Dead or Alive Creator Believes Latest Installment Has Ruined Franchise

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Tomonobu Itagaki has never been one to keep his opinions to himself, and his latest shot was taken at a series he himself helped create.

Itagaki, who is currently working on the Wii U title Devil’s Third as part of Valhalla Game Studios, recently responded to a critical statement made by a fan with regards to Dead or Alive’s direction after the developer’s highly publicized resignation from Tecmo Koei in 2008.

In his response, Itagaki agreed with the sentiments expressed by the initial poster and those that followed, saying, “[Dead or Alive] was totally ruined, spoiled. I can’t/shouldn’t avert my eyes from that fact.” He followed that up by saying he is interested in doing something for the franchise after his work on current projects has completed, though what that something is remains to be seen.

Itagaki hasn’t worked on a major title in the series since 2006’s Dead or Alive 4 due to the aforementioned parting of ways with Tecmo, but the fighter survives to this day without his input thanks to multiple iterations of the fifth installment. Another update, Last Round, is scheduled to release in February of next year, with upgraded graphics for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, balance changes, and new characters.

Whether you agree or disagree with Itagaki, his emotions are understandable for a man typically seen as the father of the Dead or Alive series (which he’s referred to as his daughter in previous instances), though they could also be construed as sour grapes from a developer no longer in control of a franchise.

In any case, it’s rather hard to see him returning to the series any time soon thanks to his strained relationship with Tecmo Koei, so any hopes of a glorious rebirth for Dead or Alive under his leadership should certainly be tempered.

Source: Tomonobu Itagaki via Siliconera

Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-‘s Leo Whitefang Available in Japan on December 18

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According to Siliconera, the latest issue of Famitsu has announced that Leo Whitefang, the second downloadable character in Arc System Works’ upcoming fighter Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, will be making his way to consoles on December 18 with fellow debutante Elphelt Valentine.

Leo, who we know to be a major part of the game’s story as one of three ruling kings, utilizes a unique stance where he faces away from the opponent. Brunhild, as the fighting style is named, takes away his ability to air block but grants him access to stronger attacks and extra mobility. Unconfirmed leaks have also made mention of an anti-air projectile, but details are still scarce.

Similar to Elphelt, Leo will cost ¥800 (~$6.74) upon release; unlike her, however, it’s currently unknown if he will be free for a limited time in North America.

Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- is scheduled to launch in Japan on December 4, and will be available in the west starting December 16.

Source: Famitsu via Siliconera

UltraChen TV Streaming Live – Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Primer with D’Ron “D1″ Maingrette and Gonzalo Barrios

UltraChen TV is back with yet another broadcast, and a whole new slate of topics to discuss. Tonight, the entire show will be dedicated to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. UltraDavid and James Chen will be discussing the latest entry in Nintendo’s popular fighting franchise with D’Ron “D1″ Maingrette, so be sure to tune in if you’re interested in learning a bit more about the game.

The stream will be live in this article, but you can also visit Twitch to join the chat.

Watch live video from ultrachentv on www.twitch.tv

Source: UltraChen TV, featured image courtesy of Kara “Karaface” Leung

Get Your Evo Swag at Half-Off During Cyber Monday Sale

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Walking the Evolution floor this year, I couldn’t help but be floored by the sheer variety of clothing they’ve offered over the years. It was everywhere I looked, from the divisive, bright orange shirt worn by Joey “Mr. Wizard” Cuellar to the judge-exclusive apparel that singled them out as pool runners.

If you missed out on visiting the Gaming Generations booth at Evo 2014 and picking up some of this year’s offerings, you’re in luck, because all Evo memorabilia is currently on sale for Cyber Monday. Everything from tank tops to pullovers to beanies and more has been marked down by half in honor of this online shopping tradition, so feel free to visit the official shop to pick up anything you may want.

While it should go without saying, please note that sizes are limited. The sale ends later tonight, so get shopping!

Super Smash Weekend feat. Project M Streaming Live from Super Arcade

Super Arcade’s dedicated broadcast just went live with another installment of Super Smash Weekend, coming at you live from their venue in Walnut, California. Presented in collaboration with Team AEGIS, this biweekly tournament series provides an excellent look at Southern California’s Smash community through both singles and doubles tournaments for popular Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl mod Project M, which take alternating turns in the headline position.

If you’re interested in checking future events out for yourself, we’ve included Super Arcade’s address below. Further information can be found on Smash Boards.

1211 N Grand Avenue
Walnut, CA 91789

The stream will be live in this article, but you can also head on over to Twitch if you prefer to chat with other viewers.

Watch live video from SuperDojo on www.twitch.tv

Source: Super Dojo

Juri, Hakan, Evil Ryu, Oni, and Poison Go Omega in Ultra Street Fighter IV

Thanksgiving wasn’t enough to keep Capcom from providing yet another look at the changes coming to a handful of characters in Ultra Street Fighter IV’s forthcoming Omega Mode update. This time around, Tomoaki Ayano describes the new tools Juri, Hakan, Evil Ryu, Oni, and Poison will have when this unique gameplay addition becomes available next month.

Some of the more interesting additions include a launcher for Hakan, Evil Ryu’s grounded air fireball, and a low-damage, high-stun attack for Poison. Check out the full breakdown below and let us know what you think.

Juri

Jyafuten

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Juri uses the power of the Feng Shui Engine to gather power at her feet. From here she can perform a couple of move variations.

Press forward and release the button for Fusatsusen. This is a kick move that varies depending on the button pressed.

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The fierce version results in a double rising kick. It deals a lot of damage and can be used as a follow-up move in many different situations.

Press backwards and release the button for Shotenha, a kick-launcher move. Of course, you can follow up afterwards too.

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It’s a great set-up for her super!

Jyafuten gives Juri new options for her mid- and close-range attacks. I feel like this update really solidifies Juri’s fighting style: Tae Kwon Do expertly mixed with the unique Feng Shui Engine.

My inspiration: The explosive Feng Shui Engine!

Hakan

Hakan Launcher: A new move that lifts the opponent into the air.

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After the opponent is launched, you can cancel into an Oil Shower. Once you get the hang of this move, you can even hit the opponent with follow-up attacks! The EX version turns into a hit-throw, and once the opponent has been sent crashing to the ground, Hakan automatically follows up with an Oil Shower!

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Hakan Splitter: Hold fierce punch for a knockdown attack. It starts up slowly, but it’s an overhead attack that’s good for toppling your opponent.

In Omega, Hakan will also be able to cancel his existing moves. This feature, combined with his new moves, gives him a whole lot of chances to oil up. He’s also got new feint variations to throw his opponents off their game. I think Hakan’s a really interesting character and I love the Omega take on him.

My inspiration: The slippery king.

Evil Ryu

Rakuyo Hadoken: A fireball that goes straight up, and then flies down at an angle!

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We wanted to give Evil Ryu a Zanku Hadoken he could use without having to jump. This move leaves Evil Ryu pretty open, but it can be a very powerful tool: knock your opponent down and then use this to help set up your offense. This is a new type of fireball for the SF series, so it’s going to be interesting seeing players try it out.

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Ryukosai: A stronger, multi-hitting version of Ryusokyaku that uses two bars of super meter. The first hit breaks armor and hits overhead, making this a great move for breaking through your opponent’s defense!

Evil Ryu also has new target combos that can combo into Ryukosai.

Man, has this guy got some cool-looking combos or what? With new command normals, new target combos, and new special moves as well, he’s a fun character that leaves you left wanting for nothing!

My inspiration: A new way to use the Satsui no Hado.

Oni

Mu: A powerful Shoryuken-like move that uses two bars of meter.

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What goes up…

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…must come down! Hard!

The first hit has armor break properties and locks them into the move, so you don’t have to worry about the opponent falling out and you eating big damage for it.

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Kyoseijin: This move starts off with the same jump that his Sekisei Jiraiken uses, but after that he can go into Tenma Rakuseikyaku (a dive kick), Zanku Hadoken, or use his Sekisei Jiraiken. This gives him a lot more options for his aerial assault.

With more attack patterns and new moves that deal big damage from the air, Omega Oni is a fun character that’s easy to use.

My inspiration: A demon dancing through the sky.

Poison

Honey Trap

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This is an anti-air projectile move. This blown kiss does very, very little damage, but in return dishes out a lot of stun. That’s very Poison-like, wouldn’t you say? After connecting in mid-air, you can follow up with an attack, giving you a good chance to land another one of her high stun-dealing moves. The EX version uses two bars and…well, I’ll let you figure out what happens on your own.

EX Whip of Love: You no longer have to do the additional inputs for the full move. After it hits, it’ll connect automatically; the final hit is quite electrifying!

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You know, the important thing about this move is…that it just looks cool! And that’s as important as anything else!

Poison’s regular projectile, Aeolus Edge, has undergone some heavy changes. That, together with her new Honey Trap, makes Poison more of a projectile character. I’m going to continue repping her in Omega edition, of course!

My inspiration: Sparkling pink!

Source: Capcom-Unity

Idolmaster vs. Love Live? Tomoaki Ayano, Toshimichi Mori, and Takahara Terada Discuss Dream Fighting Game Projects

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As part of last week’s issue, Dengeki PlayStation gathered together a group of prominent fighting game developers for a roundtable interview on the genre. Unfortunately, the whole article has yet to be translated, but one interesting topic has slipped out about what kind of fighter each figure would create given the chance.

Capcom’s Tomoaki Ayano started out by saying he would move away from the 2D gameplay the company has come to be known for in titles like Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom in favor of a more three-dimensional, team-based game similar to Bandai Namco Games’ Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. series.

Both Toshimichi Mori of Arc System Works (best known for his work on BlazBlue) and Sega’s Takahara Terada (director on Dengeki Bunko FIGHTING CLIMAX) expressed interest in developing a fighting game centered on the popular idol franchise Love Live!, though in very different capacities.

As a Dengeki property, Terada is hoping to include characters from the series (as well as other companies’ light novels) should they be given the greenlight to create a sequel to FIGHTING CLIMAX, while Mori would rather pair them up with The Idolmaster to form a unique crossover title.

Until the release of FIGHTING CLIMAX this year, I doubt many fans expected to be able to play as Kirino from Oreimo or Ro-Kyu-Bu!’s Tomoka in a fighting game, so there’s probably never been a better time for an idol fighter to hit the market than now–that is, unless Katsuhiro Harada hasn’t already secured the rights for Bandai Namco.

Which of these projects would pique your interest the most if they were to begin development?

Source: Dengeki PlayStation via gamekana, Hachima Kikou, and Gematsu

Team Curse Signs Du “NuckleDu” Dang

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While he only started playing fighting games competitively a few years ago, Du “Nuckledu” Dang has certainly made a name for himself with his pressuring Guile play in Street Fighter IV and some impressive wins in Street Fighter x Tekken. Next month, Dang will be competing at Capcom Cup 2014 thanks to strong showings at Evo 2014 and The Fall Classic 2014, and he’ll be doing so under a completely new banner.

Team Curse announced just this morning that the young competitor has joined their organization, focusing mainly on Ultra Street Fighter IV. “I am honored to be signed by Curse as their first Street Fighter player,” Du said of his signing. “I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me!”

The organization also fields Smash players Kashan “Chillindude” Khan and Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma as part of their roster, in addition to multiple League of Legends.

For too long, Dang suffered due to his affiliation with other development companies, so it should be exciting to see what he can accomplish as part of Team Curse.

Source: Team Curse

Happy Thanksgiving from Shoryuken!

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Thanksgiving had to be my favorite holiday growing up. Aside from the mountains of delicious food my humongous family would cook up every year, it also gave me the opportunity to meet up with cousins I hadn’t seen at all throughout the year, laugh it up, and beat their asses in video games. While fighters weren’t always on the docket (Mario Kart 64, Mario Party, and Mario Lemieux Hockey were perennial favorites), the sense of competition and camaraderie were not unlike what I regularly experienced with my second family in my go-to genre.

Fortunately, I have a ton to be thankful for these days as well. Fighting games are more popular than they have ever been thanks to developers like Capcom, Arc System Works, NetherRealm Studios, and Iron Galaxy Studios, who refuse to let the genre go without new representatives every year. It’s also, without a doubt, thanks to the competitive community that soldiered on through the dark ages, playing classics and continuing to build hype for this amazing group of video games.

Even though we may scream our heads off, talk shit, and break controllers, those outbursts are just the visible representation of our passion for fighting games.

That’s why, today, we here at Shoryuken have a ton of people to thank–too many to list, in fact. First off, we want to thank the aforementioned studios (not to mention countless others) who continue to provide us new fighters to mess around with. We also want to thank the tournament organizers and streamers who continue to put on events, even though at times they can be the most thankless job in the community. A special shoutout is also reserved for folks like Super Arcade’s Mike Watson and Next Level’s Henry Cen, who still provide local venues for folks to get offline and gather with like-minded fans of the genre.

But, most of all, Shoryuken wants to thank you, the people who continue to visit our website. We would quite literally not be here without the constant support of the community.

Now it’s your turn; what are you thankful for? Maybe Ultra Street Fighter IV gave your favorite character some much-needed buffs? Or perhaps BlazBlue: Chronophantasma finally made your dream of playing as a beautiful, scarf-wielding dancer a reality? You may even want to provide your own shoutout to community members in the comments below. Anything goes, as long as it’s respectful of course.

We may not be perfect, but the fighting game community has provided me with more happy memories than any of my other interests, and I personally thank each and every one of you for keeping the genre alive. Happy Thanksgiving–grab a heaping serving of stuffing for me.

Smash @ Xanadu feat. Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. 64 Streaming Live

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The folks over at VG Bootcamp recently went live with another installment of Smash @ Xanadu from Xanadu Games in Baltimore, Maryland. These weekly broadcasts provide a great look at the region’s Smash community, and tonight’s installment will feature competition in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. 64.

If you’re interested in some Smash Bros. action, be sure to tune in. The stream is live below, but you can also head on over to Twitch to join the chat.

Watch live video from VGBootCamp on www.twitch.tv

Source: VG Bootcamp