Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Desi Leaves Town]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-desi-leaves-town/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-desi-leaves-town/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/the-joystiq-indie-pitch-desi-leaves-town/#comments Indie developers are the starving artists of the video-game world, often brilliant and innovative, but also misunderstood, underfunded and more prone to writing free-form poetry on their LiveJournals. We at Joystiq believe no one deserves to starve, and many indie developers are entitled to a fridge full of tasty, fulfilling media coverage, right here. This week, Jakob Haglof of Pajamahouse gets literally literary with his iOS title Desi Leaves Town, which follows the life of an eccentric, rich frog in the 1880s. As you do.

What's your game called and what's it about?

Our game is called Desi Leaves Town and it stars an eccentric frog that gets himself into all sorts of situations in his attempts to stave off boredom.

Desi is an escapist who blames the world around him for his predicament but everything is pretty much his fault.

The game's story is told through cartoon segments, puzzles and action challenges. You do all sorts of things like assembling the perfect chair to knocking kids out with bread.

What inspired you to make Desi Leaves Town?

Desi Leaves Town came out of a conversation Nicholas Kratochvil -- the game's writer -- and I had at a bar. I had this idea for a mini game with a pompous frog that would berate you if you sat him in the wrong chair.

Nicholas said it reminded him of Against Nature's main character Jean Des Esseintes and maybe we could do an interactive adaptation of the novel instead of a mini game. And the next day we started working on it.

Continue reading The Joystiq Indie Pitch: Desi Leaves Town

JoystiqThe Joystiq Indie Pitch: Desi Leaves Town originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bourgeoisdesi-leaves-townfrogHisaoki-NishidaiosipadiphoneJakob-Haglofjoystiq-indie-pitchliteraturemacMaxim-SchoemakermobileNicholas-KratochvilPajamahousepcRiley-MartinMon, 19 Mar 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Brooklyn theater putting on plays inspired by video games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/brooklyn-theater-putting-on-plays-inspired-by-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/brooklyn-theater-putting-on-plays-inspired-by-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/brooklyn-theater-putting-on-plays-inspired-by-video-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Just because we're video game fans here at Joystiq doesn't mean we don't appreciate the more classical forms of art -- as long as they're related to video games, that is. Like this series of shows at the Brick Theater in Brooklyn, NY, for example. It's a whole month of some quality live drama, all driven and influenced by video games.

There's Grand Theft Ovid, which tells some of the Roman poet's tales using everyone's favorite carjack simulator (along with a few other popular games). Modal Kombat features a set of guitar controllers that are used to play non-music games. The best, though, might be the Theater of the Arcade, which takes old games like Duck Hunt and Donkey Kong and presents them, re-imagined, as short theatrical vignettes. O Mario, Mario, wherefore art thou?

The shows are going on at the Brick through the rest of July. Performances are just $15, plus there's also a Rock Band Karaoke night and a few other game-related events sprinkled throughout the run. If your significant other is complaining that you're spending too many nights in front of the TV and not enough out enjoying the arts, this seems like a perfect compromise.

[Thanks, Edward!]

JoystiqBrooklyn theater putting on plays inspired by video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artbrick-theaterbrooklyndonkey-kongduck-huntgrand-theft-ovidliteraryliteraturemodal-kombattheatertheater-of-the-arcadevideo-gamesWed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[God of War novel ravages retail May 25, first chapter online]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/god-of-war-novel-ravages-retail-may-25-first-chapter-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/god-of-war-novel-ravages-retail-may-25-first-chapter-online/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/god-of-war-novel-ravages-retail-may-25-first-chapter-online/#comments The official God of War novel, based on the "thrilling video game," will spill its entrails of words all over bookstore shelves May 25, 2010. In the meantime, the prologue and first chapter of the book are available for Medusa's gaze online [PDF link]. Be warned, however, Kratos' transition from video game to literature may be a little tough to swallow. An excerpt:

"His only dream now is of oblivion.
He has been called the Ghost of Sparta. He has been called the Fist of Ares and the Champion of Athena. He has been called a warrior. A murderer. A monster.
He is all of these things. And none of them.
His name is Kratos, and he knows who the real monsters are."

If you're comfortable with that, then the rest won't feel like a grueling Olympic event.

JoystiqGod of War novel ravages retail May 25, first chapter online originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookgod-of-wargod-of-war-3god-of-war-novelliteraturenovelTue, 11 May 2010 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[100 Classic Books for under 20 British Pounds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/100-classic-books-for-under-20-british-pounds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/100-classic-books-for-under-20-british-pounds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/100-classic-books-for-under-20-british-pounds/#commentsFiled under: ,


Nintendo plans to confront the ailing economy head-on ... by making 100 Classic Book Collection really cheap! As with many of its Touch! Generations titles, Nintendo has confirmed a budget price point of £19.99 for the game, and a UK release date of December 26.

If, like us, you've been keeping one eye on the game's Amazon listing (which has had that date for a while, but it's nice to get official confirmation, right?), you'll know you can get it even cheaper: just £14.99 (just over $22). That's under fifteen pence a book! Fifteen pence for portable copies of Sense and Sensibility, Treasure Island, Moby Dick, and a wealth of Shakespeare and Dickens (there's a full list after the break) sounds like a bargain to us.* The pound is currently weak, so anybody thinking of importing?

Continue reading 100 Classic Books for under 20 British Pounds

Joystiq100 Classic Books for under 20 British Pounds originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100-classic-book-collectionds-bungaku-zenshuuds-novelliteraturenongamenoveltouch-generationsukMon, 08 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Daily: Novelty]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/ds-daily-novelty/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/ds-daily-novelty/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/01/ds-daily-novelty/#commentsFiled under:

Nintendo finally got around to showing off the UK release of their book compilation, now called 100 Classic Book Collection. Some of us are way into it, while others see it as cashing in on the public domain.

If 100 Classic Book Collection hasn't already captured your attention, what features would elevate it in your estimation? Is there a certain function or interface element that would make Book Collection more useful or more tempting? Or is your disinterest simply related to the selections on the cartridge?

If you are eagerly anticipating the collection, what about it attracts you? Specific inclusions in the catalog? Something about the interface? Pure portability?

JoystiqDS Daily: Novelty originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100-classic-book-collectionds-bungaku-zenshuuds-novelgenius-sonorityliteraturenovelMon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS Novel coming to UK as 100 Classic Book Collection]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/28/ds-novel-coming-to-europe-as-100-classic-book-collection/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/28/ds-novel-coming-to-europe-as-100-classic-book-collection/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/28/ds-novel-coming-to-europe-as-100-classic-book-collection/#commentsFiled under: ,

DS Novel was hanging out on European release lists for over a year without so much as a word about when it's coming out or what it is. It seemed likely that the title would be a localized version of the hit literature collection DS Bungaku Zenshuu -- and it is!

Rather than translating 100 Japanese novels, which would have been pretty dang cool, the UK release of 100 Classic Book Collection (as it is now known) features works from writers like Jane Austen, all three Brontes, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, and other favorites whose works happen to be in the public domain. The full list of novels is available at the cart's Amazon listing. 10 more books will be made available over Wi-Fi.

100 Classic Book Collection also features book search, custom recommendations, and a bookmarking feature. It should be interesting to see if Nintendo polish (implemented by developer Genius Sonority) can make this competitive with the free Moon Books Project (a project which, by the way, has had a pretty rough time lately).


[Via GoNintendo]

JoystiqDS Novel coming to UK as 100 Classic Book Collection originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100-classic-book-collectionds-bungaku-zenshuuds-novelliteraturenongamenovelFri, 28 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[I read the classics of Japanese literature and all I got was this lousy t-shirt]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/i-read-the-classics-of-japanese-literature-and-all-i-got-was-thi/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/i-read-the-classics-of-japanese-literature-and-all-i-got-was-thi/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/20/i-read-the-classics-of-japanese-literature-and-all-i-got-was-thi/#commentsFiled under:


Spike's Nihon Bungaku 100 Sen (100 Selections of Japanese Literature) is a pretty cool product to start with. It contains 100 classic works from famous Japanese writers like Natsume Soseki and Akutagawa Ryunosuke in a single, tiny DS card.

It gets cooler, though, but, like the software, is of precious little use to non-Japanese readers: in order to promote their game reading, Spike is giving away some clever Nihon Bungaku 100 Sen swag to people who can answer questions about the readings on their site. Correctly completing the quiz enters players for either a DS Lite carrying case, a waterproof DS holder (for reading in the bath, of course!) or a t-shirt featuring one of the authors whose works appear in the program. We're partial to the Natsume Soseki Wagahai wa neko de aru shirt, ourselves.

[Via Dengeki]

JoystiqI read the classics of Japanese literature and all I got was this lousy t-shirt originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caseliteraturenihonbungaku100sennongamesshirtspikeMon, 20 Aug 2007 18:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Never coming to the US: Japanese literature on the DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/15/never-coming-to-the-us-japanese-literature-on-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/15/never-coming-to-the-us-japanese-literature-on-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/15/never-coming-to-the-us-japanese-literature-on-the-ds/#commentsFiled under:

As the biggest of lit geeks, this blogger is thrilled to see things like this. Literature on the DS? Nothing could possibly be better (until, that is, they perfect some kind of DS massage). What's tragic here is that there is absolutely no chance of this one coming to the U.S., for a variety of reasons. First of all, who wants to translate all that? Second, despite the existence of such fantastic Japanese writers as Haruki Murakami and the late Yukio Mishima, there's probably not a huge demand for Japanese literature on this side of the ocean. But oh, a blogger can dream of English-language titles that are similar. After all, if Brain Age is working to get school-aged children excited about math, couldn't a Literary Classics DS get older folks amped about F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway? For now, we'll just have to be happy with Moon Books. If only ....

JoystiqNever coming to the US: Japanese literature on the DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2007 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dsimportJapaneseliteraturenintendoTue, 15 May 2007 15:25:00 EST