Some spooky art from UDON to decorate your home, office, lair, whatever.
If you’re a fan of Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, and classic monster movies, these are made just for you! The alternate horror movie tribute covers that have appeared on issues of UDON’s Street Fighter vs. Darkstalkers comic series have now been made available as 16″ x 24″ premium wall prints.
You can add these prints to your decor by heading over to Focus Attack. They’ll cost you $19.95 USD each. The two previously-released wall prints are still available, too — Rob Porter’s “Midnight Bliss” spread for Street Fighter vs. Darkstalkers is still MIA, unfortunately!
Further examination on the foes Zangief must face in the ring.
Muscle is useless without mind to direct it! MrSlaynman has expanded this in-depth match-up examination series, continuing to provide Zangief players with tech, tools, and detailed discussion on how to deal with the opponents the Red Cyclone will face in Street Fighter V.
First, show Shadaloo’s dictator the true strength of muscles — with Discovigilante on board to help:
Next, take on Delta red’s nimble fighter Cammy, featuring Synphony as guest expert:
Keep building up your Muscle Power (and match-up knowledge) with MrSlaynman’s prior installments of “Muscle Memory”:
Qanba have become well-known for offering top-quality arcade sticks, grabbing attention most recently for the Qanba Dragon and Qanba Obsidian, which feature Sanwa Denshi components — and fairly hefty footprints. These sticks are among the biggest available on the market, so if you want to lug them around, something special might be called for. That’s where the Qanba Aegis comes in. Released this summer, the purpose of the Aegis is clear: to provide Qanba’s premium fight sticks with a worthy defense. Qanba provided us with one to test its mettle ourselves, and it was quickly apparent this shield lived up to its ancient reputation.
Visually, this carrier is quite plain — its seems to favor function over style, and that suits it well. The exterior of the Aegis (the name referencing a shield of Greek mythology) is a layered, woven polyester; smooth to the touch, durable, and somewhat water-resistant on the thicker “plated” surfaces. (It is not advertised as waterproof — and while it is sufficient to handle an encounter with a light drizzle or accidental spill, I wouldn’t recommend carrying it around in a torrential downpour or tossing it into the swimming pool.) The stitching was solid and secure on all surfaces and edges of the bag. The various zippers are equipped with big, easy-to-grab tabs, there’s a sturdy top handle, and the base of the bag is reinforced with thick rubber feet.
While the design is fairly sleek (read: flat), it has an impressively large internal capacity, offer plenty of room to Qanba’s hefty sticks. The Obsidian (pictured above) fits very comfortably and securely, and you can see there’s still a bit of room to accommodate the even-beefier Dragon. The means provided to protect your weapon of choice are the thick padding below and around the controller cavity, and a padded stick guard that flops down over the top of the lever. This can also be flattened and secured with velcro strips, if you want to use the Aegis to transport something else that doesn’t have a protruding joystick, like a game console.
While the size is the big plus when dealing with larger fight sticks, the opposite naturally becomes true: for the smaller sticks on the market, you end up with too much extra room. Sticks like the HORI RAP line (pictured below) have a lot of extra space around them, meaning to really secure them, a bit of filler material is necessary. Still, the padding is both thick and soft enough that there is a fair amount of “wiggle room” when it comes to what fits in the Aegis well, and what doesn’t.
It offers a surprising array of storage options aside from the main cavity. The pouch on the front of the bag opens to reveal a compartment chock-full of mesh pouches, perfect for stashing all sorts of gaming-related goodies. There’s a elastic-edged sleeve for a water bottle on the side of the bag, too. And you get to really see how much you can stuff into this thing once you find the laptop sleeve — tucked into the backing of the bag, it’s large enough to slide a full-sized laptop, netbook, or tablet into — even when the carrier is already laden with your fight stick, of course. The Aegis proved comfortable to wear once it was loaded up, distributing weight well with its adjustable straps and its chest-clasp.
Overall, this fight stick carrier offers a huge amount of versatility, and is definitely equipped to protect your precious gaming equipment well. It’s marketed by some outlets as a “luxury” fight stick bag — and while that may sound like hyperbole, it’s hard not to be impressed by the design and quality of this product. It retails for $79.99 USD (check it out at Qanba, eightarc, Amazon, and Focus Attack), which is currently lower-priced than other carriers out there that don’t have as many perks. In my own Obsidian review, I mused that I wasn’t likely to take the Obsidian to an event or local due to the stick’s size and weight — but this carrier has convinced me otherwise. If you own (or are planning to pick up) a Qanba Obsidian or Dragon, I would consider this an essential accessory.
Pros
basic but appealing visual design
fits larger-cased arcade sticks easily and securely
impressive and versatile array of included non-controller-related storage options
reasonable cost compared to other products on the market
Cons
smaller arcade sticks may not fit in this carrier securely
Only ten of these have been made, for ten of the FGC’s finest.
Red Bull Esports has been busy making sure that the 30th Anniversary of Street Fighter is a year to remember. In addition to special events at Red Bull Battle Grounds in Boston and special edition cans of Red Bull for Street Fighter fans to enjoy, they’s also sent out some slightly mysterious and very impressive commemorative gift packages to prominent members of the FGC — along with a bit of help from UDON and Razer. Behold: The World Warrior Luggage.
This big vintage suitcase is marked on the outside with custom stickers — that are all Street Fighter-related character gags or references — and a “Red Bull Line” luggage tag. The case itself is locked with a combination lock that needs a four-digit code to open (hint: what year were both Red Bull and Street Fighter created…?).
When the suitcase is opened, the startup screen song from Street Fighter II plays. Inside, the classic stage-select map from the game can be seen — with the addition of Austria’s Red Bull headquarters. It includes one of each of the five aforementioned SFV character cans (going into wide release in November), and when each can is lifted out, sound effects related to that fighter can be heard. There’s lots of other details under the lid, and a pocket that contains a customized World Warrior Passport, with artwork, stickers, and more.
The central feature of the luggage is a Razer Panthera with custom Street Fighter 30th Anniversary artwork from UDON. The SFV characters on the panel art seem to have unusual outfit colors…
You can get another look at the art thanks to LAYERS FGC on Twitter. To finish it all off, under the fight stick there is a limited-edition art print by Ben Marra, featuring the original SFII playable roster, and including a certificate of authenticity.
This ultra rare gift package has been sent to only ten people: Yoshinori Ono, Daigo Umehara, Snake Eyez, Bonchan, Luffy, Alex Valle, Alex Jebailey, Maximilian, Mark Julio, and Carolyn Dao. Certainly a spectacular way to thank some of the hardest-working folks in the FGC! Meanwhile: the rest of us can only look on, and seethe with envy.
Earth Federation, OZ, ZAFT, Celestial Being, Tekkadan… Choose your allegiance and prepare for battle.
Gundam Versus has a massive roster of mobile suits that you can take into its team-based arena battles. Bandai Namco fired out a series of feature trailers — running both before and after the game’s release — to introduce us to the considerable selection of mobile suits and pilots included in the base game (even more are available as DLC). Check them out below!
For an overview of Gundam Versus‘ gameplay mechanics to get you started, check out UnlimitedBrettWorks’ basics guide. Gundam Versus is available now for PlayStation 4.
A look behind the scenes of the growing platform fighter.
Brawlout is one of multiple offshoots of the Super Smash Bros. model that are vying for attention as the subgenre grows. As the game has gradually built itself up on Steam Early Access, developer Angry Mob Games has their sights set on bringing their title to the console market, starting on the Switch, with version following for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One afterwards.
We caught up with Bogdan Iliesiu, CEO of Angry Mob Games, to find out some more about both the development and the future of Brawlout. (Responses have been edited for clarity.)
Zavian “mushin_Z” Sildra: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. To start: in what ways does Brawlout distinguish itself from Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series?
Bogdan Iliesiu: While Brawlout is based on the “platform fighter” genre which was established by the Super Smash Bros. series, the fighting game mechanics are inspired from more traditional fighters — like Street Fighter, Tekken or Mortal Kombat. The movement and win rules are really where any similarity lines can be drawn to Super Smash Bros. We’ve focused on more fast-paced battles, faster movement and a lot more aggressive combat style for all characters. Brawlout is combo-oriented, with block and grab buttons totally removed, and this takes away the defensive playstyles found in Smash. Instead of having to read the opponent’s moves, and reacting to them (in the rock-paper-scissor/attack-block-grab style), all you need to focus on is your movement flow and anticipating your opponent’s trajectory around the stage.
We also introduced the Rage Meter. It’s charged by dealing damage, or even faster by taking damage. When half-filled, it gives you the option to do a Rage Burst, which acts more like a combo breaker in Mortal Kombat (you can interrupt your hitstun, or even use it to do several air moves — such as two recoveries — when activated in air). When the Rage Meter is full, you can go into Rage Mode. This lets you deal more knockback, while lessening your own when hit.
The main difference is the character playstyles. They are not duplicates of Smash movesets, but instead all designed around established fighting games archetypes, or fun action games mechanics. For example, King Apu wields a long chain, similar to the main protagonist in Castlevania, while Olaf Tyson combines close range boxing moves with long range freezing attacks (à la Sub-Zero). Whether you’re a die-hard grappler or a rushdown fiend, there is a fighter for you in Brawlout.
The meta game outside the main play modes are a totally unique fighting-platformer experience, likened to modern online games, similar to Overwatch or Injustice 2, with progression mechanics and robust online tools, like: 1v1 Casual matches for low-stress competition; 1v1 Ranked matches; 2-4 player private lobbies where players can practice or mess about to their heart’s content; the Brawlout Network where players can check their fight stats, match history and replays; Brawlout TV, which allows for live spectating and watching of specific player replays; and weekly competitive tournaments for those looking to prove their Brawlout skills.
mushin_Z: Do you have any long-term plans for esports/tournament support for this title?
Iliesiu: We definitely do! As soon as we launch on consoles, we’ll ramp up both our online and offline tournament efforts, and try to host our own tournaments in Europe and North America to foster the Brawlout community. So far we’ve had a great reception at all tournaments we’ve attended; Super Smash Con, PAX, Gamescom, EGX, and many more. We have plans to raise the prize pools as the community grows, and more top players rise up to pro status.
mushin_Z: Which fighter on the current roster is your favorite?
Iliesiu: Personally, I like both Sephi’ra and the Drifter — from Hyper Light Drifter — because they give you so many movement options, both on the ground and in air. That means you can easily follow up on your attacks and chain some amazing combos.
mushin_Z: Let’s talk a bit about the Drifter, the indie guest character — what brought about their inclusion?
Iliesiu: Ever since we settled on the various play styles we wanted to add, we knew we needed an amazing sword fighter. With a sword fighter, you get those disjointed hitboxes, which bring a new experience and strategy. The Drifter from the indie gem Hyper Light Drifter had such an amazing kit, and it was one of the dream characters we all loved. We were lucky that Alex from Heart Machine (the HLD developer) is a hardcore fighting games fan, and really loved Brawlout when he tried it out.
Working on integrating Hyper Light Drifter was a long process, even if we had clear design ideas for most of his moves. In all, it took us over eight months to finish him from modeling, to animations, and then to the final balancing.
mushin_Z: What specific challenges were there in bringing the Drifter into Brawlout‘s game system?
Iliesiu: We always add new features to our fighting game engine, with each new play style. We basically had to add proper support for disjointed hitboxes to accommodate his sword-basedplaystyle, which change their shape during attack animations. We then had to do some special type of hits for his long dash attacks (to keep the opponent moving with him, while staying stunned). You can drag your opponent all over the air, by linking up to three different types of special air dash attacks. [See the reveal video above.]
His Deflect move was another iconic Hyper Light Drifter move, and it made so much sense to turn it into something similar to Fox’s Shine in Smash. The Drifter has been compared to Fox+Marth, with better movement options.
mushin_Z: How heavily has player feedback from the game’s Steam Early Access period affected the game’s current build?
Iliesiu: The main reason why we released in Early Access was to gather player feedback. We try to update the game every couple of weeks, based on our top players’ feedback, and we’re always on discord.gg/Brawlout, open to new ideas.
As soon as we launched, we had a ton of requests for adding Ledge Grabs. That was an easy decision and we quickly added it, as it made the game more fun for newcomers and more technical for the pro players. The aim is to get it to a really fun and balanced place, and slow down on tweaking balance figures after the console launch. This way top players can perfect their skills, and we wouldn’t be interfering with their strategies with new updates. In the near future, we’re also planning to add more advanced gameplay techniques, like teching or meteor canceling.
mushin_Z: What are the biggest reasons a Smash fan would want to pick up Brawlout?
Iliesiu: Smash players would find it easy to slide into Brawlout, as all their experience would easily carry over. We avoided creating a direct Smash Bros. clone in order to make players feel at home, but instead brought in new gameplay mechanics and new play styles, based on the inputs and platforming mechanics they already love.
The Smash community is one of the most amazing communities out there. It’s very personal, and that’s what keeps them attending every single event. It’s rare these days, with all the online games available, to develop close, personal relationships between players. But the Smash community got there from games like Melee, which don’t offer the smooth modern online networking, and instead makes them gather around for fun experiences. We don’t realistically expect the top Smash players to switch over to Brawlout, but it’s super easy to pick up our game as a fun alternative, which they could play in their free time, or join our many friendly weekly tournaments.
mushin_Z: When can we expect to see the game make its way to consoles?
Iliesiu: We’re super hard at work on the Nintendo Switch version. It’s going to be so much fun to battle with friends in Brawlout on the go. The simplified inputs also make it super straightforward to play with the Joy-Cons detached (in Dual Mode). Our aim is to get it out on Nintendo Switch this holiday season (which means a likely early December release). The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions will launch early 2018.
mushin_Z: Any new surprises we can look forward to?
Iliesiu: Yes! We’ll be bringing out a whopping total of eighteen new character variations, later this year! We’re also polishing a brand new guest character this October, with rampant personality and brawler skills; they’ll feel right at home in Brawlout.
Shoryuken‘s own Assistant Editor Sam “Trilby” Foxall also contributed to the development of Brawlout, by writing the game’s story mode — to be added in a future build — as well as providing names for many of the in-game elements. You can check out the current Steam Early Access version of the game here.
Welcome to the Rollback: a frame-by-frame look back at our past week’s most notable news — and our favorite SRK articles — from October 20 to October 26, 2017!
Now that Zeku has been added to Street Fighter V, we can see for ourselves how the question of his connection to the Strider universe is pretty much put to rest by his Character Story. It’s still cool to see how his SFV models — both young and old — share Strider Hiryu’s movement patterns.
Missing Person talks about what got Liquid|NuckleDu to his Capcom Cup championship in 2016, and what he needs to keep in mind to hold the top spot in SFV this year.
In this video, LudicRyan describes how Nidhogg II blends the simplicity of other indie fighters with the design concepts of Street Fighter and its like — and how the life bar is still there, just not where we’re used to seeing it!
After some amazing performances throughout the CPT, Punk is looking like the man to beat going into Capcom Cup. Missing Person looks at his chances for taking home the trophy — with the demon Tokido in the way.
Not content with seeing the world’s best Tekken players going at it, the TWT Finals in November will have a special DBFZ exhibition — with Perfect Legend going up against Sonic Fox. Let’s hope it’s not another 13-0…
Fire up the rumor mill folks, as the latest firmware update for the Nintendo Switch has made the Wii U GameCube adapter work with the console. While many minds will no doubt think Smash is on the way, I’m more looking forward to a GameCube Virtual Console.
Quite apart from the excellent wordplay in the headline, this is a fascinating development for Echo Fox. The team has been performing excellently in recent times, so it’s no surprise that there is some interest from places outside the FGC.
Since I’m based in the UK, it always brings a smile to my face when a player from home turf get good results. Imstilldadaddy has a great story, and this interview with SRK is well worth a read.
Capcom wants to know who your favorite Street Fighter character is, and why it is Cody. I mean, who wouldn’t love the strongest man in the Street Fighter universe? Anyway, go vote for Cody.
The Evolution Championship Series will return to Mandalay Bay in August 2018! Soak in the hype from this reveal trailer, and get ready for next summer’s big battle.
Cracking open a Red Bull next month can get you some in-game Street Fighter V swag.
Red Bull already has big plans to mark the 30th Anniversary of Street Fighter with all the goodies they have planned for Red Bull Battle Grounds, but that’s not all they have on the way to mark the occasion. Starting on November 1st, Red Bull will release five special edition Street Fighter cans of their energy drink, decorated with the likenesses of Chun-Li, Guile, Ken, Ryu, and Zangief.
The cans feature not only Street Fighter V character art, but each will have codes under the tab that can be redeemed for in-game content (such as Red Bull skins) on the PlayStation 4 version of the game. A scan-to-unlock Snapcode on the can will reveal unique Street Fighter filters tied to the specific character on the can, with one can unlocking an interactive lens. You can redeem multiple codes, and they will be valid to redeem until next April.
The cans will be available in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Germany, and Italy, so you’ll want to keep an eye out for these cans in those regions next month. Head over to Red Bull’s Street Fighter page for more info as it arises.
The loss of a limb or two is no reason to stop a good fight.
Flux Game Studio’s gory indie fighter GUTS (a.k.a.: Gory Ultimate Tournament Show) will be arriving on Steam soon; dismemberment is central to the basic gameplay mechanics of this blood-spraying comedy fighting game.
Check out the pre-launch trailer for GUTS below; it provides some story context for this ridiculous gorefest, as well as some details on the playable cast. (Contains some NSFW narration!)
GUTS has been pushed forward from its previously reported October 31 release date to November 15, 2017, still for $19.99 USD. In the meantime, you can still try the demo on its Steam page.
The battle for the stones intensifies — with the arrival of the King of Wakanda.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite‘s DLC character additions have certainly made an impact on the game; while Monster Hunter and Sigma grabbed most of the community’s attention first, we’re now seeing more of the trickier third newcomer, Black Panther. Here’s what has crossed our path so far.
Combo virtuoso desk — in between spending some time with SFV’s new addition Zeku — has completed this combo video featuring what the technical Black Panther brings into the fight; are these truly the toughest combos in the entire game?
Here’s Brian Kasugano’s take on Black Panther’s combo potential:
rooflemonger has prepared a Black Panther combo guide…
… And a closer look at his wall cling cancels!
rooflemonger also isn’t finished working with the “ungawaifu” Monster Hunter; check out these tips and tricks:
And here’s some for the nefarious Sigma:
Apolo Loussalier shows what Sigma can do in their own combo video:
HapkidoRed tries their hand at Sigma as well.
How about the base roster? Here are some Strider Hiryu combos:
cjbqulix sent in this collection of combos and mixups for Doctor Strange and Thanos, featuring the Time and Power stones:
Sigma joins forces with Thanos for some heavy combo damage:
Useless? Maybe, but looking cool is what Dante is all about:
Visually, this carrier is quite plain — its seems to favor function over style, and that suits it well. The exterior of the Aegis (the name referencing a shield of Greek mythology) is a layered, woven polyester; smooth to the touch, durable, and somewhat water-resistant on the thicker “plated” surfaces. (It is not advertised as waterproof — and while it is sufficient to handle an encounter with a light drizzle or accidental spill, I wouldn’t recommend carrying it around in a torrential downpour or tossing it into the swimming pool.) The stitching was solid and secure on all surfaces and edges of the bag. The various zippers are equipped with big, easy-to-grab tabs, there’s a sturdy top handle, and the base of the bag is reinforced with thick rubber feet.
Overall, this fight stick carrier offers a huge amount of versatility, and is definitely equipped to protect your precious gaming equipment well. It’s marketed by some outlets as a “luxury” fight stick bag — and while that may sound like hyperbole, it’s hard not to be impressed by the design and quality of this product. It retails for $79.99 USD (check it out at 
When the suitcase is opened, the startup screen song from Street Fighter II plays. Inside, the classic stage-select map from the game can be seen — with the addition of Austria’s Red Bull headquarters. It includes one of each of the five aforementioned SFV character cans (going into wide release in November), and when each can is lifted out, sound effects related to that fighter can be heard. There’s lots of other details under the lid, and a pocket that contains a customized World Warrior Passport, with artwork, stickers, and more.
We also introduced the Rage Meter. It’s charged by dealing damage, or even faster by taking damage. When half-filled, it gives you the option to do a Rage Burst, which acts more like a combo breaker in Mortal Kombat (you can interrupt your hitstun, or even use it to do several air moves — such as two recoveries — when activated in air). When the Rage Meter is full, you can go into Rage Mode. This lets you deal more knockback, while lessening your own when hit.
Nintendo Switch 4.0.0 update has added GameCube controller functionality
The New York Yankees are taking a swing at esports by joining up with Echo Fox via an “investor partnership”
Shoryuken interview: Imstilldadaddy talks about his life, his characters, and Gfinity Series
The CFN Portal is currently holding a massive Street Fighter character popularity poll
Prepare for the next fight: Evo 2018’s date and location revealed in the official announcement trailer
