We hear a lot about video games that are developed in the east localized for the west and video games developed in the west for western audiences, but what happens when a game developed in the west heads east to Japan? How does the artwork on the box change to accommodate eastern culture? Hardcore Gaming 101 has an exhaustively comparative look at a selection of western boxes and their eastern counterparts spanning the Nintendo 64 years up to present day. You'll see Ratchet's exceptionally bushy eyebrows, an emphasis on anime over realism, and an obsession with Lara's Croft's behind instead of her front. It's always interesting to see how games change as they travel the world, although in some instances I think that the Japanese ended up with better cover art than North America. For example, compare the art for Darksiders and inFamous. Both are much more colorful and expressive than what we saw here and do a better job of establishing a scene over merely displaying a character.
Back on the day that Microsoft released the Kinect add-on for its Xbox 360 console, your local podcasting crew met up to record this episode of Power Button. As with many things, it fell to Joey Davidson, Brad Hilderbrand, and I to issue a verdict on the whole Kinect concept, and that's quite a feat considering that none of us have actually played the final version of any of the games that require the camera. So, from the sidelines we weigh in on the technology's requirements and the ongoing injuries caused by playing Kinect games in tiny rooms. Following that we delve into the rising cost of downloadable content (both full games and add-ons) and how content that was once an impulse buy has become something that requires a running tab and a budget. Not bad for fifty minutes, eh? Download this week's episode directly from PTB, listen with the player below, or subscribe via iTunes, and be sure to catch up on past episodes if you're joining us late. Remember that you can reach all three of us via
and you can even follow on Twitter at @PressTheButtons or for just podcast updates, @ThePowerButton.
It's been a long time since Disney's Mickey Mouse did anything worthwhile in the world of entertainment (the character is caught in such a classic case of "Well, what have you done for me lately?"), but colleagues that I trust on matters like this have been telling me for months that I need to pay closer attention to the upcoming Epic Mickey for the Nintendo Wii. I've been taking a closer look at the new Mickey Mouse adventure lately as it prepares for launch later this month. My little investigation came up with these three behind the scenes video clips that chronicle portions of the development process. It's interesting stuff!
For more on Epic Mickey, be sure to listen to Episode 26 of Power Button in which Joey Davidson gives us the inside look at the game based on his interview with the title's key mastermind, Warren Spector.
I didn't expect to like Assassin's Creed II when I started playing it at the beginning of the year. I'd rented it on a lark because so many people told me that I had to try it. I figured I'd spend a few days with it, see all that I felt the game had to offer, and return it in favor of the next thing, but instead I became wrapped up in the dueling storylines, the parkour gameplay, and the puzzles. My goodness, the puzzles. I went so deep into the game that I sprang for the downloadable memory sequences that rounded out the story and joined Ubisoft's Uplay program in order to unlock an extra catacomb that offered even more exposition. I wound up buying the game in the end and finishing it (minus a few of the more maddening challenges) and have been eager to see where the adventures of modern-day Desmond Miles and his ancestor Ezio Auditore would lead next. They led to the new Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, and as I play through the game I figured that I would offer some insights on my progress. Spoilers ahead, of course.
The American arm of Club Nintendo hit the jackpot this year with its Platinum level gift for Elite members of the program. Here is a closer look at the Super Mario and friends (and foes!) collectible figurine that is being sent out to dedicated Nintendo fans this month. It's highly detailed and makes for a great displayable item. I've placed mine in my culture display case right below my Back to the Future DeLorean model (Part II variant). Nintendo folks, if you're reading this right now, let me just say: great job! When I think of neat potential Club Nintendo items, this is the kind of thing I imagine. I definitely want to see more limited edition displayables in the years to come. Read on to see more images of the figurine from different angles and be sure to watch the next episode of the Press The Buttons video show to hear more about this fun collectible.
Special editions of highly anticipated video games are all the rage this generation, so of course Capcom's Marvel vs Capcom 3 for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 will be in on the limited version party. Joystiq has word that for an extra $10, players can pick up extra goodies with the game that includes an art book, prequel comic book that explains how the Marvel and Capcom worlds have collided, one month's worth of access to Marvel's digital comics archive, and — here's the important part — downloadable content vouchers for two additional characters: Jill Valentine on the Capcom side and Shuma Gorath on the Marvel end of the spectrum. It's not a bad deal at all. You know that Jill and Gorath aren't going to come cheap when they're released to the world at large to buy (those with vouchers already have to wait four weeks after launch as it is). Art and comic books are just icing on the cake. Marvel vs Capcom 3 reaches North American stores on February 15, 2011 and European markets three days later.
Google TV displays are all over Best Buy these days, and somewhere in the Orlando, FL area is a display that is running the Press The Buttons show to demonstrate the device. Thanks to whomever made that happen, and thanks to IzonOrlando.com's Will Rodriguez for sending me this little clip of the demo in action. That's my co-host Robert Alsbrook talking about the Kinect from our second episode. I'll have to be careful when I go into Best Buy stores from now on. I might be mobbed with fans.
The original arcade smash Donkey Kong put Nintendo on the map in the world of video games, so you'd think that the home conversion of the game for the company's own Nintendo Entertainment System would be as close to the arcade version as possible. Unfortunately, technical constraints of the day forced the removal of a lot of the game's personality as well as one entire level. Now after all these years the company has fixed that mistake by releasing a special version of Donkey Kong in its original NES variation for the Wii that includes the missing factory level. The catch? It's only available in Europe as part of a promotion meant to sell Wiis. Check out the new version in action:
I'm guessing that Nintendo already wrote the coding for the complete 4 level version of Donkey Kong on the NES back in '85 but pared it down to fit on a smaller rom chip to make it cost viable. That would explain why they didn't re-add in the "How High can you get?" screen, the climbing animation, and perhaps a savable score. - Hughor
I really hope they put this on the US/JP VC at some point. I know it's not the arcade version, but I'd still like to own it/play it. After all, gameplay- and graphics-wise the NES version of DK was remarkably close to the arcade original. With these changes, all the NES version would be missing is the "how high can you get?" screen and the level progression (1-2-1-2-3-1-2-3-4) of the original. - thegaygamer
I'm not impressed. There's still a lot missing, like the "How high can you get?" intermissions between rounds and the opening scene where Donkey Kong takes Pauline. Nintendo had done a re-release of the original Mario Bros. back in the 1990s and it was more faithful to the arcade game, with nearly EVERYTHING included. The real question is this: why didn't they just include an emulation of the arcade game? Surely the Wii has the juice to handle it. - manekineko
To be honest, while I appreciate all that Donkey Kong has done for Nintendo and the video game industry in general, it's not a game that I want to replay very often. At least, not in its original arcade form. The 1994 Game Boy take on the idea spoiled me with its enhanced gameplay and one hundred levels (including the original four stages). While it would be neat to have this revised NES version of Donkey Kong, I can't say that I'd go out of my way to acquire it. However, I am glad to know that it exists.
I'm starting to believe that Capcom has taken my character wishlist for the upcoming Marvel vs Capcom 3 for the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 and is now running with it, as two of my picks — the Mega Man X version of Zero and Marvel lawyer She-Hulk — are have been revealed today by Capcom as part of the game. Zero even comes with an updated arrangement of his energized theme song from Mega Man X2. The fan service in this game abounds (and I'm not necessarily referring to the green woman in the skimpy costume). Here are the debut clips for the two characters that showcase some of their basic attacks and powerful super moves. Watch out for falling cars and sudden blasts of energy!
So far five of the eleven characters that I hoped to see in this new game have been announced (Zero, Nathan Spencer, Dante, She-Hulk, and Thor). If only one more character from my list makes it into the game, please let it be Stephen Colbert. The licensing headaches and paperwork pile required to make that happen would surely be worth it in the end.
Someone punched a hole in the wall of reality recently which caused the Games Are Evil podcast, the EvilCast, to somehow bleed over into this week's episode of Power Button. That means that it's time for a special crossover episode of our respective shows where its Episode 29 of Power Button and Episode 57 of the EvilCast. Join the usual Power Button crew — Joey Davidson, Brad Hilderbrand, and me, Matthew Green — along with the EvilCast crew — Blake Grundman, Chris Nitz, Ross Polly, and Keri Honea — as we discuss the news stories of the past week including the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops, Viacom's bid to sell Rock Band 3 developer Harmonix, and Nintendo's attempted trademarking of "It's on like Donkey Kong". Then we slip into a discussion on the games we've been playing lately. It's a massive joint episode with seven people talking for a little over an hour and a half, so grab some snacks and make yourself comfortable. Download this week's episode directly from PTB, listen with the player below, or subscribe via iTunes, and be sure to catch up on past episodes if you're joining us late. Remember that you can reach all three of us via
and you can even follow on Twitter at @PressTheButtons or for just podcast updates, @ThePowerButton.
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