So what makes a "queer" game anyway?
Game designers at the QUILTBAG game jam have an answer.
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REVIEW: Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is a frightening exercise in fear and powerlessness. Who knew?
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is that rare game that offers its player a place where our inherent weakness is acknowledged as a strength.
First-person prototypes, Luigi’s fashion secrets revealed, and the end of Game Developer
Mega Man, the classic 8-bit Blue Bomber, was set to make his modern comeback in the form of… a first-person shooter? The folks at Polygon uncovered documents and video showing this canceled prototype in action, built by some of the same talent behind Metroid Prime. Mega Buster, indeed. Why does Lui
The five most essential skills to become a pinball wizard
Hold onto your plunger: Pinball, that great equalizer and last refuge from the Golden Era of Arcades, is making a comeback. The folks of Professional and Amateur Pinball Association [PAPA] might argue it’s never left us: shoved into dark corners or unfairly ignored, perhaps, but never gone completel
How the magic sounds of Proteus are making their way into the real world
Ever since the Walkman, ordinary people have had the ability to soundtrack their lives. You can play familiar music to reinforce or change your mood, music that either fits the tone and speed of your situation or is purposefully set against it. Earbud listeners can seek solace in this private musica
Videogames need fewer Metacritics, more Roger Eberts.
Where all my critics at?
Save me, SimCity!
Wrestling with all the changes in the new SimCity, we worry that our mistakes will never disappear.
Face-on with Oculus Rift: My eyes loved it, but not my stomach.
The virtual realities of Oculus Rift are an ecstatic spectacle, but bring Dramamine.
On Cloud Rap and Cloud Strife
The unlikely convergence of JRPGs and indie hip-hop
Tanks in your pockets, Q*bert marathons, and a new stream of motion-control
Take a breath and relax.
Dive Kick is living the dream of diving and kicking. Yes, it is real.
Penny Arcade Expo East took place last weekend in Boston. Tens of thousands attended. Nobody’s shoes were ready for the slaughter.
Why the Canadian government is investigating a little game about "blowing up" a big pipeline
Alex Jansen just wants to make a game to draw attention to oil extraction. What could go wrong?
Faceless breathes new fear into old stories.
For ten years in Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Watterson captured a terrifying childhood ritual. Nightly, Calvin dialogued with the monsters under his bed about their existence. “Are there any monsters under my bed tonight?” he’d ask, only to hear in reply, “Of course not. Come and see for yourself.” from
The Kill Screen Review: Runner2 makes pain pleasurable in the most wonderful way
Gaijin Games’ newest entrant to the BIT.TRIP series is delightfully difficult. Also, running pickles.
ROMance
Developer Mike Mika was back in the news this week for hacking Donkey Kong so his daughter could play as Pauline. As it turns out, he’s quite the romantic as well. Here’s his story of a marriage proposal gone awry via an old Game Boy cartridge.
The birth of Minecraft and the end of my childhood
Minecraft is one of the most popular games in the world. Yet it won’t be appearing on a Nintendo device anytime soon. Why is that so painful?
Dust off those MFAs. 19th century masters come to life in "artist simulation" game.
A history thesis that pieces together Gustave Courbet and Édouard Manet, Avant-Garde is great because it steals almost everything.
Offsides
A foreigner finds home away from home in an unlikely place: a Vietnamese arcade.
NASA game jam proves the future of space is at play
The Dark Side of the Jam game jam is NASA’s latest attempt to reinvigorate the general populace’s foundering interest in space. It seemed to have worked for this group of Brazilian game jammers.
Rewind: How a tuna fishing documentary and heavy drinking inspired the launch of Ridiculous Fishing
More than a year ago, we interviewed the team behind the then-nascent Ridiculous Fishing. With the game finally available, we decided to revisit our visit.
So I bought a Wii U. Now what?
Here are some suggestions.
Robin Arnott engineers joy with heavy breathing, chants, and echolocation.
We talk to Deep Sea creator Robin Arnott about SoundSelf, the euphoric, psychedelic, and amazing joy-producing software that likes to be sung to.
SimCity is a textbook in modernist architecture and playpen for future builders
The beleaguered SimCity has suffered a dent in its reputation after a shaky launch. But beyond the server woes and consumer complaints, a jewel of digital urban planning arises.
With its "Full Spectrum" conference, Electronics Arts is reaching for the LGBT rainbow.
“If you set out to make a gay video game that would be the worst video game ever.”
The Louis C.K. guide for the lazy game designer
We all love comedians like Louis C.K. As it turns out, the reasons why are more than the laughs. Comedians understand the center of creativity.