Smash and Grab Demonstrates Zero Suit Samus’ Capabilities in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS

After having shown off some useful strategies for Fire Emblem’s Lucina, the folks behind Smash and Grab are back with another Super Smash Bros. for 3DS character breakdown. This time, AG|Arc and Origin take on Zero Suit Samus, covering a few things people coming into the game should know about her.

The video below touches on a good number of tips and tricks, including which of her moves can kill at which damage percentage values. It also provides a look at her basic combos and neutral game.

Source: Smash and Grab

Bafael Provides a Lesson on Ultra Street Fighter IV’s Damage Scaling

Damage scaling in fighting games is nothing new; it’s the reason that touch of death combos aren’t typically easy to come by. That doesn’t mean these combos don’t exist–they certainly do–but we have damage scaling to thank for keeping them mostly under control.

As with any mechanic, damage proration in Ultra Street Fighter IV has a lot of nuances that play into how much health any given series of hits will drain. Everything from number of inputs involved to the remaining health of your opponent can keep combo damage lower than expected. In his newest video, Bafael explains how all of these pieces fit together to give us the system that we have today.

While this information will benefit newer players the most, it’s important for all serious players to understand how to properly optimize combos so that they can weigh the benefits of using, say, a multiple input target combo to hit confirm instead of a couple standing strongs. The difference in damage could be enough to result in a win where an opponent would have otherwise limped to victory on a single magic pixel.

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

Source: Bafael

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U’s European Release Date Pushed Forward to November 28

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Earlier this morning, Nintendo of Europe announced their plans to change the release date of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U in the region. Fortunately, it’s being pushed forward instead of back.

The console sibling to the previous handheld title will arrive in Europe on November 28, one week ahead of the previously announced launch date. This puts it only seven days out from North America and shifts it earlier than the Japanese release, a feat usually unheard of with other global releases.

In addition to shortening the waiting period for fans in Europe, this should also help to spread out the surge of new players competing online into separate waves.

Source: Nintendo of Europe via Nintendo Life

 

Full Punish Developer Releases Third Case Study Involving Counter-Hits in Ultra Street Fighter IV

Having a solid counter-hit combo or two in your back pocket is just as important as having any other combo. Dealing more damage and landing links that wouldn’t otherwise work change, even if only for a brief moment, the way that the game is played and discourage opponents from pressing buttons at bad times.

Training mode in Ultra Street Fighter IV offers the option to turn counter-hits on randomly, which gives players a method of practicing fast reactions to the text popping up, but that isn’t always enough. Thanks to Full Punish, PC players will soon be able to simulate an environment that allows fishing for counter-hits, regardless of how you go about doing so. Check out the video below for a detailed demonstration.

If you missed previous case studies involving defending against Rufus pressure that randomly incorporates the threat of a throw and okizeme against delayed wake up and reversals, click their respective links to see the videos.

Source: Full Punish

Rose Thorns, Tiger Raids, and Chariot Tackles! Get a Look at What’s New in Ultra Street Fighter IV’s Omega Mode

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You’ve probably gotten a fair look at what Ultra Street Fighter IV’s upcoming Omega Mode add-on is bringing to the original Street Fighter II world warriors Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, E.Honda, Blanka, Zangief, Guile and Dhalsim (if you haven’t yet, check here and here!). Now, Capcom-Unity has the latest from assistant producer Tomoaki Ayano on how this zany edition is shaking up the Grand Masters and boss characters: Balrog, Vega, Sagat, M. Bison, Akuma, Gouken, and Seth.

Balrog

Gigaton Blow: A powerful EX follow-up to Balrog’s EX Dash Straight.

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The Gigaton Blow uses three bars of EX meter, so you’ll need full meter to pull it off after an EX Dash Straight. Maybe this could be just the move you need when you want to put your opponent down for the count…

You can’t really hit-confirm it, so you’ll have to think of good ways to land it.

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Horn Breaker: A command throw.

Balrog goes all-in with head blows. You could call this a special move version of his Dirty Bull. It dishes out quite a bit of stun.

Balrog also has new options for his close and long range attacks, making him into a more aggressive character.

My inspiration: A wild bull with giant horns.

Vega

Rose Thorn: A new variation that can be triggered from Vega’s Barcelona Attack. As the name suggests, this is a sharp, dangerous kick move. It can be performed after flying over an opponent’s head, making it a difficult move to read. You might get hated on for using it. Heh heh.

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Ryu: Is this gonna be the throw? Or the claw attack?!

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Vega: Rose Thorn!

Crimson Crucify: A version of EX Rolling Crystal Flash that uses two bars of EX meter. This is a rushing multi-hit move that does big damage.

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Though Vega mainly specializes in single-poke attacks, now he has a multi-hit combo that does big damage too.

We always conceptualized Vega as a character who is strong in the air, so we wanted to expand on that concept.

My inspiration: An even thornier Vega.

Sagat

Tiger Raid: A kick combo that finishes with a powerful flying kick. This is very similar to the move from the Alpha series.

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This move can be linked from a medium kick, so if you’ve got the meter you can look for ways to hit it after one of those. And since it sends the enemy flying, you can use it to help push your opponent into a corner too.

Sagat also has target combos and feint moves, making him a character who can use his legs pretty freely. And with his projectile he can keep up the pressure at both close and long range.

My inspiration: Sagat going beyond the title of The Emperor of Muay Thai!

M. Bison

Psycho Crusher Omega: A more powerful version of the Psycho Crusher that uses two EX bars. After hitting his opponent with the Psycho Crusher, M. Bison can pound his enemy with an uppercut for an explosion of Psycho Power!

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After the hit he even gets his trademark pose in! This also counts as a hit!

Psycho Sever: A new move—the fierce and EX versions give Bison the overhead he’s always wanted.

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Now you can repeatedly pressure your opponents with Double Knee Presses, and then break through their defenses with the Psycho Sever.

The properties of Bison’s existing moves have been changed, and with new command normal and special moves you’ll have fresh new ways to play Bison!

My inspiration: The evolution of a dictator!

Akuma

Shura Rengoku

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During the forward-moving kick version of Ashura Senku, use two bars of EX meter for another version of the Shun Goku Satsu. Trick opponents into thinking it’s a normal Ashura Senku, then hit them with a surprise attack!

There have been many changes and additions to Akuma’s EX moves, starting with Hyakkishu. Try some of them out and it won’t take long for you to discover that you’ve got a completely different Akuma on your hands.

My inspiration: Akuma having a lot of things to do in the air!

Gouken

Fudoshin

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A striking attack that can be used in combos. It doesn’t have a whole lot of reach but it comes out fast and doesn’t cause a lot of pushback, making it easy to use in combos. You can also use it together with EX Focus Cancels to create various new combos.

Pictured above is the EX version. It’s not only powerful, but also causes crumple stun.

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Now you can send Gouken’s EX Hadoken flying in three different directions depending on your button combinations. You can use this in combos, and it’s also good for keeping your opponent in check.

Gouken’s versatility has really improved. Take a good look at all of his moves and choose the play style that’s right for you.

My inspiration: Gouken with a stronger ground game!

Seth

EX Sonic Boom

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EX Sonic Boom stays still on the screen for a bit before flying towards the opponent. I guess you could call it a set-up move.

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Follow after it to apply the pressure, or…

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Use a Yoga Teleport while the Boom is holding to teleport behind the opponent for a mix-up.

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And there’s a new special move too—the Chariot Tackle! Use it for new combos!

Seth has always had a lot of moves, so we’ve balanced them to make them easier to use.

My inspiration: Seth coming at you from both the ground and the air.

Source: Capcom-Unity

Capcom Offers Closer Look at Ultra Street Fighter IV’s Upcoming Animal Costumes

Last weekend, Capcom revealed that they will eventually roll out a brand new line of Ultra Street Fighter IV costumes, turning the entire cast of their flagship fighter wild in animal outfits. While live stream screenshots are well and good, the latest installment of Tomoaki Ayano’s Saikyo Blog includes much cleaner versions of the previously unveiled sketches.

As you see below, the developers have taken some interesting liberties with the appearances of some of their most iconic characters, most notably giving Ryu a fierce-looking wolf outfit and Dudley a super appropriate English bulldog transformation. Though Cammy’s is a little weak in that they felt giving her some cosplay accessories was enough to give off a fox-like vibe, we’re excited to see what happens with the rest of the characters.

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Ayano also uses his post to go over a few more Omega Mode changes, so stay tuned for the translated information to make its way to Capcom-Unity in the near future.

Source: Saikyo Blog

France and Taiwan Clash in Red Fight District III’s Ultra Street Fighter IV Grand Finals

Though only the third installment, this year’s Red Fight District featured a great deal of talent across many of the games in its lineup. Most notable was Ultra Street Fighter IV, which saw competitors from localized countries like France, Germany, and the United Kingdom place high despite appearances from foreign visitors.

The best representation of these clashes came in the tournament’s very last match, a grand finals set that featured Evo 2014 champion MD|Luffy and AVM|GamerBee placing all hope on their respective mains. Was it the dominant Rose from France that took home the gold, or did Adon steal a victory for Taiwan?

Luckily, ARMSHOUSE has provided footage of this match for everyone who missed out, so feel free to check out the late-tournament replay below. You’ll find more in the official playlist.

Source: ARMSHOUSE

NetherRealm Studios Announces Mortal Kombat X Stream for Next Week, Gathering Community Questions

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For all you folks looking forward to new information about Mortal Kombat X (and possibly even interacting with the game’s developers yourself), you won’t have too long to wait for that chance.

NetherRealm Studios will be dedicating an entire stream to the upcoming fighter next week. Much like their Injustice: Gods Among Us broadcasts, this will give the community the perfect opportunity to check out additional footage of the game and speak to the folks directly involved with its creation.

I would personally ask (politely, might I add!) when they are going to reveal Rain but, hey, that’s just me.

The developers are in the process of taking questions from fans to answer live, so be sure to use #KombatKast on Twitter to possibly have your voice be heard.

NetherRealm Studios’ Mortal Kombat X stream is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5, at 1 PM PDT, 4 PM EDT.

Source: NetherRealm Studios via Test Your Might

Stream Burger Gets Impractical in Their Massive Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Combo Video

If the slog toward the weekend has got you down, maybe some impractical Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 combos will give you that extra boost that you need to make it to Friday evening. In the video below, Stream Burger shows off a mastery of most of the cast in this impressive ten-minute combo video that will (I guarantee it!) show you something that you’ve never seen before.

The best part of the video is that there aren’t a lot of appearances from high-tier characters. Lengthy combo videos are typically loaded with Vergil and Doom, but not this one. Stream Burger stuck to some of the lowest tier characters that the roster has to offer. Rocket Raccoon, Thor, even characters that almost never get screen time like Jill make an appearance to show a little bit of what they’re made of.

Source: Stream Burger

Creator of Ultra Street Fighter IV Training Program Releases Additional Case Study Involving Reversals and Delayed Wakeup

The ability to properly practice okizeme in Street Fighter IV became a lot more difficult once Ultra hit the shelves. Thanks to delayed wakeup, defenders were given a new way to remain out of harm’s way, which greatly changed the pacing of the game, especially in specific matchups.

To complicate things even further, Ultra Street Fighter IV’s training mode didn’t ship with the option to have the training dummy randomly delay its wake up so that reactionary setups could be practiced.

Things like Ibuki setups that Archie Utama showed off recently, or Juri’s tech involving Feng Shui Engine which both allow the aggressor to react to a delayed wake up are nice conceptually, but without proper practice in a controlled environment it’s difficult to apply these sorts of things when they matter.

Thankfully, Full Punish–a to-be-released training program for the PC version of Ultra Street Fighter IV–includes the ability to randomize delayed wakeup so the training dummy will try to mess up your okizeme attempts. The program also offers the option to set the dummy to perform reversals, which are just as helpful when practicing things like safe jumps and other setups with tight timing. Check out the footage below to see these concepts in action.

And if you missed yesterday’s case study involving defending against Rufus pressure that randomly incorporates the threat of a throw, follow this link to see it!

Not yet convinced that you need to give Full Punish a whirl once it releases? This is only the second of many upcoming demo reels, so stay tuned to see some more footage in the coming days.

Source: Full Punish