Month: May 2016

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Explore the Indie Game Showcase at Combo Breaker 2016

This weekend’s big event is Combo Breaker, a Chicago-land tourney with all the major games. But amidst killer pot bonuses and fierce competition, several indie games will also have a chance to get some time in the spotlight.

The indie lineup includes eight titles, most of them featuring fighting game aspects to some degree, though some obviously favor our genre of choice more than others.

pocketrumble

Pocket Rumble, inspired by Neo Geo Pocket SNK fighters, adapts Street Fighter philosophy onto a mobile screen. By simplifying inputs and the entry barrier, Cardboard Robot Games wants players to focus on reading the opponent and coming up with strategies. Currently, the game is up on Steam Early Access.

fearlessnight

Fearless Night by Shobu Games hearkens back to the legacy of fast-paced, arcade titles while adding in a forward-thinking mindset for today’s competitive standards. Features like hit box and frame data displays are already built-in, and the game takes advantage of a rollback netcode for responsive online play. The game is Greenlit on Steam, and the latest build is available to download from the Fearless Night website.

Super Combat Jr. II packs voxel-style graphics into a fast-paced, arena deathmatch game. The local multiplayer title pits 2-4 players armed with bombs, arrows, guns, and whatever else they can equip against one another. Before facing off, each fighter has an opportunity to customize their character with six armors and as many as 18 weapons. The game draws inspiration from Legend of Zelda, Hotline Miami, and Street Fighter. Super Combat Jr. II is purchasable on itch.io right now.

While it’s not as much of a fighting game as the other selections, behind this saucy title lies a delicious party game starring sports-driven animals. eight titles in their indie games lineup. Stay tuned to SRK for continued coverage of the event.

Source: Combo Breaker

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Learn about Attack Direction in MKXL with Episode 3 of Master Of Kombat

After covering the concepts of meter management and frame data in previous episodes, PND Ketchup and Mustard tackle the concept of attack direction and how it is handled in Mortal Kombat XL.

They begin with Highs, which are generally used for anti-airing due to their fast startup. However, they can be neutral crouched, which could lead to full-combo punishes if not used carefully. They suggest only using these attacks for pokes when outside of the opponent’s range, as AAs or as punishes.

Next up, they tackle Mids. These normals can hit crouching opponents, but can be blocked both standing and ducking. This makes them dangerous in the neutral game, due to the respect they demand, but they should primarily be used for special canceling and combo extension.

Ketchup and Mustard note that Overheads must be blocked standing, while Lows must be blocked crouching, which is the basis for basic 50/50 mixups. In this game, most of these attacks are slow, single-hitting or are in the middle of certain strings, but such attacks can also come in the form of special moves.

While we’ve seen a lot about Fuzzy Guarding in Street Fighter and the Arc System Works games, in MKXL, you can avoid certain mixups, such as Scorpion’s B3/F2 Overhead/Low mixup, by first crouch blocking the low and standing up on reaction to the overhead’s animation.

Unblockables include attacks such as throws, command throws and certain special moves, such as Shinnok’s Scepter Strike and Scepter Quake in the Bone Shaper variation.

Though the information contained here is likely second-nature to the majority of our readers, it is crucial knowledge for any beginning player looking to improve their game.

Source: ESL