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  Spice Invaders is a Delightful Little Defense Game Until You Crash Into the Pay Wall

  Creating a successful ‘freemium’ game is an exercise in enticement and restraint. You need to slowly but surely gain the player’s interest, building excitement to a fever pitch before introducing the idea of laying out a little cash to enhance their enjoyment. Or you could just give the player seven levels and demand they pay…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 7, 2012
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  Minecraft‘s Creator Wants to Put Up Money to Make Psychonauts 2 a Reality

  Tim Schafer’s Psychonauts is practically synonymous with the phenomenon of great, under-appreciated games. It didn’t set the world on fire with massive sales when it came out years ago but has gone one to become a cult favorite, with a Mac release happening late last year. So, what about a sequel? Well, you may have…

  By Evan Narcisse Published February 7, 2012
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  Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland Isn’t Like Those Other Atelier Games

  Aw look, I’ve upset pretty pink-haired princess Meruru by being slightly deceptive in the headline. Don’t worry, Meruru, I’m sure you have your distinctive elements, probably! The thirteenth game in Gust’s alchemy-driven role-playing series is a great deal like the previous two, bringing the Arland trilogy to a close in North America later this year.…

  By Mike Fahey Published February 7, 2012
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  R2-D2. A Girl on a Pink Bike. Ray-Bans. Where To Start?

  Force It | TAIPEI, TAIWAN: This photo cuts quite the tableau. What’s with that glum Gus in the background? (Photo: Game Watch Impress) The Video Game Humans of the Future Should Look This Awesome A new console generation is almost upon us, not to mention a new era in PC gaming fidelity. We know better…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Do You Want More Lollipop Chainsaw Violence? There’s a Switch!

  In the Japanese “Premium Edition” of Lollipop Chainsaw, players can switch between a “D-rated” version a “Z-rated” (think Mature) version. The standard version is D-rated. Watch the game’s trailer here, complete with sparkles and vivisections. [ゲーム情報！ゲームのはなし]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Virtual Idol’s Snow Sculpture Injured Elderly Lady for Real

  Every winter, the Sapporo Snow Festival amazes visitors with snow sculptures. This year, a “Snow Miku” of virtual idol Hatsune Miku was erected. Today, it was destroyed after injuring a senior citizen. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, a 61 year-old woman from Tochigi Prefecture was sightseeing, visiting the festival, when the 3-meter (nearly 10-foot) statue…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Sword-Swinging Heroine Totally Ripped Off

  Saber, the protagonist of the Fate visual novel series, seems to be a bit of a bookworm. An unauthorized version of the character apparently popped up in this French language textbook. The internet sleuths got to work and were able to pinpoint the exact Saber photo the books supposedly swiped. See how they match up…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Hello Kitty and…Hooters?

  When you think “Hooters”, you might think of orange hot pants, buffalo wings, or, if you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan, retired catcher Darren Daulton (who married a Hooters icon). The one thing you do not think of is Hello Kitty—until now. The famous illustrated cat is doing a cross promotion with Hooters Japan. The…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Metal Gear Solid HD Collection Coming to PS Vita

  Today via Twitter, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima revealed that the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, the remastered ports of MGS2 and MGS3, would be coming to the PS Vita. Above is apparently the first image of the PS Vita port, which will use the handheld’s touch controls. The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection was…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  It’s Cold. Time for Hot Panties.

  February is always so cold in Japan. This winter has seen record snowfall across the country. Akihabara, Tokyo’s geek mecca, has a way to warm up: hot underpants. Earlier this month and for a limited time only, sex toy shop M’s Akihabara sold piping hot striped underpants. Priced at ¥800 (US$10.44), the hot panties came…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Let’s Learn How To Put On Final Fantasy Make-Up!

  If you’ve played Final Fantasy IX, you know Kuja is the main bad guy. Like many Final Fantasy characters, Kuja has a stylized appearance. This video is an in-depth look at how to recreate it. The individual in the video is Michael James, who’s been playing with make-up since the age of 15. Michael’s a…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Who Needs Kissing Cosplay Ladies, When There Are Video Games

  And those who don’t have video games, they have cell phones, soft drinks, and cat masks. Talk about being totally set. Just like this music game playing Pikachu guy. Set! 速報＠ゲーハー板 ver.19344 [2ch]

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  Darth Vader Invades South Osaka (Noooooooooo!)

  When I first moved to Osaka, I lived near Shinsekai—a rough part of town in the south. My apartment was clean and spacious, but the area was populated with drunks, prostitutes, and gangsters. And this weekend, it was filled with Imperial Stormtroopers. Shinsekai is one of the stigmatized parts of Osaka. Many in North Osaka,…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  No, This is the Right Way to do a Japanese Game’s Box Art

  Just like it did with Europe, Nintendo is giving Xenoblade fans the chance to pick the game’s alternate cover before it’s released in North America. Only difference being, North America’s covers are a lot better. They’re the full wrap-around deal, with nothing to spoil the art but the game’s logo on the spine. There’s not…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 7, 2012
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  Game Characters Embarrassing Themselves on Facebook

  Mario is a boozehound. Luigi loves photo bombs. Peach is vain. Some of gaming’s greatest characters get classic (and clever) Facebook pic parodies. It’s not just Nintendo characters getting in on the act. There is Metal Gear Solid’s Snake, whose military pic I saw coming. While not embarrassing, Nathan Drake’s family photo is definitely revealing.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published February 7, 2012
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  You’ll Suddenly Feel Awful About Jumping on Bowser’s Head

  Take off those Nintendo-coloured goggles and you’ll see Bowser isn’t a giant lizard. He’s adorable. And you jumped all over him. You monster [via Sing me to Sleep]

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 7, 2012
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  GameStop’s Latest Deal Makes No Damn Sense

  Look once at this poster and it’ll seem obvious. Buy something expensive, get two of something cheaper for free. By the second look you see the mistake. By the third look you notice the bad math, which makes it impossible to actually make good on the offer. Check Out This Amazing Deal! (Brought to You…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 7, 2012
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  This is What Minecraft Looked Like on its Very First Day

  While Minecraft was only officially released a few months back, it’s been available and playable for years. The thing is, most people who ever played the game played it later, after a ton of additions and improvements had been made. Few ever got to see the game like this. This is what Minecraft looked like…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 7, 2012
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  I Don’t Remember Skyrim Being This Sexy

  Cold, yes. Leafy, yes. But even the most daring female companion in the game had the sense to wear more armour than this. Then again, this being the harmless cosplay of Jessica Nigri (shot by 12 North’s Larry Stone), all is well. It’s not like a troll is going to come bursting out of the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published February 6, 2012
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  Local GameStop Says It’ll Show a PS Vita to Anyone, Pre-Order or Not

  Yesterday, Kotaku published a story in which it was suggested, after to speaking to a local store here, that some GameStop stores would only be showcasing a demonstration model of the PlayStation Vita for those who had preordered the device. I’ve since been contacted by store representatives saying that’s not the case. The GameStop in…

  By Owen Good Published February 6, 2012