http://www.kotowari.org The latest news and updates on game releases from Japan. Includes reviews, videos and guides. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:36:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Last week fellow enthusiast of awesome games Brad Galloway asked his Twitter followers if there were games they loved despite being flawed in some way.  I sprang at the opportunity to switch gears and get all nostalgic for a bit.  Keeping up to date on modern gaming news can be taxing, and sometimes the only [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/k5mvkVZO7L8uM4Olp2FSXvu1_VY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/k5mvkVZO7L8uM4Olp2FSXvu1_VY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/k5mvkVZO7L8uM4Olp2FSXvu1_VY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/k5mvkVZO7L8uM4Olp2FSXvu1_VY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/upUbpJ6Z_ao" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/upUbpJ6Z_ao/ http://www.kotowari.org/broken-love-breath-of-fire-v-dragon-quarter-via-drinkingcoffeecola/ This Sunday was the Super Bowl.  You may be surprised to learn that, since Super Bowl 30, I’ve made it a habit to watch every one.  I even (more or less) understand the rules associated with the game.  Perhaps it’s inherent to understanding rules and numbers in a video game – the two practically go [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/N_f3JYRtzV-ZcPI0GezeCuvvhMk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/N_f3JYRtzV-ZcPI0GezeCuvvhMk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/N_f3JYRtzV-ZcPI0GezeCuvvhMk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/N_f3JYRtzV-ZcPI0GezeCuvvhMk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/iult2WiktcM" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/iult2WiktcM/ http://www.kotowari.org/2011-most-valuable-video-game-character-award-mvvgc-goes-to/ Every Friday I make a post containing links to interesting articles I have found throughout the week.  If you already follow me on Twitter, then you will have probably seen most of the following links.  Enjoy! LOOK European Catherine launch party held at strip club.  All I can say is&#8230; wow. Still looking to club that perfect gamer girl [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YzES18-cItutyv90ArUzFx-02zs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YzES18-cItutyv90ArUzFx-02zs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YzES18-cItutyv90ArUzFx-02zs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/YzES18-cItutyv90ArUzFx-02zs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/7CZF6sYrY-E" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/7CZF6sYrY-E/ http://www.kotowari.org/friday-links-roundup-121-23/ There exist certain gaming franchises which become infallible with age.  Fans &#8212; their memories alight with nostalgia &#8212; look to recapture moments that defined their earliest gaming memories in modern generations.  This perfectly summarizes my experiences with Nintendo&#8217;s iconic green-tunic-ed Zelda series.  Some of my fondest memories include exploring the expanses of Hyrule Field in Ocarina of [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4A1MBYOvECTVdKtengVIc7tzQqM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4A1MBYOvECTVdKtengVIc7tzQqM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4A1MBYOvECTVdKtengVIc7tzQqM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4A1MBYOvECTVdKtengVIc7tzQqM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/EJgkgrE9uk0" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/EJgkgrE9uk0/ http://www.kotowari.org/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-review/ I know, you just love Skyrim, don&#8217;t you?  You love putting buckets on people&#8217;s heads, you love shouting Fus Ro Dah at your cat as it stares up at you in bewilderment from its litter box.  You love all this as much as the America&#8217;s Funniest Home Videos audience loves a wiffle bat carelessly swung [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KpXyHtbi_4A7iAZ4zn2OCWAz5_g/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KpXyHtbi_4A7iAZ4zn2OCWAz5_g/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KpXyHtbi_4A7iAZ4zn2OCWAz5_g/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/KpXyHtbi_4A7iAZ4zn2OCWAz5_g/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/DrEV0uPMXMs" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/DrEV0uPMXMs/ http://www.kotowari.org/fuck-your-arrows-fuck-your-knees-fuck-your-fus-ro-dah/ Every Friday I make a post containing links to interesting articles I have found throughout the week.  If you already follow me on Twitter, then you will have probably seen most of the following links.  Enjoy! LOOK Bitch, I&#8217;m mother fucking Sabin. Further discussion on the &#8220;video games as art&#8221; argumentwe all know and love Feral dogs are a bigger problem [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kLQR90vG64yMg6w-B7y_T0KwS48/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kLQR90vG64yMg6w-B7y_T0KwS48/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kLQR90vG64yMg6w-B7y_T0KwS48/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kLQR90vG64yMg6w-B7y_T0KwS48/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/SG4JTEwdfHI" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/SG4JTEwdfHI/ http://www.kotowari.org/friday-links-roundup-114-120/ I have a friend who was once as passionate about gaming as myself.  Ironically we didn&#8217;t even know each well when we shared this obsession.  Now the only way we can connect on games is through nostalgic conversations of the bygone generations.  We were having one such insightful back-and-forth the other night when he mentioned certain feelings [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Hq50Dacz7SW7cG4whjEDCnmcN7U/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Hq50Dacz7SW7cG4whjEDCnmcN7U/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Hq50Dacz7SW7cG4whjEDCnmcN7U/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Hq50Dacz7SW7cG4whjEDCnmcN7U/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/x1_A82Ohqfs" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/x1_A82Ohqfs/ http://www.kotowari.org/20-good-video-game-feelings/ I&#8217;ve made my obligatory games of 2011 entry, so all that remains is for me to turn my big fat head in the opposite direction and gaze forward into the unknown of 2012.  Wouldn&#8217;t you know it: there are even more games there.  Games just waiting to have their perceived quality weighed against their dollar [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_ExZa2Pwjssb5U2bh0jfFZEdjG8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_ExZa2Pwjssb5U2bh0jfFZEdjG8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_ExZa2Pwjssb5U2bh0jfFZEdjG8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/_ExZa2Pwjssb5U2bh0jfFZEdjG8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/ENEazKrsvac" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/ENEazKrsvac/ http://www.kotowari.org/games-i-will-probably-buy-in-2012/ Every Friday I make a post containing links to interesting articles I have found throughout the week.  If you already follow me on Twitter, then you will have probably seen most of the following links.  Enjoy! *GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT* Tomorrow at 10 PM eastern time, Nutgarden5 and myself will be live-streaming a discussion about 2012 in gaming over drinks. [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxrh-bKacZB8qYEUb_BDVHmqRfo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxrh-bKacZB8qYEUb_BDVHmqRfo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxrh-bKacZB8qYEUb_BDVHmqRfo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Mxrh-bKacZB8qYEUb_BDVHmqRfo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/J_P44xcPZmE" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/J_P44xcPZmE/ http://www.kotowari.org/friday-links-roundup-17-113/ It takes some giant, Square Enix-sized balls to release a demo to the sequel of a game that most fans hated.  If said demo received even remotely similar criticisms, that could mean a second, more embarrassing failure before the sequel even touched shelves.  But someone at the top had enough faith in the game to say, &#8220;We&#8217;ll show &#8216;em.  We&#8217;ll [...] <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Qfm4m5zC7eLD8m2368EwmfliyGg/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Qfm4m5zC7eLD8m2368EwmfliyGg/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Qfm4m5zC7eLD8m2368EwmfliyGg/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Qfm4m5zC7eLD8m2368EwmfliyGg/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~4/UFYFoCCA0VQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/feedburner/kotowari/~3/UFYFoCCA0VQ/ http://www.kotowari.org/final-fantasy-xiii-2-demo-review/