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  Today Is Hat Party Day In Team Fortress 2

  The winners of Team Fortress 2’s propaganda contest didn’t just earn some internet fame. They also scored themselves some fancy in-game hats, which even the common man can now enjoy. That’s them there on the left. The fancy hats on the left are one-of-a-kind items, and will be worn only by the competition winners. The…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 28, 2010
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  Show Us Your Commander Shepard

  So, Mass Effect 2 is out. Being the second game in the series, a lot of you are now playing for the second time with the same character. That kind of action forms bonds. Bonds that need to be shared. So show us your Commander Shepard! That’s mine, up there. A grizzled, beat-up old coot,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 28, 2010
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  Nintendo Games Dominate Overall Wii, DS Sales

  Sure, that headline reads like “sky is blue”, but retail data firm The NPD Group today released figures showing just how reliant Nintendo software sales are on, well, Nintendo games. For the 2009 calendar year, total revenue for games sold on Nintendo platforms was $3.23 billion. Of which Nintendo games constituted $1.53 billion. Or, 47%.…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 27, 2010
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  Kotaku Off Topic: Sudden Sleep

  Well, I’m beat. All that Apple iPad anticipation and today’s relaxing special event from Steve Jobs have made this editor ready and willing to hit the sack. Oh, but let’s not talk about that Apple tablet right now. Tonight’s off-topic can be iPad free, if you want it. You’re steering the ship while I hurry…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2010
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  Master Mario Mashup

  Mario/Master Chief tattoo, now on an unknown fan for life. As seen at Hawty McBloggy.

  By Owen Good Published January 27, 2010
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  No LAN or Dedicated Servers for BioShock 2 Multiplayer

  How dare 2K Games turn its back on the PC multiplayer community that made BioShock … oh … uh … that’s right. Well, they confirmed that BioShock 2 won’t support LAN gaming or dedicated servers anyway. In a Q&A on multiplayer posted at the Cult of Rapture, 2K explained their absence as a matter of…

  By Owen Good Published January 27, 2010
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  gnop Let’s You Be. The. Ball.

  How many times can the classic paddle game Pong be reinvented? The answer is now “one more” with the release of gnop, in which you control the ball, not the paddles, each screen a unique, sometimes difficult challenge. [gnop]

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2010
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  Firemint Plans Dedicated iPad Version of Popular iPhone Game

  Firemint, maker of Flight Control for the iPhone and iPod Touch (reviewed by Gawker boss Nick Denton in December), has announced it will bring an “optimized and re-imagined version” of that game to the iPad, announced today. In a statement, Firemint pointed out that the existing version of the game available in the App Store…

  By Owen Good Published January 27, 2010
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  Hands On With Apple’s iPad, Everything But The Games

  After burning through most of the games Apple deemed playable on its new iPad tablet computer, I ventured into the off-topic portions of the device. As an iPhone and MacBook owner, would I find the need for something in between? That I’m still pondering. The minimum $499 entry fee is daunting, even for someone who…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2010
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  Strange Things Are Afoot At Red Five Studios

  While a Red 5 Studios press release claims the studio is only restructuring, sources close to the studio paint a much bleaker picture, complete with forced and voluntary resignations, strange declarations, and a new majority shareholder in China’s The9. Yesterday we posted a rumor regarding layoffs at Red 5 Studios, the company founded by former…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 27, 2010
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  Seven More Screens to Showcase the Pageantry of the World Cup

  EA Sports released another seven screenshots of its upcoming FIFA World Cup 2010, offering a look at the Italian, Spanish and American sides, and some wacky French fans. French fans. That’s not a glitch, just some confetti floating across their faces. Italy and Spain walk on to the pitch. The Italian and Spanish sides are…

  By Owen Good Published January 27, 2010
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  iNote

  To: Ash From: Crecente Today was a busy day. More so for Mike, who flew in and out of San Francisco to cover the big Apple conference, but the news and lack thereof kept us all jumping. Here’s what you missed: The iPad Coverage Heavy Rain’s Mysterious Mailing You absolutely need to check this out.…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 27, 2010
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  From Our Podcast: Co-Op FPS On iPhone Coming, Bayonetta 2 Not Next

  Did you miss Kotaku’s live podcast? Then you missed some news. Download links and an excerpt right here for you. Ngmoco’s Chris Plummer, producer on popular iPhone first-person-shooter Eliminate not only became the first Kotaku Talk Radio guest to need to be bleeped on air (he was pumped!) but he also told us that “We…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 27, 2010
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  Hyperspace Is When You Eat Them

  Iced chocolate graham cracker cookies recreating a scene from Asteroids. As seen on Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories via The Daily What.

  By Owen Good Published January 27, 2010
• Reviews

  Muscle March Micro-Review: Flex Crimes

  Aliens have stolen Earth’s precious protein powder and it’s up to an international community of bodybuilders (and one polar bear) to safely return that protein to the excessively ripped community. That’s the plot of Namco Bandai’s wacky Muscle March. The WiiWare game’s premise may be as deep as the gameplay, tasking players with chasing down…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2010
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  iPad Doubts: A Gamer’s Problems With Apple’s Wonder Machine

  The Apple iPad may be great for web-browsing. It may be the best slate on which to list half of the 10 Commandments since solid rock. But, for gamers, well, thou shalt have some legitimate doubts about this thing. Why might the iPad not become the next great player in games? (Bear in mind, we’ve…

  By Stephen Totilo Published January 27, 2010
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  Pitfall Creator Honored With AIAS Pioneer Award

  Activision co-founder and Pitfall! creator David Crane isn’t just a pioneer in the gaming industry. He’s also a pioneer award winner, having been named the first recipient of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences’ Pioneer Award. David Crane is more than just the father of the platforming genre. The creator of classic titles including…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 27, 2010
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  Hands On With Apple’s iPad, Just The Games

  Immediately following Apple’s iPad reveal event, the Mac maker offered us an opportunity to go hands-on with the touchscreen-controlled tablet. The demo unit came loaded with apps, including about a dozen games. We took (most of) them for a spin. The games on hand, titles like Gameloft’s N.O.V.A., Electronic Arts’ Need For Speed: Shift and…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2010
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  World Of Warcraft’s Arena Season 8 Armor Is Quite Fetching

  Blizzard has posted pictures of the Arena Season 8 armor for World of Warcraft, showing off what the fashionable cold-blooded killers will be wearing about town. Quite a lovely selection this time around, especially the mage. I really like the look of the mask there. Of course I set foot in the arena once, was…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 27, 2010
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  This Is Kotaku’s First Post Written On An iPad

  First! The virtual keyboard on the iPad probably won’t work for liveblogging, but it’s a helluva lot better than the iPhone. The games? Well, I’ll write about that in a minute. For now, if you’re considering an iPad purchase, a back up physical keyboard with a charging station isn’t a bad idea. Disclosure: This paragraph…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2010