See The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks’ Whirlwind In Action [Clips]

It’s hard to call this small sample of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks ‘ gameplay spoilerific because in truth it looks awfully familiar to anybody who played Ocarina of Time. The Whirlwind is new, though. You can see it in action as the primary strategy to beat this beetle boss. To activate the Whirlwind, you have to tap that icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen to bring up the yellow targeting line. Then you blow into the Nintendo DS microphone to set off a gust of wind in the direction of the yellow line. I guess there is something potentially spoiler-ish at the end there when that green shard shows up. I have no idea what it is, but the more research-savvy among you might. In which case, you’re probably already riddled with spoilers. The Legend of Zelda – Spirit Tracks: Forest Temple Boss Fight [Zelda Informer]

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See The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks’ Whirlwind In Action [Clips]

Child’s Play Drivers Pile Back on the Bus [Charity]

Take a seat and don’t stand forward of the yellow line – Desert Bus for Hope kicked off its third marathon o’ masochism, and looks to top the $70,000 it raised last year for the Child’s Play charity. Online sketch comedy team LoadingReadyRun is back behind the wheel, promising to play the most boring video game ever designed – Desert Bus, from Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors for Sega CD – in return for your donations. Desert Bus is a simulator that depicts driving a bus between Tucson, Ariz. and Las Vegas in real time. The game cannot be paused. The first hour of driving – which begins this very minute at LoadingReadyRun’s bus campaign HQ in Vancouver – requires only a $1 donation. But additional hours require donations that increase by 7 percent every hour. You keep donatin’ and they keep drivin’. As of writing, they had already collected $5,640 before even cranking the bus’ engine, buying a total of 88 hours so far. By their scale, a million dollars donated would double that playing time. The bus crew played the game over five days last year, raising $70,000 in the process. Penn Jillette referred to the marathon in the latest edition of Game Informer, marveling that the team was able to pile up a score of “eight points.” You get one point per completed trip between the two cities. You can follow the action on two live streaming cams: The driver cam , and the bus cam . Donation info is at the link below. Desert Bus for Hope [site]

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Child’s Play Drivers Pile Back on the Bus [Charity]

The Mortal Kombat That Should Have Been [Midway]

Ex-Midway artist Vincent Proce went back to the drawing board for a pitched, but ultimately rejected visual reboot of the developer’s venerable Mortal Kombat franchise, posting the results of that back-to-basics design plan on his personal blog. Proce, who contributed to Midway’s final fighting game ( Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe ) before being snapped up by Warner Bros, wrote that the re-imagining of the MK franchise proposed “mixing modern muti-player and dismemberment game design with the original fighting mechanic.” The artist’s take on four Mortal Kombat mainstays—Raiden, Kano, Scorpion and Sonya Blade—are dramatic, gritty and, for the most part, a welcome change. Proce describes his Scorpion as “a wraith wearing the yellow blood of the demon” that resurrected him, his Kano as “half Japanese half US military bad ass.” His Sonya, which will likely draw the most criticism, was redesigned as “the daughter of a Texas Ranger who’s sex appeal weakens her opponents while her Special Forces training kicks their asses.” Finally, his Raiden pitch portrays “a god [whose] feet rarely touch the ground.” We’re not sure what direction the Mortal Kombat team is taking the series at its new home, but I’m personally hoping it’s more along these lines—a darker, more dramatic, less comic book-like treatment with a pared down cast—than what we got with Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. I enjoyed that game as much as the next guy, but I like my MK with a little less Wonder Woman. Here are the never before seen Mortal Kombat characters… [Vincent Proce Art Blog via GameSetWatch / SRK Forums ]

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The Mortal Kombat That Should Have Been [Midway]

Kotaku Originals: News that’s Hot, Spot or Not [Original]

Modern Warfare 2’s release was the big news everyone could see coming; a bloodbath at Electronic Arts, and GameStop deliberately breaking a major street date, was not. Huge developments marked an unusually newsy week, even for this time of year. Top Stories The Story and Gameplay of Final Fantasy XIII Modern Warfare 2 Sells Nearly Five Million Copies In A Day Rumor: EA’s Cuts Include C&C Team, Pandemic, Maxis & More Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review: This Means War Wary, Publishers Respond To GameStop Breaking Modern Warfare 2 Street Date Rumor: EA Guts Workforce After Big Playfish Buyout GameStop Responds; MW2 Broken Street Date a Corporate Decision Northeast U.S. GameStops Selling Modern Warfare 2 Early – Updated K9 Features Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games Columns Notebook Dump: XIII Discs, Reggie’s DS, And A Drone Update NCAA Football, and the Science of Subjectivity Reviews, Previews, Impressions and Hands-On New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review: Go Buy A Wii Modern Warfare 2 PS3 Controller Faceplate Review: Cheap, But Does The Job Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex Review: Looks Aren’t Everything LEGO Rock Band Review: Redefining The Rock Block MW2 PS3 Combat Wireless Headset Review: Pain in Your Ear LocoRoco Midnight Carnival Review: Up All Night Star Trek Online Preview: Ignoring Regulation Bright Eyes: MW2 Night Vision Goggle Impressions Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 Combat Controller Review: Plugged In Frankenreview: Modern Warfare 2 Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator Micro-Review: Comfy and Quiet Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Review: You Only Sing When You’re Winning PSPgo Traveler Case Micro Review: Stylish and Sleek News Thank You Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Game, Getting Kidnapped Again Nintendo Explains The Red Box, Dashes Hope For Yellow Ones Was Modern Warfare 2 Really The “Biggest Launch In History”? More Bang For Your Buck Wii Price Drop Puts Nintendo Back On Top In U.S. What The Captains Of The Industry Said Today Take-Two: Retail Stores Will Be Here For Awhile Guess What Made Time’s 50 Best Inventions Of 2009 List Care for a Ubisoft fighting game or RPG? They’re coming Ubisoft: Prince of Persia Movie Could Outperform Pirates of the Caribbean StarCraft II Expansions, Diablo III Coming in “Next Few Years” The Mario Suits That Were, Are And Should Be New Zune Game Revue, Coming Right At You You Came, You Saw, You Critiqued Brütal Legend Forges Unholy Union With Mishka For Brutally Metal Tees Dragon Quest VI DS Dated For Japan Can You Spot The Game Peripheral In This Lady Gaga Video? Measuring The Hype: Modern Warfare 2 Something To Make Up For The DOA Gears’ Snuggie New Super Mario Bros. Wii Already Standing Out Here Terrifying Clown Army Invades New York Best Buy Malaysia’s Wall of Modern Warfare 2 Nintendo Thanks People For Ratting Out R4 Retailers Modern Warfare 2 Locked Until Thursday For Steam Customers The Dangerous Video Game You Weren’t Supposed To Play Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 Range Unboxed iPhone Chart Toppers: Jelly Car 2 Rocks the List Reminder Write a Walk-Through, Maybe Win Stuff

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Kotaku Originals: News that’s Hot, Spot or Not [Original]

Kotaku Originals: News that’s Hot, Spot or Not [Original]

Modern Warfare 2’s release was the big news everyone could see coming; a bloodbath at Electronic Arts, and GameStop deliberately breaking a major street date, was not. Huge developments marked an unusually newsy week, even for this time of year. Top Stories The Story and Gameplay of Final Fantasy XIII Modern Warfare 2 Sells Nearly Five Million Copies In A Day Rumor: EA’s Cuts Include C&C Team, Pandemic, Maxis & More Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review: This Means War Wary, Publishers Respond To GameStop Breaking Modern Warfare 2 Street Date Rumor: EA Guts Workforce After Big Playfish Buyout GameStop Responds; MW2 Broken Street Date a Corporate Decision Northeast U.S. GameStops Selling Modern Warfare 2 Early – Updated K9 Features Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games Columns Notebook Dump: XIII Discs, Reggie’s DS, And A Drone Update NCAA Football, and the Science of Subjectivity Reviews, Previews, Impressions and Hands-On New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review: Go Buy A Wii Modern Warfare 2 PS3 Controller Faceplate Review: Cheap, But Does The Job Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex Review: Looks Aren’t Everything LEGO Rock Band Review: Redefining The Rock Block MW2 PS3 Combat Wireless Headset Review: Pain in Your Ear LocoRoco Midnight Carnival Review: Up All Night Star Trek Online Preview: Ignoring Regulation Bright Eyes: MW2 Night Vision Goggle Impressions Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 Combat Controller Review: Plugged In Frankenreview: Modern Warfare 2 Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator Micro-Review: Comfy and Quiet Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Review: You Only Sing When You’re Winning PSPgo Traveler Case Micro Review: Stylish and Sleek News Thank You Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Game, Getting Kidnapped Again Nintendo Explains The Red Box, Dashes Hope For Yellow Ones Was Modern Warfare 2 Really The “Biggest Launch In History”? More Bang For Your Buck Wii Price Drop Puts Nintendo Back On Top In U.S. What The Captains Of The Industry Said Today Take-Two: Retail Stores Will Be Here For Awhile Guess What Made Time’s 50 Best Inventions Of 2009 List Care for a Ubisoft fighting game or RPG? They’re coming Ubisoft: Prince of Persia Movie Could Outperform Pirates of the Caribbean StarCraft II Expansions, Diablo III Coming in “Next Few Years” The Mario Suits That Were, Are And Should Be New Zune Game Revue, Coming Right At You You Came, You Saw, You Critiqued Brütal Legend Forges Unholy Union With Mishka For Brutally Metal Tees Dragon Quest VI DS Dated For Japan Can You Spot The Game Peripheral In This Lady Gaga Video? Measuring The Hype: Modern Warfare 2 Something To Make Up For The DOA Gears’ Snuggie New Super Mario Bros. Wii Already Standing Out Here Terrifying Clown Army Invades New York Best Buy Malaysia’s Wall of Modern Warfare 2 Nintendo Thanks People For Ratting Out R4 Retailers Modern Warfare 2 Locked Until Thursday For Steam Customers The Dangerous Video Game You Weren’t Supposed To Play Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 Range Unboxed iPhone Chart Toppers: Jelly Car 2 Rocks the List Reminder Write a Walk-Through, Maybe Win Stuff

Excerpt from:
Kotaku Originals: News that’s Hot, Spot or Not [Original]

Kotaku Originals: News that’s Hot, Spot or Not [Original]

Modern Warfare 2’s release was the big news everyone could see coming; a bloodbath at Electronic Arts, and GameStop deliberately breaking a major street date, was not. Huge developments marked an unusually newsy week, even for this time of year. Top Stories The Story and Gameplay of Final Fantasy XIII Modern Warfare 2 Sells Nearly Five Million Copies In A Day Rumor: EA’s Cuts Include C&C Team, Pandemic, Maxis & More Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review: This Means War Wary, Publishers Respond To GameStop Breaking Modern Warfare 2 Street Date Rumor: EA Guts Workforce After Big Playfish Buyout GameStop Responds; MW2 Broken Street Date a Corporate Decision Northeast U.S. GameStops Selling Modern Warfare 2 Early – Updated K9 Features Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games Columns Notebook Dump: XIII Discs, Reggie’s DS, And A Drone Update NCAA Football, and the Science of Subjectivity Reviews, Previews, Impressions and Hands-On New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review: Go Buy A Wii Modern Warfare 2 PS3 Controller Faceplate Review: Cheap, But Does The Job Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex Review: Looks Aren’t Everything LEGO Rock Band Review: Redefining The Rock Block MW2 PS3 Combat Wireless Headset Review: Pain in Your Ear LocoRoco Midnight Carnival Review: Up All Night Star Trek Online Preview: Ignoring Regulation Bright Eyes: MW2 Night Vision Goggle Impressions Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 Combat Controller Review: Plugged In Frankenreview: Modern Warfare 2 Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator Micro-Review: Comfy and Quiet Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Review: You Only Sing When You’re Winning PSPgo Traveler Case Micro Review: Stylish and Sleek News Thank You Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Game, Getting Kidnapped Again Nintendo Explains The Red Box, Dashes Hope For Yellow Ones Was Modern Warfare 2 Really The “Biggest Launch In History”? More Bang For Your Buck Wii Price Drop Puts Nintendo Back On Top In U.S. What The Captains Of The Industry Said Today Take-Two: Retail Stores Will Be Here For Awhile Guess What Made Time’s 50 Best Inventions Of 2009 List Care for a Ubisoft fighting game or RPG? They’re coming Ubisoft: Prince of Persia Movie Could Outperform Pirates of the Caribbean StarCraft II Expansions, Diablo III Coming in “Next Few Years” The Mario Suits That Were, Are And Should Be New Zune Game Revue, Coming Right At You You Came, You Saw, You Critiqued Brütal Legend Forges Unholy Union With Mishka For Brutally Metal Tees Dragon Quest VI DS Dated For Japan Can You Spot The Game Peripheral In This Lady Gaga Video? Measuring The Hype: Modern Warfare 2 Something To Make Up For The DOA Gears’ Snuggie New Super Mario Bros. Wii Already Standing Out Here Terrifying Clown Army Invades New York Best Buy Malaysia’s Wall of Modern Warfare 2 Nintendo Thanks People For Ratting Out R4 Retailers Modern Warfare 2 Locked Until Thursday For Steam Customers The Dangerous Video Game You Weren’t Supposed To Play Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 Range Unboxed iPhone Chart Toppers: Jelly Car 2 Rocks the List Reminder Write a Walk-Through, Maybe Win Stuff

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Kotaku Originals: News that’s Hot, Spot or Not [Original]

Modern Mario [Note]

To: Owen From: Crecente I muscled through the final third of New Super Mario Bros. Wii this morning so I could wrap the game up and write up my review. Than, after writing the review, I hit up Modern Warfare 2 so I would be prepared for my twin live interviews on MSNBC tomorrow morning. It sounds like fun, and it is, but that doesn’t make what we do tiring sometimes too. What you missed: Final Fantasy XIII Hits North America March 9 The Story and Gameplay of Final Fantasy XIII Just Cause 2 Preview: Eat Your Heart Out, Spider-Man Modern Warfare 2 PS3 Controller Faceplate Review: Cheap, But Does The Job Nintendo Explains The Red Box, Dashes Hope For Yellow Ones New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review: Go Buy A Wii Kotaku Game Club: Modern Warfare 2 Discussion Resumes.. NOW (Levels 4-6) Review Round-Up: Mario, MW2, Loco Roco. Lego And More Thank You Mario, But Our Princess Is In Another Game, Getting Kidnapped Again

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Modern Mario [Note]

Rumor: Here’s Some Possible New PSPgo Colors [PSP]

According to a report on Destructoid, Sony may be looking at adding a little spice to the PSPgo’s lineup via the addition of the some new colour options for the handheld. The above chart was apparently sent out to consumers by a market research company in the UK. While it’s hardly an official statement from Sony, it does at least give us an idea of the shades they’re contemplating for the inevitable releases down the line of PSPgo consoles in more exciting colours than “white” or “black”. I’m quite partial to the “Bright Yellow” one, myself. Check out these proposed PSPgo colors [Destructoid]

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Rumor: Here’s Some Possible New PSPgo Colors [PSP]

Frankenreview: Modern Warfare 2 [Round Up]

A game so wildly popular and well-known that we don’t even have to explain what it is in the opening line for the Modern Warfare 2 Frankenreview. so here we are. It’s the next installment of Infinity Ward ’s s***. We could drone on and on about Modern Warfare 2’s controversial terrorist level, or the fact that this could very well be the bestselling game of the year and possibly all-time. We could talk about robust multiplayer, the new cooperative missions, and the fact that Soap MacTavish is at least one of our writers’ personal hero. We won’t do that, however. Instead, we give you the assembled game critics’ responses to Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 2. Eurogamer Twice, Infinity Ward asks if you’re absolutely sure you want to see it. The scene, the fourth you’ll encounter in the most widely anticipated game of the year, could be “disturbing” or “offensive”, repeats the warning. You smile and agree that, yes, you are sure you want to see it. This is a videogame. They give them 18 certificates, but only to appease people who don’t really understand what’s going on. Sure, the images of violence and bloodshed on Modern Warfare’s battlefields can be disturbing to an onlooker, but death in a first-person shooter is a five-second setback, a micro-reincarnation designed to provide challenge and an impetus to improve, not distress. Strategy Informer Of course there will be a significant chunk of the audience that end up wondering what all the fuss was about; and for those of you of that persuasion, MW2’s action beat and constant assault on the senses will prove the primary draw. It’s here that Infinity Ward steps above and beyond criticism with superlative gunplay and a visual panache that – at times – borders on best-in-show. Enemies crumple realistically under fire, set-piece animation is integrated in an almost seamless fashion within the level design, and you’ll be hard-pushed to spot a single respawning set of foes – which is about bloody time, even if early reports of nerfed veteran difficulty as a direct consequence are to be believed. IGN Thankfully many of the glaring issues from last time around have been fixed. You won’t find unlimited enemy spawns in areas, there’s always a waypoint icon on-screen showing you where to go or who to follow, and the amount of in-game chatter from your team is simply astounding. It isn’t often in games that you’ll hear your squad call out specific areas on the map and have it mean anything. When your friend shouts, “Two tangos behind the yellow station wagon!” you’ll actually see two enemies behind a yellow station wagon. It’s a pretty engaging experience. You’ll still have random issues with friendly AI, specifically with blocking your movement or deciding to walk in front of you mid-firefight, but for the most part it’s a better experience than the first Modern Warfare. Game Informer Modern Warfare 2’s competitive multiplayer offering is the soul of iterative design. New ideas arise like third-person play and death streaks, but nothing substantially affects the core gameplay. On the other hand, the tweaks are almost uniformly great. Weapon-specific unlocks, cosmetic titles and callsigns, and upgraded “pro” perks contribute to a dramatic increase in the depth and breadth of persistent progression. The strategic variance of each map invites hours of study and experimentation. Included due to the mountain of feedback, the playlists (preset rotations of maps and modes for groups to play through) offer delightful bouquets of varied-yet-similar gametypes for all tastes. Telegraph The game’s new mode is Special Ops which can be played solo or in co-op, both local and online. It’s unlocked by completing the campaign mode, and is essentially a series of mini-missions; their design is similar to the epilogue mission in COD4’s campaign mode, “Mile High Club”. They’re divided into four groups – Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta – and are based on sections within the campaign’s levels. They include scenarios such as defending a raised platform in a snow-covered shipyard, racing snowmobiles across tundra and taking out guerrillas in a favela in Rio de Janeiro while avoiding civilian casualties. A couple of fan-favourites from COD4 are also included, such as the chilling Death From Above mission in AC-130 Spectre Gunship. Special Ops range from one to three stars in their level of difficulty, and players can use the stars they earn to unlock more challenges. There are 23 missions in all, and a lot of them are highly addictive; the temptation to better one’s time in the snowmobile race is particularly compelling. Kotaku Modern Warfare 2 may not innovate or raise the bar as impressively as Call of Duty 4 did in order to grant it automatic game of the year consideration. The better praise it may deserve is that it’s likely the game that many will be playing well into next year. Anyone surprised?

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Frankenreview: Modern Warfare 2 [Round Up]

Frankenreview: Modern Warfare 2 [Round Up]

A game so wildly popular and well-known that we don’t even have to explain what it is in the opening line for the Modern Warfare 2 Frankenreview. so here we are. It’s the next installment of Infinity Ward ’s s***. We could drone on and on about Modern Warfare 2’s controversial terrorist level, or the fact that this could very well be the bestselling game of the year and possibly all-time. We could talk about robust multiplayer, the new cooperative missions, and the fact that Soap MacTavish is at least one of our writers’ personal hero. We won’t do that, however. Instead, we give you the assembled game critics’ responses to Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 2. Eurogamer Twice, Infinity Ward asks if you’re absolutely sure you want to see it. The scene, the fourth you’ll encounter in the most widely anticipated game of the year, could be “disturbing” or “offensive”, repeats the warning. You smile and agree that, yes, you are sure you want to see it. This is a videogame. They give them 18 certificates, but only to appease people who don’t really understand what’s going on. Sure, the images of violence and bloodshed on Modern Warfare’s battlefields can be disturbing to an onlooker, but death in a first-person shooter is a five-second setback, a micro-reincarnation designed to provide challenge and an impetus to improve, not distress. Strategy Informer Of course there will be a significant chunk of the audience that end up wondering what all the fuss was about; and for those of you of that persuasion, MW2’s action beat and constant assault on the senses will prove the primary draw. It’s here that Infinity Ward steps above and beyond criticism with superlative gunplay and a visual panache that – at times – borders on best-in-show. Enemies crumple realistically under fire, set-piece animation is integrated in an almost seamless fashion within the level design, and you’ll be hard-pushed to spot a single respawning set of foes – which is about bloody time, even if early reports of nerfed veteran difficulty as a direct consequence are to be believed. IGN Thankfully many of the glaring issues from last time around have been fixed. You won’t find unlimited enemy spawns in areas, there’s always a waypoint icon on-screen showing you where to go or who to follow, and the amount of in-game chatter from your team is simply astounding. It isn’t often in games that you’ll hear your squad call out specific areas on the map and have it mean anything. When your friend shouts, “Two tangos behind the yellow station wagon!” you’ll actually see two enemies behind a yellow station wagon. It’s a pretty engaging experience. You’ll still have random issues with friendly AI, specifically with blocking your movement or deciding to walk in front of you mid-firefight, but for the most part it’s a better experience than the first Modern Warfare. Game Informer Modern Warfare 2’s competitive multiplayer offering is the soul of iterative design. New ideas arise like third-person play and death streaks, but nothing substantially affects the core gameplay. On the other hand, the tweaks are almost uniformly great. Weapon-specific unlocks, cosmetic titles and callsigns, and upgraded “pro” perks contribute to a dramatic increase in the depth and breadth of persistent progression. The strategic variance of each map invites hours of study and experimentation. Included due to the mountain of feedback, the playlists (preset rotations of maps and modes for groups to play through) offer delightful bouquets of varied-yet-similar gametypes for all tastes. Telegraph The game’s new mode is Special Ops which can be played solo or in co-op, both local and online. It’s unlocked by completing the campaign mode, and is essentially a series of mini-missions; their design is similar to the epilogue mission in COD4’s campaign mode, “Mile High Club”. They’re divided into four groups – Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta – and are based on sections within the campaign’s levels. They include scenarios such as defending a raised platform in a snow-covered shipyard, racing snowmobiles across tundra and taking out guerrillas in a favela in Rio de Janeiro while avoiding civilian casualties. A couple of fan-favourites from COD4 are also included, such as the chilling Death From Above mission in AC-130 Spectre Gunship. Special Ops range from one to three stars in their level of difficulty, and players can use the stars they earn to unlock more challenges. There are 23 missions in all, and a lot of them are highly addictive; the temptation to better one’s time in the snowmobile race is particularly compelling. Kotaku Modern Warfare 2 may not innovate or raise the bar as impressively as Call of Duty 4 did in order to grant it automatic game of the year consideration. The better praise it may deserve is that it’s likely the game that many will be playing well into next year. Anyone surprised?

Read more from the original source:
Frankenreview: Modern Warfare 2 [Round Up]

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