many potions he drinks, select weapon presets on the fly, determine the strength of his shouts by the word, and even use a bow and arrow with ease. Needless to say, it’s really impressive work. Be sure to check out more of his videos by visiting his YouTube channel, and let him know what you think by leaving a comment on each video.
Following last month’s announcement of the latest installment in Capcom’s Ace Attorney series, and the release of Ghost Trick for Apple’s iOS, Japanese fans were pleasantly surprised to hear that the first three titles from the series would also be released in HD. While Capcom USA hasn’t made any announcements regarding the localization of either Ace Attorney 5, or the HD iOS collection, some recently posted screenshots show just how beautiful the games can look in high definition.
IRL – In Real Life is a warmhearted look at one fanboy’s journey from being a non-stop World of Warcraft addict to getting a real life. What I loved about this film is that it’s a video diary of how one fan fall in love with game — leaves his non-virtual friends behind — meets the fangurl of his dreams — is then dumped by the fangurl of his dreams — and then, well here is the result: Read more…
It’s been nearly a week since Final Fantasy XIII-2‘s North American release, and gamers are just now finishing their first play-throughs. While some have labeled the game too short, many fail to realize the game actually has multiple endings since it isn’t explicitly stated during the gameplay. In addition, the message “too be continued,” appears during the final moments. This has led some to speculate that the title may be part of a proposed trilogy, but recent comments by director Motomu Toriyama offer a different explanation. Read more…
With the success of Minecraft, it appears a whole new sub-genre of games has sprouted up: cube/pixel based worlds. Terraria took on the 2D aspect of this, Brick Force is focusing on guns and combat, and Cube World is dropping you into the RPG side of things – a bit like if Minecraft fell into a melting pit and emerged as a cubic, sword-wielding monster with better shadows and draw distance and then someone sprinkled some Zelda on top. A fan recently created a trailer for the game (which will hopefully be arriving soon) to show off how the game is coming, and it looks great! Read more…
The Mario Bros. theme song has been done over and over again by every instrument ever (even banana). In fact, most Mario songs have received this treatment, including the Super Mario World theme, so you have to be really unique to stand out now. The latest? Tap-dancing! Scott Bradlee takes to the piano while his buddy Alex McDonald taps out the rhythm to one of the catchiest game tunes, giving us a short and sweet tribute to Mario. Classy! Read more…
Good news for PC gamers: you can now get games that have already been out for a while! Ok, joking aside, PixelJunk Eden and Mortal Kombat Kollection are now on Steam at great prices ($7.99 and $8.49 respectively). Both are great games, but I understand Mortal Kombat features Games For Windows Live DRM on it, which may be a dealbreaker for some. Eden has a few new features added as well, and the Steam page claims “completely re-imagined controls for the mouse.” Sounds great!
This has got to be one the most unique Smartphone accessories we’ve come across yet. Introducing the XAPPR pistol, a $30 peripheral that fits most Android and iOS devices. You’re probably wondering how it works. First you mount your phone to its stand, then the device connects to your phone with the trigger sending its signals via the headphone port. Currently, there are only a few apps that support the device, most of which require the use of augmented reality. It works well with iOS titles likeSpray’Em, or AR Warsand AR Invaders. There’s also an Android app, ATK, currently in open beta that supports it. If you’re interested in picking one up, you can currently pre-order one from the official website via Paypal, but it won’t be ready to ship ’til June.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 30, 2012 in Videogames
Square Enix dished out their latest trailer for Final Fantasy XIII-2 this weekend, hoping to hype the title a little more before it hits North American stores this week. The demo has been available to download for several weeks now, and so far has met with mixed reviews. While some have praised the game for its fast-paced action, and improved mechanics, others feel that the introduction of quick-time events, or QTE, has ruined it. As far as the story is concerned, the addition of time travel seems interesting enough, but like Final Fantasy XIII, this sequel is littered with similar sounding pronouns like fal’Cie and l’Cie that are sure to confuse anyone who isn’t paying close enough attention. Still, as far as fans of the series are concerned, this may be the entry you’ve been waiting for. If you’re expecting Final Fantasy Versus XIII instead, keep waiting — Square Enix only really started working on it back in September. Read more…
Capcom and Namco recently announced that the PS3 and Vita versions of Street Fighter X Tekken would feature several exclusive characters. We already knew about Cole from Infamous, but let’s just say the rest of the bonus characters are very, uh, unique. Mega Man, Pac-Man, and Kuro and Toro (the Japanese Sony mascots). And it’s not the usual Mega Man, it’s the cheesy American boxart Mega Man – which is either hilariously awesome or incredibly disappointing, depending on your point of view. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 25, 2012 in Videogames
Last Monday, GameStop surprised many of their European customers by closing their shops throughout Northern Ireland and Portugal. Reports state that employees were only given a days notice, and were subsequently required to sign non-disclosure agreements until the retailer made an official statement. It wasn’t long before a spokesperson commented on the closures, stating that the move was part of an existing plan “to exit the UK market from a brick and mortar perspective…” Read more…
