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Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 21, 2013 in Videogames 
Getting a little desperate, eh? Nintendo announced that they’ll be bringing back Wii Sports, HD-ified for the Wii U. However, this time around it’ll be digital only. On November 7th, Tennis and Bowling will be available via the eShop, with the rest of the sports to follow soon after. You’ll be able to download each sport and try it free for 24 hours, but after that you can either buy a “day pass” that’ll allow another 24 hours for $1.99, or purchase it outright for $9.99 each. This is a bizarrely flexible pricing structure from Nintendo, which surprises me, but I’m glad to see them trying crazy new strategies, even if it just on a HD version of Wii Sports. Read more…
Tags: Wii U
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 21, 2013 in Fandom, Hobbies and Collections 
Talk about cool – Volpin Props, the dude responsible for tons of crazy awesome replicas (which you can see on his site), was commissioned by Tested to make a replica of a Needler from Halo. Of all the guns from Halo, I always found the Needler to be one of the most distinctive weapons, and it looks great in physical form as well. In the video below are roughly 1400 pictures of the process behind making this piece. And if you want to see the in-depth step-by-step blog about it, check out Tested. Now, if only I could make things like this… Read more…
Tags: Halo, volpin props
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 20, 2013 in Anime, Videogames 
In a kind of crazy turn of events, an anime film about Bayonetta has been announced called Bayonetta Bloodyfate (in the tradition of anime spin-off films having bizarre names). The cast is exactly the same from the games, and the film will be animated by Gonzo. If you’re an anime fan, the name Gonzo probably gives you a sense of dread. Granted, it’s a feature length film, so perhaps it’ll have a longer period in the oven, but I’m not too optimistic given Gonzo’s previous output. Still, Bayonetta could work as an anime film, but this trailer isn’t giving me the right vibes. Check it out below. Read more…
Tags: Bayonetta
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 20, 2013 in Videogames 
It’s a great loss for the video game industry: Hiroshi Yamauchi, the former president of Nintendo and the man who transformed it into the gaming giant it is today, has passed away at the age of 85. Taking a traditional card and toy company, Yamauchi spearheaded their efforts into the electronic games market, eventually making Nintendo into the premier force of video gaming and revitalizing the industry after the crash of 1983. His impact on the industry cannot be understated, and video gaming would not be where it is today without him. RIP.
Tags: Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 16, 2013 in Hobbies and Collections 
Japanese LEGO builder Moko has been on a roll recently with some impressive builds — most recently, Gipsy Danger and Kaname Madoka! I love the pose on Madoka, with her bow outstretched, and Gipsy Danger has that distinctive “ready to go” stance. There’s a lot of little details on these models, so I’ve dropped a few more images below. Also check out Moko’s other neat builds, such as the Evangelion Unit 01 we feature a while ago, Mami Tomoe (also from Madoka Magica), and both Gurren Lagann’s head & the core drill! What an impressive library of models! Read more…
Tags: Lego, Madoka Magica, Pacific Rim
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 16, 2013 in Fandom, Television 
The Mortal Kombat web series is a pretty unique success. Rarely do you seem game-based videos that not only look good but also translate the material well. While nothing is perfect, Mortal Kombat: Legacy was one of the most impressive online shows around. And now, they’re back for season 2. Mortal Kombat: Legacy II will continue the story, but you’ll also get to see it all at once! Taking a page from Netflix, Machinima is releasing all the episodes simultaneously so if you’re a binge viewer, you’re in luck. Check out the trailer below, and get ready for the series debut on September 26th. Read more…
Tags: Mortal Kombat
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 15, 2013 in Videogames 
Yes, you read that right – Child of Light. Ubisoft is letting the leads of Far Cry 3 make a JRPG video game centered around poetry-driven storytelling and a young princess who must save a fantasy realm. It’s about as crazy as you can get – mainly because you don’t expect this kind of crazy experimentation from Ubisoft usually. Granted, they have gotten better, with such titles as Blood Dragon and now this. The game is based on the UbiArt engine, which is the same tech behind the gorgeous Rayman Legends, and it seems to exude the same flowing artistic elements. It looks incredibly pretty and enchanting, so I can’t wait to see more. Watch the initial trailer after the break. Read more…
Tags: Child of Light, Ubisoft
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 15, 2013 in Videogames 
And you won’t have to wait long to play it! The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is one of the highest-regarded games for the Gamecube, and it’s arriving September 20th on Nintendo digital store, the eShop, and in brick-and-mortar shops on October 4th. Now that review copies are showing up on many doorsteps, more videos have popped up giving us a better look at all the visual changes involved. GameXplain has uploaded a video of a side-by-side comparison of the original Gamecube version and the Wii U update. Let’s just say: it looks great. Watch the video below! Read more…
Tags: Legend of Zelda, Wii U
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 14, 2013 in Videogames 
Nintendo is just rolling out the Pokemon X & Y reveals all over the place! You’d almost think there was a new Pokemon game coming out or something, eh? Despite being leaked early by IGN, Nintendo posted a video featuring the Pokemon announced in CoroCoro, as well as their English names, and new Pokemon too, like Pyroar (which has a male and female version). The short trailer also shows off some action footage of these Pokemon, before briefly showing some of the many customization options for your trainer. Seems like GameFreak is adding a good amount of new features this time around. X & Y arrive October 12th. Read more…
Tags: Pokémon
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 14, 2013 in Videogames 
Every once in a while, something catches your eyes just via the art. Hyper Light Drifter is a game just like that. A new Kickstarter from Alex Preston, Beau Blyth (Samurai Gunn), Will Wiesenfeld, and Disasterpeace, which combines a Link to the Past and Diablo into one neon-lit fantasy 2D action RPG. They mention Miyazaki as a significant influence, which is always a plus in my book. PC is the primary platform and will be aimed to release in June 2014. At time of this writing, they’ve already double their $27,000 goal, and look to be continuing upward. Check out the trailer below or go here to back the project if it tickles your fancy! Read more…
Tags: Hyper Light Drifter, Kickstarter
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 13, 2013 in Videogames 
Ever wanted to lend your digital games just like your physical discs? While most have gotten used to the fact of digital rights generally being locked to single device, it would be nice to have more freedom. So here’s a little something! Valve announced that Steam will soon have a Family Sharing feature, in which you’ll be able to let other Steam accounts (your close friends and family) play your game library. While you lend your library to your friend, they’ll be able to download and play any game you own (unless the publisher specifically forbids it). If you start up a game though, it’ll start a countdown timer on your friend’s PC, telling them to save and quit or buy the game to continue playing. Sign up to the Steam group here to enter for a chance to get beta access next week! Read more…
Tags: Steam, Valve
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 13, 2013 in Cinema 
Is there still money in the Harry Potter well? Warner Bros. sure thinks so, and they’ve announced that they’re adapting J.K. Rowling’s 2001 book called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for film. The big change? They’re getting Rowling herself to write the script this time around. There doesn’t seem to be a hard timeline yet, but I’m seeing a lot of excited Potter fans today peek their heads out over this news. Hopefully they’ll still be around in a few years when this arrives. And will casual fans want to see a film without Harry and the gang? Despite those concerns, I am still glad they’ve brought Rowling on to script it. Good choice! Read more…
Tags: harry potter, J.K. Rowling
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 9, 2013 in Videogames 
Capcom’s Monster Hunter is still a huge series in Japan. The latest in the series is Monster Hunter 4, and will be showing up on the 3DS on September 14th… in Japan. Hopefully we’ll see it arrive on western shores eventually, but for now you can just drool over their cross-promotion with Nintendo: Mario & Luigi costumes for the Felynes, and Link armor and weapons for your character. Now you can slay monsters with the Sacred Bow or Master Sword while your assistants run around with mustaches on. I’m sure it’s been a long desire of yours. The trailer is embedded below, or you can watch the full Monster Hunter Nintendo Direct here! Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Monster Hunter, Nintendo
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 9, 2013 in Videogames 
I know Grand Theft Auto is big. You know GTA is big. But sometimes it’s astounding to just see how big. Scottish newspaper The Scotsman is reporting that GTA V’s total budget (marketing and development) is $265 million. That’s way over the previous record holder, (the massive flop) Star Wars: The Old Republic at $200 million, and encroaching upon the highest budget film ever, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End at $300 million. That’s big money right there. Rockstar certainly feels they can make it back, given that GTA IV sold over 25 million copies. I love big-budget movies and games, but I still worry about how large each budget is becoming. The bigger they are, the harder they fall — not that GTA V is in danger of this. Read more…
Tags: Grand Theft Auto
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 8, 2013 in Videogames 
While Plants vs. Zombies 2 is already out on iOS and its abundance of micro-transactions dividing the populace, there is another PvZ game on the horizon: Garden Warfare. Currently an Xbox One exclusive (but expect that to change eventually), Garden Warfare is a class-based third-person shooter, taking cues from a multitude of other shooters, and mashing it together into a silly bundle of zombies. It definitely looks interesting, and I hope it turns out alright. Check out the trailer below and some gameplay here. Read more…
Tags: Plants vs. Zombies
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 8, 2013 in Cinema 
It looks like with all his talk about film and movie creation, Keanu Reeves got the itch to direct his own film. Man of Tai Chi is his directorial debut, and is semi-based upon the life story of his stuntman pal, Tiger Chen, who stars. Granted, this looks like a very loose adaption, but I am interested in seeing Reeves try his hand at directing. Many actors have successfully made the jump before. Reeves still has a lead role in the film, but I imagine part of that is simply to use his star-power to help sell it. You won’t have to wait long to see it, too: it arrives on video-on-demand on September 27th and in select theaters November 1st. Trailer below! Read more…
Tags: Keanu Reeves
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 7, 2013 in Science, Tech 
People have been making Tony Stark jokes about Elon Musk for a while now. At first it was just an amusing joke, but now it appears Musk is leaning into it. He’s been creating a virtual workshop not unlike what Stark uses in the Iron Man films to create his armor, using a combination of a Leap Motion controller, Oculus Rift, a projector, and Kinect. Reaching your hands out to control the positioning and shape of a 3D model on the screen is pretty neat, especially being able to view it with the Rift, but I wonder how quickly your arms will tire. Creating more intuitive interfaces is definitely worthwhile though, and I think stuff like this could really explode. Read more…
Tags: Elon Musk, SpaceX
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 7, 2013 in Cinema 
Which one of you asked for this? Where was the demand for a Robocop remake? I’ll suss you out if it’s the last thing I do. José Padilha is directing this new take on the classic film with a ton of solid actors in tow: Koel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, and Abbie Cornish. But despite a great lineup, I’m still not sure about the presentation of the film. It feels less like Robocop and more like a generic sci-fi action pic. Perhaps it’s just the way the trailer is cut. At least the important elements from the original are there! Watch the trailer below. Read more…
Tags: Robocop
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 6, 2013 in Fandom, Hobbies and Collections 
I think in the future, everything will be made out of LEGOs. Not just our silly online videos recreating a movie trailer or the crazy space ships from our favorite films, but LEGOs will form everything. Our cars, our buildings, the air we breathe, maybe even your children will be LEGOs. It’s really the only path I see towards the future. So the first step is to recreate everything from the past with LEGO bricks first — starting with Thriller. Annette Jung has created the opening scene of Michael Jackson’s iconic music video, Thriller. I’m gonna bet it took a long time to make this, because it looks amazing. Read more…
Tags: Lego, Michael Jackson
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 6, 2013 in Cinema 
Alfonso Cuarón’s latest film, Gravity, is arriving October 4th. That means you can probably just skip this trailer and wait until the movie comes out in a month. If your excitement for the Children of Men director’s next film hasn’t reached a fever-pitch (like me) then perhaps you should watch it. Just get a handle on things, you know? I love the attention to real detail here. There’s no sound in space. Finally! The only sounds you hear are what Sandra Bullock and George Clooney would actually hear in their helmets. James Cameron called this the “best space film ever,” which is clearly hyperbole, but still makes me even more excited. One month, people. Read more…
Tags: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 2, 2013 in Videogames 
I have to really respect Keiji Inafune, he really seems to love what he does. And he really wants to make a new Mega Man, but since he’s no longer at Capcom that’s not possible. But what about a spiritual successor to Mega Man? That’s where his new Kickstarter for Mighty No. 9 comes in. It’s a side-scrolling action game where you play as Beck, the 9th robot in a series, who can pick up enemy weapons and abilities to enhance his arsenal. A lot of the staff working with Inafune are Mega Man veterans, with music done by Manami Matsumae and localization by 8-4! They’re asking for $900,000, which at time of this writing is already up to almost $600,000. I have no doubt Inafune will reach his budget and more. If you’re interested in backing it, click here, or check out the amazing pitch video below. Read more…
Tags: Keiji Inafune, Kickstarter, Mighty No. 9
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 2, 2013 in Anime 
At the Venice Film Festival, Studio Ghibli’s president Hoshino Koji officially announced some sad news: Hayao Miyazaki will be retiring. It was implied that Miyazaki would stick around at Ghibli to offer mentorship and possibly work on small projects, but his time on large films is over. Granted, this is not the first time Miyazaki has attempted to retire — but it’s also the first time a press conference has been held to announce it. Hoshino Koji said there will be another press conference next week to provide more details. Will The Wind Rises be Miyazaki’s final film? It sure seems that way. Miyazaki has had a long and prosperous run at Ghibli, I don’t fault him for wanting to retire now, though I will certainly miss his filmmaking. Now the real challenge: Ghibli must find suitable directors to take up the mantle. Give Hiromasa Yonebayashi another feature film! Read more…
Tags: Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 1, 2013 in Anime 
This past week, it seems every anime studio wanted to get their trailers out in front of the world! First up we’ve got out first real look at Kill la Kill, Trigger’s October anime series featuring dueling ladies in a fantasy school (made by Gurren Lagann director Hiroyuki Imaishi!). A clear look at Space Dandy also showed up! This is a January 2014 series from Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichiro Watanabe, featuring… well… a dandy guy in space! Both look really impressive. Lastly, a short trailer for Ghost in the Shell Arise: border 2, Ghost Whispers was uploaded, which is the next chapter in the direct-to-video reimagining of the series. Check out all the trailers below! Read more…
Tags: Ghost in the Shell, Kill la Kill, Space Dandy
Posted by Ben Huber on Sep 1, 2013 in Cinema 
Pacific Rim, Guillermo del Toro’s crazy giant robot film, was doubted by many analysts as being able to be a profitable endeavor. A new IP, combined with “robot fatigue” from Transformers, and fear that it wouldn’t connect with audiences were cited as some of the reasons it wouldn’t be a box office success. And while it’s performance in the US wasn’t spectacular by any means, it’s overseas pull was much larger and has put it over the $400 million mark, making it del Toro’s highest-grossing film ever. Legendary hasn’t made any statements about profitability yet, but I imagine it is much closer now than before. The home video release should do wonders, and I predict it’ll thrive there. Now, Legendary, let’s get Pacific Rim 2 going, ok? Read more…
Tags: guillermo del toro, Pacific Rim
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