It's no secret that there's a massive difference in taste between Japanese, North American and European advertising. The marketing bods of publishers all have to take this into account when creating the box art. Sometimes they get it right and sometimes they get it wrong. Very wrong... A burly space marine with an assault rifle might get your game of the shelves in the US, but put the same box in front of a Japanese kid and he'll
Each of Nintendo's franchises is weighed down with sequels that deliver a teaspoon of new content amidst gallons of familiar fan service. This pandering ensures the devoted legions happily slam down money for the latest re-imagining of Link, Pikachu, Fox or Samus despite the overall similarity to the previous game. You love it, we love it, but after seeing crowning achievements like Twilight Princess and Prime 3, we can't help but wonder "what
Chances are that if you’ve ever had access to a computer in the last year or have an internet-savvy friend, then you’ve glimpsed a peek at Line Rider - the flash-based net phenomenon that enables you to design ridiculous tracks for a miniscule sledder to toboggan down. We got a peek at the new incarnation of Rider for the PC, Wii and DS and were impressed to find that you won’t be shelling out for a simple rehash, but rather a
From the stinging paper cuts delivered by their early Hanafuda cards, to their dual screen screammaker Contra 4, Nintendo have been responsible for a downpour of tricky titles to douse even the most resilient gamer's spirit. Join us as we descend Jacob's ladder through the circles of hell, into the belly of the Game Over beast.
Our continually growing video archive of gamer pain.
When a new copy of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition was held up at one of our regular staff meetings, we immediately dove in to discover who holds the record for the most "Wii" puns in one sentence. Wii didn't find it, but we did open up a fine catalogue game industry 'firsts' and 'mosts,' and a list of ridiculously high scores.Trivia is great, but we feel there might be a few more inventive records missing from the tome, and unlike a
Everyone loves indie games. They’re cheap, crazy and addictive, and there’s not a besuited marketing man in sight. For the few independent games that make it big, fame and fortune (of sorts) await. After all, Chris Sawyer created Rollercoaster Tycoon all by himself, and these days he sleeps on a bed made of c-notes and gold. Broadband has made it cheaper and easier than ever before to distribute indie games, but even harder to get
In honor of Gary Gygax - who passed away Tuesday, March 4, 2008 - we’d like to reflect on the profound influence Dungeons & Dragons has exerted on videogames. Dungeons & Dragons’ elaborate yet elegant game system is the bedrock upon which all modern videogames are built. Most of the gaming paradigms we know and love were forged on the anvil of TSR’s Dungeons & Dragons in 1974. So-called “RPG elements” have
Lots of people in our Pokemon general discussion forums submit teams to be rated by their peers. In last week's Pokemusings contest, we asked you what your favorite hold items were for battling. Too many times we've seen people use some horrid hold items. Things like Mystic Water, Twisted Spoon, Charcoal and Arceus plates are almost always the wrong item to use in competitive battles. Any item that boosts one type of move should not be used in
Videogame music has grown tremendously over the years. From humble bleeps and blorps that could have doubled as fart noises to sweeping soundtracks that fill two discs with ease, gamers have grown increasingly fond of the melodies chirping out of their TV. And there's perhaps no set of tunes more adored than those that ring throughout the many adventures of Link. Anyone who's even held a controller in the past 20 years should instantly recognize
