Japan Gaming Guide

It’s a mini space-invaders bank. You can actually play it too, it takes Y100 coins. What a great way to encourage saving! It has little controls, and even the bands on the screen to make it look like it’s in colour. This costs a mere $60, wonder how much a full size one would be?

[Read]

Capcom produced an interesting presentation for the Game Developers Conference. “IV Style: Returning to the Roots of a Fighting Game Classic” went through some of the considerations that went into updating the franchise. A lot of the slides are available to view here.

Many of the pictures illustrate the design choices and challenges they had to face in order to make the series keep the classic feel – something we feel they achieved given the quality of their finished product.

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A fan is building a 3D version of Zelda – Link’s Awakening. Check the links for details:

[Read, via GameSpark]

When planning a gaming pilgrimage to Japan it’s essential to make sure your chopstick skills are up to scratch. What finer way to do that than with the Manner Beans Chopstick set. Completely inedible beans mean you won’t be put off by your nagging hunger, although maybe that will reduce your motivation. The beans come in four types and need a range of techniques to pick up.

[Read, via Japan Sugoi]

In its ceaseless efforts to protect its citizens, the UK government has produced an ad warning of the dangers of videogames. Don’t say we didn’t warn you:

Of course, the main reason kids don’t go outside in the UK is because their parents don’t want them to get stabbed, but hey, videogames are bad, mmkay?

[Read, via Slashdot]

Here’s a great piece of Super Mario Japanese black theatre:

[Geekologie, via Xorsyst]

Outrun Online Arcade – 360, PS3

Outrun is one of the few arcade games that can still turn our heads. The latest home version will be distributed over PSN and Live Arcade so we’ll be able to launch ourselves round the feelgood, super-high-speed tracks with nary a disc swap to get in our way.

Street Fighter 4 – 360, PS3

In our opinion the only fighting game where it’s actually worth learning dozens of characters and hundreds of moves is the best fighting game. Here it comes.

Wii Sports Plus – Wii

With an all new upgraded motion sensor on the Wiimote our dreams of semi-realistic swordplay could at last be realized. We’re also looking forward to the jet-skiing, heck even the frisbee flinging might work out alright, it is a Miyamoto game after all.

Heavy Rain – PS3

No-one seems to have any idea what this is about, but that’s half the fun if you ask us. Artistic, French and likely to be highly original.

Bionic Commando

Swinging about and shooting stuff. That’s about all we know. It looks great to us.

The Another World

Anime powerhouse Studio Ghibli makes it’s first foray into the world of videogames. That they’ve waited this long is surely a testament to their unwillingness to do anything unless they’re ready to do it absolutely perfectly. With Level 5 coming off the back of the awesome Professor Layton series, could The Another World finally put JRPGs back at the top of the gaming agenda?

Overlord II

Overlord was a very promising game, and the sequel will hopefully iron out it’s little flaws as well as being a lot more evil than last time. We actually enjoyed the irony of the first game – you were actually a lot less evil than the ‘heroes’ you faced. Irony, unfortunately, doesn’t often translate into those oh so critical U.S. sales, let’s hope the game’s vicious wit isn’t also lost in the quest for dollars.

Ghostbusters

The Spook busting foursome have been away from our screens for a very long time. This game takes place a couple of years after the second movie, and is so far looking very good indeed.

Formula 1 2009 – 360, PS3, Windows

It’s been a while since we saw a truly great F1 game. With Codemasters recent track record (Dirt, Grid), this could change that. The sport itself is going through a fair amount of upheaval. The teams are being forced to standardise the technology – that might translate into tighter races more suited to armchair play than before.

The online potential for an F1 game is obviously huge – playing a full grand prix will be a fantastic experience if all goes well. A decent matchmaking system to separate budding Schumachers from the kiddies driving the wrong way round the track will of course be required.

Here are our 5 favourite games of the year:

5. Mass Effect – PC

Bioware are on top form with this – a fantastic space adventure that gives you a galaxy to explore. An epic game with an epic scope, this does have its flaws but makes up for them in terms of scale, storyline and a sense of being there that few games capture this well.

4. Braid – 360

Short, sweet and full of surprises. Braid innovates and entertains while constantly challenging the player with new mechanics and ideas. The ability to manipulate the flow of time has been used in games before but the level of invention here surpasses all other efforts.

3. Bioshock – PS3

Exploring Rapture is just as good the second time round. Like all the best horror, Bioshock is able to petrify you while absolutely nothing is happening – such is the potential in every shadow and distant sound.

2. Burnout Paradise – 360, PS3

Burnout Paradise allows you to explore an open city at speeds far higher than realism would permit. It turns it’s nose up at technical racing, and revels in speed and carnage, but does so while filling its world with challenges and rich detail. The online play is masterful, allowing co-operation to take as big a role as competition and producing some fine gaming moments as a result.

1. Grand Theft Auto IV – Various

So much to do, and so little time. Rockstar’s opus is so many things in one package. A full on criminal underworld simulator with car chases, shootouts, helicopter rides, romance – not to mention a fantastic amount of detail and things to discover. Morally bankrupt? Perhaps, but has anyone with a soul ever managed to play it without enjoying themselves? We don’t think so.

The JGG consoles are off, the presents are under the tree and there’s a little tot of whiskey out for Santa.

Here’s hoping you have a wonderful day. Merry Christmas everyone!

Have a look at this wonderful Katamari Bento. It’s enough to make us hungry.

[Read, via 4 color rebellion]