Category: Fighting Games

In addition to unintended launch issues, Ultra Street Fighter IV may have also seen some stealth balancing on its way to PlayStation 4 according to gameplay footage shared by Versus Fighting TV’s Anis “Kahikusu” Hachemi.

As you can see in the video below, Decapre’s Scramble teleports have been dramatically slowed down, though less obvious is the fact that their range has also been shortened a bit.

At this point in time, it’s unknown if this is a side effect of the port’s overall issues or part of a much larger balance adjustment for the PlayStation 4 version. We have reached out to the developers for the final word, and will update should we hear back.

Source: Kahikusu

As I’m sure most of you know, Ultra Street Fighter IV is now available for PlayStation 4, courtesy of work by third-party studio Other Ocean Interactive. Unfortunately, it appears as if its launch has been less-than-stellar.

According to multiple reports from notable community members like Maximilian, Alex Valle, and Damien “Damdai” Dailidenas, the title is plagued with a variety of issues, including massive slowdown during menu navigation, random stuttering during gameplay, and input delay even in offline settings.

Ultra Street Fighter IV is the latest third-party port to experience a shaky launch. Mortal Kombat X, which was developed for PC by High Voltage Software, went through weeks of patching before becoming playable.

With the possibility of the PlayStation 4 port becoming the tournament standard at Capcom Pro Tour events, this rough start will definitely make the fighting game scene wary of embracing it immediately even if patches are released to rectify the current problems.

It’s also worth noting that Community Effort Orlando 2015, which has pledged to utilize the PlayStation 4 version, is rapidly approaching, not to mention Evo 2015 is set to be played on the current-generation console as well.

We are currently in the process of reaching out to the developers for their input on this matter, and will be sure to update this article should we hear back. Until then, feel free to let us know if you’ve experienced any problems with Ultra Street Fighter IV in the comments below.

Sources: Maximilian, Alex Valle, Damdai

The Xbox One is certainly not without its merits–Killer Instinct comes to mind–but when it comes to accessing the most complete catalog of current generation fighting titles while also preparing for future releases, Sony’s PlayStation 4 offers the most bang for your buck.

Capcom has already stated that the upcoming Street Fighter V will be exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and PC at the time of launch. Tack on Ultra Street Fighter IV’s recent addition to the Playstation Network, the upcoming release of Skullgirls 2nd Encore, and the (currently) PlayStation-exclusive Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, and there are more than a couple of reasons for fighting fans to jump on the Sony bandwagon.

Those currently in the market for a PlayStation 4 will be pleased to know that Amazon recently began bundling the console with a free year of PlayStation Plus, a $50 value by itself. Sadly, the system’s $399.99 price point hasn’t changed, but a full year of free online fights is not to be ignored.

This free year of PlayStation Plus will only be available today and tomorrow, so act fast.

Source: Amazon via Destructoid

The stage of battle is set!

Players eagerly awaiting Ultra Street Fighter IV’s arrival on PlayStation 4 can now let out the breath they’ve been holding for months, because it’s now available on the PlayStation Network.

Featuring upgraded graphics, all currently available downloadable content, and even the removal of lag issues that plagued the PlayStation 3 release, this port might just be the best thing to tide fans over until the launch of Street Fighter V.

And those of you with older arcade sticks needn’t fear, because the game includes support for those peripherals as well, though some extra steps are necessary.

Source: PlayStation Network

The joystick lever is one of the most important parts of an arcade stick. The way a lever feels and moves can have a large impact on a player’s performance.

For years now, those players who have felt that the standard Sanwa JLF was too loose would gravitate towards Seimitsu’s LS-32 series of levers due to its tighter spring and smaller engage distance. Now, Seimitsu is releasing a new lever that has an even tighter feel – the LS-38-01-SC.

Coming exclusively to Arcade Shock, the LS-38-01-SC is based on the classic LS-32-01 form factor, but features a more rigid spring. This should be a boon for players looking for a lever that offers a tighter, more accurate feel than the standard Sanwa JLF or Hori Hayabusa commonly seen on today’s retail arcade sticks.

The LS-38-01-SC is currently available for $21.95 through Arcade Shock’s online store. Please note that they have a limited stock at the moment, so anyone interested in picking one of these up should do so soon.

Source: Arcade Shock

Thanks to Lab Zero Games’ driver, many fighting game players and arcade stick aficionados are able to quickly transition to the PlayStation 4 without purchasing an entirely new peripheral. Games such as Mortal Kombat X, Skullgirls 2nd Encore, and Ultra Street Fighter IV all allow players to use their old arcade sticks and gamepads from the PlayStation 3.

Now it seems that yet another game may be including this useful functionality. According to Gamespot, a Capcom representative has confirmed that they are looking into utilizing Lab Zero’s driver in Street Fighter V.

The driver in question allows any controller that identifies itself as a generic USB gamepad or joystick, such as Mad Catz’ popular line of FightPads and FightSticks, to work on the PlayStation 4.

With Street Fighter V also coming to the PC, adding support for older arcade sticks could help convince those who are on the fence to purchase the game on PlayStation 4. We’ll be sure to keep you informed as more concrete details become available.

Source: Gamespot, thanks to Maxman for the tip.

When Ultra Street Fighter IV launches on PlayStation 4 later today, players who have yet to pick up an arcade stick for Sony’s latest console can rest easy knowing their old PlayStation 3 peripherals will be compatible with the game thanks to Capcom’s licensing of Lab Zero Games’ driver. Unfortunately, this key piece of code will work similarly to its implementation in Mortal Kombat X rather than Skullgirls 2nd Encore.

While legacy sticks are certainly usable with Mortal Kombat X and, now, Ultra Street Fighter IV, a DualShock 4 needs to be active the entire time, making things a bit trickier than just plugging in your Tournament Edition and getting to work. This also provides some logistical problems for tournament organizers, as they need to be sure a pair of native controllers are available at each station in the event two players with older arcade sticks are matched up.

Little concrete information has been provided by either company as to why this is the case, but Lab Zero’s Peter Bartholow and Mike Zaimont posited back during Mortal Kombat X’s that it has something to do with the way developers handled profiles and trophies.

That said, the fact that NetherRealm and Capcom both included this driver in their titles is definitely a step in the right direction, and should help out folks who don’t have the cash for a brand new arcade stick.

Capcom community manager Peter “Combofiend” Rosas has provided a helpful rundown of the steps players will need to take in order to use PlayStation 3 arcade sticks, so be sure to check it out.

Source: Capcom-Unity