How Tetris Fell Into Place

'It's on like Donkey Kong' has become liability

(NEWSER) - Nintendo’s trying to trademark “It’s on like Donkey Kong”—so we need a new video-game based catchphrase. Contenders from Unplggd :

• I Got Mario Karted: Someone’s beaten you at the last minute, which often happens in Mario Kart. Example: “I almost got with this girl/guy, but then my friend Mario Karted me by buying her/him a drink!”

Research could help PTSD sufferers

(NEWSER) - Playing Tetris probably isn't the first thing most people think of after a traumatic event, but researchers say doing so could reduce the risk of the flashbacks associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. A group of volunteers who played the shape-stacking computer game after being shown a video of traumatic images reported fewer flashbacks than a group who didn't play anything. A third group who played word-based game "Pub Quiz Machine" reported more flashbacks than the other two groups. More»

Nintendo's 'stunning' 3DS can also take 3D pictures

(NEWSER) - Nintendo made a deep splash at E3 last night with the 3DS, a 3D version of its portable system. The device doesn’t require any glasses to produce the illusion of 3D, and can turn the effect off if your eyes ever get tired. It can also play 3D movies and, maybe most impressive of all, take 3D pictures with its built-in camera, the New York Times reports. It also boasts an analogue stick (finally), and iPhone-esque motion controls. Wired is wowed , calling the roll-out stunning. More»

Lack of hit games hits sales

(NEWSER) - With hit games few and far between, consumers aren’t exactly fighting in the aisles to get their hands on a Wii anymore. Nintendo slashed its full year sales forecast for Wii hardware 23% yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reports, and offered little hope of a swift turnaround. “Right now, the mood is not one where people feel like they have to rush out and buy a Wii,” Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told analysts. “We need a little time for things to pick up.” More»

Females now constitute 40% of players

(NEWSER) - In 2001, women and girls constituted just 12% of video gamers; now, fully 40% of game players are female, and the gaming industry has taken notice. EA, Sony, Nintendo, and several other companies are rolling out new products catering to girls, from a dancing game to a Hannah Montana adventure packaged with a lilac PSP. Where only a few years ago girls' games were considered marginal, now they're a key component of publishers' strategies, reports the Wall Street Journal. More»