A while back, bikini-model and self-proclaimed alien Yuko Ogura was dropped as SEGA's poster girl.

Ogura wasn't as popular as SEGA's previous (and rather busty) poster girl MEGUMI, and she was dumped two years later in exchange for the more demure Satomi Ishihara.

So what has Ogura been doing since then?

She has opened her own chain of Korean BBQ Restaurants. Quite an interesting step for an ex-poster girl and bikini model.

Rarely do games get celebrity renders right.
There are some amazingly accurate renders, such as Jean Reno from Onimusha 3 or Gackt from FFVII: Crisis Core.

... but most of them aren't quite so good ...

GamesRadar has compiled a list of the worst celebrity renders ever to appear in a game. From Charlie's Angels to Wayne's World, there's an awful celebrity render from almost any movie-to-game adaptation you can think of.

(go to the source for full list)

Remember when Uwe Boll said that his movie Postal will 'destroy Indiana Jones at the box office'? Well if that feat didn't sound ridiculous enough back then, it certainly sounds ridiculous now.
Due to the political content in Boll's most recent game-to-movie adaptation, Postal has been banned from most cinemas in America. He had originally intented it to be released on 1500 screens around America ... It will now only appear on 4 screens.

Reading Boll's press-release where he begs movie e...

"Have you ever gotten bored simply playing Mario, and wished it was a little more real? While unfortunately we can’t help with treating such delusions, we can help you make your make-believe Mario world seem just a little more real with the following contest.

We’re giving away a set of Plush Mario Sound Bops thanks to the awesome people at ThinkGeek, along with a Super Mario Vinyl and Fabric Figure (from them as well) for the second prize."

"You know that heartwarming sensation you get while remembering games of yesteryear? The one that makes you ponder, "Why aren't games this good nowadays?" It's a lie. It's a childhood veil that, once lifted, exposes how shitty some of your favorite games were all along. They didn't just sour with age - they were never that fun, you just put up with them because there was no better alternative.

Metroid, for example, is fairly crap by today's standards. But it was actually good for its day an..."

"Sour Mikan informs me that the scan is from Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 24 which is available officially this Monday.

Along with that he also provides us with a translation.

quote

I’ll grant you a wish…!!

Rumor after rumor but [now] Dragonball live action movie finally comes true !
Director James Wong of Final Destination, and producer the revolutionary film maker Stephen Chow of Shaolin Soccer. Remarkable casts are Son Goku is Justin Chatwin who played Tom Cruise’s son at Steven Spielb...

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"Perhaps the Last Hope is the US title for Nanashi no Game, the Square Enix horror game where the protagonist plays a cursed RPG. It’s a striking difference from the literal translation, Nameless Game, but it feels feasible. Maybe it’s something brand new? Maybe, as with all trademarks, it might never be used. Square Enix never got around to releasing Code Age Commanders, which they trademarked in the USA."

Monique over on Girls Don't Game (that's satire!) has some intriguing views on gamers and politics. She speaks about gamers' general willful ignorance towards the politics involved with the video game industry these days (Clinton wants to censor the crap out of them, did you know that?). Her solution to make things better for everyone: both sides have to start listening to each other. It's a great read, anyhow, especially her dissection of the GTA controversy (despite the 8 million articles o...

"Nowadays, we express our love through Walmart Gift Cards, Avon fragrance packs, and Sizzler buffet passes. It's safe to say, sons and daughters of the world, that we have pretty much dropped the ball; our mothers deserve more than cheap, foreign-made goods, irritating perfumes, and hazardous meals.

Unfortunately, we here at GameSpy don't really have a solution to this crisis of veneration. But we do have some suggestions. If you're anything like us, chances are your mother doesn't really s..."

"The rules for this contest are thus: make a photorealistic image which depicts what a cartoon character would look like if they came to life, as shown in our fun themepost. Do not insert a 2D image into a photo. Do NOT use existing live-action versions of the characters! (Do not, for example, use an image of Scooby-Doo from the movie... instead, create him using a photo of a real Great Dane). Entries using photorealistic images of characters from existing films and TV shows will be disqualifi..."

In light of Mother's Day, Destructoid has popped off a list of the top 10 video game moms (it's slightly tamer than this one). It reads as follows:

10. Rosa (Final Fantasy IV the After: Tsuki no Kikan)
9. Mayna (Legacy of the Wizard)
8. Marge (The Simpsons Arcade Game)
7. Ness’s Mom (EarthBound)
6. Lara (Chrono Trigger)
5. Dr. Tenenbaum (BioShock)
4. Valanice (King’s Quest VII: The Princeless Bride)
3. Lirum (Lost Odyssey)
2. Jade (Beyond Good & Evil)
1. Denise Concelmo (The Conce...

Even though Europe is the third largest video game market in the world, many games never release over in the PAL region. Because of this, Europe has missed out on many great gaming experiences. (particularly during the SNES era) BritishGaming takes a look at the ten best games that were never released in Europe. The list includes "Hey You, Pikachu" and "Final Fantasy III", among others.

With it's low price and mass market appeal, the Nintendo DS is continuing to be the more popular choice in the portable gaming market. Sony shouldn't feel too bad, but I wonder how they can predict a turnaround at this point? Well, according to Sony Europe's president David Reeves, the PSP needs more games to be released for it here in the West. If Sony is ever going to gain ground on the DS, it needs alot more big name releases.

In this article they talk about the future of the Xbox 360, and how technological advancements could eventually shrink the Xbox 360 down to Wii size. In August, Microsoft will be releasing a new 65nm GPU, called Jasper, which will apparently put an end to the "Red Ring of Death." You might want to hold off a little longer on purchasing your 360 if you can.

This article discusses ways to improve cognitive skills using video game guides, especially targeting areas impacted by learning disabilities. Why not use strategy guides for games young people are already playing. Author gives suggestions to parents for using guides with young people to build reading, analysis, and language skills.
The author has a PhD in Special Education and Rehabilitation Psychology.

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"Aahh, Central Park. By day a tourist hotspot, by night, a meeting point for miscreants and, if Home Alone 2 is to be trusted, terrifying tramps with hearts of gold.

There's no pigeon lady to protect you in Hydravision's take on NY's grassy centrepiece, though - this be demon territory.



An opening segment sees a few words exchanged with some mysterious chaps holding you hostage before all manner of unpleasantness crashes the party, taking out limbs, floors and walls in the process. ..."

"SEC filings have revealed that Electronic Arts borrowed $1 billion from Morgan Stanley and other lenders to help finance a possible acquisition of Take-Two.

"There's no news here," said EA VP of communications Jeff Brown. "This is just a process point on something we announced in February."

With $2.3 billion on hand in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, EA already has the funds available to do the deal as it currently stands. With the deal not contingent on financing, wh..."

Game themed shoes have been very popular in the last year. They can either be really cute like these PacMan Ben Shermans or really ugly like these Halo 3 Adidas shoes.

These PUMA Tetris-themed shoes seem to fit into the latter category ...

Following the announcement that Mass Effect will not be using the almost Orwellian modified SecuROM authentication protection, Spore, EA's other big game has been changed as well. SecuROM will still be used, but in a modified reauthentication process that only checks on installation and when the online function is first used.

The positives that can be brought from this announcement apart from the obvious are that this new process will not require a CD in order to play after installation. I...

Rockstar has decided to hurry up and get on with Grand Theft Auto V before Electronic Arts attempts another take-over. So, what city will they use this time? Nobody knows for sure, but the company sent out specialists to evaluate some cities and the finalists have been announced. Beijing, Paris, Havana, Cancun or Venice. Which city do you think will work for the fifth installment of the GTA series?

Mother's Day is coming up(thank me later for the reminder) so Games Radar decides to celebrate with the top ten 'Mother's I'd Like To *bleep*'. Don't get all excited now boys, but go ahead and slowly look through the list which includes LuLu from Final Fantasy X-2, Milica Bellic from Grand Theft Auto IV and The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. View the rest at the source.

"Award-winning videogame "Bioshock" is to be turned into a movie by "Pirates of the Caribbean" director Gore Verbinski, entertainment industry media reported Friday.

The film is set to be the highest profile adaptation of a videogame since 2005, when Fox paid Microsoft five million dollars for rights to make "Halo," a project now scrapped, Variety reported.

"Bioshock" is set in a futuristic underwater city called Rapture which has spiralled into anarchy.

"I think the whole utopia-gone..."

"Super Mario Brothers: What more is there to say about Super Mario Brothers that hasn’t been said before? This game is the Casablanca of all video games and will go down in history as a true classic. This was the game that put video games on the map. Granted other video games existed before Super Mario brothers, but none stirred the hearts and control pads of the masses quite like this one. After all, who could resist Mario and Luigi? They were more than just a couple of brothers in the plumbi..."

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