Author: Franz "d3v" Co

When Sega’s crossover fighter Dengeki Bunko FIGHTING CLIMAX hits consoles in Japan next week, it will do so with a few extras. Famitsu is reporting that the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions of the game will come with a new story mode.

Dream Duel will see all of the crossover characters interacting with each other in fully-voiced cutscenes.  The mode will feature over 60 different story scenarios, written under the supervision of Dengeki Bunko’s own writers.

Here we have Shana from Shakugan no Shana talking to Asuna from Sword Art Online, showing her pride in being a Flame Haze while stating she has no idea about guilds. Asuna then responds that she knows of somebody who would like to play solo for as long as he can.

These scenes can also lead to unlikely matchups, such as Mikoto Mikasa from A Certain Magical Index and Kirino Kousaka from Oreimo; in the screenshots below, the latter can be seen saying that she’s jealous of the former for having over “20,000” sisters and wishes that she had one. Mikoto then offers to introduce her to at least one of her sisters.

As you can see, this is sure to be of interest to fans of the various light novels that are represented.

Dengeki Bunko FIGHTING CLIMAX will be available for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in Japan on November 13.

Source: Famitsu via Siliconera

Some time ago, we reported that Capcom would be bringing some of its classic games back to arcades via Taito’s NESiCAxLive network. Today, the first of those games is finally out on the service – Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

This arcade re-release is an important event for fans of the game. Prior to this, 3rd Strike was available only on Capcom’s CPS-III board, which was notorious for eventually refusing to work due to how its security was tied to a battery that would eventually die after years of use. This effectively extends the game’s life in the arcade by allowing it to run on newer hardware.

In transitioning to the widescreen monitors of newer arcade cabinets, the game’s classic 4:3 aspect ratio is still maintained. The extra space is instead filled with the movelists for the selected characters – a touch that should help newcomers get into the classic title.

Other games such as Vampire Savior (Darkstalkers 3 in the west), Hyper Street Fighter II, and Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3) are expected to be released before the end of the year. In the meantime, check out how 3rd Strike looks on NESiCAxLive in the gallery below.

Source: Siliconera

Back during Lab Zero Games’ gocrowdfunding campaign for Skullgirls Encore, one of the featured reward tiers was a limited number of slots for custom color palettes. As it turns out, even after the successful campaign, not all of these slots were claimed.

Due to feedback from fans who have expressed interest in acquiring these unclaimed palette slots, the developers are now making them available for purchase. As it stands, Painwheel, Double, and Robo-Fortune each have two slots up for sale, while Peacock and Beowulf are down to one apiece.

These slots will go for the same price as the $400 reward tier in which they were previously offered them during the campaign, and will come bundled with everything else that level entailed, including a Steam code for the game itself, a copy of the soundtrack, the digital sketchbook, a character poster, and much more.

Previous donors who wish to upgrade can do so through Indiegogo and pay the difference. If you’re interested, be sure to contact render over at the official Skullgirls forum before the November 21 deadline.

These custom palettes will be added to the Steam version of the game as soon as they are completed before eventually finding their way to consoles.

Source: Skullheart

Those of you following the upcoming Dead or Alive 5 Last Round may have noticed that there are some differences between the way Team NINJA is handling the last- and current-generation versions. Aside from the fact that PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners will only be able to purchase the game digitally, both of the older consoles also lack Last Round’s new stages and hair options.

“The reason why we can not make last gen retail version is that retailers in the west can not take them and make them in stock. They are not supporting last gen game any more,” Team NINJA explained on Facebook. “Some of the developers like [Ubisoft], Bethesda, [Warner Bros.] will rapidly shift their production line from last gen to new gen console as you may know.”

Of course, this only applies to newcomers, as those who already have Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate will be able to patch the older title to Last Round for free, though additional downloadable characters will still have to be purchased separately.

As for why the new arenas and hairstyles won’t be available on older hardware, it seems as if their absence is due to the developers focusing mainly on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Devoting resources to previous platforms would cause newer versions to suffer in the process.

While some may still be upset with this news, it does make some sense considering that the current-gen versions will feature the team’s new Soft Engine, which they say will more accurately portray the human form.

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round will be available in North America on February 17 and Japan on February 19. In addition to gameplay balance changes and other additions, two as of yet unrevealed characters are set to join the cast.

Source: Team NINJA via Siliconera

If you’re planning to attend this year’s Capcom Cup in San Francisco, Capcom has just released some important details for the event, including the official schedule and a hotel deal for folks visiting from outside the area.

Aside from the main tournament, Capcom Cup 2014 will also feature a special Omega Mode exhibition. Additionally, some time is being set aside for special announcements–Capcom hasn’t given any hint as to what these announcements are, and they could be range from something as simple as Omega Mode’s release date or something more.

Capcom Cup attendees who book with The Hilton San Francisco, which is only a six-minute walk from the venue, will receive a special discount rate of $199 per night (excluding taxes). Those interested in taking advantage of this deal can book online here. Further details on other ways to secure a room can be found in Capcom’s original announcement.

Capcom Cup 2014 will take place on Saturday, December 13 at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, California.

Source: Capcom Pro Tour

While Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-‘s console port is still a month away, its predecessor Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R is already available on PlayStation 3. For those interested in checking out the earlier installment out in preparation for Xrd, it is currently available free of charge for PlayStation Plus subscribers in Japan.

The game is part of a batch of Japanese-developed games that Sony is making available through their premium service in November. Other games included are Earth Defense Force 2025 and The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky The 3rd.

While the offer is only available for Japanese PlayStation Plus subscribers, the region-free nature of the platform means that anyone can create a an account for the region and subscribe to the premium service to avail themselves of this offer. Bear in mind that, unlike Microsoft’s Games with Gold program on Xbox One and Xbox 360, you will need to maintain your subscription to continue playing the game.

Source: Siliconera

Canada Cup Gaming’s Lap Chi Duong recently released a breakdown of the prize pool for this weekend’s Ultra Street Fighter IV tournament at Canada Cup 2014.

While every tournament splits its pot among the top-placing competitors, Canada Cup 2014 is unique in that second through fifth place will find themselves in the money , while the winner of the tournament will instead get a slot for the Canada Cup Master Series early next year as well as any flight and hotel accommodations they may need.

The complete breakdown is as follows:

• 1st place – spot for Master Series + flight + hotel
• 2nd place – 40% of prize pool
• 3rd place – 25% of prize pool
• 4th place – 15% of prize pool
• 5th place (tie) – 10% of prize pool

At the Master Series, the Capcom Cup 2014 winner will take part in an eight-player round robin against previous Canada Cup champions like Mad Catz’ Daigo Umehara, Kazunoko, Xian of Razer, and Qanba’s Xiao Hai, special invite Luffy of Team Meltdown, and Wednesday Night Fights season three champion Snake Eyez, vying for a larger piece of the overall $20,000 CDN prize pool.

Canada Cup 2014 takes place November 7-9 at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino in Calgary, Canada. Meanwhile, the Canada Cup Master Series is scheduled for January 11-15 at the same venue.

Source: Canada Cup Gaming