videogames

Miles Davis in 8-bit!

Some would say ‘don’t mess with the classics’, others, particularly those born in the 80s with a love of jazz would say ‘if you don’t you wouldn’t get this!’

Love it or hate it, no one can deny the popularity world-wide of jazz music. There’s something about it that oozes cool no matter if it’s modern masterpieces or a classic collection. But recently, Andy Baio of Waxy.org put a whole new spin on the jazz genre, particularly the music of Miles Davis and his 1960s album, Some Kind of Blue.

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PSPgo Is Just $50 Cheaper Than The PS3

Why go a PSP when you could upgrade to a PS3?

When Sony announced you’d get a free download code for Gran Turismo PSP when you purchased the PSPgo, they forgot one tiny detail: the price of the handheld itself. Seems my speculation earlier today was bang on the money.

Sony has confirmed the PSPgo will launch in Australia on October 1 and retail for $449.95. That’s in line with the European price points, but considerably more expensive than the US.

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Augmented Reality Toys Bring Interactive Data Layer to Playtime


Every little boy lives in a world that is as much fiction as reality. For a kid sitting in the back seat of a car during a long road trip, that Batman action figure isn't a plastic doll, it's actually the Dark Knight himself. And that arm rest with the drink holder? The towering precipice of a Gotham high rise. And its exactly that imaginary world that Frantz Lasorne looks to make a bit more concrete with his augmented reality toys.

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Artificial Intelligence Software Learns to Play Super Mario Bros.

But will it find the warp zones?

Forget about beating human chess grandmasters. Now computer scientists have challenged the best AI programs to beat Nintendo's "Super Mario Bros.," and perhaps evolve along the way.

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A Video Game Helps Artificial Intelligences Learn to Learn


Ever wish you could play a game that tailors its strategy around your particular playing style? Thanks to a team of game programmers affiliated with the MIT Media Lab, and their project The Restaurant Game, that might be a reality sooner than you think.

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Online Videogames Herald the End of Discs—and Expensive PCs

Gaming grows up, moves out

Play the latest videogames without investing in an ultra-fast computer, a pricey console or even a disc from the local game store. Just log onto OnLive, a Web service that runs processor-hogging games on its own computers and zaps them over the Internet to almost any screen, including your cheap laptop or TV.

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China Tries to Curb Gold Farming

Real-world regulation for made-up money

Bad news for professional orcs all across the Middle Kingdom. On Monday, the Chinese government announced a ban on the conversion of virtual money into real money for the purpose of buying actual goods and services. By allowing Chinese citizens to spend real money on virtual products, but not vice versa, the government has specifically targeted gold farming, an activity that employs hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers.

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iPhone Game Gets Your Kid off the Couch and into an Alternate Reality

The Hidden Park uses the iPhone to reveal the secrets of the world's metropolitan parks

Kids these days. It seems that they were born into a society that spends 90 percent of its time staring at glowing rectangles, much to the chagrin of parents everywhere. Playing outside just seems like too low-tech of an option for them to bother wasting their time with. However, Bulpadok, an Australian app company, might convince them to take the screen with them outdoors, with The Hidden Park, a new iPhone-based scavenger hunt.

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A Look at Nintendo's MotionPlus

The guys at Kotaku have a go with the Nintendo MotionPlus control a day before we head out to their Sydney launch

All day, we’ve been bringing you new impressions of Nintendo’s big holiday games, but allow us to note some little things of possible importance from our time with those titles.

Small things I observed:

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LEGO Battles Isn't Particularly Scientific, But It Will Be Damn Popular!

Nintendo DS and DSi owners, get ready for the release of the latest LEGO videogame


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Virtual-Reality Dental Training Is as Gory as You'd Expect

Video gaming gives dentists-to-be practice time on virtual teeth


Virtual Dental Implant Training Simulation developed by BreakAway

Video games may be good for your dental health. Not for the jaw-clenching or tooth-grinding action -- discuss these conditions with a professional if they persist in conjunction with gaming -- but because dentists will soon have access to virtual mouths before they get their hands on your chompers.

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Just Who Is Preserving Gaming History?

Old books are collected in libraries. Old art in art galleries. Old music on commercial FM radio. But what are we doing to hang onto our old games?

Old books are collected in libraries. Old art in art galleries. Old music on commercial FM radio. But what are we doing to hang onto our old games?

According to IGN AU, the depressing answer is… not much.

While there may be a bare handful of institutions around the world doing their bit to preserve the games of the past, there’s little in the way of a concerted, industry-wide effort.

Worse, writes IGN reporter and friend of Kotaku Tracey Lien, there’s absolutely nothing being done in Australia to preserve the almost-forgotten gems of our own development history.

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Create Videogames Without Crunching Code

Kodu lets you roll your own Xbox fun

From Second Life to The Sims to Spore, games have long encouraged users to develop content, such as fashions or creatures, and share it online. But Microsoft has taken creativity to the next stage with Kodu, a program that allows players on an Xbox 360 or a PC to craft entire games using just the controller to select icons.

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Would Future iPhone Games Run On My IPhone 3G?

The iPhone is already a mega gaming machine, so what does the new iPhone 3GS do for gaming?

The short answer: For the time being, yes. But in the future, you may want to upgrade. The long answer after the jump.

The new iPhone 3GS introduces OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible hardware. Its 3D chip—reportedly a PowerVR SGX GPU core integrated in a Samsung chip—is more powerful than the previous generation.

The Graphic Advantage of the GS

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Four More Gadgets for Gamers

Get a little closer, play a little longer

Four More Gadgets for Gamers

Your Turn
This add-on to the Nintendo Wii remote judges motion more precisely. Whereas the original accelerometer senses only distance and tilt, a new gyroscope chip measures rotation.
Nintendo Wii Motion Plus, $20; nintendo.com

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