Author: Corey "Missing Person" Lanier

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Have Sakurai’s Theories on Competitive Play Changed? Smashboards Discusses the Evolution of His Stance

Masahiro Sakurai has, for a long time, been one of the most polarizing developers in fighting games. A famed producer of the Kirby franchise before producing the Super Smash Bros. series, Sakurai has possessed an ever-changing stance on competitive fighting games. From calling fighting games “too hard to get into,” to having to create a website explaining advanced nuances of the original Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64, Sakurai’s original stance was to make Smash accessible, but competitive and flexible. He further developed Super Smash Bros. Melee in a way that would allow it to be played either casually or competitively.

Soon after, during development of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Sakurai completely flip-flopped on his stance and went out of his way to make Brawl limited technically–and thus less competitive–as possible, even going so far as to implement the infamous randomized character tripping into the core mechanics. But seeing the differences between Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, one has to wonder: had his outlook again changed?

PushDustin from Smashboards and Soma from Source Gaming sat down for a podcast to discuss the possibility. Going over translations of interviews and writings of Sakurai from the last couple decades, they try to come up with the solution. They also try to understand how he came to his stance that caused the design choices in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

[Editor’s note: Sakurai has discussed his current outlook on fighting games at length in his Famitsu column as well, worth a look for comparison.]

Source: Smashboards

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Desk Explores the Effect of Using Both Pad Input Options in Street Fighter V

One of the fastest to highlight everything broken in Street Fighter, desk is back with something we should have already explored but didn’t–using both the analog stick and directional pad on a controller in Street Fighter V.

Several years ago, SOCD (Simultaneous Opposite Cardinal Direction) inputs were found in various games. This was discovered in two different situations–using both the analog stick and directional pad on a controller, and using a Hitbox controller to perform both at once. This results in a number of things that are impossible to replicate on joysticks becoming possible to perform.

In Super Street Fighter II Turbo: HD Remix, players could not only block both ways, but charge characters could walk forward while still maintaining charge. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 experienced this oversight as well. Aftermarket circuit boards had to implement measures to “clean” SOCD inputs by making left and right SOCDs result in a neutral direction, and down and up SOCDs result in a jump, thus keeping Hitbox controllers tournament legal. The issue remains up to game developers to program for and patch as able.

In Street Fighter V, the developer attempted to rectify this situation by making left and right SOCDs result in the character only walk forward. While this is a partial fix to the issue, it does create an additional, situational issue that desk illustrates in the video below.

Source: desk

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“His Fox is Similar to What Mine Would Look Like”: Mew2King Talks Leffen in Evidence.zip Episode 4

As a continuation of their bonus content for the Cultivation: Leffen series, Red Bull has posted the fourth episode of Evidence.zip–a video series where they ask top Melee players about their experiences with William “Leffen” Hjelte of Team SoloMid.

This week, they talk to none other than Jason “Mew2King” Zimmerman of Team Echo Fox, who undoubtedly has a history with Leffen. In the video, he talks about some of the controversial comments Leffen has made about Mew2King’s play during Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournaments. He also discusses what could potentially happen in a matchup between the two players if they were both playing at the top of their games. He states that he is the best in the world at Sheik vs. Fox (Leffen’s main)–as well as Marth vs. Fox–and also states that one of his better matches is the Fox ditto.

For more, check out the video below.

Source: Red Bull eSports

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BAPE X Street Fighter Collection to Hit Stores September 17th

BAPE, the company bringing out all the Bathing Ape shirts you see running around these days, recently unveiled a BAPE X Capcom collection. Today, they are going one step forward and unleashing a BAPE X Street Fighter collection, to hit their website and store shelves on September 17th. Featured in the collection will be the characters Ryu, Chun-Li, Zangief, Blanka, Ken, and E. Honda, all done in the traditional Bathing Ape style. There will also be a Street Fighter V graphic tee available in the collection.

If you are a purveyor of Street Fighter or BAPE memorabilia, you would be foolish to pass up this collection.

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Source: Kineda

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Street Fighter V Producer Yoshinori Ono Will Not Be Attending Tokyo Game Show Due to Illness

With the Street Fighter V promotional bandwagon making its stop on home turf for Tokyo Game Show, and big announcements for the game scheduled, everyone who’s anyone in the game will be on hand for the festivities–but on a sad note, one of the biggest names in the community (and Capcom altogether) has had to scratch his name off the RSVP list.

Yoshinori Ono, producer of Street Fighter V–as well as Street Fighter X Tekken and Street Fighter IV–announced on Twitter today that due to health reasons, he will be unable to attend Tokyo Game Show, posting pictures of his medication regimen.

When hearing this news, one can’t help being reminded of back in 2012, when the famed producer was hospitalized near the end of the promotional run of Street Fighter X Tekken. After recovering, Ono stepped down from his position temporarily in order to recuperate.

We at Shoryuken.com wish Yoshinori Ono all the best in his recovery!

Sources: Yoshinori Ono (Twitter); /r/StreetFighter

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Super Smash Bros. Melee Pro Hax Receives Poor Prognosis on Wrist Condition

Super Smash Bros. Melee is considered one of the most execution and tech-heavy games in existence. Performing wavedashes and L-cancels all in rapid succession on a Gamecube controller can take its toll on the hands. A notable case of such pain is Jason “Mew2King” Zimmerman, who has talked at great length about his hand problems.

It appears that the physical toll of playing competitive Melee is trying to claim another victim. Professional player Aziz “Hax” Al-Yami–a Fox main from New York–has been inactive on the Smash circuit since he took first at Collision XIII in April due to a hand injury. Upon speaking to doctors, Hax was told that he has a calcified flexor carpi ulnaris in his forearm. Due to his young age, doctors are reluctant to remove his FCU, despite Hax’s condition having “only worsened over the past 2.5 years.”

This is the latest in a laundry list of medical issues for Hax, who has had to take multiple hiatuses over the years for hand issues as well as insomnia. While he is currently looking for doctors to bring him under the knife to correct his condition, he remains inactive in Melee.

Source: ESPN Esports

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Accelerate Your Cammy Optimization with These Street Fighter V Pointers from Nyasha

Cammy is a great character, and often considered in the top 5 characters of Street Fighter V. Her tournament results, however, leave a lot to be desired. With players like Kenneth “K-Brad” Bradley stating that she has to be played honestly, it’s no wonder that people shy away from wanting to play her in a mix-up oriented world–as many Cammy players stagnate with more straightforward play.

Fortunately, YouTuber Nyasha has been brainstorming ways to keep Cammy fresh while finding ways to level up Cammy to a true contender. In this video he de-prioritizes maximum damage combos for setups and stun, and shows better ways to anti-air. He caps off the video by showing more ways to utilize her V-trigger, extrapolating on Laugh’s usage of V-Trigger to time wake-up Critical Arts.

Sources: /r/StreetFighter; nyasha

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Japanese Tekken Players Ao, Rage, and Tsubumi Provide Tier Lists for Tekken 7: Fated Retribution

With Tekken 7: Fated Retribution still slated for an early 2017 console release, western Tekken players have had little chance to get their hands on the game to understand the full nuances of the title–let alone have the ability to discern character rankings. Most of the competitive Tekken 7 information we get is being siphoned from South Korea and Japan, whose vibrant arcade scenes allow for information to be brought out before we can get our hands on the game.

Thankfully–with enough time under their belts–top Japanese players are starting to flesh out their tier lists, and Flying Wonkey at Avoiding the Puddle has the understanding of Japanese needed to translate the tier lists. The tier lists come directly from the Twitter accounts of three high level players in Japan–including Ao (Evolution 2015 runner up in Tekken 7), Rage, and Tsubumi.

Ao’s Tier List:

S+: Steve, Hwoarang

S: Marshall Law, King, Bryan, Kazuya

A: Heihachi, Devil Jin, Xiaoyu, Dragunov, Feng, Bob, Kazumi, Akuma, Nina

B: Paul, Leo, Alisa, Lars, Shaheen, Jin, JACK-7, Lili, Yoshimitsu, Claudio, Josie

C: Asuka, Lucky Chloe, Gigas

Rage’s Tier List:

SSS: Hwoarang

SS: Steve

SS-: Bryan

S: Xiaoyu, Devil Jin, King, Nina, Alisa, Feng,

A+: Law, Paul, Claudio, Kazuya, Heihachi

A: Bob, Dragunov, Shaheen, Kazumi, Yoshimitsu, Jin, Lars, Lili, Katarina

A-: Asuka, JACK-7, Josie

B: Gigas, Lucky Chloe

No Akuma placing.

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Tsubumi’s Tier List:

SS: Hwoarang, Steve

S: Bryan, Marshall Law, King

A+: Kazuya, Devil Jin, Shaheen, Feng, Akuma, Nina, Xiaoyu

A: Alisa, Kazumi, Lars, Claudio, Yoshimitsu, Heihachi, Dragunov, Josie, Paul, Jin, Lili, Bob, Leo

B: Katarina, JACK-7, Asuka

C: Lucky Chloe, Gigas

It’s worth noting that there is hardly any divergence in the tiers at this point. It does look like Japan has had enough time with the game to come to a general consensus on what is working on the game. Further, it seems that people are starting to understand the Akuma matchup, as the Street Fighter crossover has nestled himself a place in the middle of the rankings.

With this information, it may be easier for people to start zeroing in on characters to play when this game releases on consoles in 2017.

Source: Flying Wonkey

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Red Bull’s Cultivation Leffen: Resurrection Series Looks at His Most Humbling Experience

Red Bull continues its examination on Team SoloMid’s Leffen with the second full episode of Cultivation Leffen: Resurrection. In it, they focus on Leffen’s interaction with the Swedish Melee community as he goes to a weekly. His interaction with the community in Sweden has been stormy in the past, which led to his most humbling experience yet–a year-long ban from tournaments. Led by Armada and supported by numerous names in the Swedish community, the ban was largely in response to Leffen’s negative behavior–often ridiculing and bullying lesser/newer players within the scene.

Instead of contesting the ban, Leffen used it to his benefit. He focused on Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and ultimately came back to Melee a more mature, well-rounded person.

Watch Cultivation Leffen: Resurrection S2 E2 on Red Bull TV here.

Source: Red Bull TV

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US PlayStation Store Offering Christie Free with Download of Dead or Alive 5 Last Round Core Fighters

Koei Tecmo has released a free-to-play version of Dead or Alive 5 Last Round, and they are banking that it will get you into this lesser-played fighting game. Titled Core Fighters–and featuring the characters Ayane, Hayate, Kasumi and Ryu Hayabusa for free, with other characters being DLC unlockable, they are now offering a special present for people who get in on the ground floor.

For a limited time, the US PlayStation store is offering to give you Christie as a gift for downloading Core Fighters. While you would have to buy other characters should you want to play them, this does give you five characters to try to learn the game with.  Who knows? You might actually find your main within that pool.

This offer will only be extended until October 4th, so don’t forget to grab it!

Source: PlayStation Store