Kotaku reports that the world record for playing Pac-Man has once again been broken. The last record was set by getting every pill, every possible ghost, every piece of fruit and playing until level 256, where the game crashes. The previous record for this was done in 3 hours, 42 minutes, and 4 seconds.

The new guy, David Race, has managed it in 3 hours, 41 minutes, and 22 seconds, 42 seconds faster. Although an impressive feat, it kind of makes me a little sad. These people have spent what is likely to be years practising a Pac-Man perfect run, simply to shave off 42 seconds. I’m not saying that they’ve wasted their time, but… well, actually, I am.

Thinking about it, if we were invaded by ghost-like aliens who turned blue when we ate big pills and chased us through mazes, I know who I’d go to for help. Maybe it wasn’t such a waste after all.

If I was at GDC, then I could say that I was at the Nintendo keynote, but instead, I’ll just report some news that I found as if I was. The Wii’s Virtual Console service will soon include arcade games as well as the myriad of other retro platforms it supports. The four available now are:

* Gaplus (Namco Bandai): 600 Wii Points
* Mappy (Namco Bandai): 500 Wii Points
* The Tower Of Druaga (Namco Bandai): 500 Wii Points
* Starforce (Tecmo): 500 Wii Points

Space Harrier and Solvalou are on the way as well. Although British arcades when I was wee didn’t have obscure games like this (at least not the ones near me), I have hope that the addition of arcade games will allow the Virtual Console to be even more comprehensive.

Street Fighter IV is getting closer and closer to release, and is becoming more desirable at a similar rate. It’s videos like this one that are doing a lot of the work. While perhaps some are a little underwhelming, many of the game’s ultra moves live up to their name in spectacle alone. The game’s visual style obviously enhances the whole affair considerably. Hit the jump for a bonus compilation of Super moves.

Read more…

One of the greatest arcade games of all time (at least in my mind) is being ported to the PSP.  For some reason, I don’t think it’s going to be quite the same game. Read more…

It’s not as obvious as you might think, you know. Matt Belinkie over at Overthinking It has the answer- Double Dragon. Maybe the game is a little outdated, but the arcade version’s ending has a long-reaching effect. After reading the (well written) column, I’m convinced. We may well never again see a game which forces you to betray your loyal team-mate and above all, brother at the final step, simply down to ease of programming. Maybe in Gears of War 3, when you’re forced to mow down your trusty team, or in the next Pokémon, where to progress to the end you must slaughter all of your party in a sacrifice to the gods, we will see a similar situation, but the sheer doom faced at the moment where the words “Let’s Fight: 1Player vs. 2Player” are displayed will never be matched. Go read the article, all will become clear.

Street Fighter 4, from what I understand, is not getting a legal arcade release in America (correct me if I’m wrong), but never fear!  The US is getting the console version on both PS3 and Xbox 360, and a character that you may or may not have known was coming was Ryu and Ken’s teacher, referred to as Gouken. Read more…

Capcom has confirmed that Backone’s Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD will hit the PlayStation 3 next Tuesday, November 25, and Xbox 360 next Wednesday, November 26. The PlayStation Network usually updates on Thursdays, but the update will occur on Tuesday next week because of Thanksgiving.

Capcom hasn’t set a price for the downloadable fighter yet, but the announcement is sure to come within the next few days.  With Street Fighter IV just around the corner, Super Street Fighter 2 HD is the perfect appetizer for you Street Fighter fanatics.

Source: ShackNews

So I’ve discussed the game and the cards. Today I want to focus on PvP and my final thoughts on the game. I haven’t put near the amount of time some people have put into this game, so my theories may have some flaw to them, and I am far from a master at this game. This is really just a listing of what I’ve learned to do by being beat by the people I have played and using some of those tactics to beat other people. Read more…

Welcome to the second part of my write up on the currently Japan only Lord of Vermilion. In the last piece I discussed the basic overview of how the game worked and what’s involved. Today I plan on going a bit more in depth with the cards that are the focus of the game. Just like any other card game there are factions, interesting artwork, rarity, and a few surprises. So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Read more…

I love the arcades in Japan.  They are always changing the games, and are always full of people, much different from my arcade back home that probably still has that Mortal Kombat II machine sitting in the corner.  After visiting the arcade on a regular basis I started to really get interested in the card battle style games that were popping up.

The first one I ever saw was based on the three kingdoms history of china and that was less than appealing.  Then Square Enix released Yu-sha or Eternal Wheel.  I picked this up and tried it out.  It was a fairly decent game, but a bit too simple and you didn’t feel like you had that much control over what happened in the game.  You directed units and they attacked the bad guys.  Simple, to the point, but not quite what I was looking for.

Then, a few months ago, Lord of Vermilion dropped from Square.  A game with dark overtones even the good guys look to be rather evil.  You have a character you control plus a team you run into the battle area.  In this multi-part article I’ll be discussing the ins and outs for you guys, in case you can’t take a jet plane over and try it out for yourself. Read more…

Double D Dodgeball is a game that attempts to capture the fun of dodgeball with the style of neo-retro arcade gaming. But is getting hit in the face by aliens really more fun than getting hit in the face by jocks? Read more…

Ready to see what your favourite beat ‘em up bad guys are going to look like in Street Fighter IV? Check out these brand new screens. Read more…

The phallic puzzler Mr. Driller is coming to Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, April 2nd with some nifty features. Hit the jump for details. Read more…

After rumours that the Xbox 360 would be seeing a price cut in Europe, today is the day Amazon.co.uk let the numbers slip before the end of the announcement’s NDA. The NDA has now been lifted. Follow the jump for the new prices and PR. Read more…

In an attempt to get you more excited about Fable 2’s release, Peter Molyneux and the studly geniuses at Lionhead are giving you an early taste in the form of an Xbox Live Arcade game. Read more…

A new game in the DonPachi series is headed for Japan.

The Amusement Machine Operators’ Union show in Japan is generally a fairly low-key event here in the West. This year was host to the first playable appearance of Street Fighter 4. You’ve heard about that, but what did you miss? Read more…

A revamped Metal Slug 3, based on the original arcade version, runs-and-guns its way onto Xbox LIVE Wednesday, January 2nd at 2:00 a.m. PST, complete with enhanced HD graphics and a new online co-op multiplayer mode.

Check out screenshots of the game after the jump. Read more…

If you’re like me, you miss the old arcade days, back before consoles became the powerful monsters they are today. Hanging out with friends at the local arcade consisted of playing Street Fighter, NBA Jam, and Mortal Kombat. Wasting time after school at the local pizza joint meant playing Pac-Man and racking up points in pinball. It’s hard to imagine what our youth would have been like without such classic arcade games. Read more…