Kotaku

Pokémon's Health Care, Better Than America's?Ooohh, politics! Well, not really. More like humorous insight, with a Facebook group springing up based on the premise that the health care afforded to Pokémons trumps that offered to real, breathing Americans.


"Universal Health Care: Good enough for Pokémon, Good enough for America" is the name of the group, and it has a point. In Pokémon, you have sick Pokémon, you take them to the doctor. Or, a Pokémon Center. And there, they are healed, completely, for free. It's like Canada! Or France! Only for Pokémon


But in the US? Even with recent changes made to the nation's health insurance, things still aren't too rosy. What gives, America? Are you going to let Snorlax get free health care while you work two jobs to pay for your kid's braces?


As the group's motto puts it: "All Pokémon everywhere are healthy. America is not. Wtf."


You can join it at the link below. And try not to take it too seriously, eh?


Universal Health Care: Good enough for Pokémon, Good enough for America [Facebook]


Kotaku

Harvest Moon Creator Steps Down Yasuhiro Wada, honcho of Japanese company Marvelous, will be leaving his post as Director of Digital Contents on March 31.


Wada is best known for creating the farm simulator Harvest Moon.


According to the company, Wada is leaving for "personal reasons". Starting on April 1, Wada will serve as an advisor for Marvelous. Marvelous has put most of its effort behind publishing Wii and DS titles like No More Heroes and Rune Factory 3.


Marvelous also published Little King's Story. The co-developer of that game, Fukuoka-based Cing, filed for bankruptcy earlier this month.


Kotaku

Team Fortress and Persona? Not the most likely of bedfellows, we'll admit, but that's an assumption made before watching this amazing video.


It's the opening to JRPG Persona 4, only, with Team Fortress 2 characters. To compare the two, you can check out the original Persona sequence here.


Just goes to show, whether it's in the vein of a Japanese RPG or a Western one, Team Fortress 2 somehow lends itself perfectly to the idea of a role-playing game.


[thanks Bernardo!]


Mar 23, 2010
Kotaku

If you know Godzilla films, no doubt you think this cosplay is amazing. If not, you probably think it's...something.


The costume is of Godzilla vs. Hedorah character Miki Fujimiya, played by actress Keiko Mari and was one of many outfits on display on the otaku gathering Wonder Festival. Website Moeyo.com has recently published a cosplay gallery that includes Street Fighter Zero's Rainbow Mika, Ghost In The Shell: Man Machine Interface's Motoko Kusanagi and Bayonetta's Bayonetta.


Godzilla vs. Hedorah German trailer here. Yes, German!


ピタピタペッタリ ボディスーツ特集! ワンフェスコスプレ 女の子編 【WF2010冬レポ】 [Moeyo]


Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady
Nice Clam, Lady


Kotaku

Virtual On, Geometry Wars Xbox Live Arcade Deals IncomingPlease do not purchase a copy of Virtual On Oratorio Tangram on Xbox Live this week. You'll regret it. Sega's hi-def remake of the mech on mech arcade fighter is going to be much cheaper next week.


Microsoft laid out its plans for Xbox Live Arcade deals of the week, warning latecomers that Cyber Troopers Virtual On Oratorio Tangram will drop to 800 Microsoft Points on March 29, with Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 slashed in half, down to just 400 Microsoft Points the week after. In other words, cool your jets XBLA shoppers. Deals are on the way.


Also incoming is the Xbox Live Arcade release of Mega Man 10, due on March 31 for 800 points. The not-quite-full list of Live releases, price drops and Games On Demand additions can be perused at Major Nelson's blog.


Xbox LIVE Marketplace release schedule March 23 [Major Nelson]


Kotaku

2D Zelda Games vs. 3D Zelda Games The Legend of Zelda games have been rendered in 2D and 3D. Is one better than the other?


The 2D Zelda games include the original Legend of Zelda as well as those Capcom-developed Zelda games on the Game Boy and the Game Boy Advance. With The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the games were rendered using 3D character models.


"Until Ocarina of Time, we had only episodes in 2 dimensions," says Zelda series developer Eiji Aonuma in a recent interview. "In this sense, this episode was for us a huge challenge since it was made entirely in 3D."


"The traditional 2D is limited in terms of display and the range of emotions expressed by a character is quite limited," Aonuma continues. "But with the 3D and the many opportunities it offered, it was possible to imagine them tons of expressing feelings."


Until the end of the title's development, Nintendo continually asked themselves whether or not players found it convincing.


But does that mean Aonuma thinks 3D rendering is better than 2D?


"Normally, 3D offers many more possibilities," he adds. "But should that mean we always prefer the 3D over 2D? I do not think like that, quite the opposite. The 2D possesses qualities and a charm that is not found necessarily in 3D."


Both 2D and 3D have their pluses and minuses, Aonuma concludes, and it's up to the developers to pick one depending on what they want to express.


So which do you prefer: 2D Zelda games or 3D Zelda games?


The Legend of Zelda Manga Interview Translated [Zelda Informer via GoNintendo] [Pic]


Kotaku

Hollywood Still Wants To Make Nintendo MoviesThere was a Mario movie once. It was awful. There was also a Zelda cartoon. Same story. So you can understand why, when Hollywood comes-a-knockin' these days, Nintendo are quick to reply with "nothankyou".


Asked by the LA Times whether there's still interest in doing things with the rights to Nintendo franchises like Zelda, Mario and Metroid, Nintendo of America's president Reggie Fils-Aime replies "All the time."


"The message is,'Thank you for the interest.' There have been certain [people] that we have talked in more detail with. But I think in the end, because we are a content company and are passionate about our franchises, it will be few and far between that actual deals are done to bring our franchises to life in a different way. These are our children."


Notice he doesn't rule it out. Indeed, he says discussions have been serious from time to time, like when John Woo wanted to do a Metroid movie. But on the whole? Yeah, I don't think we'll be seeing a Zelda or Mario movie anytime soon.


Which is strange. I can see a Dreamworks Mushroom Kingdom movie in my head, clear as day, and while it's not brilliant, it's making millions.


Nintendo North America President Reggie Fils-Aime is a power player in the video game industry [LA Times]


Kotaku

Japan, Relax About Project Natal! There has been concern in Japan that only gianormous American living rooms are suitable for Microsoft's upcoming motion control peripheral Natal. No need for concern, says Microsoft.


According to website Techflash, "To be precise, you'll want to clear an area extending at least 4 meters (a little more than 13 feet) away from the television."


While it was perceived that a range of 4 meters (over 13 feet) was needed for the Natal to work properly, this is incorrect. "The comments recently about the play space for "Project Natal" were misinterpreted," Microsoft told Kotaku. "It is true that the 'Project Natal' sensor reads the configuration of your room and adjusts play space, as appropriate. We know that living rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and have conducted numerous play tests to ensure everyone will be able to jump off the couch and into the fun when 'Project Natal' launches globally this holiday."


Japan, Relax About Project Natal! So even smaller living rooms in Japan and everywhere else *should* conceivably be a-okay!


Kotaku

Microsoft: Natal Does Not Discriminate Against Living Rooms There has been concern in Japan that only gianormous American living rooms are suitable for Microsoft's upcoming motion control peripheral Natal. No need for concern, says Microsoft.


According to website Techflash, "To be precise, you'll want to clear an area extending at least 4 meters (a little more than 13 feet) away from the television."


While it was perceived that a range of 4 meters (over 13 feet) was needed for the Natal to work properly, this is incorrect. "The comments recently about the play space for 'Project Natal' were misinterpreted," Microsoft told Kotaku. "It is true that the 'Project Natal' sensor reads the configuration of your room and adjusts play space, as appropriate. We know that living rooms come in all shapes and sizes, and have conducted numerous play tests to ensure everyone will be able to jump off the couch and into the fun when 'Project Natal' launches globally this holiday."


Microsoft: Natal Does Not Discriminate Against Living Rooms So even smaller living rooms in Japan and everywhere else *should* conceivably be a-okay!


Kotaku

Spy Hunter Movie: It's Back OnIt's been on, off, on, then off again, and now, for the third time, somebody is trying to make a movie based on classic 1983 arcade game Spy Hunter.


When movie studio Warner Bros. purchased embattled publisher Midway last year, it got for its money the rights to a Spy Hunter movie. Believing there's money to be made around the idea of a spy driving a car full of machine guns, it's kicked it straight back into production.


Up-and-coming writer Chad St. John is on script duty, while Dan Lin and Roy Lee (The Departed) will be producing. Rounding out the list of names involved so far is executive producer Doug Davison (The Departed, again) and co-producer Stephen Gilchrist (Sherlock Holmes).


Third time's a charm, eh?


'Spy Hunter' video game headed to big screen [Hollywood Reporter]


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