Nintendo

Ambiguity is becoming increasing rare in modern games. All too often, our recreations leave little room for even an iota of doubt, devotedly explaining each play mechanic and clarifying every last plot detail. While that ...

During the 1980s and 90s, if you stepped into an arcade, there was a very good chance of finding a Namco machine among the assortment of cabinets. While the Minato, Tokyo-based firm has been around ...

For years, musou games were mocked by critics and consumers alike. Both groups viewed franchises like Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors as repetitive, tedious treks, where players button-mashed their way to victory. At certainly at one time, that complaint had merit, ...

Occasionally, the industry treats games as disposable commodities to be purchased, played, remastered, and then purchased anew. Fortunately, that’s not always the case, with some efforts favoring an autonomous experience that serves as an outlet ...

  What is the concept? Following in the contrails of last year’s simulation, a title set on the outskirts of central Tokyo, I Am an Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero: Osaka-KIX tasks players with the ...

Gaming often progresses through diminutive steps. In 1978, Taito’s Space Invaders’ antagonists tenaciously marched across monochromatic screens. But a year later, the foes broke formation, attacking players with kamikaze-like vehemence in Namco’s Galaxian. Later, the ...

Save for Rare’s Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll and the eponymous diversion that was built into many mid-2000-era mobile phones, snakes rarely earn the role of game protagonist. Although unfriendly roles in everything from the Bible ...

Travel to Japan and an appreciation for rail transit is inevitable. Whether you’re traveling on the Akebono’s sleeper car between Ueno to Aomori, taking the Shinkansen (bullet train) to race between Tokyo and Kyoto, or ...

Entertainment industries thrive by repacking and reselling iteration. Often, the practice is an easy way to pad the company coffers while keeping the brand relevant. From movies that offer an extended cut to music in ...

Not long ago, Kickstarter seemed like a harbinger of hope, shifting funding from the grip of corporations to the desires of consumers. But when a succession of prominent projects failed to meet expectations, the method ...