Who Has the Best Faust of All? Gazou and Nage Face the Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- Mirror Match at Arc Revolution Cup 2014

As the competitive database on Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- has expanded, Faust has typically been seen as one of the game’s stronger fighters due to the wide breadth of his toolset. That’s why when at the end of Arc Revolution 2014 earlier this year, it came as no surprise that the grand finals came down to Gazou and Nage, two Faust players who had proven themselves over the course of the grueling single-elimination event.

While mirror matches have the potential to be rather boring events, these competitors provided quite a show with the lanky scalpel-wielder, tossing out presents with reckless abandon and using almost every opportunity to rush the other down and highlight what their character of choice is capable of when up close.

Fortunately, replays are finally starting to make their way online from this event. We’ve included the aforementioned grand finals set below along with a few that preceded it, but feel free to visit the official playlist for more should you have missed the live broadcast in August.

Uki (Sol) vs. Nage (Faust)

Hasegawa (I-No) vs. Gazou (Faust)

Grand Finals – Gazou (Faust) vs. Nage (Faust)

Full results for this and other games at Japan Gamer’s Live can be found here.

Rocket Raccoon Goes Phoenix Hunting in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

While Phoenix has certainly lost some popularity over the years, she’s still a force to be reckoned with in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 if she plays her cards right. With that in mind, it’s good to be able to counteract her dark form in the event that you find yourself up against it. Punisher of the ANBU Fight Club recently released some Rocket Raccoon technology that will help win this otherwise uphill battle.

The first Phoenix-killing technique revolves around the fact that Rocket’s level three Hyper has a large amount of active frames and can scoop Phoenix out of some common attacks. Punisher goes on to explore other options as well, and while some can be escaped, the video provides plenty of options to cover those attempts as well.

Source: ANBU Fight Club, thanks to Arrogant Batsard for sending this in.

Community Effort Orlando 2015 Scheduled for June 26-28

Ever since its inception five years ago, Community Effort Orlando has grown and grown, and now sits just below Evolution in the hierarchy of fighting game events.

While organizer Alex Jebailey and his team have put in a ton of work, support from the community has also played a huge part in making this tournament series what it is today. That’s why, in addition to announcing the dates for next year’s event, CEO Gaming recently released a special video thanking everyone, from competitors and organizers to vendors and sponsors, for the love they’ve give Community Effort Orlando at each installment.

Community Effort Orlando 2014 is scheduled for June 26-28 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida. Registration will be live in March but, until then, feel free to check out the official website for additional information you’ll need when planning your trip.

Source: CEO Gaming

Learn the Rhythm of Elena’s Basics in Ultra Street Fighter IV

Now that you’ve seen players like HORI|sako beast with Elena in tournaments, it’s time to calm things down a little with some practical options for the lithe fighter. It could be said that even Elena’s bread and butter combos are quite stylish themselves, given her reliance on incredibly tight links to accomplish even the most basic strings, but such is the life of Capoeira.

In the video below, BoukenJima shows off hit-confirm options, punish combos, ways to work in Ultra 1, and a lot more. If you’ve been looking for a good time to start dancing around your opponents, now may be the perfect time to do so!

Source: BoukenJima

Learn the Basics of Counter-Hits in Bafael’s Latest Ultra Street Fighter IV Primer

In his effort to spread around as much Ultra Street Fighter IV knowledge as possible, Bafael has released yet another addition to his Primer series, this time focusing on counter-hits.

Understanding these unique hits work in Ultra Street Fighter IV can mean the difference between closing out a match with a win that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible and holding that loss. Counter-hits provide extra hit-stun, more damage, higher stun output, and sometimes even change move properties entirely, which makes understanding how your character handles these situations a key component to high-level play.

While the rules for counter-hits are typically universal, there are some exceptions. For example, Bafael examines the bonus frame advantage that Hugo receives in some situations, as well as the fact that Guile’s Sonic Boom can be countered well after its startup frames have ended, making trades against the projectile all the more valuable.

If you’ve missed previous videos from Bafael, follow this link to get your information fix.

Source: Bafael

TOPANGA LEAGUE 4 (A) Round 1 Streaming Live

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TOPANGA LEAGUE 4 (A) is a pay-per-view series of broadcasts. See below for more information.

TOPANGA LEAGUE 4 is the first of the round-robin invitational series to utilize Capcom’s Ultra Street Fighter IV. Several weeks ago, the B League competition reached its conclusion, with sako, SANTAROU, EX Pugera, NEMO, Fuudo and TOKIDO advancing. For the next month, the action now turns to A League, featuring twelve of Japan’s top Street Fighters. Last year, Bonchan climbed from an average start to reach the pinnacle, claiming the 3rd A League championship. The fight to simply remain in A League can be grueling, let alone to seize first place. Who will be the first Ultra Street Fighter IV TOPANGA LEAGUE A champion?

A League Competitors

  • Bonchan (Sagat)
  • Momochi (Ken)
  • Kazunoko (Yun)
  • Umehara (Evil Ryu)
  • Michael-tan (Ken)
  • Uryo (Chun-Li)
  • Fuudo (Fei Long)
  • sako (Elena)
  • SANTAROU (Sagat)
  • EX Pugera (Ibuki)
  • NEMO (Rolento)
  • TOKIDO (Akuma)

Commentary

  • Play-by-play – A-ru
  • Analysis – To be announced

Schedule

ROUND 1 – November 7 (Fri)

ROUND 1 Match Card
sako vs. Bonchan
SANTAROU vs. Pugera
Umehara vs. Michael-tan
Uryo vs. NEMO
TOKIDO vs. Kazunoko
Momochi vs. Fuudo
Michael-tan vs. Pugera
Bonchan vs. Uryo
Momochi vs. SANTAROU
sako vs. NEMO
Umehara vs. Fuudo

ROUND 2 – November 8 (Sat)

ROUND 2 Match Card
Umehara vs. TOKIDO
Umehara vs. SANTAROU
sako vs. Michael-tan
sako vs. Fuudo
Bonchan vs. Fuudo
Bonchan vs. NEMO
TOKIDO vs. Michael-tan
NEMO vs. Pugera
Kazunoko vs. SANTAROU
Momochi vs. Pugera
Kazunoko vs. Momochi

ROUND 3 – November 9 (Sun)

ROUND 3 Match Card
Umehara vs. NEMO
Umehara vs. Momochi
sako vs. SANTAROU
Bonchan vs. Michael-tan
TOKIDO vs. Momochi
Kazunoko vs. Fuudo
TOKIDO vs. NEMO
Uryo vs. SANTAROU
Uryo vs. Pugera
Fuudo vs. Uryo
Kazunoko vs. Michael-tan

ROUND 4 – November 14 (Fri)

ROUND 4 Match Card
Umehara vs. Bonchan
sako vs. Uryo
sako vs. Pugera
Bonchan vs. TOKIDO
Kazunoko vs. Pugera
Kazunoko vs. NEMO
Momochi vs. Uryo
Fuudo vs. SANTAROU
Fuudo vs. Michael-tan
TOKIDO vs. SANTAROU
NEMO vs. Michael-tan

ROUND 5 – November 15 (Sat)

ROUND 5 Match Card
Umehara vs. Pugera
Umehara vs. Kazunoko
sako vs. Kazunoko
sako vs. Momochi
Bonchan vs. Pugera
Bonchan vs. SANTAROU
Momochi vs. Michael-tan
Uryo vs. Michael-tan
NEMO vs. SANTAROU
TOKIDO vs. Uryo
TOKIDO vs. Fuudo

ROUND 6 – November 16 (Sun)

ROUND 6 Match Card
Umehara vs. sako
Umehara vs. Uryo
sako vs. TOKIDO
Bonchan vs. Kazunoko
Bonchan vs. Momochi
Michael-tan vs. SANTAROU
Fuudo vs. NEMO
Momochi vs. NEMO
TOKIDO vs. Pugera
Kazunoko vs. Uryo
Fuudo vs. Pugera

ROUND 7 – November 22 (Sat)

ROUND 7 Match Card
To be announced

ROUND 8 – November 23 (Sun)

ROUND 8 Match Card
To be announced

ROUND 9 – November 24 (Mon)

ROUND 9 Match Card
To be announced

ROUND 10 – December 5 (Fri)

ROUND 10 Match Card
To be announced

ROUND 11 – December 6 (Sat)

ROUND 11 Match Card
To be announced

ROUND 12 – December 7 (Sun)

ROUND 12 Match Card
To be announced

Format & Rules

Provisional Ranking Round-robin League

A twelve-player online round-robin league. Matches are best of three rounds, best of five games. In the case of a tie in rankings, order is determined by the players’ game win-loss difference, with one game counting as one point. For example, a 3-0 victory counts as +3, while a 2-3 loss counts as -1. If there is still a tie, the winner of the match between the two players claims the higher ranking.

The top four players will automatically advance to the upper finals league. Fifth through tenth place will advance to the upper finals league. Eleventh and twelfth place drop from competition.

Finals League Ranking Competition

Provisional ranks fifth through tenth place will play in the lower league. The top two players from this league will join provisional ranks first through fourth place to make up the finals league. Tenth place will fall to B League, while eighth and ninth place must play in the replacement matches after the next season’s B League.

Offline round-robin leagues. Matches are best of three rounds, best of thirteen games. In the case of a set point tie (6-6), the match goes into deuce. The first player to gain a two-game advantage or reach ten wins (whichever comes first) claims victory. Two characters are allowed, with mid-match switches allowed every three-game interval for the losing player within that interval. In the case of a tie in rankings, order is determined by the winner(s) of the match(es) between the involved players. If there is still a tie, order is determined by game win-loss difference.

Prize Information

  • 1st Place – 1,000,000 yen (~8680 USD)
  • 2nd Place – 300,000 yen (~2605 USD)
  • 3rd Place – 150,000 yen (~1300 USD)
  • 4th Place – 80,000 yen (~695 USD)
  • 5th Place – 50,000 yen (~435 USD)
  • 6th Place – 20,000 yen (~175 USD)

Broadcast & Pricing Information

TOPANGA LEAGUE 4 will be streamed on Niconico Live as a pay-per-view series of broadcasts. In order to view, you must have a registered Niconico account.

  • B League Individual day ticket – 300 Niconico points (~2.60 USD)
  • A League Individual day ticket – 500 Niconico points (~4.35 USD)
  • B League season ticket – 1500 Niconico points (~13.00 USD)
  • A League season ticket – 3500 Niconico points (~30.40 USD)
  • B-A League season ticket – 4500 Niconico points (~39.05 USD)

The A League ticket will allow purchasers to watch all twelve days of A League. The A-B League ticket includes the entirety of A League as well as the completed B League. Ticket purchase allows unlimited timeshift access to archives until Monday January 12, 2015.

TOPANGA LEAGUE 4 Ticket Purchase

In order to purchase tickets, one must first buy the appropriate amount of Niconico points. One point is the equivalent of one Japanese yen. While there are a number of payment options for buying points, the only relevant direct purchase options for those outside of Japan is via credit card. All credit cards may not work.

Results

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ULTRA STREET FIGHTER IV – TOPANGA LEAGUE 4 (A)

Ranking Round-robin League

Current Standings

Rank Player Name Affiliation Character Wins Losses Game ±
Bonchan Sagat 0 0 ±0
Momochi EG Ken 0 0 ±0
Kazunoko Yun 0 0 ±0
Umehara MCZ Evil Ryu 0 0 ±0
Michael-tan Ken 0 0 ±0
Uryo Chun-Li 0 0 ±0
Fuudo RZR Fei Long 0 0 ±0
sako HORI Elena 0 0 ±0
SANTAROU YBK Sagat 0 0 ±0
EX Pugera FGC Ibuki 0 0 ±0
NEMO BE Rolento 0 0 ±0
TOKIDO MCZ Akuma 0 0 ±0

ROUND 1 – November 7 (Fri)

sako (Elena) vs. Bonchan (Sagat)
SANTAROU (Sagat) vs. Pugera (Ibuki)
Umehara (Evil Ryu) vs. Michael-tan (Ken)
Uryo (Chun-Li) vs. NEMO (Rolento)
TOKIDO (Akuma) vs. Kazunoko (Yun)
Momochi (Ken) vs. Fuudo (Fei Long)
Michael-tan (Ken) vs. Pugera (Ibuki)
Bonchan (Sagat) vs. Uryo (Chun-Li)
Momochi (Ken) vs. SANTAROU (Sagat)
sako (Elena) vs. NEMO (Rolento)
Umehara (Evil Ryu) vs. Fuudo (Fei Long)

Sources: TOPANGA, Niconico Live

The Runback 2014 4.3 feat. UMvC3, Killer Instinct, Yatagarasu, P4U2, UNIEL, and PSASBR Streaming Live from Super Arcade

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Level|Up Series returns tonight with another installment of The Runback’s fourth 2014 season, broadcasting from Super Arcade in Walnut, California. Much like previous events, some of SoCal’s best will be coming together to compete in returning titles Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Killer Instinct, Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late, and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, so be sure to tune in early and catch as much of the action as possible.

If you live in the area, why not head over to Super Arcade and check it out in person? These are weekly tournaments, so even if you missed out tonight you can still check it out next time. We’ve included the venue’s address below for those of you who may be interested.

1211 N Grand Avenue
Walnut, CA 91789

Level|Up Live

Watch live video from Level|Up Live on www.twitch.tv

Super Dojo

Watch live video from SuperDojo on www.twitch.tv

Sources: Level|Up Live, Super Dojo

Churning the Butter #12 feat. Ultra Street Fighter IV Streaming Live from San Francisco, California

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Over the past few months, Northern California has been stepping their collective game up with regards to consistent events, and one of the big groups behind all this is competitive gaming organization ShowDown. Their weekly Churning the Butter tournament has only been running for a couple weeks, and yet they are garnering a player base on par with other local tournaments around the country. And, as we highlighted in videos from their second outing, some fantastic talent is showing up to throw down and improve their own game.

Tonight, they have once again taken over Folsom Street Foundry in San Francisco, California to put on an Ultra Street Fighter IV tournament for the regional players. If you’re interested in seeing what the NorCal cats have up their sleeves, be sure to check out the stream below and show your support. You can also head on over to Twitch if you prefer to chat.

Watch live video from showdowngg on www.twitch.tv

Want to check these tournaments out for yourself? Well, you’re in luck, because even if you missed out this week, Churning the Butter is held every Thursday at 8 PM PDT during ShowDown’s game night at Folsom Street Foundry. The group also plans to eventually get a ranbat series off the ground at the same venue, so stay tuned for more.

Source: ShowDown

C. Viper Acquires a Flash Kick, Rufus Gets Low in Ultra Street Fighter IV’s Omega Mode

Capcom-Unity was recently updated with a third round of details regarding character changes in Ultra Street Fighter IV’s upcoming Omega Mode. Much like previous looks at this interesting gameplay option, this one shows off a ton of crazy updates to the title’s cast, including C. Viper’s imitation of Guile’s iconic Flash Kick, more attack options for El Fuerte out of EX Habanero Dash, a new move that allows Rufus to move forward with a low profile, Dee Jay’s specials changing from charge to command motions, and much more.

Additionally, producer Tomoaki Ayano provides some insight into their Omega Mode development process, saying they are working to make sure the new moves work well with the older options so that everything a character has at their disposal is viable.

We’ve included the entirety of Tomoaki Ayano’s notes below, so be sure to check them out and let us know what you think.

Abel

Shoulder Tackle: Yup! Just as the name says, it’s a shoulder tackle. You can hold the button down to charge it—charge it to the max and you’ll get an increase in parameters, as well as armor break properties. You can cancel the charge by pressing a punch button, which also makes this effective as a feint move.

usfiv-omega-abel-1

The EX version will send the opponent flying for a wall bounce, which sets up some combo opportunities afterwards!

usfiv-omega-abel-2

Abel has seen a lot of changes—while he’s lost Change of Direction, he’s gained new command normal and special moves. Abel now fights like a mixed-martial artist with a focus on throws. I believe that Abel fans will get a kick out of this new way to play him!

My inspiration: What you see is what you get!

C. Viper

Burst Heel: A new special move that’s similar to Guile’s Flash Kick. It’s got a lot of priority, so I see it being used like a psychic DP.

usfiv-omega-cviper-1
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The EX version has invincibility, giving Viper a new anti-air option. She can also cancel the second hit, like she can for her Thunder Knuckle, which lets her combo into various options. This not only gives her new ways to attack, but also opens up combo possibilities as well.

She also gets Thunder Fist, a strike-move that expands her combo options.

usfiv-omega-cviper-3

My inspiration: A more mature Viper who has further refined her fire and lightning abilities!

El Fuerte

EX Habanero Dash: Fuerte now has options for all six buttons during his EX Habanero Dash. This is his FP option, the Fajita Buster.

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usfiv-omega-elfuerte-2

This version, performed from the EX Dash, is done on the ground without Fuerte jumping into the air. Get a good read on your opponent and choose wisely!

Fuerte also gets a new special move, the Flying Nachos. Hmm…I’m not sure I would call the body part he’s hitting them with a Nacho but this move certainly seems familiar, doesn’t it?

usfiv-omega-elfuerte-3

Fuerte’s movement specials have been improved and he has also gained a high jump. If you thought he was hard to catch before…!

My inspiration: A Mexican luchador running wild on you!

Rufus

Dynasty Dash: A special move performed with the punch buttons that moves Rufus forward, changing up his attack style.

usfiv-omega-rufus-1

He slides forward—check out that low profile!

usfiv-omega-rufus-2

The LP version ends with the Mach Back Knuckle. It’s fast, but it doesn’t hit crouchers.

usfiv-omega-rufus-3

The MP version ends with the Peerless Palm.

usfiv-omega-rufus-4

And the FP version ends with the Premium Tackle. It starts up slow but has armor break properties.

Rufus has some pretty funky moves names and these three are no exception, don’t you think?

Heh heh. We’ve also changed up his existing special moves, taking into account how Dynasty Dash changes his game. Together with his new target combos he’s changed quite a bit—it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he’s a completely new character (a new, new character?!).

My inspiration: The portly speed bug, reborn!

Cammy

Killer Bee Stinger: A new special move that launches the opponent up in the air with a kick.

Cammy can follow up on the airborne opponent with combos.

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This special move takes advantage of Cammy’s excellent mobility.

She also has a special version of her Cannon Strike, Target Strike, that will cause a hard knockdown from the air, and we’ve completely reworked her Hooligan Combination too. I’ll tell you more about that if I get another chance. Heh heh.

Just as her “Killer Bee” nickname implies, we’ve modified Cammy to be a character that primarily attacks from the air.

My inspiration: Dance like a butterfly, sting like a bee!

Fei Long

Ryuogeki

usfiv-omega-feilong-1

This, to put it simply, is a super-powerful backfist! It leaves Fei Long wide open if it misses, but it deals plenty of damage and has armor break properties. It’s a move that really showcases the “shaking fist” kung-fu image we’ve come to expect from Fei Long. The EX version will wall-bounce your opponent for extended combo opportunities.

usfiv-omega-feilong-2

Syoenryu is a flaming uppercut that stops opponents in their tracks and launches them up into the air. Of course, he can follow up afterwards with combo attacks.

We wanted to give Fei Long more one-hit moves and so move him away from being a character that revolves around his Rekkaken game. I’m sure you’ll have fun with him if you give him a try.

My inspiration: A hot-blooded kung-fu master!

Dee Jay

Air Slasher

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You can’t tell just by looking at the picture, but in Omega we really wanted to emphasize Dee Jay’s dancing, which is why we’ve changed him from a charge character to a command one. That’s right, all of his moves—from Machine Upper to Double Rolling Sobat—are now command moves.

usfiv-omega-deejay-2

Waning Moon: Dee Jay goes airborne and comes down with a crescent-moon kick. This gives Dee Jay a new move for getting in.

He’s also got new command normals and target combos, which really makes him feel like a kickboxer. The change from a charge character to a command one is enough to make Dee Jay feel like a brand new character in Omega Edition.

My inspiration: Dee Jay getting back to his Jamaican roots!

T. Hawk

Earth Rage

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This move strikes the ground, sending out a shockwave. It’s very similar to Viper’s Seismo Hammer. The EX version sends out three blasts, ranging from close to long range. T. Hawk has always had problems with characters playing keep-away, but now he has a new tool to help him fight better at distances!

usfiv-omega-thawk-2

Thunder Bird: An EX version of the Mexican Typhoon that uses two bars of meter. Grab your opponent, use a Tomahawk Buster to launch them into the air, and…

usfiv-omega-thawk-3

…grab them from mid-air and slam them on the ground with the Mexican Typhoon! Since it uses two bars we’ve made it just as powerful as it looks!

We’ve also adjusted the inputs for his existing special moves to make them more intuitive and easier to use. In Omega Edition, T. Hawk differs from his regular Ultra version in that he has both close and long range options. Will this make the gentle giant a force to be reckoned with in Omega?!

My inspiration: A Hawk who’s a danger up close and from afar!

If you missed out on previous Omega Mode news, feel free to follow the links below and catch up.

Source: Capcom-Unity via NeoGAF

King of Fighters Producer Masaaki Kukino May Have Once Again Parted Ways with SNK Playmore

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(Photo courtesy of JeuxActu)

While rumors concerning the future of SNK Playmore’s King of Fighter franchise over the past few years, development of upcoming titles may be done without a key producer from recent installments.

Masaaki Kukino, who previously worked on both King of Fighters XII and King of Fighters XIII, has apparently parted ways with the company as of October 31. This news comes from his personal Facebook page, the employment section of which was updated that same day with the details.

Kukino previously took leave from SNK Playmore a few months after King of Fighters XIII’s arcade release in 2010 before returning just last year.

Before his tenure began in the fighting genre, Kukino lent his talents to Konami’s Silent Scope series.

Official word has yet to be released by SNK Playmore about Kukino’s departure, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Source: Masaaki Kukino, special thanks to DreamCancel.