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Ten bucks says this person spent at least a half hour picking the coolest books from their collection just for this photo.

[9Gag]

11 months ago

More Cosplay PAX 2010


In this second batch of prime PAX cosplay, we have an impressive Captain Falcon (complete with punch), Zoey of Left 4 Dead fame, and Mario’s nemesis Wario. All three of whom responded by their character’s name while I hounded them like a paparazzo for their picture. That’s some dedication folks. 





CARL was there you guys. CARLLLLL.

11 months ago

They Might Be Giant: iPod Earbud Speakers


These would pair nicely with a giant novelty phone, don’t you think? 

$60.

11 months ago

Bethesda Softworks Podcast Now On iTunes



If you like to download things and listen to a lot of blah blah blah, and happen to be a fan of Bethesda, then this new podcast is the one for you. Bethesda Softworks, who of course are responsible for titles like Fallout 3, Brink, Hunted, RAGE, and more, now has one available through iTunes. Check it out at the link below.

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11 months ago

Metroid: Other M Chalk Drawing PAX 2010


Knowing how precariously I had to dangle over a ledge to get this shot, I feel nervous just looking at it again. I also am re-experiencing the devilish urge to empty a water bottle all over the chalk drawing, just to see what’d happen. 

A mob, a mob is what would happen. I would never destroy such a thing of beauty, but I admit, the pure fury might have been a little beautiful, too.

11 months ago

Pull Up An L Block: Tetris Inspired Furniture




Think of the endless combinations. Just don’t, you know, make a solid straight line. Wouldn’t want your couch to disappear.  



[Behance via 1-Up]

11 months ago

All Things Portal 2 PAX 2010


If there’s anything I’m enjoying about my second major convention as a games writer (you know, besides the swag), it’s checking in on the games I saw from the first. In this case, it’s Portal 2, the fully realized sequel to the short smash hit original. While the E3 2010 closed door viewing I was privy to focused on showing off the new features and additions coming to Portal 2, the demonstration at PAX went into the new co-op aspect of the game, performed by a pair of charming robots, whom you can see in the teaser trailer above.

With two portal guns (which for clarity’s sake have been color coded red/orange or blue/purple), there are obviously a number of different puzzles that can be built versus the limitations of only one. Valve seems to have utilized this to the fullest, coordinating challenges that encourage (read: require) the cooperative use of both.

One notable co-op feature brings back a fun trick from the original. In Portal, you could make a portal above and below you to create a bottomless pit-like stunt for your own amusement.  In Portal 2, you can use that mechanism to actually launch your partner across great distances by pushing a lever while they free fall.

As with the single player campaign, the portal gun will be used to channel lasers to different parts of the room, at times assisted by the Redirection Cube. However, this was only one of the puzzles they showed. It will be interesting to see what they do with the Gels and the other Companion objects, like the Weighted Storage Balls (if anything).

All of this is of course performed with their signature flourish of comedy, with your robots emoting, high fiving, and sassing each other along the way. If there’s anything I’ve loved about the Portal 2 footage we’ve seen thus far, it’s the dose of humor with which they’ve garnished the game.

Portal 2 debuts February 2011 on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.

11 months ago

All Things Kung-Fu Live PAX 2010
PAX 2010 was a great opportunity to check in on games from earlier this summer, and virtually the first for at the event was Kung-Fu Live. Stationed near the entrance at the lobby, they were kind of hard to miss, especially with the throngs of fans visiting to test it out. Stopping by the booth didn’t show me anything I didn’t already see in the private demo my Tanooki associate Jason Leavey and I were privy to at E3 2010, but it was fun seeing others enjoy it. Even funner for me has been seeing all the glowing reviews come out now that the fans seem to have given their approval. It was kind of lonely out there in Google land when Jason and I put out our good vibes on this game, but only now have the bigger outlets followed through. I’m happy for Virtual Air Guitar Company but of course understandably smirking just a little inside. This game is Kinect without the Kinect, before it’s even on the market. Kung-Fu Live uses technology already available by utilizing the PS Eye. And um, yeah, it let’s you wear costumes and use weapons. I can dress like Jesus Christ and defeat foes with a pillowcase full of batteries, if I so choose. Debate over, Kung-Fu Live wins.

Another thing that gives me great joy about supporting this game is how awesome the guys are who had a hand in making it. In the promotional materials I’ve thus far spotted their managing director, who was there to give Jason and me the E3 demo, and their PR director, who was at both E3 and PAX (and has one helluva a high five, if I may say so myself). I’m also impressed with said PR director’s memory, because for as many people as there were darting in and out of E3, he immediately remembered me before I got a word out of my mouth.

But then, as a perpetually stoned permabaker, I’m probably impressed with anyone with a memory exceeding that of a goldfish.




Check out more screen shots at the link below.


11 months ago

All Things Fluidity PAX 2010
By now you’ve probably heard about Nintendo’s upcoming title Fluidity, the WiiWare game that challenges players to use a flowing stream of water to solve a series of puzzles. Hard to envision, right? Having not seen the trailer, and certainly not seen any gameplay, I might have been a bit skeptical myself when passing by it at this year’s PAX Nintendo booth. But, with the lines stretching ever longer for Donkey Kong Country Returns, and knowing that I’d get more mileage out of playing a game that hasn’t been played by any Tanooki staff, I hopped on over and got what ended up being a detailed and dastardly fun demo from the attentive Nintendo staff member at the helm.

Now, with a game that has you so carefully directing a flowing water through a myriad of mechanisms like hinged doors and scooped reservoirs, you might not know what to expect in terms of difficulty. The opening level that I played was at an appropriate difficulty for beginning players, but I was assured that it gets much harder as time goes on. When playing, it’s key to keep your arms straight out and make small, controlled movements as you move your puddle from place to place. If anything, this game is not just a puzzle game. It’s a game of finesse. As your stream of water is moved through the level, your goal is to keep every last drop intact as you roll through various traps, gears, doors, and more.

The puzzles are more inventive than the description suggests. There are some where you cannot trigger a lever unless all your water is present. In another, I had to use the stream of water to pop a gear into the air to reach a device. That’s right, your water doesn’t just stay on the ground. You’ll have to pop it into the air to complete certain goals. And while I did not get to try it myself, Nintendo says you’ll later use steam and ice to solve challenges as well.

If you’re wondering about the aesthetic, you’ll find it simple, with a pleasant color scheme and cell shaded graphics. It fits the theme perfectly: whimsical, light, clean. Since the game is set in the magic literary land of Aquaticus (your series of completed tasks carrying you from chapter to chapter), the theme loosely follows that of a storybook, which you should be able to see in the trailer. In fact, the debut trailer provides an excellent illustration as a whole, showing off more puzzles than I got to experience in the demo.

All in all, I found the game easy to learn while presenting an appropriate challenge. The water physics engine, sure, is fantastic, but more importantly, they’ve made a real game around it. If you’re a gamer who likes to support quirky titles with refreshing concepts, buy this title. If you’re looking for an all-ages game to enjoy with your family, buy this title. If you just want a new addiction, buy this title.

No release date has been announced on this WiiWare game yet, but I have a feeling it will be soon.

Check out more screen shots at the link below.

11 months ago

Meta Knit
Not gonna lie. As an avid geek crafter, the minute I saw Kirby’s Epic Yarn announced at E3, I started plotting how to make something based on the game. It was only today that I started thinking about yarn-stitching on canvas…and then I saw this in my groups on Flickr. Not only did someone beat me to it, they also went Meta. Bravo, !

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11 months ago

Sim-ulate A Costume With This PlumBob Headband



My Sims plumbob headband seemed to break a lot of hearts at PAX 2010 (there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when I told them I got it at E3), so I dug up this tutorial. There, now you can have one of your own. And stop threatening to cut me for mine.

[eHow]

11 months ago

Seattle Fans Come Out And Cosplay PAX 2010
I’ve spent a good portion of PAX thus far with face in a camera so I thought I’d show you some of my handiwork. Never a crowd to miss a chance to cosplay, Seattle fans so far have brought a great variety of costumes to the event. Top image of course goes to the awesome Vault 101 cosplay chick, who was hanging out at the Bethesda booth. 


Not a bad Majora’s Mask replica! I just wanted to *yoink*. The gal who was carrying it wisely chose to not put it on.


Ness is a stoner, who knew. There were a lot of guys walking around dressed as Ness, though. Easily done.


This guy has half the costume on every waking moment of his life. The likeness is uncanny.


Great Mario group, but it seemed tedious trailing around together in the crowded PAX aisles! I really thought Luigi, Mario, and Peach should have run around being chased by Blooper and Lakitu.


Love love love this Resident Evil cosplay. Plus this lady was so friendly and enthusiastic. It was refreshing to see women who dressed up for the love of the game.


I think these gals might have been from the official PopCap booth or something, but I’m not sure. Cute! 


Get half naked at PAX, get your picture on the Internet.


I love Phoenix Wright cosplayers who bring the sign. Always bring the sign! 


Shock me shock me shock me with that awesome Bioshock cosplay. 


As this guy and I agreed, no one does enough fire power Mario cosplay. Luckily he was there to fill the void, and even had a fire flower to go with it. 


Second day I saw this dude, and I finally caught up with him for a snap. 

Check back in tomorrow, I’ll try to put up a few more. Provided that my limbs don’t fall off from pure fatigue that is.

11 months ago

Last Chance! Meet Bad Fish At PAX 2010

It’s a bad fish. Get it?

Well guys, this is it! I’ve spent the past two days at Seattle’s 2010 PAX, and tomorrow is the last, your very last, chance to come say hello as I wander the halls. I’ll be the only chick gettin’ mobbed and nearly ransacked for her Sims headband and speaking Simlish to the random passerbys. I may also be rockin’ my mini Hama bead fairy from Link to the Past, which also got a reaction. If you need further identification, I’m five foot one, and I wear a black knit newsboy cap at all times.

Stay tuned guys, ‘cause I have some bitchin’ giveaways coming up as soon as the event is over: patches, buttons, lanyards, and maybe more! I’ll also be writing up some first impression reviews on a number of games, including Epic Mickey, the new Behemoth game, the inventive upcoming WiiWare title Fluidity, Lego Universe, and more. More more more more MORE!

11 months ago

Metroid Appears In Starcraft II


Well look who found their way into Starcraft II. My Tanooki associate Pete Betcher found this a bit ago in his game. Now that Metroid: Other M is out, I find myself wondering if we’ll see something from Starcraft in Samus Aran’s world. Unlikely, but, much like “What would happen if I duct taped a dog to my cat”, very fun to think about. For details, check out the link below.


11 months ago

O-kay…Okamiden Book Cover
As said by Joystiq and quoted by Scarlet Pirate, the makers of Okamiden are trying to cute us to death before we ever get to play the game. That’s your game, isn’t it Capcom? Just suffocate us with the cute? This book cover doesn’t even make sense. It doesn’t have anything to do with the game. All a part of their bastardly adorable plan.



11 months ago