Sindel is Mortal Kombat X’s Latest Invasion Boss

With the knowledge that a second Kombat Pack is coming to Mortal Kombat X in 2016 and not much else, fans of the series have been scrambling to make sense of the teaser shared by NetherRealm Studios creative director Ed Boon. Who could be behind those mysterious silhouettes? One answer may lie within the title’s latest invasion.

Mortal Kombat X features a cooperative online mode that allows players to choose between a handful of factions and compete to put their group over the top each week. One way to earn points for your faction is to take on the Invasion Boss, an ultra-strong version of an existing fighter that can’t be defeated alone. Damage dealt to this boss is tallied and the faction who dishes out the most punishment receives a reward.

Since the game’s release, a number of characters have stepped in to act as the Invasion Boss, including Scorpion, Mileena, and Shinnok, but today an entirely different kind of combatant has stepped into the ring: Sindel.

As prior bosses have only been pulled from the playable roster, this raises even more questions. Will the Queen of Edenia be included in the next Kombat Pack? She doesn’t appear to be sporting any sort of variation and still retains many of her moves from the single-player campaign, but it’s certainly hard to ignore the tradition being broken here.

Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments.

Source: Dwayne Schultz

Meet Some of the Players Invited to PandaxGaming’s Ultra Fight Night at Absolute Battle 6

In addition to the regular tournament action at Absolute Battle 6, regional streamer PandaxGaming will be hosting some great Ultra Street Fighter IV and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 exhibitions as part of their Ultra Fight Night on Saturday, September 26.

While anyone can jump into an exhibition, many of the players involved in this event bring an emotional component to the proceedings. Whether it’s to show they have what it takes to dethrone a local champion or that they are the best when it comes to a specific character, all of these competitors have something to prove heading into this event.

Absolute Battle 6 is scheduled for September 25-27 in Dallas, Texas. More details can be found here.

Source: PandaxGaming

Ono Teases Upcoming Street Fighter V Announcement

Capcom executive Yoshinori Ono is visiting the United Arab Emirates this weekend for Dubai’s annual GAMES convention, and it seems he has some Street Fighter V news in tow.

Over the past few days, Ono has dropped a couple of interesting screenshots that show Ryu getting hit by what appears to be a tornado or some other wind-based attack. This, of course, conjures images of Cody’s Criminal Upper, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility that we’re in store for another newcomer.

sfv-tornado-1
sfv-tornado-2

GAMES15’s official website notes that Ono will be sharing an “exclusive Street Fighter V treat” during his presentation on the PlayStation stage this Friday, September 11, so stay tuned for more details.

Source: Yoshinori Ono via UltraDavid

Marvelous Customs Keeps Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Competition Alive at Evo 2015

Going to Evo for the very first time is a truly mindblowing experience. Apart from the rows and rows of official competition stations, fighting game fans of all stripes fill the venue to the brim with as many titles as possible. No matter how obscure your favorite game is, you’re sure to find a setup somewhere, even if that “somewhere” happens to be the darkened corner of the exhibitor hall.

While not as niche as some would make it out to be, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom had a great showing at Evo 2015. Hosted by the fine folks behind Marvelous Customs, the competition saw some of the short-lived Wii title’s strongest players make appearances, including Evo 2010 runner-up KBeast, Phampy, Magno, GCYoshi13, and more.

If you missed out on seeing these matches in-person, Marvelous Customs has got you covered with a handful of replays straight from the event. We’ve included all three finals matches below, but you can find even more Tatsunoko goodness here.

Source: Marvelous Customs

Arc System Works Bringing Arcana Heart 3 LOVE MAX!!!!! to Steam on September 29

Arc System Works is set to continue their recent string of PC releases by bringing Arcana Heart 3 LOVE MAX!!!!! to Steam on September 29.

Arcana Heart, for those out of the loop, is a unique airdasher created by EXAMU, the developers behind the more recent offering Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel. The series is perhaps best known for its wide array of movement options and quick pace, which have only increased throughout its numerous installments. In addition to selecting a character, LOVE MAX players are prompted to pick from one of 23 separate Arcana, which bolster their chosen fighter with special abilities.

While still a step behind the SIX STARS update that launched last winter, this is sure to excite anime fans looking to expand their PC library. More details on this port can be found through Steam.

Source: Arc System Works via BLACKSTAR

Capcom Employs New Voice Talent for R. Mika in Street Fighter V

When Street Fighter Alpha 3 launched back in 1998, it introduced a brand new character to the Street Fighter universe: Rainbow Mika. A strong, over-the-top fighter, the outspoken professional wrestler fit in well with the franchise’s already extensive cast of world warriors and quickly became a fan favorite despite the disparity of her appearances on the competitive circuit.

Apart from R. Mika’s incorporation of suplexes and hipchecks, the enthusiasm of the voice acting provided by Junko Takeuchi went a long way towards entrenching her in the minds of fans. In 2002, Takeuchi would go on to voice Naruto in the anime adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto’s manga series of the same name, an iconic role filled with the same energy she brought to Street Fighter.

With R. Mika’s return in Street Fighter V, many assumed Takeuchi was invited back to resume her previous duties due to the similarities of the voice used in promotional materials. Furthermore, folks were also led to believe Maile Flanagan, who is perhaps best known as Naruto’s voice actor in the English localization, was brought on board to bring R. Mika to life in North America.

While all of this could have added up to a pretty fun story (especially with the similarities between R. Mika and Naruto’s childish Oiroke no Jutsu), details provided to us by Capcom confirm that our ears may not be as good as we think. According to this new information, Hiromi Igarashi has been employed to voice R. Mika in Japanese while Bonnie Gordon is handling English duties. Arc System Works fans may recognize Igarashi’s work in Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, where she voices newcomer Jack-O.

Whether this is a case of Takeuchi now being either too busy or expensive to reprise her role or Capcom looking to go in a different direction, one thing is for sure: R. Mika is in great hands.

Street Fighter V is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 4 and PC in March 2016.

Rising Thunder Receives Early Lobby System in Latest Update

While folks have been hard at work piecing together Rising Thunder strategy since the alpha went public, the early builds were missing on key component: player lobbies. Today, that all changes thanks to the title’s latest update.

Rising Thunder’s new custom match functionality allows players to directly hook up with their friends in unranked matches. Though not as fully-featured as you would expect, it remains a work in progress, much like the rest of the game.

A complete list of changes implemented in this patch can be found below.

Rising Thunder Patch Notes, Build 1341

Game Modes

  • Custom Matches are live!
    • Players can now play unranked matches directly with friends.
    • Simply click Custom Match to create a game lobby, then give the Lobby Code to your friends so they can join! (Currently only two players can join a lobby.)

Dev Notes: This is an early alpha implementation of the lobby system. We wanted to get it up and running as quickly as possible to enable matches with friends. More features are on the way!

System Changes

  • Kinetic Advance forward dash no longer enables attacks 2 frames before blocking is enabled.
    • Most invincible specials are now -4 or -5 on block after Kinetic Advance forward dash.
    • This change should have relatively minimal impact on Kinetic Advance juggle combos, but may affect certain ground combos.

Dev Notes: Kinetic Advance forward dash can still make invincible moves safe on block, by the slimmest possible margin. However, doing so should surrender initiative to the opponent. This was always our intention, but it became apparent that -2 or -3 wasn’t enough of a frame disadvantage to shift momentum. Now the defender’s first action after blocking should easily win out, and the dasher has to respond – with their invincible special on cooldown.

Crow

Dev Notes: We know people have been requesting Crow updates. He’ll be getting some next week!

Edge

  • New S2 variant! Reckless Lightning has more horizontal range than Judgement, but less vertical coverage.

Dev Notes: Reckless Lightning can be powered up using Edge’s S1 attacks. It stays on the ground until the ender, which leads to some new Kinetic Advance combos without requiring full sword charge.

  • Judgement’s horizontal range has been reduced slightly, to further differentiate its role from Reckless Lightning.

Dev Notes: Judgement still has the longest forward reach of any high-hitting invincible special, and it’s now more effective against crossups. Its old range simply covered too many bases without enough drawbacks.

  • Added an extra frame of hit stun and block stun to close s.H -> H and S3 overhead.

Dev Notes: These updates preserve some of Edge’s ground combos, after the system-wide changes to Kinetic Advance forward dash. As an added bonus, the change to close s.H -> H also opens up some new Tranquil Thunder combo possibilities.

Talos

  • F+H range has been reduced slightly.

Dev Notes: We’ve been scaling back the ranges of invincible and armored moves over the last few patches, and it’s Talos’ turn now. This update shouldn’t change the way he’s played up close, but should make it harder to use F+H from safe ranges.

  • Magnetic Buster’s initial hit stun and block stun have been increased by 2 frames.

Dev Notes: Canceling blocked Magnetic Buster into Meteor Breaker or Titan Smash now guarantees that Talos can become armored before he’s interrupted by a light attack. Charging is still risky because the opponent can choose to throw instead of using a light attack, but this change makes the guessing game more balanced.

Bug Fixes

  • The Launcher should now open when the Windows user account contains non-Latin characters.
  • Round end now correctly accounts for characters who only have recoverable health.
  • Characters become vulnerable immediately upon touching the ground after KO.
  • Adjusted Chel’s Dancing Wind air collision to restore close s.H follow-up consistency.
  • Hitting Edge during Judgement no longer causes strange launch trajectories.
  • Zib plans to mass-produce his ZPE anti-flea collar to make the world a safer place!

Visual Improvements

  • Improvements to the look and performance of the current level.

Dev Notes: Our first level is still a work-in-progress. There will be ongoing improvements and polish updates coming soon.

  • Slight pose improvements for Crow and Talos’ knockback reactions.
  • Slight motion improvements to Talos uncharged Titan Smash reactions.

Audio Improvements

  • Characters no longer yell multiple times due to delayed hits after losing a round.

Source: Rising Thunder

Smash @ Xanadu feat. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Streaming Live

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, with tonight’s stream focusing entirely on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

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

Khaos Gaming Shares More Street Fighter V Footage from PAX Prime

Although PAX Prime is over and done with, Street Fighter V footage continues to pour out courtesy of Khaos Gaming. They recently compiled two large playlists full of gameplay for the upcoming title, from both tournament and casual settings.

Some of the players you can expect to see in the replays below include Kwyjibo, Bokkin, Longur, Harrison, and Clim, so there’s no shortage of smart players showing off what they’ve learned.

If this isn’t enough to slake your thirst, keep your eyes on Khaos Gaming for more footage in the coming days.

Source: Khaos Gaming

Ultra Street Fighter IV, Various SNK Classics Discounted on PlayStation Network

PlayStation is celebrating their twentieth anniversary this week, and they’ve marked down a number of titles on PlayStation Network to help fans get in on the fun. Fortunately, fighting games were included in the celebration, most notably Ultra Street Fighter IV and numerous SNK classics that you’ll definitely want to add to your library.

The full list of fighting game sales can be found in our handy table below. Please keep in mind that PlayStation Plus subscribers enjoy slightly deeper discounts while you browse.

Title Platform Sale Price PS+ Price Original Price
Art of Fighting PS3 $2.70 $1.80 $8.99
Fatal Fury PS3 $2.70 $1.80 $8.99
King of Fighters ’94 PS3 $2.70 $1.80 $8.99
King of Fighters ’95 PS3 $2.70 $1.80 $8.99
King of Fighters ’96 PS3 $2.70 $1.80 $8.99
Samurai Shodown PS3 $2.70 $1.80 $8.99
Street Fighter Alpha 3 MAX PSP, Vita $3.00 $2.00 $9.99
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix PS3 $3.00 $2.00 $9.99
Tekken 2 PS3, PSP, Vita $3.00 $1.98 $5.99
Ultra Street Fighter IV PS3 $20.00 $12.00 $39.99
World Heroes PS3 $2.70 $1.80 $8.99

This promotion lasts through September 14, so take advantage as soon as possible!

Source: PlayStation Network