We've already seen Kumail Nanjiani making jokes about video games, that's what a comedian who loves his hobby (and lots and lots of video games) does.

In conjunction with Funny or Die and IGN, he put together three shorts. They're not his best work, though, as he clearly shines most during his stand-up. The focus on Judgment also feels slightly overly promotiony, but they're amusing nonetheless.

Check out Kumail trying to get an elderly gentlemen in on some co-op (click to 0:40 on the video up top), what a serious Gears story would look like as a stage adaptation (4:51), and what hopeful Gears cosplayers do when they've been double-booked on the reenactment field with some civil war LARPers (9:42).

Gears of War: Judgment with Kumail Nanjiani [YouTube via Funny or Die]

Usually, when a big video game gets delayed, you can easily call out the reasons: development wasn't proceeding as planned, more time to make it even better or porting it to other platforms.

But, in the case of toy/video game hybrid Disney Infinity, the release month is shifting from June to August because retailers asked. A New York Times article quotes Disney Interactive co-president John Pleasants:

Mr. Pleasants said retailers, impressed with the public reaction to Disney's demonstration of Infinity in January, pushed for an introduction closer to the all-important holiday season, which starts in October. "The date became an issue in terms of them asking, ‘Is there a better opportunity here?' " Mr. Pleasants said.

Pleasants' remarks in the NYT piece also make it seem like Infinity is on track to be done in time for the original June release plan. It's an odd change of pace for retailers to want a game to come out later in the year, but the thinking seems to be that this will give the cross-platform title a clear runway to impressive sales.

The new timeframe also nudges Disney Infinity closer to the fall debut of Skylanders Swap Force, the upcoming entry in Activision's super-successful collectible-toy-game franchise . Guess we're going to get something closer to an actual showdown between the two plastic kingdoms when they both hit store shelves later this year.

Disney Delays Release of Video Game and Toy Initiative [The New York Times]

Thinking about bungee jumping into an open air pit cave-like the Cave of Swallows—is already horrific. But this really well-made slow-motion Minecraft animation, recently shared on Animationcraft's YouTube channel, makes the idea a lot scarier.

Cavediving - Minecraft Bungee Jumping Animation [YouTube]

Irrational Games, the folks behind BioShock, have just released this spectacular combat trailer for the series' newest installment, BioShock Infinite. Many of the weapons protagonist Booker DeWitt will get to use are put on full display. Look at that imagery. That statue. Those huge guns. Man, I think I'm in love with that minigun.

Along with the trailer, two new screenshots have also been revealed. You can have a look at them below.

BioShock Infinite releases worldwide on March 26. Not much longer, now!

Cosplay collective Spiral Cats brought their talents to the recent StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm launch in South Korea.

Back when Blizzard's Diablo III launched in South Korea, Spiral Cats was also on hand at the event, showing off its latest cosplay creations.

"I believe that we can project our love for the character that we cosplay through our pictures," Spiral Cats leader Tasha previously told Kotaku. "

"However, just because we love our characters and work doesn't necessarily result in pictures that everyone can appreciate. You must analyze and understand the character to be able to justify your own interpretation."

Two of the fellas holding the StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm placards were those who lined up three days early for Heart of the Swarm. Guess it was worth it!

[군단의 심장]스파이럴캣츠, "칼날여왕 코스프레는 새로운 도전이었다" [Fomos]
군단의 심장 행사장을 찾은 미녀 삼총사... 스파이럴 캣츠 코스프레 사진 모음 [Inven]
http://news.danawa.com/netizen/News_Netizen_View.php?&nSeq=2331720&nBoardSeq=190 [DaNaWa Thanks, Sang!]

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Japanese people have different tastes from their Western counterparts (Heck, many of Kotaku East's Culture Smash columns focus specifically on this sociological difference), and Japanese gamers are no exception. Every week, Japanese gaming magazine Weekly Famitsu collects user impressions of newly released video games. Users rate games from 1 to 10 and comment on what they liked or disliked about each game.

In this week's issue, Weekly Famitsu has collected and compiled all the user scores for games released in 2012 and ranked the top scorers. So which games were the Japanese user favorites? Take a look:
(Note: Games with the same average user score have been ranked the same)

#20: Rune Factory 4 (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 72
Average User Score: 9.25

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#19: Persona 4 Arena (PS3/Xbox 360)
Number of User Reviews: 73
Average User Score: 9.26

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#18: Mario Party 9 (Wii)
Number of User Reviews: 52
Average User Score: 9.30

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#18: Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 149
Average User Score: 9.30

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#16: Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 251
Average User Score: 9.31

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#15: Rhythm Thief R: Emperor Napoleon's Legacy (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 93
Average User Score: 9.32

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#14: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED BATTLE DESTINY
Number of User Reviews: 60
Average User Score: 9.33

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#13: Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations (PS3/Xbox 360)
Number of User Reviews: 104
Average User Score: 9.34

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#13: Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side Premium ~3rd Story~ (PSP)
Number of User Reviews: 86
Average User Score: 9.34

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#13: Tales of Innocence R (PS Vita)
Number of User Reviews: 114
Average User Score: 9.34

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#13: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 140
Average User Score: 9.34

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#9: Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 492
Average User Score: 9.40
User Comments:
"The game incorporates all the good points from recent games while handily remaking the classic game Terry's Wonderland."
"I've played the original, so I was really anticipating the remake. The system has changed, but the graphics are upgraded and the additional scenario was fun."

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#8: Kingdom Hearts 3D – Dream Drop Distance (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 126
Average User Score: 9.45
User Comments:
"This is my first time with the series, but there is a tutorial, so it's easy for beginners to pick up. The game also explained a good deal of the previous story which allowed me to get into it."
"I was moved by the quality of the opening movie. I liked how the tutorial was very easy to follow. The action was a little difficult, but once you get used to it, it's not a problem, making this the perfect game to celebrate the series' 10th anniversary."

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#7: Resident Evil: Revelations (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 93
Average User Score: 9.48
User Comments:
"The graphics were some of the prettiest I've seen for a 3DS title. I was happy to be able to play a Resident Evil game on a portable console, but, to be honest, I would have liked to play it on a big screen."
"This game has a lot of points that feel like it's going back to its roots. The new system helps build the fear of the darkness."

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#6: 2nd Super Robot Wars Z: Saisei-hen (PSP)
Number of User Reviews: 102
Average User Score: 9.49
User Comments:
"The most impressive point was the quality of the battle scenes! This level of quality on the PSP! No complaints here."
"Being able to get bonuses for playing the previous Hakai-hen game was nice. The story was a lot of fun, flowing quickly from beginning to end. It was unfortunate that some of the special abilities of certain robots could only be used toward the end of the game."

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#5: Harvest Moon: A New Beginning (3DS)
Number of User Reviews: 60
Average User Score: 9.50
User Comments:
"This is my first time with the Harvest Moon series, but I was able to enjoy it without difficulty thanks to the tutorial. Veterans may find the tutorial a little pesky. Everything you can do in the game is a lot of fun."
"The added freedom make the game even more enjoyable than its predecessors. Being able to customize your character was a plus. The variety of crops and livestock made running the farm satisfyingly challenging."

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#4: Gravity Daze (PS Vita)
Number of User Reviews: 110
Average User Score: 9.60
User Comments:
"The fast movement by the touch screen and motion controlled camera were innovative and enjoyable. The story was a little short. There are a lot of additional play elements like challenge missions and net ranking, but I wish there was more variety."
"It feels great to speed around through the air defeating enemies! The visuals and music are beautiful and the unique world is very immersive."

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#3: Journey (PS3)
Number of User Reviews: 70
Average User Score: 9.70
User Comments:
"The fantastical world and game system makes you want to play again and again. This is a classic that every PlayStation 3 owner should play."
"The vast field is intimidating, but the controls are simple enough that anyone can play. It's a world with no words or text, so there's no dialogue, and yet I was in tears by the end of the story. I wish there were more trophies."

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#2: Persona 4 Golden (PS Vita)
Number of User Reviews: 132
Average User Score: 9.71
User Comments:
"School life is a lot of fun! I like how Persona creation has been streamlined. Collecting cards for Persona fusion is fun and being able to set the difficulty made it easy to play. I would have liked the story to be a little bit more unpredictable."
"The fast-paced battles are exhilarating! The story theme of family and friendship was heartwarming and made playing the game a lot of fun. The additional modes like the movie viewer and quiz were very satisfying. I had no problem playing through multiple times."

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#1: Super Dangan-Ronpa 2 – Goodbye, School of Despair (PSP)
Number of User Reviews: 87
Average User Score: 9.79
User Comments:
"I had to know what was going to happen so much I couldn't put the game down and ended up clearing the game in no time. Wondering if a character you like is going to survive to the end keeps you on pins and needles."
"All the plot points laid down are taken care of satisfyingly. It feels great when you solve all the puzzles!"

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For those who are wondering, here's #21 to #50-ish:

#21: Pokemon Black 2/White 2 (3DS)

#22: Hatsune Miku And Future Stars Project Mirai (3DS)

#22: Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)

#24: Kirby's Dream Collection (Wii)

#25: Robotic Notes (PS3/Xbox 360)

#26: Ore no Imouto ga Konnnani Kawaii Wakeganai Portable ga Tsuzuku Wakeganai (PSP)

#27: Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSP)

#28: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D (3DS)

#29: Wagamama Fashion GIRLS MODE Yokubari Sengen (3DS)

#30: Pro Baseball Spirits 2012 (PS Vita/PSP/PS3)

#31: Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly (Wii)

#32: Yakuza 5 (PS3)

#33: Yakuza: Black Panther 2 (PSP)

#34: Dragon's Dogma (PS3/XBox 360)

#34: Halo 4 (XBox 360)

#36: Airu de Puzzle (PSP)

#37: Pokemon + Nobunaga's Ambition (DS)

#38: Mario Tennis Open (3DS)

#38: Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Wii U/PS3/Xbox 360)

#38: Assassin's Creed 3(Wii U/PS3/Xbox 360)

#41: Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk (PS3)

#42: Armored Core V (PS3/Xbox 360)

#43: Digimon World Re:Digitize (PSP)

#44: Bravely Default (3DS)

#45: Photo Kano (PSP)

#46: Soul Calibur V (PS3/Xbox 360)

#47: Hatsune Miku – Project Diva - F (PS Vita)

#47: One Piece: Pirate Warriors (PS3)

#49: GUILD01 (3DS)

#49: New Little King's Story (PS Vita)

#49: Dead or Alive 5 (PS3/Xbox 360)

#49: Dragon Age 2 (PS3/Xbox 360)

#49: Resident Evil: Chronicles HD Collection (PS3)

ファミ通.com [ファミ通.com]

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Well, that didn't take long. A video recently uploaded by Redditor AzzerUK shows what appears to be SimCity's unlocked debug mode. Here's AzzerUK (emphasis mine):

So with a little bit of package editing within SimCity, and a little playing about in the code, it's possible to enable debug mode. I linked the activation to the "Help Center" button in the main menu for ease. Most debug features are disabled without having an actual developer's build (they have terraforming tools etc. available in the full developer build!), but a few things do still work - including editing the main highways.

Not only that - but you can edit the highways ANYWHERE - even outside of your city boundary... and even if you quit the game and log back in later, it's all saved safely on the server.

This shows that highway editing will be easily possible, AND that editing outside of the artificially small city boundaries should be very viable too.

Other things I have modded out with a quick change: Unlimited time to remain disconnected (won't get booted at 20 minutes, can now be disconnected "forever"). Population count now shows REAL figure, not the "artificially inflated" figure. My large cities have a population of about 15k now, not 100k :P

On the original Reddit thread, AzzerUK also added this (again, emphasis mine):

And yes I also modded out the disconnect timer (can now play "offline" indefinitely - but no saves/syncs or region related stuff, not yet anyway... but the simulation can carry on with no connection indefinitely).

Apparently, it's possible to play offline for far more than just 19 minutes, even if that's without saving and regional gameplay (which is the core aspect of SimCity's multiplayer). Surprising, considering that last week, Maxis general manager Lucy Bradshaw said an offline mode for the game would only be possible with "a significant amount of engineering work by [the Maxis team]."—though, one Maxis insider did tell Rock Paper Shotgun that a server was not necessary for actual gameplay.

We are reaching out to EA for any comments, and will update this post if they get back to us.

Maybe you are going to Japan. Maybe you're not, but one day, you hope to. There is an array of options—from fancy hotels and traditional inns to more budget-priced lodging. Or, perhaps, you just missed the last train.

You could always stay at a capsule hotel.

Capsule hotels debuted in 1979 in Osaka with the "Capsule Hotel In Osaka" in the city's bustling Umeda district. Architect Kisho Kurokawa designed the hotel, which seemed like a logical extension of the Tokyo residential and office tower, Nakagin Capsule Tower. That structure, built in 1972, offered tiny, capsule-like apartments.

During the 1960s, the word "capsule" ("kapuseru" or カプセル) started appearing in Japanese. Sometimes English words change meaning when absorbed into Japanese, but the word "capsule" carried a similar meaning to what it does in English: very futuristic and compact. This is probably why when a new start up in Osaka needed a name to describe its compact gaming experiences, it chose a moniker based off of "capsule computer". Today, you know that company as Capcom. This is also why "capsule" was used to describe these small, compact hotels.

When visiting a capsule hotel, there are some things to be aware of. One is that many capsule hotels are men only. They are traditionally geared towards businessmen. However, there are capsule hotels with women only floors. Some of the newest (and nicest) capsule hotels are aimed at both male and female guests.

The going rate for capsule hotels is usually between US$30 to $50 a night, depending on the hotel. But that often includes high-speed internet access and, also depending on the hotel, basic amenities, like toiletries.

Different capsule hotels have different rules, but as this Japanese site notes, there are some basic rules:

• Take off your shoes
Generally speaking, most Capsule Hotels have shoe lockers near the front desk. If you see a rack or cubbyhole of slippers when you enter, take off your shoes, put on the slippers, and carry your shoes to the locker. When you check in, you might have to give the shoe locker key to the front desk clerk.

• Your Key
After checking in, you'll usually get another key. It's usually attached to a wristband. This is a locker key in the changing room that you can use to store your belongings and clothes in. It should have the same number as your capsule. Do lock your valuables. While Japan is "safe", there is crime. Keep that in mind.

• Capsule Hotel Wear
In the capsule hotel, guests are usually given a gown, a robe or even sweats. Change into the robe (or whatever). Unlike at a business hotel, it's not considered gauche to walk around in your robe.

• Using the Bath or Sauna
Many capsule hotels put a lot of effort into their bathing facilities, giving guests a sentou (銭湯) or communal bathing experience. So, yes, you'll be bathing with strangers. Capsule hotels are segregated by gender, so if you are a man, you'll be bathing with men. Likewise, females bathe with females.

A note on bathing in Japan: Wash your body and hair before you get in the bath. There will be a washing area with faucets. Also, if you have tattoos, you will either need to cover them with bandages or not take a bath. Tattoos are typically prohibited due to their organized crime connotations in Japan.

• Post Bath
After your bath, you might want a beer or something to drink. Capsule hotels usually have snack bars; tell the staff your capsule number (on your key), and food and drink will be charged to your bill. Some hotels have reclining chairs with TVs, while some even have manga or newspapers you can check out. There might be smoking sections, if you smoke, but don't smoke in the capsule.

• In the Capsule
Each capsule usually has a shutter or blinds that you can close. The walls are thin, so be a courteous neighbor!

• Checkout
Typically, checkout at capsule hotels is at 10am. But do confirm when you check-in. Before you check out, be sure to change back into to your clothes and take the key to the front desk.

Below are some interesting, and unique, capsule hotels from across Japan.

Capsule Hotel Inn Osaka: Yep, you can stay at the first capsule hotel. It's still open in Osaka. Sadly, it's men only. However, if you are in Osaka, there is a capsule hotel called Asahi Plaza in the city's Shinsaibashi district that offers lodging for male and female customers.

Green Plaza Shinjuku: Claiming to be Tokyo's first capsule hotel, Green Plaza Shinjuku does not, unfortunately, offer accommodation for females. [Pic: Matuhuji]

Capsule Hotel Shinjuku 510: This capsule hotel, also located in Shinjuku, does have female lodgings as well as capsules for males.

Capsule Ryokan Kyoto: A capsule hotel with a decidedly traditional Kyoto spin: you sleep on tatami mats! The hotel also has high-speed internet, so it's the best of both worlds. [Pic and more info on A Trini Traveller]

9hours (top photo, too): This could be the swankiest capsule hotel Japan has to offer. 9hours is in Kyoto, and it offers accommodation for both male and female guests—with separate elevators for each. At 9hours, the capsules are called "pods" and even feature a "Sleep Ambient Control System" and specially designed pillows to help you sleep. This capsule hotel is anything but typical.

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Last week, Japanese gaming magazine Weekly Famitsu asked their readers what they thought about the PS4. In this week's issue, the question was lobbed in the direction of many of Japan's biggest game makers, to get the developer point of view on Sony's as-of-yet faceless console. Take a look at what some of them had to say:

The following 3 questions were posed to developers:

1. What are your impressions of the PlayStation 4?
2. Of the PlayStation 4's specs and functions, what stands out to you?
3. What sort of game would you like to develop utilizing the PlayStation 4's specs and functions?

• Acquire CEO, Takuma Endou

1. — "My impression of the hardware was, simply put, "chock-full." It has power, memory, a camera – it's the ultimate form of a game machine that can do anything. If I were to say anything negative, it would be that it was very hard to tell what made it unique."

2. — "How few limitations there were. As a developer, the fewer limitations a console, the easier it is to develop for, so that helps a lot. On the other hand, without limitations, it may be harder to create a 'selling point.'"

3. — "Since I don't think we can win in a battle of high quality graphics, I'd like a game that creatively uses the network functions and isn't too heavy or long. My desire to make a game that can sell on its ideas and entertainment was reinvigorated."

• Platinum Games Producer, Atsushi Inaba

1. — "I got the impression that the competitive field for consoles is moving from basic performance specs to peripheral services."

2. — "I'm not that interested in hardware specs like graphic processing. Of course, I thought [the PS4's specs] were quite impressive, but you can't win in a competition against PC gaming specs that are constantly evolving. I felt a great deal of potential in the peripheral stage that has been set to make use of new content. I'm also very interested in seeing what sort of reference content SCE will be bringing out so that the vision they have for the hardware is not diluted."

3. — "If we can fully exploit the peripheral services, we may be able to deliver a different 'virtual world' from the previous consoles. I'd like to try that approach."

• Capcom Producer, Hiroyuki Kobayashi

1. — "I was actually at the PlayStation Meeting 2013 where they announced it. When the PS4 logo appeared, I had the standard 'Yes! At last it's officially been announced!' sort of response, as well as wondering what sort of games would come out. As a user, I was very excited."

2. — "The high quality graphics and the processing power are obviously very promising, but I was also interested in how the PS4 would integrate social aspects and link with mobile platforms. The announced titles seem to take good advantage of the PS4's functions and specs and show a lot of different potential directions to take. I think we'll see a wider variety of titles than we did with the PS3."

3. — "The PS4's social connectivity functions will allow for many users to share their gameplay. The question is how to integrate this showing and viewing of gameplay within the game. How will users play with this function? Like a video arcade? Like YouTube? There are a lot of potential ideas. I think this will change the game experience a great deal. It's going to make figuring out what sort of services creators should offer users more challenging. I'd like to create something that will offer a new gaming experience."

• Level 5 Game Director, Jiro Ishii

1. — "I was surprised that the PlayStation, which has always maintained a sharp image, was taking a cost-performance-focused strategy. This made me both happy and sad."

2. — "I have high expectations for their strong appeal as 'hardware that's easy to develop for.' I'd like to know how the Share button is going to change game promotion and gameplay. I'm very interested."

3. — "Could the Share button change the way adventure games are played? It's easy to imagine its use for games with strong contingent game design like action games and stealth games, but with adventure games, that focus on showing a story, it feels like it would lead to story spoilers or making players feel like they've played the game just by watching. Still, there must be stories that can be expanded because they can be shared. Like a group piece where different protagonists are connected with the Share button and change the fate of the world… I'd like to try to make such a game scenario."

• Tecmo Koei Games Producer, Hisashi Koinuma

1. — "My initial impressions of the PS4 were that it is a 'true network game machine.'

2. — "The focus on sharing experiences. I was also intrigued by the ability to use the PS Vita, smart phones, or tablets as a second screen."

3. — "Normally, in order to talk about games with friends or family, you need them nearby. I believe users will be able to have meaningful communication with other users through the network, even from their own homes. I'd like to make a game that would make user participation in multi-player more fun, even if it's not in realtime."

• Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Director, Keiichirou Toyama

1. — "I felt the same thing with the PS Vita, but it's a piece of hardware that goes well with the adjective, 'Spartan.' The fat has been trimmed off as much as possible, and what's truly important has been compressed with no excess or deficiency."

2. — "Many users feel that FPS or RTS games should be played with a mouse. I felt the high universality of the DualShock 4 will be able to improve such standards of game control. I'm also interested in the increased network compatibility, especially the application of cloud technology and the coordination with mobile platforms, as well as the evolution of game and visual experiences of course."

3. — "It's a staple, but I'd like to make an adventure epic in a vast imaginary world. User communication is becoming a standard feature, but I'd like to have people having fun sharing their experiences of what they felt or saw rather than just items or parameters. That, or something you can clear in a few hours, like a first person supernatural nightmare experience."

• Konami Digital Entertainment Kojima Production Creative Producer, Yuji Korekado

1. — "The architecture was simpler than I thought it'd be. It seemed like the hardware specs are evolving as expected, with expansion beyond the hardware itself in mind."

2. — "The PlayStation App and the Share button. With the increased processing power, more realtime processing is possible and character AI can be more complex. Games will be about individual players enjoying different experiences each time they play. The ability to easily share each experience through video or gameplay anywhere was incredibly innovative."

3. — "Looking at the specs alone, where we used to show particle movements and flow for things like smoke, dust, and water currents by arranging patterns, we'll be able to have them processed in realtime. This will obviously help with visual effects, but can also be used to create new gameplay elements, like how we used the free slicing in Metal Gear Rising as a core gameplay element. I'd also like to focus on services that would emerge from the ability to connect from different platforms, anytime and anywhere."

ファミ通.com [ファミ通.com]

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A mother got shafted with a whopper credit card bill after her son racked up charges playing an online game, Asahi News reported earlier today.

The teen pestered his mom to let him play an online game (Asahi doesn't specify which). The junior high student and his mom made an agreement that he'd only play the free-to-play bit.

However, the kid got really hooked and began shelling out for in-game items, racking up a credit card bill of ¥240,000 (US$2,500). "I didn't know they cost real money," the teen was quoted as saying. Well, yeah.

The mom apparently consulted with her local consumer affairs bureau to figure out what she should do. Hint: Don't enter your credit card information in online games!

オンラインゲームのトラブル急増　中学生に２４万円請求 [朝日新聞デジタル]

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