The Witcher 3’s first expansion, Hearts of Stone, comes out October 13. As if you needed more things to play. Says developer CD Projekt Red: “The expansion lets you choose your own way through an adventure that includes recruiting a crew of break-in artists, spending a night partying with a ghost and outsmarting the most…

Everything one needs to play Mario Kart 8 in a $299 box. Nintendo has announced a new ongoing version of the Wii U that comes bundled with its popular racing game and an eShop download card for its two DLC packs. It’s available across the U.S. starting today. Vroom.

Track: Take Me Home, Country Roads | Album: Whisper of the Heart Soundtrack | Artist: Yoko Honna Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Code Geass is a Complex Morality Play With Mecha and Super Powers

Last month, the newest in a series of midquels to critically acclaimed 2006 anime Code Geass, called Code Geass: Akito the Exiled, aired in Japanese theaters. I saw the preview and it piqued my interest, but there was one small problem: I’d never seen Code Geass. So a few weeks back, I sat about fixing…

South Korea’s StarCraft II Scene Turned into a Visual Novel

The world of eSports has been turned into a PC game. Don’t worry, the game isn’t played in 300 actions per minute! Dubbed SC2VN, this is a visual novel starring a young, foreign semi-pro player named Mach trying to make it big in South Korea playing StarCraft II. You meet other players and try to…

How Mario and Luigi Were Turned into Traditional Japanese Art 

This fall, a traditional Japanese screen painting with Mario and Luigi will go on display in Kyoto. Here is how that work of art was made. Nintendo released a video interview with the artist who did the piece, Taro Yamamoto. In it, Yamamoto talks about the work, which features Mario as the Japanese god of…

The Battle System in Ray Gigant Forces You to Think

I’m only a few hours into anime RPG Ray Gigant but there’s already one thing about it I enjoy immensely: the battle system. Like many JRPGs over the past 30 years, Ray Gigant uses a turn-based battle system—however, it’s the little things about this permutation that make it so enjoyable. At its most basic, it’s…

Track: Youth Of America | Artist: Melvins | Album: Electroretard Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to – and gaming to – at the moment.

Wahay! That’s all from me, Kotaku folks. Thanks for letting me entertain you this fine Labor Day as guest editor. I hope to see you all again soon. Until then you should check out Kotaku’s reader-run TAY blog (where I can always be found) and give me a follow on Twitter @SuperBentendo.

Early Donkey Kong Country Art Shows ‘Realistic’ Enemies and Animal Pals

Before Donkey Kong Country was the game we all know, it was Donkey Kong and the Golden Bananas. Long time Rare designer Gregg Mayles has been tweeting out all sorts of art and concepts from the early stages of the SNES hit, which Rare developed in the early ‘90s. In the picture above you can…

Mario Tunes and Terrible Disney CGI Make A Horrifying Music Video

You weren’t planning on sleeping tonight, were you? The video titled “MOUSE FAN CLUB” seen above is not a new one. It’s been lurking around the internet for over a year. I’ve known about it for months and somehow I manage to get it out of my head from time to time. Then I hear…