The first YouTube videos of this weekend's Street Fighter IV location test at Hey Akihabara have officially confirmed the presence of Balrog/Boxer and Sagat in the game. Though neither video is very clear, they do at least offer the first glimpse of the characters in action. According to the videos, Sagat is currently the final boss of the build at the location test. After defeating him, a message pops up thanking the gamer for playing.
The BBC News website put up a brief report earlier this evening about a Distance Lab project called "Remote Impact", a life sized fighting game. The prototype will be on display at e-Day, an event focused on online tools and communications technology. From the BBC report, Remote Impact allows for players to compete against a silhouette of an opponent who could be an entire world away. The silhouette is projected on a mattress-like device that is able to register the strength of impacts. A sensor is also able to detect movement and player positions in order to determine hits, misses, and the points awarded for connected blows.
In a lot of ways, this sounds like the natural evolution of the motion and position sensing technology that has been utilized in arcades with Konami's popular arcade titles such as Police 911 and Mocap Boxing as well as TrioTech's UFO Stomper. It also draws some obvious parallels to the Playstation's Eyetoy and Wii Remote.
While Distance Lab specifically mentions the potential business use to improve fitness and help community building, there is also a lot of proven potential and historical precedence for this sort of technology in the arcade industry. It is projects with this sort of scope that can provide arcade and amusement centers a greater edge and a unique experience that could not be found at home without a substantial investment.
Distance Lab's official website for Remote Impact has a few more details about the project, including a video showing off the prototype in action. While it is pretty basic now, the prototype does show a lot of promise for the device. It'll be interesting to see what sort of reports come out of the e-Day event March 7th and 8th.
4gamer.net announced sign ups for a new closed beta for Street Fighter Online mouse generation. The sign ups are through March 3rd for a random shot at being invited to take part in the preliminary testing for the game. Unfortunately, from the form that I glanced over, it does look like they are limiting the testing to Japanese PC gamers only. For more information about the beta test, head over to the Street Fighter Online beta page by Daletto.
In other news from Street Fighter Online Mouse Generation, 4Gamer.net posted a series of screenshots as well from the latest build of the game. Everyone's favorite Russian bear wrestler Zangief has been officially announced as part of the game, but this takes second rank to the fact that you are now able to equip your fighter with a realistic looking fish head. I'm not exactly sure why you would necessarily want to do this to Ryu or any of the other fighters, but hey, at least Street Fighter Online Mouse Generation is giving you the option to, right?
When I was browsing through a few of my bookmarks today, I came across a post over on Sazanami.net linking to a Yahoo Japan auction that had just ended. Imagine my surprise when I checked out the link and found that two empty PCB interior shipping boxes had just sold for over $400 (44,500 yen to be exact).
While the games in question are popular (Guwange and Dondonpachi), I can't even begin to imagine spending that kind of money on what amounts to 4 sides of cardboard to hold a couple of Cave arcade shooting games. Yes, the price of the original PCBs always increase if you have the boxes in good condition, but for the boxes themselves to go for that kind of money is a bit crazy in my mind. I wonder if this is more of a testament to the ferocity of Cave fans or of the resale market on Cave games?
It really does go to show that there is a market for everything out there, so it's probably in your best interest never to throw away anything. You never know when you might be able to turn around something that looks like trash and sell it for a few hundred dollars...
Max Console is currently reporting that the Wii Freeloader is about to be set to available on popular mod-chip retailer Divineo. Though the exact date the disc will be able to be purchased isn't clear, Max Console reports they were told that we should see it within the next "10 days" on the Divineo website. The Wii Freeloader will allow gamers to play Wii import titles from all over the world and will work on PAL, NTSC-U, and NTSC-J consoles.
Unfortunately, considering Nintendo's past history of periodic firmware updates that have prevented the use of the Gamecube Action Replay/Freeloader on the Wii, it's a bit hard to say whether or not the Wii Freeloader will be subject to the same scrutiny from the company. This may end up being a buyer beware purchase, especially if there are no guarantees from Datel that the Wii Freeloader is "future-proofed" against action by Nintendo.
Code Junkies, a US retailer already posting information on the Wii Freeloader, has a few more details about the product available on the link. The Wii Freeloader will be compatible with both Gamecube and Wii import titles and will retail for $19.99.
Warashi's NAOMI and Dreamcast shooter Trigger Heart Exelica has been offered for download on Xbox Live Arcade starting today. At 800 Live points, it is a fairly good steal for anyone who may have missed out on the original. The Xbox Live version features new music and online leaderboards for high score competition as well as a TATE mode and support for high definition resolutions. While Trigger Heart Exelica may fall firmly in the second tier of NAOMI shooters, it does offer some fairly unique mechanics and is well worth a look (with at least a demo download) for fans of the genre...
As a preface to this review, I did have a series of images and movies that I wanted to post alongside it that I personally captured, but I was overall dissatisfied with the quality via my digital camera and camcorder. If anyone has any suggestions at the best way to capture screenshots and videos of DS games in action, I would love to hear it for future reviews.
Space Invaders Extreme - Nintendo DS, 2008
The synthesizing of music and in game effects is no longer a wholly novel concept. While the most famous example that is always cited in regards to this design has been Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Rez, it is by no means the first. Over the last few decades several games have used these tools to create subtleties that are not always fully appreciated with a casual viewing (or listening). What makes Space Invaders Extreme different, is not necessarily the use of Rez-like qualities of bullets and invaders creating different sounds that 'beat' alongside the music, but rather the history the franchise has had previously in using its soundtrack to elicit feelings in a player.
The first Space Invaders is one of the earliest examples that I know of where sound didn't play a solely ambient role. The 'bleeps' of the invaders as they began their downward descent that increased in rate and voracity as they moved closer to the bottom of the screen was done for several reasons. Not only did it create a basic anxiety within the player, but it also inspired the player to move and play more frantically as the impression of the board seemed to narrow through the affects the sound had on the game and on the player's psychological state. It was a fairly simple use at the time, but one that has since been copied over from everything from Super Mario Brothers to Tetris. The effectiveness of the original Space Invaders can still remind gamers today (who played the original) of the feelings it inspired in arcades.
Space Invaders Extreme touches base with its origins and once again looks to the use of sound and music to elicit reactions from the player. While nothing within Space Invaders Extreme is as memorable as the original invaders 'theme', there are quite a few moments in the game where the shift from the cathartic pace of an old school shooter is altered with a hurried frenzy that forces players to react quickly so as not to be seemingly overwhelmed by the music. It's an odd reaction that I have with the game, but despite my best efforts to the contrary, I can't help but have my playing style changed by the beats created by destroying the invaders and the ship's shots.
Unfortunately, for fans of Zuntata, due to the nature of Space Invaders Extreme, the actual soundtrack itself may end up being a bit disappointing. While strengthening the ties of game and music in a lot of ways improves the overall aesthetics of the sound, the traditional background music is lost a bit as gamers are given more apparent control over what they are hearing. This may be part of the genius of Zuntata though, as they have created a series of tracks and sound effects that can flow so well together that none seem out of place through out the course of the game. Like other games that use similar concepts, the original work is only one part of a greater picture. There are some individual pieces that are fairly strong (which can be sampled from Zuntata's official website), but overall there isn't any specifics that stand out in the way the Darius theme does for example.
The DS's sound quality is obviously a step below the PSP's. With the focus of Space Invaders Extreme so dependent on the use of sound to enhance the experience, I wish I could give a full statement on which of the two games is better due to this issue. However, since my only play time with the PSP version has been with a demo that was released, the best I can state is that between the demo of the PSP and of the full game of the DS, while the sound is noticeably cleaner in the PSP version, the DS version is competent enough so long as you are playing the game through a set of headphones. The music in the two games however are not the same tracks, which leads me to believe that both versions had their music built from the ground up and designed for the platform rather than trying to force the PSP's sound into the DS.
The basic system behind Space Invaders Extreme is instantly familiar. Left and right on the d-pad moves the ship left and right on a single plane (no backwards or forwards movement) and the A and the B button fires. It is also possible to cancel enemy bullets with shots if the ship is lined up correctly. If 4 invaders of the same color other than white are shot in a row, the player is rewarded with a special item that is put on a timer for use. These include multiple shot upgrades, laser upgrades, shield upgrades, and explosive upgrades that will clear a small section of invaders with a single shot. When the item upgrade's timer reaches zero, it causes the current upgrade to drop off and reset to the normal one shot laser. It is possible however that by holding down the left or right shoulder buttons the current weapon strength can be held. While holding the shoulder buttons down, the player's weapon resets to the normal shot until the button is released. When the button is released whatever weapon the player was using once again becomes active and the timer resumes.
The beauty of the game comes in with its unique scoring system that offers several avenues of approach for optimal scoring. While the root of the game for most people will simply boil down to shoot the invaders before you get shot, the elimination of cities to hide behind and the introduction of this scoring system creates a tribute to the first game that reminds me of Pac-Man Championship Edition and its revitalization of the Pac-Man formula for a new generation. Yes, it's still Space Invaders at its core, but Taito has done everything it can to provide the best game for the series' 30th anniversary.
There are two goals that should be kept in mind in Space Invaders Extreme – unlock the hidden scoring mechanics and maximize the level chain. Like a lot of modern shooters that most fans of the genre will recognize (such as Dodonpachi), Space Invaders Extreme has a front end chain system that is solely time based. When an invader or UFO is destroyed, a chain countdown begins. If a second enemy or invader is destroyed before the countdown expires, the chain level will go up and the countdown will reset again until the player lets the countdown finish or hits a new target. At the end of the level, the player is rewarded points based on the max chain (the highest level the chain hit) throughout the course of the stage.
The Rate meter in the game acts as the score multiplier. When the Rate meter hits 5x, a Break bonus is rewarded and the multiplier jumps to 10x for a short period of time. Being able to extend a Break bonus with the 10x multiplier is the best chance for drastically increasing the score in a short amount of time. The level system in the game is the determining factor for the ship's weapon strength. As your score increases in a level, the more powerful the basic weapons and items become. Both rate and level reset when a player's ship is destroyed.
The second goal in Space Invaders Extreme should be focused on unlocking the hidden scoring mechanics. Most of these mechanics are based around the Feature meter. The feature meter is broken into two halves which can be filled by destroying invaders in a certain order. To maximize the meter, a player can do a multitude of things – either focus on destroying invaders of specific colors or destroying invaders of specific types. By destroying 4 invaders of one color in a row and then 4 invaders of another color in a row, the meter fills to the top and unlocks a special Rainbow UFO (more on that in a moment). With the second option (2 groups of 4 invaders of specific types in a row), the reward will switch all of the invaders to one color providing bonuses for then destroying multiple invaders of the same color. There is also an award for destroying 8 invaders all of the same type in a row, which will switch the playfield to all UFOs (and will provide the player with additional item drops).
This sort of methodical shooting through the waves of invaders forces a play style similar to Ikaruga. All shots and waves and invaders need to be analyzed to not only maximize the level chain, but also to build up the Feature meter throughout the game. If an invader is hit that won't continue the Feature meter in any of these manners, the meter resets back with the last shot enemy. As an interesting note, white invaders do not reset the Feature meter nor do they build it up. Only red, black, green, and blue invaders have the ability to build or reset the meter.
From the plays I have went through so far with Space Invaders Extreme, my experience dictates that the primary efforts should be unlocking the Rainbow UFO. Once the Rainbow UFO is unlocked and sent across the screen, if it is then destroyed, the game unlocks a bonus round (dependant on the colors used to build up the meter) that tasks the player with a specific objective. These objectives may vary between destroying a certain number of UFOs, breaking up a series of invader formations, or simply destroying a certain number of invaders. If these are able to be successfully met before the bonus round timer ends, the game unlocks Fever time that offers higher bonus potential through Jackpot and Super Jackpot UFOs. There is also a huge stage end bonus if the player is able to complete the last wave of a level while still in Fever time.
There are a few other scoring objectives in place that will reward gamers with gold UFOs (which opens a special roulette game that will reward bonus points or extra lives) and colored UFOs. Players will be rewarded in the game for shooting invaders in a column or row (so long as they are 4 deep or 4 wide) that can be multiplied be repeating the same task for a higher point value. A perfect shot scoring bonus is rewarded by not having a single missed shot against any given invader wave. An end stage bonus is also rewarded for not losing a ship through the course of an entire level.
Overall, the sheer amount of scoring options in Space Invaders Extreme may be a bit overwhelming to some at first. Considering that nearly every time I've picked up the game I've uncovered a new 'option' means that despite playing the game pretty religiously this past weekend, I'm still learning more and more about the game's system. Furthermore, all of the scoring options stack, meaning that even if its possible to find the best path through the level to maximize the score through Fever time, it may then be possible to further maximize it by adding in some of the other chaining options to increase the scoring potential. The depth to the game from an analytical point of view is pretty amazing and I believe that while a 'perfect' path through every wave and every level is possible, it will take a lot of practice and memorization to find it.
Graphically speaking Space Invaders Extreme on the DS is acceptable but by no means the highlight to the game. The backgrounds are more muted compared to its PSP brethren, but otherwise, the two games are almost identical in detail (based once again on the PSP demo). The biggest difference between the two titles is the use of the dual screen on the DS vs. the single screen on the PSP. While I would normally rate the DS version a little lower due to how unnatural the break feels, Taito has offered a solution for gamers who may be put off trying to track “hidden” bullets. In the option menu, it is possible to adjust the distance between the virtual field between the two screens until an acceptable solution is found that works for the gamer.
It isn't perfect, but its well appreciated, especially since a lot of DS games do not offers such an option even if they are using both screens in an action setting. I will be picking up the PSP version if it comes stateside (as has been rumored from Gamestop), so I'll have to wait to make those full comparisons graphically then.
All of the iconic invaders are back in Space Invaders Extreme with their simple designs maintained with a few new twists. Some invaders will suicide with an attack that will destroy the player's ship no matter where the ship is at on the screen, some invaders will shoot large lasers (or even a trifecta of lasers), some will have shields, while others still will warp and twist and move in ways that are tied to the music of the game. With the popularity of the invaders for marketing purposes, this is probably a wise idea keeping everything simple. The number of times I've seen Space Invaders related merchandise on clothes, towels, and accessories are far too many to name...
There are quite a few extra modes in Space Invaders Extreme for the Nintendo DS. There is an off-line ranking mode that puts a gamer up against his or her personal high scores on a single credit (2 lives). There is a online ranking mode via WiFi and a head to head vs. mode (both ad hoc wireless and WiFi). The VS mode also allows for a practice round without an actual opponent (something more multiplayer games should have on the DS). While this is a poor substitute for a human player, it does at least provide an option to test out the multiplayer without having to go online. The normal arcade mode offers a series of branching levels so even the game's basic 5 stages (yes sorry Space Invaders fans, this game technically ends) can be extended a little further based on a gamer's skill set. Not to spoil anything, but there are a few unlockables that are found through the single player game encouraging more than one playthrough of the arcade mode for those who aren't as score obsessed as myself.
The paddle controller that was packed in with Arkanoid DS is usable with Space Invaders Extreme. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this set up though, as I found that personally the paddle seemed rather awkward compared to the “tighter” feel that it had with Arkanoid DS. I feel that the d-pad offers the idea set up for the game, but this may be a results may vary sort of thing. Based on the floaty nature the paddle provides with Space Invaders Extreme, I found myself having to over compensate when using it in the game. I would not suggest picking it up only for for Space Invaders Extreme, but if it's purchased alongside Arkanoid DS (the only other game that currently supports it), gamers may find more value in it than I did.
30 years later, Taito has washed away a lot of bad memories of Space Invaders games over the last few decades with Space Invaders Extreme. There were a few gems here and there in the franchise, but overall, most of the titles all suffered from an uninspired sequel-itis that Space Invaders Extreme strives to separate itself from. There are a few quirks to the game and the rather methodical scoring system may turn off some gamers who wish to have more traditional scoring requirements that are not as strict nor based on pattern or wave recognition, but for anyone looking for a capable and enjoyable re-invisioning of the Space Invaders franchise, they should be satisfied with either the PSP or DS version of the game.
Space Invaders Extreme may not be filled with entirely novel concepts with Everyday Shooter, Audiosurf, and Rez fresh on everyone's minds, but fortunately for Taito, this is not something they have attempted to gloss over. Instead, Taito has created a game with a solid backing that provides enough of a punch in a little package to surprise even me, a rather jaded shooting fan. It may not seem original in the grand scheme of things, but it's the little things that Space Invaders Extreme does right and does so well. This is one of the best games I have played on the DS in recent years, and while I would've loved to see a 30th anniversary Space Invaders arcade release, Space Invaders Extreme really is nearly perfect as an alternative.
Based on some reports I'm reading over on Insert Credit's forums and on the SRK forums, Balrog/Boxer and Sagat have both been spotted at this past weekend's location tests in Japan for Street Fighter IV. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any videos or images pop up of the two characters yet (is Capcom still trying to enforce a no image policy after the second day of AOU?), but if anyone out there has seen the two characters on another link or has taken footage themselves and would like to share either, please let me know. I'm eager to see whether or not this information pans true, but based on the "authority" of at least one of the two sources it seems likely that it's legitimate.
It's interesting to note however, that the official developer's blog for the game had a small write up from this past weekend's test and did not mention the presence of either character... Odd to say the least.
When Famitsu revealed the news that all of the original World Warriors would be returning to the cast of fighters, they also mentioned that they had a few other characters that they were shown that they could not reveal yet. I find it hard to believe that if Balrog and Sagat made the cut that Vega/Claw wouldn't as well to finish off the trifecta of sub-bosses from Street Fighter 2. Part of the reason for the lack of an announcement from the two characters is that Famitsu magazine should be coming out today or tomorrow in Japan. Capcom may be holding off officially revealing the two characters for the magazine.
On another note, Capcom has announced a new location test for Street Fighter IV in Japan at the Hey Akihabara Taito Game Center for this coming weekend. With the official announcement that Capcom is looking for a distribution partner in the US for Street Fighter IV, I wonder if they are going to be putting one or two location tests stateside (most likely on the west coast) for a US location test. I would definitely argue that it would be a great show of support for Capcom USA if they tried to work out those arrangements prior to the Japanese arcade release of the game.
This past weekend, Cave and Arika held a Ketsui meet-up at the Tokyo Food Theatre 5+1, Gamer's Lounge. Ketsui DS had its latest build shown off at the event. Since the last exhibition, Ketsui DS has gone threw a number of changes, including the expansion of the game past the basic boss rush mode which it began as earlier last year. Over at the Cave-STG forums, EOJ has done a good job at archiving and updating all of the new information from Mihara from his blog in regards to the project.
I've missed out on a number of past posts since December or so, so there is one update that was important to note before I move onto the event information. According to Mihara, Ketsui DS will be shipping with an all new Ketsui arcade superplay DVD. This was based on a survey that was posted asking gamers if they would have preferred a soundtrack or superplay DVD with the release of the DS game (still no firm release window).
Also linked to from the Cave-STG forums was a post over on Sazanami.net, which features a few images and more details about what gamers can expect from Ketsui DS. Sazanami.net mentions a few new modes of play that were being described at the event by Mihara and Ikeda.
The first mode of play was a "Novice" mode which will "Ketsui-lite" in a way - a bit tamer without as many bullets - so that the game can be appreciated by anyone. The second mode is a head to head (via ad hoc wireless) VS. mode that puts two players against each other in an attempt to collect boxes through out stage 5 (which, as was pointed out by EOJ, confirms the presence of at least one full stage in the DS game - even if it is altered from the arcade original to "fit" the DS).
As for the downloadable trial that was available for gamers who brought their DS to the event, once again, the Doom boss battle was the primary feature. However, this time around, when a gamer would clear Doom, the game would offer a second and third loop which increased the difficulty level. This is an interesting take and all, but aside from the novelty of a handheld Cave shooter, I'm not sure if this is going to satisfy many of the fans wanting a capable Ketsui port.
The event was put up on UStream, but it has since been limited to friends of the uploader. At the tail end of the live stream, there was a new video of Ketsui DS shown off that featured all of the bosses and mid-bosses from the arcade game in DS form. Still, despite this highlight, there is a lot of speculation about what Ketsui DS is really going to be like in its final build though the common consensus is still a basic boss rush mode with a handful of "extras" (including the aforementioned head to head vs. mode).
For those interested in keeping up with all the latest Ketsui DS updates, I recommend bookmarking this thread on Cave-STG. EOJ and the rest of the forum members have done a great job at keeping everyone informed about the progress the game is making.
The video shown off is from 2007, not the most recent Ketsui meet-up
In a post-AOU 2008 report, +D games posted a direct feed version of the AOU trailer for Examu's Arcana Heart 2 and also announced a new location test scheduled for this weekend, February 22nd - February 24th. I still haven't seen any specs on the EX-Board powering the game, but hopefully that information will be available soon.
While a few early preliminary reports in regards to estimated AOU 2008 attendance numbers have been positive, it wasn't until day that we learned how positive they really were. AM-net and the official AOU expo website posted the final attendance figures for the show and included the year to year numbers showing a dramatic increase in attendees at this year's AOU expo. These numbers follow a similar trend of increase that was seen with the 45th AM Show back in September.
I'm eager to see if these numbers begin to reflect a stronger 2008 for the amusement industry since while 2007 wasn't necessarily a bad year, some negative press in the Q3 financial reporting for several companies has skewed most of the attention away from the early gains that were made. With as strong of line up as we are seeing for 2008, including a handful of games that should really drive up demand in the arcade amusement industry, this may be a sign of even more positive things to come.
The final numbers for AOU 2008 are below (the number in parenthesis is the amount gained over the 2007 show): 2/15 (Friday) - 21,249 (+4,519 visitors) 2/16(Saturday) - 17,193 (+6,010 visitors) Total - 38,442 (+10,529 visitors)
NCSX opened up pre-orders for the Wii NEO GEO Stick 2 and included the first image of the stick I've seen online. Surprisingly, instead of following Hori's route with the Apple-esque color scheme of the Wii, SNK Playmore has elected to keep the iconic black color scheme of the Neo Geo in tact for the Wii version of the arcade stick. The Neo Geo Stick 2 will ship on April 10th and has a listed price of around $60 at most import stores. Whether or not SNK Playmore USA will be marketing the stick here is yet to be seen, but with the number of NEO GEO classics coming out for the Wii this year it would be a crying shame if they didn't.
I haven't seen any new information in regards to Street Fighter IV from GDC popping up online, but IGN and Gametrailers has been kind enough to post a series of videos taken from the GDC floor.
IGN features four matches with Ken vs. C. Viper, Ryu vs. Abel, Abel vs. Chun Li, and Blanka vs. Abel. The videos are off screen cam videos, so don't expect the best quality, but they are notably better than some of the recent shots we have been receiving from Street Fighter IV (and with no YouTube compression issues). From the background sounds of it, a portion (if not all) of these videos are being played by one of Capcom's staff explaining aspects about the game to IGN. Because of this, there are a few tricks that are shown off we haven't seen before in regards to the saving system.
The Gametrailers video (embedded below) features C. Viper and Blanka. Neither player seems too comfortable with their characters in the Gametrailers videos, but new media is new media.
If any more videos of Street Fighter IV come out of GDC, I'll be sure to post them on this link. It's interesting to see an actual arcade cabinet at the Game Developer's Conference... It's a bit of a rare site for a such a console focused US show.
Over at SNK-Capcom, some early coverage of SNK Playmore USA's GDC line-up has been showcased by the website. Though we already knew about 99% of the games, there were a couple of surprises including the fact that King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match will be coming to the US for the PS2 late in 2008. I'm glad to see we finally get confirmation of a US release for the game, since I was a little worried we may have ended up missing out on it...
In addition to King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, several other games made it from SNK Playmore USA to GDC. The Samurai Shodown Collection for the PS2, PSP, and Nintendo Wii had its game list revealed and fans should be ecstatic about the breakdown which includes Samurai Shodown 1 - 5 and Tenka. The King of Fighters Collection for the PS2, PSP, and Nintendo Wii was also shown off at the event and will include (in the US version) King of Fighters '94 through King of Fighters '98. SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1, Fatal Fury Battle Archives vol 2, and World Heroes Anthology were also on display.
Despite this stellar line-up of games in the two collections, SNK Playmore USA did have a bit of bad news for Wii owners. Both the Samurai Shodown Collection and the King of Fighters Collection will be delayed a bit in order to offer the Virtual Console releases of their NEO GEO games an opportunity to sell ahead of the collection releases. The PS2 and PSP games are scheduled for a Q2 2008 release while the Wii versions are all listing Q4 2008.
Metal Slug 7 (Nintendo DS) was made playable at GDC and SNK-Capcom was also able to capture a quick video of that game in action as well. The link can be found here. Though Trieu seemed optimistic about the game, I'm not sold on it personally. As mentioned before, the sprites in the game all seem a bit squashed like SNK Playmore is scaling them. This is probably just an effect of the DS development, but maybe I was just expecting more from a new Metal Slug. I'm still a little surprised at the hardware choice (I guess it makes sense from a financial standpoint), but I'm getting over it now... Hopefully the game will end up being able to deliver a high quality Metal Slug experience in the end.
In other news from SNK-Capcom.com, Trieu was able to film a better quality video of Samurai Spirits Sen/Samurai Shodown Edge of Destiny and King of Fighters XII for viewing. The download is available at the link and is one of the best quality versions of the video I've seen online so far (this has changed now - see the update below). I'm probably going to repeat this a million times, but King of Fighters XII looks as amazing as ever (maybe even more so with a better quality viewing).
And Samurai Shodown Edge of Destiny? Wow... This is a warning for the squeamish - the video linked to from SNK-Capcom shows more blood flowing in the game than I have seen in any of the Japanese location tests. Limbs get severed, heads are removed, and a whole body is cut in half.
Anyone complaining about the lack of blood in the Samurai Spirits Sen location tests should be appeased. Unfortunately, this doesn't change my opinion overall though that the game seems fairly mediocre right now... We'll see if that changes.
[UPDATE] - So after browing some other GDC information, I've found that Gametrailers has posted a link to a HD version of the King of Fighters XII trailer that has just taken the cake for the best quality version of the trailer around. I hope you enjoy (do yourself a favor and watch the HD version of it). The Samurai Shodown Edge of Destiny trailer can also be found on Gametrailers here.
[Update #2] - Gamespot has an interview with Mark Rudolph, SNK Playmore USA's director of marketing. The video goes through the SNK Playmore USA line-up, but unfortunately there isn't anything new to hear about King of Fighters XII since Mark Rudolph doesn't seem to know much about the details of the game. The rest of the information is mostly repeated from above, but it does show a few videos of the games on the show floor for those interested.
Based on a tip I was sent via e-mail, Mixed Martial Artist Cung Le has taken on the role of Marshall Law in the new Tekken movie. This information was revealed in an interview he gave with MMAJacked.com.
Check out the interview below (about a minute-forty in) to hear him mention his role in passing while speaking about some of his other recent Hollywood projects. For those who are unfamiliar with Cung Le, I would recommend doing a search on YouTube for his name or visiting his wesbite. Several of his fights are posted on online and his website gives a good breakdown of his career history (including images) and film projects. According to the Strikeforce official website (the MMA company Cung Le is currently involved with), he also has an upcoming fight against Frank Shamrock on March 29th.
I'm not sure if he necessarily looks the part of Marshall Law, but considering what little we know about the Tekken movie, I'm willing to hold off final judgments until we get a bit more information.
With Tekken and Street Fighter both set for a theatrical release in late 2008/2009, I'm curious if either one will end up satisfying their rabid fan-bases. I know i've been a bit critical of both, but we'll see what happens when we get our first trailers. I think that's probably going to be the tell-all about the direction the two films are heading.
I've finally had a chance to start digging through some of the older Soutu House blog posts for Rakuten, and came across an interesting tidbit that I missed in the build up to AOU 2008.
According to a post from February 13th, Triangle Service has plans to bring the arcade shooter, Shooting Love 2007 (consisting of the SHMUP skills test and Exzeal), to the Xbox 360. No word on a release date yet or whether or not the game is being planned as an Xbox Live Arcade release or retail release, but I'll be sure to keep an eye on this one to see if anything else is announced in regards to the title. Since the game is not available for pre-order on Rakuten or Play-Asia, I'm suspecting that it is going to be an Xbox Live Arcade release.
The premise behind the SHMUP Skill Test is to provide a combination of solo play and head-to-head "mini-games" that will test your shooter skills. The game isn't the most impressive shooter in the world, but as an effort in developing a competitive shooting game environment, in may prove to be worth the cost for fans of the genre depending on the price point. As for Exzeal, fans of Triangle Service's previous efforts will enjoy it, though for those who passed on XII Stag or Trizeal, there probably isn't enough here to warrant a purchase.
Variety has reported earlier today that three more faces have signed on to star in the upcoming Hyde Park live-action Street Fighter movie (featuring Kristin Kreuk as Chun-li). According to the report, Michael Clarke Duncan, Chris Klein, and Rick Yune have all put their names to paper as Balrog, Nash, and Gen (respectively). As optimistic as Michael Clarke Duncan as Balrog sounds (he just has that imposing build Balrog needs), does anyone else get the feeling that this is quickly becoming a train wreck just waiting to happen?
On a side note, Variety also reports that Dion Lam (The Matrix series) will be handling the fight sequences, so at the very least even if the rest of the movie is a train wreck, at least we will have lots of flips and fists breaking concrete pillars. That should at least help off set the cost of the movie ticket some...
Variety also mentions that Moon Bloodgood, Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas, Edmund Chen, and Cheng Pei Pei, have also been signed on for as of yet unrevealed roles. More information on these roles should be coming soon.
There have been a lot of posts about the number of quality arcade fighters coming out in 2008 on the internet this last week. Though other people have already taken the time to cover most of the console counterparts, I've decided to take a moment to talk a little bit about what's coming up for arcades. This is only going to be a quick overview list... I have plans to go a bit more in depth with each of these games in the coming months, but until then, this is just a cross-selection with a few bits of information on each of the titles.
This year is going to be a rather defining year for the future of the fighting genre in my opinion. While the number of games is impressive, what's more important is the impact these games will have based on the history of the titles and pedigrees that follow them.
I've brought up this point earlier based on a concern that was listed by Amusement Journal, but I'll repeat it here - with the market for fighting games rather stagnant over the last year or so, can the new entries finally make the impact to shake up the most widely played arcade games in Japan? Is the market strong enough in light of recent issues reported by both Sega Sammy and Bandai Namco to support the number of fighting games that it is being asked to support by the developers?
It'll be interesting to watch where these games fall when the smoke clears...
Akatsuki Blitzkampf Ausf. Achse Hardware - NAOMI Developers - Subtle Style Previous games - Akatsuki Blitzkampf (PC)/Akatsuki Shisei Ichigo (PC) Release Date - Late 02/2008 Official Website - http://subtlestyle.net/akatsukiaa/
First announced in Arcadia Magazine, Akatsuki Blitzkampf will be Subtle Style's attempt to bring their doujin PC fighting game to an arcade market. The game features an old school sentimentality in combination with an eye on attracting an audience through extremely clean and stylized sprites. The basic game system relies on a 3 button control scheme, focusing on light, medium, and heavy attacks, with basic combo strings branching uniquely between each of the game's fighters. The game also features a fairly simple "parry" system (known as the reflector) that is performed by pressing the medium and heavy attacks at the same time, almost immediately before an attack animation connects with your character. Timing is fairly strict, but slightly easier to pull off than Third Strikes parries. As part of the "special update" for arcades, some moves will also be able to be performed with multiple button inputs rather than their traditional motion. What affect this may end up having on game balance is still to be determined...
Arcana Heart 2 Hardware - EX-Board (Specially designed cart system from Examu) Developers - Examu Previous Games - Arcana Heart Release Date - 03/2008 Official Website - http://www.examu.co.jp/arcanaheart2/
Arcana Heart 2 is the sequel to Examu's popular all-female fighting game, Arcana Heart. The game is set to feature six new characters and several new Arcana to strengthen the roster to 17 characters (and hundreds of possible character/arcana combinations). The game will also feature three new systems, Arcana Blast, Critical Heart, and Arcana Homing. The custom board that Arcana Heart 2 will use is part of a new PC-based hardware solution for Examu. Based on the information provided by Game Watch, the EX-Board will be using a Windows XP embedded OS with 2 VGA, S-Video, Composite, and Jamma video output. No word on the strength of the hardware yet, but future releases on the system will be using specially designed ROM cartridges for games.
BlazBlue Hardware - Taito Type X2 Developers - Arc System Works Previous Games - Guilty Gear, Hokuto No Ken Release Date - 2008 Official Website - http://blazblue.jp/
Arc System Works second foray into high definition arcade fighters, BlazBlue isn't trying to reinvent the wheel for the company, but rather prove why they remain one of the most popular fighting game developers in Japan. The game also marks Arc System Works second release on Taito's Type X2 platform, meaning that the previous experience that went into designing Battle Fantasia should serve them well despite the differing styles the two games have. Despite a similar look, BlazBlue is not a continuance of the Guilty Gear story arc, but rather an original game created by the original Guilty Gear team minus Daisuke Ishiwatari's creative hand for design. Daisuke Ishiwatari, however, will still provide the original score to the game.
System wise, BlazBlue will use a 4 button control scheme featuring 3 attacks buttons and one special button known as the "Drive" button that will offer unique effects based on the selected character. While it has been said that Arc System Works has wanted to create a game that focuses more on ground-based combat, from the videos at the AOU 2008 show, the game will still contain the notable "flair" that Guilty Gear is known for. The recovery time on knockdowns is a bit reminiscent of Hokuto no Ken though, which means that if you don't roll or tech out of an attack that sends you to the ground, your response time to wake up is delayed quite a bit. I didn't see any real abuse of this from AOU, but it is probably only a matter of time before this system gets put through the gauntlet at location tests, since AOU was the first hands on time anyone had with the game. BlazBlue's sprites are rendered at 720p resolutions, making them almost double the size of the Accent Core sprites. Don't let anyone tell you that this game isn't "true HD"...
Fate Unlimited Codes Hardware - System 246 Developers - 8ing/Cavia Previous Games - Bloody Roar Release Date - 06/2008 Official Website - http://www.capcom.co.jp/fate_uc/ The latest in a series of fighting games based on the Fate Stay/Night series, Fate: Unlimited Codes is being developed by 8ing with assistance from Cavia. Capcom is set to handle the publishing of the game. While the game is built with 3D characters and does feature some minor 3D side-stepping, the primary focus of the developers has been to create the feel of a 2D fighter while providing a slightly more cinematic experience through 3D camera cuts, angles, and movement. A lot of people have expressed concerns that this game reminds them a bit of the doujin fan project Fatal Fake, and while the game does seem to have some striking similarities, Capcom and 8ing are hoping to offer enough differences to encourage fans to spend some time in arcades with the new game.
King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match Hardware - Taito Type X Developers - SNK Playmore Japan Previous Games - King of Fighters XI, King of Fighters Maximum Impact Regulation A Release Date - 03/2008 Official Website - http://game.snkplaymore.co.jp/official/kof98um/ SNK Playmore's re-release of King of Fighters '98, Ultimate match is set to feature slightly upgraded graphics (including new 3D backgrounds), a new, playable boss team, and several gameplay tweaks set to re-balance the game for a new round of tournament fighting. The new Ultimate style is a mix and match between the features of the Advanced and Extra styles (such as dash hopping, roll escaping, and charging), to allow for a third choice of options to find the perfect match for a team. At first I was honestly a bit surprised that King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match didn't look any better than it currently does visually being that it was originally set to be a "higher definition remake", but after seeing King of Fighters XII, I can understand why. Though Ultimate Match is still technically a remake, King of Fighters XII is currently getting the primary focus from SNK Playmore Japan's artistic talents...
King of Fighters Maximum Impact Regulation A2 Hardware - Taito Type X2 Developers - SNK Playmore Japan Previous Games - King of Fighters XI, King of Fighters Maximum Impact Regulation A Release Date - Summer 2008 Official Website - http://www.snkplaymore.jp I'm going to hold off on saying anything too much about Regulation A2, because for right now outside of a teaser and some promotional artwork, we haven't seen anything from the game that has separated itself from the first Regulation A. I'll be watching out for any additional information as it comes up...
King of Fighters XII Hardware - Taito Type X2 Developers - SNK Playmore Japan Previous Games - King of Fighters XI, King of Fighters Maximum Impact Regulation A Release Date - Late 2008 Official Website - http://www.snkplaymore.jp Though I've covered most of what I know about King of Fighters XII here, I will reiterate that SNK Playmore's drive and desire may be finally paying off. I don't say this often, but in the small 30 seconds of shaky cam videos, I can already tell that SNK Playmore Japan has something special on their hands with King of Fighters XII. The ball's in their court now... Let's see if they can drive this one home.
Melty Blood Actress Again Hardware - NAOMI Developers - Ecole/Type-Moon Previous Games - Melty Blood Act Cadenza ver B Release Date - 05/2008 Official Website - http://e56.info/mbaa/ Despite no showing AOU for development reasons, Melty Blood Actress Again is listed as still being on track for a May 2008 release date. From what we know about the game so far, Ecole is introducing two new characters (Riesbyfe and Roa) to the fighting game series (the two characters are not original and are featured in the original source material for the game) and will also be implementing a new system that will allow players to choose between different characteristics for their fighter which will affect the speed, power, and abilities the fighter has. The first style is the Crescent Moon Style which will allow for an emphasis on mobility and combos. This is the style that is closest to the current Melty Blood engine. The second style is the Full Moon style which emphasizes power at the cost of speed and combo-ability. The final style is the half moon style which is essentially an "Easy" mode for beginners. It lacks options, so you will be more limited in what you can and can't do in the system. Though this is speculation - balancing these modes may be in part what has caused the delay in showing the public Melty Blood Actress Again. Ecole and Type-Moon have not been very punctual at keeping deadlines for the series in the past, so I would probably expect the current release date to slip slightly.
Monster Ancient Cline Hardware - EX-Board Developers - 8105 Graphics Previous Games - Monster (PC) Release Date - 2008 Official Website - http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/8105/ This is sort of a pipe dream coming true in a way. The doujin studio responsible for Monster (PC) has hooked up with Examu to bring the PC fighting game to arcades with higher resolution sprites and a new character (maybe more) to add to the mix of fighters. Though I haven't been able to play the game too much (to be honest, I've only booted it up once or twice), I know that it has a rather devoted fan following. Some people were turned off a bit by the game's choice of character roster (lots of beasts - wolf men, dog men, bear men, tiger men, etc...), but from what I hear there is a rewarding system underneath it for those who can look past it and get to the meat beyond the bones.
Samurai Spirits Sen Hardware - Taito Type X2 Developers - SNK Playmore Japan Previous Games - King of Fighters Maximum Impact Regulation A2 Release Date - 04/2008 Official Website - http://game.snkplaymore.co.jp/official/samurai_sen/ While Samurai Spirits Sen has made some improvements over the last few months, most location test previews still have the game being described as Soul Calibur's little brother. This isn't necessarily a fair comparison, but considering the return to a 3D weapons based combat system for the game, SNK Playmore Japan should probably have been preparing and expecting for this. Unfortunately, graphically speaking the game loses something in the transition and after seeing King of Fighters XII and what could've been, it makes the 3D elements of this game that much tougher to swallow. But there's hope still. The damage output of the attacks has been increased quite a bit, leading the game to have a very deadly feel where the tide of the battle can shift rather quickly. Whether or not SNK Playmore Japan will be able to continue to improve till its release later this spring has yet to be seen, but I'm eagerly hoping that it can at least step out of the shadows a bit and find an audience all its own.
Sengoku Basara X Hardware - System 246/256 Developers - Arc System Works Previous Games - Guilty Gear, Hokuto No Ken Release Date - 04/2008 Official Website - http://www.capcom.co.jp/basara-x/ Speaking of lost in the shadows - if there is one game that I had to pick that has really found itself in the backgrounds over the last couple of months in the arcade fighting scene, Sengoku Basara X would be that game. With higher profile releases coming from Capcom (Street Fighter IV) and Arc System Works (BlazBlue), it is hard to believe that Sengoku Basara X is still on the radar. The game is running on the PS2-based System 246/256 hardware meaning that at this stage it is already decidedly dated in a way (when compared to the current offerings just around the corner). In addition to this, with a few lackluster location tests behind them, I was wondering whether or not Sengoku Basara X would be forgotten altogether.
Both companies are hoping to draw from the Sengoku Basara fanbase to drive sales and appeal for this game, but I can't help but wonder if that's going to be enough in light of recent announcements...
The game uses a similar system to BlazBlue on a superficial level. It features 3 attack buttons and a special button (in this case the Engun button) which will call on an assist character to perform a certain action based on when it's pressed. The longer you wait to press the assist, the higher your assists character's level will be and thusly so, the more damage you'll do. I've already covered Sengoku Basara X briefly here, so if you are interested, I would recommend checking out that link as well as the link to the official website above.
Street Fighter IV Hardware - Taito Type X2 Developers - Capcom Previous Games - Street Fighter III Third Strike, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Release Date - 07/2008 Official Website - http://www.capcom.co.jp/sf4/ While my own hype for Street Fighter IV has decidedly cooled since AOU, I do understand that when most people think of fighting games in 2008 this will be the game that comes to their mind. I'm currently working through some notes that I was sent in regards to the game and the AOU 2008 build, so when I get through those I'll be sure to post them along with what information we have. Until then, this is the one game on the list that I feel has been covered more often than any other (due to its console port implications), so I don't feel its necessary to go into full details until I get the AOU post up on the site. I will say this much though, even though a lot of people tend to be rather negative when I mention EX around Street Fighter IV, certain parallels between the two can be made despite objections to the contrary. I'm holding off final judgments until I can sit down with a cabinet, but in my opinion, Capcom has a ways to go if they wish to win the hearts and minds of the hardcore fighting fans especially with the spectre of BlazBlue and King of Fighters XII looming over them... Could bringing back former Street Fighter fans be a possible thorn for Capcom's attempts to appeal to what should be their core demographic?
Virtua Fighter 5 R Hardware - Lindbergh Developers - Sega, AM2 Previous Games - Virtua Fighter 5, Fighting Vipers Release Date - 2008 Official Website - http://www.virtuafighter.jp/index.html There's unfortunately not much information circulating about Virtua Fighter 5 R at this point in time. Though there was the AOU 2008 trailer which showcased a new character and a possible returning character (Taka-Arashi), the only other information we have is that the game will feature new stages and new modes of play unique to Virtua Fighter 5 R. Sega has made it clear that this isn't some basic update with some balance changes and goofy new pirate costumes... This is set to be the next "big" Virtua Fighter update that will shift the focus of the competitive scene off the current builds and onto something they hope is even more rewarding.
Every year at both the AOU show and at the AM show, staff from the different companies have been claiming that they were going to be cutting back on unauthorized videos being released of the work in progress builds of their various games. As I mentioned a couple of days ago, this year was no different. The early reports that I was receiving were all mentioning the fact that there was supposed to be a crackdown on videos being taken of the different games on the show floor.
However, like every year, this didn't stop a steady stream of videos from being released over the course of the event. But there were a few casualties to mention due to the no filming policy some companies posted. Gaijin Punch over at Gamengai for example was stopped from filming Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu twice from two different Cave booth workers. The total recording he was able to complete for his stealth-like efforts? 1 second. Because of this, I found this video by sakiwe (one of the best sources for arcade expo videos from Japan) to be rather humorous in an odd sort of way (the big no filming sign caused me to chuckle). What's even more amusing is that the player in the video seems to be the very same Gaijin Punch who was having such a difficult time getting video footage of the game from the Cave booth workers as was pointed out by Icycalm on his forums. Small world, eh?
I understand a company's reluctance to allow early builds of their games to be shown off (anyone remember the disastrous YouTube videos from the grand Type X unveiling by Taito?), but you would think that they would be willing to release more of their own media on their own terms if they wouldn't allow attendees to film the games themselves. As was pointed out on the Shmups forums, sometimes these games go 6 months after their release before proper media is ever posted by the developer/publisher.
I guess this is just one of those grand mysterious of the Japanese arcade amusement scene...
I've been trying to keep track of all the links and videos that I've been posting and while finally sorting some heads and tails of it all, I realized that Melty Blood Actress Again has not been in any of the preview coverage I've seen. This is despite the game being listed by Sega as being scheduled for an appearance prior to the build up to the event's opening.
As I looked into it a bit further, I came across this AOU 2008 write-up by the Akihabara Channel and I finally "get" why the game was a no show. Sega posted a sign during the business and public day that the planned Melty Blood Actress Again presentation had been canceled because it still needs time in development. A little bit of a disappointment for fans of the series (and also the prospects that the game will make Tougeki this year), but with the high quality fighting games already on a release schedule and being shown off at AOU 2008, a no showing is probably better than a poor, early showing.
The rest of the show preview from Akihabara Channel is mostly just a walkthrough of the event with some final pictures of the flyers and bonus items they received throughout the day. However, they do also have a few pictures posted of Konami's and Banpresto's prize items that I haven't seen elsewhere... Anyone interested in Beatmania or Otomedius figures may get a kick out of them.
The second day results from Amusement Journal's AOU 2008 polling have been posted on the Amusement Journal website. The top game should not come to anyone's surprise (Street Fighter IV), however it is interesting to note that there was quite a bit of movement among some of the other titles. Based on the results, it seems that most of the fightings game faired better on the public day than on the business day, as Basara X, BlazBlue, and King of Fighters '98 all moved up in the rankings. The polling breakdown among the top 5 games also had a much closer spread than day 1 where the deviation had a bit of a decline.
Top 10 Arcade games of AOU 2008 (Full list for day 2 is available on the link above)
1. Street Fighter IV (Capcom - Type X2) 2. Gundam vs. Gundam (Banpresto - System 256) 3. Lord of Vermilion (Square Enix - Type X2) 4. Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu (Cave - AMI) 5. BlazBlue (Arc System Works/AMI - Type X2) 6. Quiz and Magic Academy 5 (Konami) 7. Taiko Drum Master 11 (Bandai Namco) 8. Fate Unlimited Codes (Capcom - Type X2) 9. Action Deka (Konami) 10. Sengoku Basara X (Capcom/Arc System Works)
There has been a lot of chatter going around since the trailer for King of Fighters XII was leaked from the AOU show. I don't blame it one bit, because from what I've seen in the short clips showcasing King of Fighters XII, SNK Playmore has done its best to make Street Fighter IV seem obsolete before it even really had a chance to shine. Sure, Capcom has a lot going for them at AOU - the most votes polled, the biggest drawing exhibit, and the longest lines for hands on time - but even considering all of these things, it seems that whenever I see Street Fighter IV mentioned inevitably King of Fighters XII is right there with it as an example of what Capcom should have done.
There's a common thread on most of these postings that should be a bit concerning for Capcom and their positioning back into the arcade fighting scene. Yes, I'm sure it's possible that Street Fighter IV will turn out to be amazing, but when King of Fighters XII is able to begin taking as much hype away from Street Fighter IV as it seems to be doing, that's a sign that fans may already be starting to look past Capcom's flagship fighting franchise. Of course, this may all be my own giddy feelings that I now have about King of Fighters XII putting too much into the feedback being given, but all in all, I'm more excited now about this game than I ever was after viewing the Capcom teaser trailer for Street Fighter IV...
And I know I'm not the only one.
King of Fighters XII is currently early in its development, but there are quite a few unanswered questions out there and speculation based on interpretations of the trailer. Though I'm not an expert by any means, nor do I have any "insiders information" about the title, I do feel that there have been quite a few updates that can begin to shed some light on a few aspects of the game that may clear up some misconceptions being circulated.
First and foremost, there is a bit of a debate going on regarding whether or not the characters seen in the video are sprite based or polygon based. I'm blaming most of this discussion from two posts (one from Kotaku and the other from Wired's Game Life news). In each of these posts, it is clear that the writer is under the impression that the video showcases 3D polygon characters segmented and flat/cell shaded to appear as 2D sprites. I think it's important to note that in none of the coverage I have seen does it specify that this is the case and furthermore, as the discussion on Postback mentions, this does not seem likely based on the video itself. I also think that the references made by Nona in this Game Watch write up makes it explicitly clear that the emphasis in the video was on traditional high resolution 2D design, not 3D as pseudo-2D. Recap said it best (and I agree whole-heartedly with him) - "not a single polygon".
According to Trieu over on the SNK-Capcom forums, SNK Playmore actually toyed with both a 3D and a 2D version for the game prior to their final direction that was taken for King of Fighters XII. As Icycalm points out over on his forums, the last "official announcement" from SNK Playmore in regards to King of Fighters XII had the game firmly in the 2D camp. This doesn't look like it has changed one bit to me personally, but unfortunately, I think there's going to have to be a new official announcement from the company before it's cleared up due to the "authority" of the 3D as 2D sources... This, despite all the evidence to the contrary.
As for the platform, a lot of people seem overly eager to be talking about which consoles a home port will be going to. While I understand their enthusiasm, I believe its a bit premature for any talk about a home port. Of course, it's safe to assume that the two next generation consoles (PS3/Xbox 360) are probably the best fits based on the system specifications of the Type X2 arcade platform; outside of some vague references, I have not seen any information from SNK Playmore Japan confirming any console port at this time. However there was one mention on Kotaku in regards to a Xbox 360/PS3 release in 2009, but since it is from the same post as the 3D as 2D argument, it should be taken with a grain a salt at this stage. Is it possible that this information is correct? Absolutely. However, all focus should be primarily on the arcade release first and foremost.
According to Gamespot Japan, King of Fighters XII is being scheduled for a late 2008 release window. If I had to take a wager on when the first playable build will be seen by the public (outside of possible summer location tests), it will more than likely be at either the 46th AM Show or the Tokyo Game Show (both in September). Considering that SNK Playmore was a no show at this year's 45th AM Show and that they took several arcade cabinets to their set up at TGS, I'm guessing that the Tokyo Game Show may end up being the game's grand unveiling before its release to the wild.
Now, the next bit of contention that I've seen popping up is what role (if any) is Falcoon going to have with the design aspects of King of Fighters XII. According to Game Watch, those Falcoon haters have little to worry about... While Falcoon is busy crafting and baby-sitting his baby (the Maximum Impact series), Nona is handling the art direction on King of Fighters XII. I will admit, I was one of those who originally disliked Nona's direction when he first was brought to the King of Fighters (I always thought that 2001 was a huge step backwards from 2000 in terms of presentation), his work has grown on me especially with King of Fighters XI and the sprite work he did. I'm eager to see what he has in store for the new game...
Over at the Shoryuken forums, a good observation was brought up in regards to the short video sampling available. In both the King of Fighters XI segment into the shift to the new King of Fighters XII segment, there is a definite focus on keeping the battles 1 vs 1 (no tag elements were in the KOFXI shots). There are three icons underneath the health bar in the transitional screen shot for KOFXII, so 3 vs. 3 team battles look to still be in it, however, the dynamic tag system may be removed (or if it is in, may not be the "default" focus of King of Fighters XII).
This could also be simply due to the fact that the King of Fighters XII build at the show is still really early and they wanted some synchronism between the transition to KOFXI to KOFXII, but it is something to take note of none-the-less for future reference.
As for characters, from the video, we know for certain that Kyo, Ash Crimson, Kim, Athena, Terry, and Benimaru will all be returning. We also know that based on earlier promotional art, Goro, Elizabeth, and Leona will also be possibly making a presence. I'm unaware of any other characters shown off on any other material outside of this group, but as users on MMcafe point out, it is possible that the letter "explosion" at the beginning may represent invitees to the King of Fighters tournament. If so, the roster may end up being huge (which is usually a staple for the series).
I'll be keeping an eager eye on King of Fighters XII as time goes on. I doubted that SNK Playmore could deliver on their promises, but based on what little I've seen so far, King of Fighters XII is shaping up to possibly be one of the most important releases on Taito's Type X2 platform... A bold claim considering the surprising amount of support Taito has been receiving from a number of major arcade developers. If anyone else has picked up on anything in regards to King of Fighters XII that I may have missed, feel free to leave a comment or discuss it on the forums. There's not much out there yet, but I'm sure it's all just the trickle before the flood...
One more set of links I found that I felt had enough to them to seperate it from the other link list. This comes from Gemgemmania and consists of a good break down of footage and information from the show floor. I haven't had a chance to digest it all yet, but there are some new videos to show off that give you a different perspective of the event.
Amusement Journal has already posted the first day poll results for AOU 2008. It's readily apparent that Street Fighter IV stole day one at the show dwarfing the other games by an almost 2:1 margin (I can't help but think though that had King of Fighters XII been playable, Street Fighter IV may have been met with some bitter competition). Amusement Journal points out that with Capcom's hopes that a new era of fighting games may be hitting very close to the truth, it was a bit cocerning to see almost half of the arcade games pulled comprised of vs. fighting releases.
Titles may be a dime a dozen, but is the market ready to sustain all the new releases?
Top 10 Arcade games of AOU 2008 (full list for Day 1 is available at the above link).
1. Street Fighter IV (Capcom - Type X2) 2. Gundam vs. Gundam (Banpresto - System 256) 3. Lord of Vermilion (Square Enix - Type X2) 4. Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu (Cave - AMI) 5. Action Deka (Konami) 6. BlazBlue (Arc System Works/AMI - Type X2) 7. Jubeat (Konami) 8. Fate Unlimited Codes (Capcom - Type X2) 9. Quiz and Magic Academy 5 (Konami) 10. Answer x Answer (Sega)
Akihabara News has started posting their complete coverage of the AOU show. Like Gigazine.net, I was planning on simply giving the site some links over on the link list, but after looking through the coverage I decided to give it its own post for emphasis.
I started linking to these write ups and videos over in my general AOU 2008 show links page, but the more I did, the more I realized that Gigazine.net's coverage really needs to be pointed out for its unique takes on the booths, hand-outs, and videos going around the AOU show floor.
Currently, there are previews up for Street Fighter IV, Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu, Gundam vs. Gundam, BlazBlue, Trouble Witches, Jubeat, and Action Deka. Considering the regularity of the updates, I presume that there will probably be quite a few more throughout the weekend. Though there isn't a lot of information about the games in the different posts, there are quite a few videos, images, and eye candy to go along with them to make up for it.
(Feel free to keep a link to this page if you wish... I'll be updating videos as I find them from the first day here. Second day videos will begin to be posted as they come in.)
King of Fighters XII I had my doubts, but it looks like SNK Playmore is going to pull it off... This really does look amazing in the shaky-hand cam sort of way.
Seth Killin from the Capcom Unity Blogs posted a small gallery of some of the pre-show set up for AOU 2008 event. It focuses mostly on the Capcom side of things, but is well worth a browse through for some good detailed shots of Capcom's booth (including Street Fighter IV's 6 button control panel on the Taito Viewlix cabinets). There's also a shot with the move lists available, but unfortunately it isn't detailed enough to really get a good view of the new characters' move sets. From what I can tell however, Crimson Viper looks like she is using D, DB, B + Punch and Kick variations with one Shoryuken motion for a move as well. As for Abel, that's anyone's guess... I'm having a hard time making out the motions in that one.
As an additional bonus that I just came across, IGN has just posted their first hands-on report from the AOU show. It seems that right from the get go, the lines began forming around Capcom's booth for some time with the dedicated Street Fighter cabinets proving the game was becoming rather popular even on the private day of the event. Though the write up doesn't provide much new information, it does provide some opinions of the new systems including the Saving system and Ultra Combos.
From IGN:
Overall, although I only managed to play a few fights, from a gameplay perspective, Famitsu's impressions from the weekend, and Capcom's comments since the game's announcement last year, seem to be pretty spot on. SFIV feels like Street Fighter II in many ways, while feeling different in others. You'll have no problem doing your dragon punches, hurricane kicks, sonic booms and so-forth, but if you're expecting all your classic tricks to work, you may be in for a surprise.
More controversial than the gameplay since SFIV's announcement was Capcom's decision to go the 3D route with the visuals. Seeing the game live today, the ultra smooth 60 frames per second movement and flashy lighting effects gave me a Street Fighter EX vibe at first, but this faded away as I warmed up to the visuals. It was initially a bit hard hard to spot all the details that are shown in those gorgeous screenshots Capcom has been releasing, but this is again an area of the game that should become more obvious with time. The details are particularly easy to spot when the camera zooms in on the characters during pre and post-fight poses and during super moves and some special moves.
I'm hoping to spend lots of time with the game paying close attention to all those details. That chance will initially come in the arcades later this summer, and hopefully in the home on the 360 or PS3 after that.
Famitsu has posted the first details of Virtua Fighter 5 R from a trailer shown off at Sega's booth at AOU 2008. Though no release details have been revealed, Famitsu states that what is known is that Virtua Fighter 5 R will introduce the first group of new characters to the Virtua Fighter 5 series. More information is said to become available as the show progresses, so hopefully we'll see a few more details about Sega's latest VF project before too long. It sounds like this may be the "Evo" that everyone has been waiting for from the hype that Famitsu seems to be building around it...
Even though the first hands on time for the public will be this weekend with Street Fighter IV at AOU 2008, Capcom has just announced (via Famitsu) a new dedicated location test for the weekend of February 22nd - February 24th at the Capcom amusement center in Kichijyoji. More than likely it will be the same build that's being featured at the Game Developer's Conference and AOU, but perhaps with some minor tweaks. Street Fighter IV is currently on track for a Summer 2008 release.
AM-net is among the first group I've seen to the punch with images circulating from the show floor this morning. There is a small gallery currently viewable over at the AM-net website. There are currently 22 images featured in a short walk through of the show floor prior to the event's official opening. There are some quick pictures of the Arcana Heart 2 exhibit, the new Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu exhibit, and the Square Enix display for Lord of Vermilion which looks like it has set itself up as an imposing black monolith near Taito's display area. An interesting note - on the Blazblue exhibit, there is a banner flying overhead that features 4 characters with six silhouetted fighters. I don't know if its been stated before, but it looks like Blazblue will be featuring a cast of ten characters (excluding any hidden fighters that may make an appearance). The designs from what I can tell from the silhouettes at least seem rather varied... For all the images, I recommend checking out the full gallery over on AM-net.
In about 3 hours, the AOU 2008 event will be opening at Makuhari Messe in Japan. Unfortunately, I'm not going to have any contacts there for the first day, but tomorrow (the public day - which will begin early evening Central time), I will have two people on hand to provide a few thoughts about the show. All of the coverage I have posted from various sources in regards to AOU 2008 so far can be found here. Alternatively, the general link list that I've updated through yesterday is here.
My first day updates for the event are going to be a little bit behind in keeping up with the various Japanese sources. This is one part due to the holiday (happy valentine's day lovey) and a second part due to the fact that I will be travelling until late tomorrow afternoon. I will however compile a complete update of day 1 information early tomorrow evening prior to the second day of the show opening. There may be some sporadic posts before that, but I'm not guaranteeing anything specific at this point.
The day two coverage will be entirely different however. For the entire second day of the event, most of the coverage that I post will be coming directly via phone from the two people who will be at the exhibit hall. I will also make sure that everything is a bit more fleshed out from the first day for the second day of coverage.
Feel free to check out any of my various links on the left hand column of the site to try to keep up to date in between my own updates. Most of the sources should be following the show pretty closely as well...
I've heard that there is supposedly a tighter restriction on cameras on both days of the event this time around (unlike at the AM show where despite the no camera signs, cell phone cameras were everywhere). We'll have to see if this ends up restricting the video/images coming out of the event for "unauthorized" sources. I'm sure that our various friends on YouTube however will end up sneaking out enough videos to keep us all satisfied...
The AOU show is going to be in a unique position this coming weekend that it hasn't faced in wide numbers for the last couple of years. Due to the planned release of Street Fighter IV in arcades, several western video game media outlets are planning on sending staff members over to Tokyo to report on the event. This isn't necessarily a bad thing per se, but considering that most of the pre-show focus by these outlets seems to be solely on Street Fighter IV, I'm curious to watch and see just how much coverage is dedicated to some of the other, non-Street Fighter titles at the event.
There is enough there that I would presume would interest their readers (me being one of them). Arc System Works, Namco Bandai, Sega, Capcom, and SNK Playmore all have high profile releases in the works. This would be the perfect opportunity for English audiences to get a full and dedicated coverage of the show that was lacking at both the 45th AM show and AOU 2007 show. All these media outlets really have to do is take advantage of the opportunity they already have and spread their coverage further than just Capcom's corner of the event. We'll see how it turns out in the end though...
With that said, IGN has just released some new media of the latest revealed Street Fighter IV character, Abel. Abel is being described as "a man without a past" who is currently searching for clues and the remaining members of Shadoloo. According to the article posted, IGN is stating that Abel will be playable at AOU alongside Crimson Viper and all of the original 8 World Warriors. A rather good selection of characters that should give everyone a nice cross view of how the game is shaping up...
I don't necessarily dislike Abel's look, but there is something a bit disinteresting about him. There just doesn't seem to be much inspiration in the design.
In addition to the AOU 2008 event, the arcade build being showcased will also be present at GDC according to Capcom. Kotaku has mentioned that a tournament is being planned for a "select" group at the event, so we can expect quite a bit of Street Fighter IV coverage over the next two weeks. I'm eager to see if some Street Fighter veterans can get their hands on the title to really give some gritty impressions of the game, since most of what we have received so far has been from fans, but not necessarily "experts".
Though it doesn't touch on the current state of arcade development, Forbes has taken a look at the growing popularity of retro arcade games and the current trend of personal cabinet purchases by arcade fans...
When David Ellis was in high school, he, like millions of other teenagers, became mesmerized by videogames. That was back in the 1980s, however, when the most popular place to play a videogame was in an arcade.
These days, Ellis, who is today a game designer for North Carolina-based Vicious Cycle Software, is at the forefront of a very retro trend: installing those grand old game playing consoles at home. He bought his first game console, Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator, in 1997. Since then, Ellis has snapped up more than a dozen and has even written a book, The Official Price Guide To Classic Video Games. "I like the older games because they are so much more creative than what is in the arcades now. Today, everything is a fighting or shooting or driving game," he says.
Home entertainment today is squarely focused on the kinds of high-definition graphics offered up by systems such as the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. The graphics and speed of those machines can't be matched by the arcade games of 30 years ago. But many people miss the thrill of arcade games--of getting swallowed up by the monstrous machines and immersed in the abstract graphics.
I was browsing the Shoryuken forums this morning and came across this thread. According to the Famitsu scans that were posted (I'm sure they were probably pulled from Ruliweb or 2chan, but I haven't had a chance to verify that), Arc System Works is bringing Battle Fantasia to the PS3 and Xbox 360 in May. Though Battle Fantasia has fallen out of favor a bit with competitive fighting game fans, from what I played, the game was still a satisfying vs. fighter with a completely different feel to Arc System Works "traditional" releases.
For those who are unfamiliar with the game, Battle Fantasia is built using 3D polygons and cel-shading, however it is all played via a 2D plane (similar to how Street Fighter IV is following the same "mold"). Unfortunately, despite creating one of the better looking fighting games I've seen in quite a while, the game itself suffered from some inherent flaws (there is some reported issues with its hit connection) that limited its appeal for long term potential. I hope that Arc System Works may be revisiting the game a bit to create a more solid home experience.
With that said, this game acts as a friendly reminder to all PS3 owners out there - your console is region free. Considering that I'm not quite sure the likelihood of a US publisher wanting to take a chance on one of Arc System Works' "failed" experiments, this may be one of the best games to take advantage of the lack of region coding for the system.
Insomnia.ac had a location test report posted about Battle Fantasia from back in October of 2006 which had quite a few images and videos of the game in action. Even though it was reporting on an earlier arcade build of Battle Fantasia, it is well worth a read through if you are wanting to see some basic impressions of the title.
I'm fairly sure that most Street Fighter fans have seen the current Street Fighter Online Mouse Generation "experiment". If you haven't, feel free to check out the website for the game here or head over to Famitsu for some of their previous coverage. You can also check out this forum post by lech for just a small taste of fan reaction including some Game Watch links.
Now that you're read up on the game, 4gamer.net has posted a new article about SFO Mouse Generation and an upcoming closed beta featuring 4 characters from the game (Chun Li, Ryu, and two originals). In addition to the basic information provided about what we can expect from the beta, 4gamer also goes into quite a bit of detail into the gimmicky customization options that are being built as the cornerstone of the game.
Each character is built of a head, body, two arms, and two legs that can be adjusted and changed per the player's whim. In addition to these basic "builds", there are numerous accessories and special details that can be added to futher customize and personalize your own character in Street Fighter Online Mouse Generation. Each part of the body will also open up specific moves that will allow you to also create a special move-set unique to your own frankenstein monster. Give Ryu Chun Li's legs for example and not only does he have a nice pair of thighs, but he also has the ability to perform a spinning bird kick. Give Chun Li Ryu's arm and fists, and all of a sudden, she now can shoryuken with the best of them.
If this sounds confusing, random, and a bit chaotic, it definitely is. Because not only do the move sets change and appearances change with different body parts, but the basic character stats including speed and power are also tweaked based on what you decide to use. What this ends up doing is ensuring that unless you are using vanilla designs, each player should have their own take on the "ultimate Street Fighter".
The controls behind Mouse Generation are what has surprised most people. Unlike a traditional Street Fighter game, Mouse Generation will be controlled solely by a mouse. The left click will throw a punch, the right click will throw a kick, and any variety of "gestures" with clicks will perform specific special moves. The example provided by 4gamer.net in their write-up was that the Hadouken can be performed by holding the left mouse button and gesturing towards your opponent.
In a lot of ways, SFO: Mouse Generation is essentially being marketed as the Smash Brothers of the Street Fighter universe. Not only are the characters being called "action figures", but the backgrounds of giant bedrooms and specific character inspired set pieces are all being designed with a very loose interpretation of the Street Fighter series as toys. No word yet on how many Street Fighter characters will end up playable in SFO: MG, but from what I've seen in the customization screens, some characters who don't make the final cut may end up being able to be created via the accessories and bonus items available (Vega's claws strike me as obvious).
I'm hoping that Zangeif at least will make an appearance. Because then we can finally answer what will happen if you gave Chun Li Zangief's head, because I'm sure that has been bothering Street Fighter fans for ages...
For more information on Street Fighter Online Mouse Generation, check out the official website for the game (you can also view a demonstration movie there as well).
Danmaku-gata is reporting that according to the official website for Studio Siesta, Trouble Witches will be playable at the AOU show this coming weekend. The doujin studio's decision to bring the game over to the Type X2 platform seems only natural considering the PC-base of Taito's increasingly popular arcade hardware. Over at the arcade game's official website, Studio Siesta states that the build that will be shown off at AOU is at about 40% complete. There will also be two new characters playable for the first time at the event, increasing the character selection for the game up to 5 different characters.
Earlier today, I picked up on a press release that stated "TILT: The Battle to Save Pinball" is currently being planned for a DVD release on April 8th of this year. I haven't been able to view the film myself yet, but based on a review over at Arcade Heroes from August, it looks to be a promising film for fans of pinball and arcade-related documentaries.
The DVD is a 2-disc set featuring the original film, director's commentary, and three hours of footage including interviews and more with some of pinball's living legends.
I've embedded the Youtube! trailer below for those interested in checking it out, but for more information I recommend heading over to the official Tilt movie website which goes into a lot of detail about the movie, its producers, and the story about Williams leaving the industry they helped define.
Macaw over on the gamengai forums posted a couple of direct feed videos that he stumbled across on YouTube. All three of the videos are rather short, but they are some of the best quality video footage that I've seen posted on the internet in regards to Oriental Legend 2.
Oriental Legend 2 is currently available in Taiwan and Japan. The official website for the Japanese release can be found here.
Over at Fighters Front Line, I picked up on an update noting that the official Melty Blood Actress Again website has been opened by Ecole. The site launched on the 7th of February, so it is a bit bare at this stage (a short teaser video, the BBS, and a link list is all that's available), but we should be getting more information soon. Currently Melty Blood Actress Again is scheduled for a May 2008 release on Sega's NAOMI system (like it's predecessor before it). The game will be shown off in a playable form at Sega's booth at the AOU 2008 show.
Taito's official website for the AOU 2008 expo was launched earlier today. The basic design of Taito's booth is centered around the 30th anniversary of Space Invaders which occurs this year.
It would seem natural for the company to release an updated version of the game for arcades, considering the titles roots, but based on the early preview list that honor is being passed solely over to handhelds with Space Invaders Extreme on the Nintendo DS and PSP. However, Taito does have a fairly strong line-up planned for the AOU show, with full support this year from SNK Playmore in addition to their own releases. Considering the number of upcoming games scheduled to take advantage of Taito's PC-based hardware, this should be a strong year for the company in regards to the arcade scene.
King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match and Samurai Spirits Sen will both be playable at the event. Taito also states that King of Fighters XII will be seen in a video exhibition, confirming earlier rumors that the game would be shown off at AOU from AM-net. I look forward to seeing what SNK Playmore has in store for the latest installment of their ever popular fighting franchise, since the last "update" we really had from the company was based on a call for sprite artists on their employment page about 4 or 5 months ago.
In addition to SNK Playmore's line-up, Taito will also be showcasing Half Life Survivor ver. 2.0, D1GP Racing, and a selection of new prize-based games.
Thanks goes out to AM-net for posting the link to Taito's AOU 2008 website.
With the AOU 2008 show nearly here, I would like to take a moment to put out a friendly reminder that I've been compiling a full series of AOU 2008-related updates in an easy to remember "tag". If you are interested in more coverage, feel free to view what I've posted so far here.
There has been a bit of a new media blitz in regards to Street Fighter 4 this past week. After the Famitsu scans hit the web early on, several sites have posted new images online featuring the 8 original world warriors plus Crimson Viper. For the highest quality images, I recommend heading over to Gamespot who appears to have the highest quality versions (if you can stand the watermark). Gamespot also has a brief interview here.
Over at the developer's blog, there is still a promised updated pending. According to the post, the updates should hit the web at about 4:00 AM Tokyo time which means that we have probably about 3 hours or so until the website is updated. More than likely I'm guessing we are going to be receiving the character bios and some gallery shots of the fighters shown off by Famitsu. I'm not expecting much more than that...
Famitsu online probably had the most substantitve update that I've seen so far in regards to Street Fighter 4. In addition to the release date and system information provided in the original scans, Famitsu has posted two new Street Fighter 4 articles on their website. The first article (here) consists of pretty much the same media shots posted by Gamespot, though it does get into some of the "story information" for each of the characters and a brief run down of the Saving techniques (it also gets into the arcade hardware platform - but I'll get into that in a second). The second article (here) is probably the most interesting to me personally. Not only does it have a good break down of a portion of the actual "meat" behind Street Fighter IV's system (discovered with some hands on time the Famitsu staff had with the game) - it also has some pictures of the Street Fighter IV cabinet (a new Taito Viewlix) in action. The game will be running off the Taito Type X2 hardware.
Jigsaw over at the SRK forums has taken the time to translate the first article and the interview in the second article that was posted by Famitsu. Ono once again reiterates his desire as producer of the game to port Street Fighter 4 over to as many consoles as possible in the interview. I feel that it's pretty safe to assume that the PS3 and Xbox 360 will probably be the leads once they get to that stage of development (after the arcade game is completed).
AOU 2008 will be held next weekend (February 15th and 16th) and will feature the first public location test for the game. It'll be interesting to see how well its received by a general audience rather than press outlets. I think it's going to take some hands on time with some regulars to really judge whether or not the game is capable of living up to the hype.
As the Guardian has been expressing optimism for the arcade industry based on the support following the ATEI show, Reuters is now reporting that according to recent financial forecasts the Japanese arcade industry is beginning to suffer a bit on the strength of the Nintendo Wii and higher oil prices. The irony of the situation is that the very reason why the Guardian is reporting that the arcade industry is seeing a revival and has a promising future (the ability to offer unique experiences not able to be found at home) is part of the very same reason why Namco Bandai Games is currently cutting their projections for the upcoming quarter ('A lot of the types of games that people played at an arcade can now be done at home,' Yuji Machida, Namco Bandai Games).
This offers an interesting counterpoint in two different markets. While the European arcade industry is generally filled with optimism, the Japanese market seems to be showing its first signs of slowed growth after performing at a positive up-turn the past couple of years. While its a bit narrow to blame the slow down (and in some cases - weakening) on Nintendo's next generation console, there are obvious signs that Namco Bandai Games are not the only ones experiencing some slight hits to the arcade business in Japan. Several companies have reported weaker earnings in the industry over the course of the last year, and despite high profile releases on the horizon, the Japanese scene has been rather stagnant in the top performing games over the same period.
I can't help but wonder if this is the start of a minor shift for the two markets. If the financial reportings from the European branches of the major companies (Sega Amusements Europe, Namco Bandai Europe) show a stronger forecast, perhaps the optimistic rhetoric coming from the west may begin to be a unique motivational force for future growth and emphasis. As the Guardian points out, Russia and the Middle East seems to offer the most promising arenas of expansion since they are relatively untapped markets for the industry. Could these new areas begin to be more and more attractive as recession concerns begin to affect the more traditional Asian-centric markets? Maybe this is simply a sign that Japan is just reaching its limits of current growth after a really strong 2006 and a cooling down in 2007?
Either way, it'll be interesting to watch and see how this year plays out for the different companies. With several arcade centers being closed by Sega Sammy, Namco Bandai Games, and Taito/Square Enix, there is a definite consolidation of assets (or trimming of fat) going on across the Pacific. As a relative outsider, to me it almost seems as though the consolidation is a vote of shrinking confidence in the wake of what may end up being a rough economic year.
Over at Ruliweb, some new Famitsu scans were posted showcasing the first look at some of the new "old" roster of Street Fighter IV. Confirmed by the scans as being playable characters in the game are Zangief, Chun li, Guile, Blanka, Dhalsim, and E. Honda. This probably spoils the surprise that the official developer's blog was speaking about earlier today.
In addition to the new images (including some small in-game shots featuring the newly revealed additions to the roster as well as the HUD), there is also another bit of information that people should find interesting. It seems that despite being only 2% complete when it was first revealed by EGM, the game is now on track for a Summer 2008 release in arcades (no word on console platform or console release target). I'm beginning to think that the AOU 2008 build may end up being much more than Ryu and Ken fighting against one back drop...
I keep going back and forth on my opinions about the game's look. Though the "roided" Ken and Ryu put a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, Zangief and Blanka both look monstrous (as they should), Chun Li looks good and has her thighs in tact, and even Dhalsim (who I thought would suffer worse with the bulkier design) actually is acceptable from what I can see. As I've said before, I've got my doubts in some aspects of the design, but I'm becoming more of a believer as we receive more information.
The ESRB has posted a listing for Guilty Gear X2 #Reload for the Xbox 360 as part of the Xbox Originals downloadable line-up.
Though I'm sure that this is going to agitate some Guilty Gear fans considering that #Reload isn't perfectly playable (it's close) under backwards compatibility yet via a disc on the 360 console, it is clear that Microsoft is attempting to use the Originals line-up as a "next best thing" with their shift away from future backwards compatibility patches. Pricing on the Originals line-up have all been around 1200 points ($14), so it'll be interesting to see the cost that Guilty Gear X2 #Reload ends up retailing at under the download service. Online play is also listed under the ESRB, so it seems that the Xbox Live compatibility with #Reload will remain in tact under the originals line.
I've been playing the game a bit on the PC under the patch found over at Dustloop (which I recommend for those who own the PC version of the game), but due to the distance in opponents, lag is a bit of an issue. Guilty Gear X2 #Reload on Xbox Live wasn't perfect by any means (it had some serious input issues), but it was a decent way to play the game online in the face of little alternative. The official Guilty Gear X2 #Reload website for the Xbox can still be found here, but I'm expecting an official announcement soon by either Microsoft or Arc System Works relating to the title. When that happens, more than likely we should see a new site built under the Xbox.com family.
Of course, all of this probably should be written up as a rumor until that announcement - but considering the ESRB's track record of breaking releases before they are announced - it should just be a matter of time before that happens.
The official Street Fighter IV developer's blog is claiming that a new character will be revealed on the 8th of February in the build up to the AOU show. No word yet on if its an original (a la Crimson Viper) or simply a returning member of the traditional Street Fighter cast, but if I was a gambling man, I would guess that it's probably going to be a returning fighter. For those who want to bookmark the site and F5 it all day on the 8th, be sure to visit the official Street Fighter IV website and its character section.
I've posted the lovely mosaic from the developer's blog, so if anyone out there is a genius savant and can unscramble scrambled images with their mind, let me know. Otherwise, feel free to speculate. Most people are betting on Chun Li from what I've seen on forums, but it's anyone's guess at this time.
AM-net has updated its game profile for King of Fighters XII to include a presence at the AOU 2008 show later in February. Based on the information provided, it appears that the game won't be seen in a playable form, but rather in a video presentation similar to how it was previously shown off at AOU 2007. SNK Playmore already has a fairly strong 2008 line-up consisting of its return to a 3D Samurai Spirits, King of Fighters Maximum Impact Regulation A2, and King of Fighters '98, so whether or not King of Fighters XII is being planned for a 2008 is questionable at this point. It seems that 2009 may be a bit more in check with the company's plans for the arcade industry.
Hopefully at AOU 2008 we'll get at least a better idea of what we can expect from King of Fighters XII. Though I would love to see some in game video, I'm thinking that more than likely its probably going to be a teaser of sorts (hopefully better than the logo teaser we've previously seen).
The second article in Jared Rea's No Country for Old Arcades series was posted on Gametap yesterday. Like the first article, I think it highlights an interesting take on the current state of the arcade industry - most notably - what does a competitive fighting game scene go where there is no suitable area for the scene to practice and hone their skills in? The answer isn't surprising, they take matters into their own hands and create the environment they would want.
I recommend reading the article, just as I recommended the first one. This is a love song to a gaming style that doesn't get the appreciation it should, especially from larger media sources.
For more information on the author, head over to his personal blog at JaredRea.com.
It was a pretty basic affair, but none-the-less, getting the NAOMI bios to boot up through NullDC was a commendable bit of progress for the realm of NAOMI emulation on the popular Dreamcast emulator. I warned in my original post that true workable emulation was still a ways off, and though that's still correct, I noticed that drkIIRaziel (creator of the original video and programmer responsible for modifying the code to run the NAOMI bios) put up a second video earlier this week that actually shows one of the only dumped NAOMI games (Virtua Striker 2 version 2000) cycling through its intro on NullDC.
The sound is pretty bad, but its definitely a start... It'll be interesting to see if this gets further than the Chankast NAOMI emulator project, which (someone correct me if I'm wrong) has pretty much been abandoned since making some early headway a few years ago.
Ever want to know what it would take to be a world record holder in a shooting game?
Over at the Cowboy Ikaruga forums, they have compiled a list of the top world record scores in some of the more popular shooting titles in Japan from a variety of different sources (Arcadia Magazines, DVDs, etc.).
I thought the list would be good motivation in a way for those of you out there who appreciate a good score based challenge, but to be honest, after looking over the list I'm not sure if it's more encouraging or disheartening. A few of the scores are simply godly.
The thread was just officially compiled (though it was based on a lot of back research), but since it looks like it should be getting regular updates by Cowboy-NOA, it's well worth a bookmark if your wanting to follow some of the reigning top score champions.
On a small side note, I've been taking some time to replay Donpachi and Dodonpachi (which I haven't really played much lately). I seemed to forget a lot of the patterns and subtleties of the two games over the years, which is kind of surprising since they were part of the handful of games that really pushed me head first into loving score-based gaming. I find it a bit funny that I'm having a little bit more difficulty getting back into the "groove" with these two than I have had with picking up some of Cave's more recent titles.
Is there an audience out there for videos of an out of practice shooting fan making a fool of himself at Donpachi/Dodonpachi with a ton of panic bombing moments and less than optimal play?
Hot on the heels of the official announcement of Arcana Heart's upcoming April 8th US release, Gametrailers has posted a new trailer for the all-female fighting game that's a bit larger in size from the one that can be found at the game's official website (you can find it under downloads). For a company (SCEA) and a console that actively discouraged the localization of 2D games early on, the PS2 has become in its twilight a great safe-haven for riskier 2D titles. It's amazing how things shift over time...
Earlier this week, I saw a couple of images of Tekken 6's hidden boss posted over at SDTekken.com.
According to the original post that was put up by MarkMan, Nancy MI847J appears in the second to last stage (right before Azazel) and is a massive robot that uses her (its?) size to her (its?) advantage (the comparison with Kuma is really telling since as MarkMan points out - Kuma is one of the taller characters in the game). Nancy is unable to be stunned or juggled, meaning that most strategies revolving around the games new bound mechanics or classic wall juggle abuses are practically worthless against her (it?).
Today, SDTekken went ahead and linked to a YouTube video created by some players in the Hong Kong Tekken community that actually featured Nancy in action. I've embedded it below for easy viewing, but needless to say, if you want to be surprised - don't view the video.
My local game center is in the decision making process about whether or not they will be purchasing Tekken 6. I've been trying to encourage it since Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection has performed rather well around here, but the price point is really making them second guess the value. I'll be heading out for business soon, so I'm hoping that when I'm on the west coast I'll be able to locate an arcade that has a Tekken 6 cabinet in place. I'm looking forward to seeing the game in a more natural setting than a random warehouse...
Arc System Works along with their new publishing partner AMI have launched the official BlazBlue website early today.
There is not a lot of information to be gathered from the site outside of a pretty splash page and the dates of a couple of appearances for the game (February 8 with a pre-AOU event when the site will open with new information and the AOU show on the 15th-16th). There was a Famitsu article posted that I saw over at the Postback forums as well, but it is basically just confirming a lot of the information that we have already been given about the game through Famitsu and Arcadia magazines.
Not too exciting I know, but it does have the 4 revealed character designs posted in a bit more detail than what the scans have provided, so that should give everyone a better idea of what Arc System Works is going for in regards to BlazBlue's influences.
Sony's official update to the Sixaxis controller, the Dual Shock 3, is now available in Japan in both
Black and
Ceramic White variations. With the next wave of PS3 releases all built to take advantage of the added rumble, now's the time to order yours today.
NEO GEO Stick 2 (Wii)
The NEO GEO Stick 2 for the Nintendo Wii is now available for pre-order at Play-Asia. The stick features a traditional NEO GEO button layout and has support for Virtual Console games. The NEO GEO Stick 2 will be shipping April 10th.
