Posts Filed Under: video games

What’s going on? Well, how about a reminder that The Pixies were one of the first bands to cover video game music. Yeah, they covered the theme from the amazing, but not actually that great NARC in 1991. Now, I used to love some NARC, even though it was one of those Midway quarter vacuums, partly because it was so gloriously over-the-top, so excessively violent as things were in the 1980s. It’s really too bad about that 2005 NARC game…

While we’re looking back at the 80s, here’s a great walkthrough of a brand spanking new Chuck E. Cheese’s. I used to play the hell out of some 1943 at the location nearest my house.

Looking forward, it sure seems like we’re due for Soulcalibur V in a few weeks.

And are we really hotly anticipating the new Call of Duty: Black Ops expansion? Turns out we are! Not only does it have Freddy Krueger and Machete, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is in it too!

Oh, did you see this? :3

That’s the NSFW work of Bjørnar Frøyse, who turns in a beautifully rendered 16-year-old’s fantasy version of Princess Peach.

For a cold shower of a video, here’s a look at Valve’s snack set-up. Gabe’s a good guy.

Did you play Unpleasant Horse, the new game from Popcap spin-off 4th and Battery? Dude, it’s free on iTunes. C’mon.

And finally, here’s Gooteks and Mike Ross taking the new Mortal Kombat for a spin. Can’t wait to see some high level play of this game at EVO this year…

Easily the most exciting Xbox Live Indie Game (and PC game) on the horizon is the attractive little arcade/RPG Wizorb, which brilliantly combines Breakout and Arkanoid style gameplay with lite role-playing game stuff a la The Legend of Zelda or Dragon Quest. It’s the work of Pixeltao aka Jonathan Lavigne, the lead designer of the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World video game.

You may know his other freely available game, superdeformed platformer Ninja Senki.

Wizorb features the pixelated stylings of the eminently talented Paul Robertson, who’s posting more artwork from the game on his newly opened Tumblr.

Let’s catch up on all the geeky stuff we’ve been talking about this week on Twitter and Facebook, including the above, the forthcoming release of Otomedius Excellent. It’s the closest thing we’re going to get to a new Gradius anytime soon, so please, buy this shmup, regardless of whether you fetishize space ships.

Speaking of boobs, can we tone down Ivy’s funbags a bit, Namco? We know the Queen’s Blade series is all about near-nakedness, but it’s getting into udder territory.

In other arcade fighting game news, have you ever seen an arcade game unboxed? Here’s Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition!

In terribly tragic (but not the least bit unexpected) news, Team ICO hit us with double the delay this week. The Last Guardian and the Shadow of the Colossus & Ico Collection have both been pushed back. See you in 2012!

At least that helps clear our plate for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Rock, Paper, Shotgun has 20 reasons why we should be excited about that epic role-playing game.

Finally, as a Shinobi fan, I must recommend Gryzor87′s brilliant “Sounds & Shadows” album. This collection of tunes inspired by the jazzy soundtrack from the original Shinobi is truly ninja magical.

Like everyone else on planet Earth, Valve’s brilliant Portal 2 is sucking up our valuable free time–but that’s not the only thing we’re playing at Meat Bun HQ, thanks to an April that feels more like Christmas. But just because Portal 2 is finally here doesn’t mean you should ignore some of the other amazing releases that just hit. Like?!

Mortal Kombat – Maybe the best Mortal Kombat ever, this one’s disgustingly violent, filled with fan service and long. There’s a huge single-player campaign and a mission mode, a la Soulcalibur, that will take a dozen hours of more to conquer.

Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP Micro – We’ve talked about Superbrothers and Capy’s great retro adventure before, but now it’s on the iPhone. Three bucks! Get it!

Might & Magic Clash of Heroes HD – Another great effort from indie heroes Capy, this is the upgraded, high-definitioned update of one of the most underrated Nintendo DS games. Might & Magic Clash of Heroes HD is available on PSN and XBLA right now.

Hey dudes! Let’s catch up on all the fun that happened on Facebook and Twitter this week. Like the cast of Super Smash Bros. Brawl just chillaxing in some unlikely fan art. Very subtle, very charming. I love Solid Snake passed out on the couch, stuffed with Calorie Mate.

Speaking of fighting, are you going to the ReveLAtions fighting game tournament this summer? Do you want to win a trip to the beatdown?

And still on the fighting game front, Kotaku looks back at the original Street Fighter on its 20th anniversary. How I used to love mashing those huge spongy punch and kick pads at my local arcade…

The best looking game of the moment is Hawken. Have you seen this amazing gameplay trailer?

Perhaps the most hypnotic thing we’ve seen this week is this goo clean-up device.

Finally, we’re still super excited about playing Mortal Kombat this month. Should I main Johnny Cage?

What a week! Any seven day period that includes the long-awaited release of Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP must be a good one right? If you haven’t already downloaded the iPad release, grab it from iTunes now. Done? OK good! Let’s carry on.

If you’re hankering for ways to show your love for Japan, you can still bid on this custom Xbox 360 stuffed with XBLA games, give through the purchase of Team Fortress 2 hats or donate through the PlayStation Network.

Or you can simply keep your spirits up about the whole thing with Street Fighter’s Japanese cast in wallpaper form.

Did you catch wind of William “xiaobaosg” Chua’s awesome Contra-inspired ukiyo-e print? Do your eyeballs a favor and check it out. You know, he’s the artist responsible for Meat Bun’s ukiyo-e style Ninjawarriors tee. Fact!

Finally, for some ninja fail fun, give it up for Shogun 2.