Ian “iantothemax” Walker – Page 27

February 2, 2016

King of Fighters XIV Producer Hints at Future Character Reveals

When you have a universe as varied as SNK Playmore, you’re always going to be inundated with questions as to who will be playable in King of Fighters. Originally conceived as a dream match of sorts between their various properties, the franchise has always garnered a ton of attention, and King of Fighters XIV is no different.

During a recent interview with GAME Watch, producer Yasuyuki Oda provided some clues on parts of the roster that have yet to be revealed. “I can’t reveal the number,” he explained, according to translations by MM Cafe, “but there’s quite a few of them when you include the new characters and SNK characters.” Those of you who read Shoryuken on a regular basis likely understand what that last statement might mean.

Back in November, we reported on a rumored cast list. Among the regulars, newcomers, and surprises, the rumor stated that the roster might include an Alternate World Team comprised of Samurai Shodown’s Nakoruru, Sky Love’s Love Heart, and Dragon Gal’s Mui Mui. Oda’s mention of “SNK characters” may be a small confirmation that these guest characters are the real deal, or perhaps that more fan favorites are moving up to the big leagues.

Later on, Oda was asked a question concerning King of Fighters’ popularity in China and whether or not the developers are taking steps to make sure the region is represented in the final cast. While no specifics were mentioned, the producer did reveal that King of Fighters XIV will feature Chinese characters as well as a stage set in the East Asian country.

Back to the possible roster leak! In this case, Oda may be referencing either the Chinese team comprised of Fatal Fury’s Tung Fu Rue and his two new associates, or perhaps the Psycho Soldier squad (pictured above) comprised of Athena Asamiya, Sie Kensou, and Chin Gentsai, who in games past have taken up the mantle themselves.

In any case, these details should give King of Fighters fans a lot to think on while waiting for the title to drop on PlayStation 4 this year. For more translations of GAME Watch’s discussion with Oda, be sure to follow the link below to MMCafe.

Source: GAME Watch via MMCafe, tip via NightmareSteam

February 2, 2016

Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-‘s Kum Haehyun is Easy to Learn, Difficult to Master

While an air of mystery has surrounded Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- newcomer Kum Haehyun since her reveal, Gematsu has some new details straight from Arc System Works regarding her place in the title.

Guilty Gear has come to be known for flashy visuals and high execution, but Kum subverts the latter with her playstyle. Instead of lengthy combos, she focuses on doling out damage with single hits.

That being said, her specials revolve around the idea of performance, with additional inputs changing the way they function. The examples provided include a dropkick transition into a rush-style attack as well as missiles that can be controlled with extra button presses.

All in all, the developers say she was created with the mindset of “easy to handle, difficult to master.”

Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- is set to launch on consoles in Japan on May 26, with a North American release following soon after on June 7. Kum Haehyun will be a first-print bonus included with early copies.

Source: Gematsu

February 1, 2016

Northwest Majors 8 Heading to Washington in April

Northwest Majors is gearing up for an eighth installment, and it’s looking to be their biggest event yet.

In 2016, the tournament series will feature a wide array of titles, including newcomer Street Fighter V, Ultra Street Fighter IV, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Mortal Kombat X, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Under Night In-Bith Exe:Late, and more.

Northwest Majors 8 is scheduled for April 29-March 1 in Des Moines, Washington. More details can be found by following the link below. Registration is currently open, so be sure to take advantage of the early bird rate before it expires later this week.

Source: Northwest Majors

February 1, 2016

NorCal Regionals 2016 Scheduled for March 25-27

Late last night, the folks behind the NorCal Regionals tournament series announced details for this year’s installment.

NorCal Regionals 2016 will return to Sacramento, California the weekend of March 25 with an expanded lineup featuring Street Fighter V, Ultra Street Fighter IV, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Mortal Kombat X. They will also be designated a premier event on the Capcom Pro Tour, making it a prime destination for automatic Capcom Cup qualification.

As always, community organizers can get their favorite games added to the list of side events should they meet a few requirements, so check out the official site for more details and registration info.

Source: NorCal Regionals

February 1, 2016

NorCal Regionals 2016 Scheduled for March 25-27

Late last night, the folks behind the NorCal Regionals tournament series announced details for this year’s installment.

Source: NorCal Regionals

January 31, 2016

Pokkén Tournament Adds Chandelure on February 9

At the conclusion of Nico Nico Tokaigi’s Pokkén Tournament competition, Bandai Namco Entertainment’s Katsuhiro Harada and Masaaki Hoshino took the stage to reveal gameplay footage for the game’s next character, Chandelure.

As you’ll see in the trailer below, this interesting Pokémon appears to use a mixture of long-reaching normals and tricky tactics to pressure the opponent.

Chandelure will join the Pokkén Tournament cast in arcades on February 9. The title is set to launch for Wii U worldwide on March 18.

Source: Pokkén Tournament via Serebii, Perfectly Nintendo, tip via ShinonTalents

January 31, 2016

Nico Nico Tokaigi 2016 Pokkén Tournament Finals Streaming Live from Game Party Japan

Of the nine games announced for Evo 2016, newcomer Pokkén Tournament was arguably the most surprising. Despite releasing in Japanese arcades last summer, competitive footage seems to be lacking when compared to your Street Fighters, Guilty Gears, and Tekkens.

Fortunately, you can get a taste of high-level Pokkén play tonight courtesy of Game Party Japan. The convention is currently hosting the finals of Nico Nico Tokaigi, and you can catch the action live right now.

The official broadcast has been included below, but you can also head on over to Niconico if you would like to chat. Expect lots and lots of Gengars, as well as a special gameplay reveal for Chandelure, the next Pokémon to join this unique fighting game.

Source: Pokkén Tournament via Source Gaming, special thanks to PushDustin for his contributions.

January 31, 2016

Bayonetta, Corrin Heading to Super Smash Bros. on February 4

Near the end of the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Niconico Championship, representatives from Nintendo including director Masahiro Sakurai took the stage to show off the game’s next two downloadable characters. The big news, however, came near the end.

Bayonetta and Fire Emblem Fates’ Corrin will be available starting February 4. As of now, that date only pertains to Japan, but if previous releases are anything to go by this will likely be a global launch.

These characters will be individually priced at $5.99 / ¥650 for each platform, or you can drop $6.99 / ¥750 apiece to get them on both Wii U and 3DS.

Source: Nintendo via SourceGaming

January 31, 2016

Killer Instinct Teaser Hints at Halo Guest Character

While we were still reeling from our first look at Kim Wu, the Killer Instinct developers dropped yet another preview of the upcoming season’s content.

Look familiar? Smart money is on The Arbiter, a major player in the overall Halo narrative that was playable alongside franchise face Master Chief in Halo 2, joining the cast as a guest character.

He’s not the first, thanks to Rash of the Battletoads making the scene last year, but he certainly raises the game’s profile. The teaser above was first shown between matches during the Halo World Championship Tour stop at X Games Aspen, far away from the fighting game tournaments that are already familiar with Killer Instinct.

More details will likely come during tomorrow’s Killer Instinct World Cup final, so stay tuned.

Source: Killer Instinct via NeoGAF

January 31, 2016

F.A.N.G Won’t Be Playable in Street Fighter V’s Final Beta Test

With the various Street Fighter V beta tests, Capcom has given the community unparalleled access to the upcoming title, but one thing has been missing all this time: F.A.N.G.

Sure, he was only revealed in December, but with Street Fighter V’s final beta session in full swing, players were hopeful that the newcomer might make an appearance sometime before it ends. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case.

While providing some final details on the testing period, associate producer Peter “Combofiend” Rosas sadly revealed that the Shadaloo second-in-command’s poison abilities will not be unleashed on the community. “We wanted to include F.A.N.G as well, but he’s too busy plotting at the Shadaloo base to take on the Street Fighters,” he explained. “Guess we’ll have to wait a few weeks to see him in action!”

Street Fighter V’s last beta test is currently open, and will be until January 31 at 7 PM PST, 10 PM EST. The finished game is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 4 and PC on February 16.

Source: Capcom-Unity