Fighting Games – Page 732

March 18, 2017

Go to war with this combo guide for Kor in Brawlhalla

Kor–the stone golem warrior from Brawlhalla–is an interesting character to use; very competitive, he has two different variations–between gauntlets and a hammer, the latter of which add more range to his attacks. These variations cause him to play slightly differently depending on what you have equipped.

Fortunately, this guide covers both Gauntlet and Hammer versions of Kor. It provides you some of the more basic combos, as well as some amazing kill combos, for both variations.

Source: Shadowl Ikigai

March 18, 2017

Justin Shade discusses why combo damage should be universally lower in Street Fighter V

Currently, one of the hottest topics about Street Fighter V Season 2 is the amount of high damage output that some characters can dish out, with many players complaining that characters such as Urien, Laura, Balrog, Necalli, and Ibuki can be a bit too explosive at times. SFV enthusiast and YouTuber Justin Shade believes that a lot of the complaints can be solved by reducing combo damage across the board for the entire cast. Citing other fighting games, titles like Halo 4 and Hearthstone, and even real-life sports, like Super Bowl 50, Justin notes that, “While people enjoy an intense challenge, there’s an internal threshold that exists in the average person before thoughts begin circulating about whether something is too difficult or not.”

Utilizing Ryu as an example, he explains the two conflicting perceptions players have about fighting games: players wanting to dish out large amounts of damage as an attacker, but also have and adequate amount of chances to adapt and turn the tide in a match, to overcome their opponent as a defender.

The answer lies in targeting the damage scaling system in Street Fighter V for all characters. Damage reduction on combos is the only system that applies a cascading effect on everything else in the game. Both archetypal characters with higher-than-standard health values and characters with lower-than-average health, all of a sudden require more hits to defeat without directly changing their values. Thus keeping them in the fight long enough for the controlling players to learn from what’s happening and mount a plausible comeback. A player wouldn’t need to hope for an Ultra, rely on an X-Factor or impose character-specific V-Triggers. As for the attacking player, their focus becomes consistency. Ideally, both players are adapting to what the other player’s doing on a near-constant basis, and because the attacking player’s goal is winning the 2-out-of-3 set, they have to continuously outwit the defending player in order to achieve victory.

After detailing the merits of his scaling system, Justin closes by praising the direction Capcom has taken SFV in in terms of mass appeal.

Street Fighter V was developed as a product that someone did not need to devote as much time into as Street Fighter IV or III, in order to be a competent player, and I felt Capcom’s approach, to that degree, was a step in the correct direction. Fighting games are no longer as niche as they used to be, played in the recesses of dark arcades in the corner of a mall, or on the top level of a shopping center in Japan. They’re readily available in retail stores for everyone to pick up or download and play from their home with friends and family.

You can catch the video below. Be warned, some language is NSFW.

Now that Capcom has announced their next balance patch, it’s clear we can’t expect this sort of change anytime soon. Do you agree with Justin’s suggestion, or do you have another approach for addressing SFV’s current community issues? Sound off in the comments!

Source: Justin Shade

March 18, 2017

Will Mew2King hoist a trophy from a major tournament? Tafokints explains why he will

Jason “Mew2King” Zimmerman of Echo Fox has been synonymous with competitive Smash for a long time. But for ages, he has been unable to seal the deal on a major–typically making top 8, but falling short in the late game. With the string of close calls and heartbreak, fans are left wondering if he will ever win it all.

Tafokints states that while it was doubtful that Mew2King would in 2016–and he didn’t–the stars are aligning for him to quite possibly do just that in 2017. He explains that some of his major hurdles have been overcome–such as losing to every Ice Climbers player he came across. He also struggled against Liquid|Hungrybox and Alliance’s Armada–two players that he has started to take sets against in tournament play. He has also seen a better mentality, which has gotten him into trouble in the past–most notably if sent into loser’s bracket.

Source: Yahoo! Esports

March 18, 2017

Explore all of Nyotengu’s combos with this “most complete” video for her in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round

While we’ve covered a lot of combo videos in the past, very few can make the claim of being the “most complete” combo video for any character. This makes this new video from UGS’s NoctTengu fairly unique, as they have claimed to do just that: make the most complete combo video yet for Nyotengu in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round.

In fairness, if there’s anyone who’s in a position to claim to create a “most complete” combo video for Nyotengu, it is NoctTengu. Ever since Nyotengu’s release in Dead or Alive 5: Ultimate Arcade, NoctTengu has been studying the character, figuring out what she can do in terms of combos and damage. The video itself took over a year to complete, and features just about every type of combo Nyotengu can pull off, including downhill variations on some of them. The only thing missing from this are combos specific to the Danger Zone stage, as well as some uphill variations, since these would mostly be repeated variations of her other combos.

Source: UGSLive via Free Step Dodge

March 17, 2017

NurseLee explores Nash’s meaty setups after Tragedy Assault in Street Fighter V

Tragedy Assault seems to be often-forgotten among Nash’s tools. Whereas a lot of Nash players banked heavily on Sonic Booms and Sonic Scythes throughout Season 1, they received major nerfs coming into Season 2. Thus the focus here lies on a move that has remained consistent.

Tragedy Assault allows for amazing corner meaty setups, due to its ability to leave the opponent in the corner, drain their meter, and act as a grab. Because of this, NurseLee goes over the various options Nash has as a meaty follow-up on both EX and regular version on quick rise, normal wake-up, and delayed wake-up.

Source: NurseLee

March 17, 2017

Armada holds interview with sidelined Melee player PPMD, who hints at a return

As part of a donation drive goal, Alliance’s Armada promised an interview with Super Smash Bros. Melee player EG|PPMD if the donations reached $6500. Since the goal was indeed successfully met, the interview proceeded: and PPMD finally spoke up with an update on his medical condition.

The famed Falco player, who notably took 4th at Evo 2013, has been sidelined with a condition that has lowered his testosterone levels to a point that left him in a constant state of fatigue. He stated that the condition is improving, and he is planning on making a return to the tournament circuit. He has not decided if he will jump in full throttle, or gradually increase his tournament involvement, but it looks like PPMD may be back on his way to tournaments in the near future.

Source: Armada

March 17, 2017

An Arcade Pilgrimage: Visiting Hirose Entertainment Yard in Akihabara, Japan

When it comes to fighting games, Japan has become something of a Mecca. Home to some of the most devastatingly effective players in a wild variety of titles, and one of the last few places in the world where the arcade culture still truly thrives, it has become the destination of choice for many players who want to improve–or who just love the genre.

Akihabara, the electronics town in the heart of Tokyo [and the destination of upcoming Evo Japan – Editor], is one of the few places in the world that seems almost totally dedicated to gaming and anime. Here, it’s easy to find an arcade–in fact, a Sega arcade is one of the first things you see upon leaving the main station. Akihabara is an overwhelmingly brash place; neon lights flicker constantly, lighting up pop culture stores that rise half a dozen floors. The sound is indescribable. Even mid afternoon, there is a constant buzz of people talking, sometimes overwhelmed by a truck playing singles from whatever idol group is the next big thing.

Walking into an arcade is only brief respite. The lights might be lower in here, but there is a constant roar from machines cranked up to max volume. The variety is dizzying at first; Streets of Rage is sitting next to Tetris, and a train simulator is nestled in the corner. As you climb the floors however, the sounds become far more familiar. Dozens of the best fighting games of all time are on offer here, and it feels as though they’re all being played at once.

This is HEY (Hirose Entertainment Yard), one of the most famous arcades in Akihabara. Unlike Namco Broadway or Sega, HEY is unconstrained by brand loyalty–Ultra Street Fighter IV sits across from Pokkén Tournament, while Tekken 7: Fated Retribution machines turn into Guilty Gear cabinets without a gap. Just about every title imaginable is available here; King of Fighters, Nitroplus Blasterz, and Super Street Fighter II all share the same floorspace. Only Street Fighter V–not available on arcade cabinets–is conspicuous in its absence. And at just 100 yen a play, it’s cheap and easy to get bodied in your game of choice.

It’s a Thursday night, but the fighting game floor is by far the most populated. Only a few seats are available for the most unpopular titles, and if you’re hoping to get a game of Guilty Gear in, you’ll have to put your coins down and claim next in the queue. Only the Pokkén Tournament machines were free of players, but I was fighting it out with someone just moments after sitting down.

At home in the UK, arcade culture is fighting a losing battle against home consoles and PC gaming. Many of the most beloved arcades have long since closed their doors–like the Trocadero, once the home of the UK’s Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike scene, now boarded up and empty. The few that remain, like the Heart of Gaming and the Arcade Club, offer very different experiences. The machines have been rigged to become free to play, and the only price you’ll pay is your entrance fee. On a good day, that can feel like a waste–when you’re winning, you’ve probably overpaid. On a bad, you’ll probably get through a whole lot more credits than you’ve technically paid for.

Here at HEY, however, every battle is desperate. It’s easy to walk in with a heavy wallet and leave with a light one, and the threat of losing those hard earned coins is enough to make every round a bloodbath. The skill level here is shockingly high. It’s completely unlike logging on to your PS4 and getting some games online–every person you play seems to know more about the game than you do. Even the weakest players have come up with tactics to cover their flaws. Weak in the neutral? You can bet they have an incredible punish game. Not getting much off of an opening? Don’t worry–they can find plenty more. It’s the harshest education possible, but like putting immense pressure on coal, it creates diamonds.

When it all becomes too much and you need a break, there’s refreshment on tap. The vending machines in HEY are no more expensive than anywhere else, but they’re loaded with energy drinks and coffee. Caffeine is the name of the game here, to make sure that everyone can go all night.

And indeed, it’s easy to lose track of time in the hazy, smoke-filled hall. Most of the light is from the screens you’re playing on, and it’s simple to enter in daylight and leave in the pitch black–if your wallet allows, of course. Despite the relatively dingy environment, however–and the shockingly constant racket–HEY is a deeply comfortable place.

tekken 7 claudio official art The people here are passionate about their game of choice. The only thing they care about is how good you are on the sticks and, for the first time during my trip to Japan, it didn’t feel as though anyone cared about my size, or the way I looked. All that mattered was whether my Sin could measure up to my opponent’s Dizzy, or whether my day 1 Claudio would be enough to fight off his Dragunov (Spoiler: it wasn’t).

tekken 7 dragnov official art It’s difficult to leave HEY, even when your readily available supply of Yen runs out. The passion here is contagious, more than enough to get you hooked on a title you’ve never tried before, or to encourage a return to an old flame. For much of that Thursday night, the busiest cabinets on offer where the Super Street Fighter II Turbo cabs, which were just ¥10 a play. People were not just lined up and waiting for their chance, but actively spectating, cheering on their favorites and booing their foes. It was the same for almost every game–even the relatively sparsely-populated Dengeki cabs.

For many, this is the home of fighting games, and the start of their fighting game journey. Top players for a myriad of titles cut their teeth in the arcades. For a few hours on a Thursday night, I got the chance to be steeped in that Mecca. Already, I can’t wait to go back. Maybe next time, I’ll manage to take more than a few rounds.

March 17, 2017

Stylish ice slides and chilling counters: Smash and Grab’s Kolin combos for Street Fighter V

Freeze opponents in their tracks with some cool combos.

Street Fighter V’s newest roster addition Kolin is a tricky fighter to pick up, as technically-demanding as she is on the player to yield results. But when her complex combos and setups come together, few members of the SFV cast look as good.

Smash and Grab have compiled this assortment of stylish combos for Kolin–most highly-situational and probably impractical, but these should help inspire aspiring Kolin mains to get out there and drop some ice on their enemies!

For more Kolin tech, check out:

Naturally, you can also have a look at Bafael’s latest Rising Up video, featuring bread ‘n’ butter combos for Kolin.

Source: Smash and Grab

March 17, 2017

Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax for PlayStation 3 on sale on PSN

Despite us being in the eighth generation of video game consoles, not everyone has yet upgraded to a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One; there are more than a few players still left on the previous generation of consoles.

For those last-gen diehards–specifically on the PlayStation 3–that are looking to complete their fighting game collection on the console, here’s some interesting news. Both Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and its predecessor Persona 4 Arena have been discounted over at the PlayStation Store as part of a Persona series sale.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’s regular edition can be had for only $19.99, meanwhile its “Ultimate Edition” can be had for $49.99. These represent a 50% discount from their respective regular prices of $39.99 and $99.99. Meanwhile, the regular and “Ultimate Edition” of Ultimax’s predecessor, Persona 4 Arena, can be had for $11.99, and $22.49 respectively. These represent a 60% discount for the regular and 50% discount for the Ultimate Edition of Persona 4 Arena.

The Ultimate Editions of both games come with all the DLC colors, and–in the case of Ultimax–DLC characters for both games.

Those interested in these discounts however should act soon–the sale last only until 11:00 PM PDT on March 21.

Source: PlayStation Store

March 17, 2017

Chicago’s Red Bull Proving Grounds rep speaks on their teamwork: “There’s no region that we can’t beat”

One of the most notable entries on the West Coast region in the upcoming Red Bull Proving Grounds team tournament is Chicago. It’s the most recognizable region in the Midwest, and holds some of the biggest FGC majors of the year. Being the face of the Midwest, a lot of players will be working hard to earn the recognition they feel they deserve, while many more will be watching from home and rooting for their victory.

Today we take some time to talk with Noah, the TO of Mix-Up Monthly, which happens to be their Regional representative. Read on to hear his thoughts on their chances in the coming events.

John “Zidiane” Silvia: First things first, would you mind introducing yourself for the readers who may not know you?

Noah Vandercook: My name is Noah Vandercook, I’m a proud 09’er who is now a FGC TO for Chicago, mainly working with Ignite Gaming Lounge.

Zidiane: Ignite Gaming Lounge, is that a monthly? Weekly?

Noah: So, Ignite is a LAN center/internet cafe type of place in Chicago; there we have weeklies every Monday: Mix-Up Monday. It’s kind of a big catch-all for any FGC folks, but especially SFV. Thanks to the support of Red Bull, we were able to start the monthly, Mix-Up Monthly.

Zidiane: Nice. How big is the playerbase there?

Noah: There’s a healthy scene of like 20-30 players that come out dedicated for SFV, but since we run Mondays people’s availability can be all over the place, so the base can rotate around a little. The monthlies have really brought people out of the woodwork, giving a good 70-100 people from the area for SFV, and it’s still growing.

Zidiane: Are there any particular standout players in the area, that people already might know about?

Noah: From Chicago, the big two are GLB and The Cool Kid93; those guys are consistently at the top, and were two of the players than made it out last year. Other notables that make appearances are EliTheCurry from IN, Squall from OH, and Gllty from MO, though usually we do an alright job of protecting the city.

Zidiane: Oh, you get people from states over? What’s the furthest someone’s traveled to come play at that monthly?

Noah: Missouri for sure, that’s like 6-8 hours. It speaks to how cool this opportunity–and I would like to think, the quality of our event–is that players would travel from that far out to compete. Plenty of folks driving 4+ hours from IN, WI and IA just for a piece of the action.

Zidiane: It’s certainly a worthwhile opportunity being one of the Red Bull Proving Grounds regions, no doubt. Speaking of, how did you guys end up getting Red Bull’s attention for this, would you say?

Noah: Well, I got lucky. For a while I was doing my own thing with Ignite, putting on the weeklies and the occasional larger tournament on the weekends. I actually ended up stepped away from it a little just from getting burned out. Then out of the blue early last year Rick came to me about the whole thing, because as the Combo Breaker TO they rightfully went to him first. Since he was based out of MN at the time it would be near impossible to run a Chicago monthly, so I guess even though I stepped away, the work my community and I did still left a mark. Because of that I was tapped, and the rest is history.

Zidiane: It’s always nice seeing dedication pay off like this. How about the players? How are they feeling about the announcement?

Noah: They have some understanding of it from last year, so they are excited to get the chance again. The updates to the format really have people excited, both that the qualifying players will be a team, and how they’ll also be playing for their friends back home.

Zidiane: It’s a very unique format, to be sure. So, 3 of your players will end up being promoted as Team Chicago. If you had to guess right now, which players would you pick for representing your region?

Noah: Cool Kid and GLB for sure, the third spot is really up the air. Last year it was Squall, but a lot of the crew he plays with are getting to that level. Then you have the rest of Chicago that have quietly started getting godlike; even last year there was a lot of fierce competition in that area of placing, so if the same people start coming out each month then it can get really exciting.

Zidiane: It sounds like a region filled with potential unknown killers.

Noah: Very.

Zidiane: So, as far as the rest of the event goes: this is being sold as a East Coast vs. West Coast event. You’re of course on Team West Coast, but it seems like the Midwest area is sorta separate form that particular rivalry. Do you feel like that’s the case?

Noah: Yes, the Midwest has always been excluded from those sorts of talks, but I’m confident that people won’t be so quiet after this year.

Zidiane: Sounds like you guys are pretty confident. You will have to go through the entire West Coast team in that Round Robin first, though. How do you guys feel about that portion of the competition? Anyone you’re worried about, or not?

Noah: There’s nobody that we can’t overcome. I think one of the Midwest’s biggest strengths is our comraderie, which shines when we have the will–we work hard together. That was made clear last year, when the 3 qualifying players starting sharing knowledge early and often, but now that it’s a full-on team format I know that there’s no one that we can’t beat.

Zidiane: I see. So you’re saying you guys are the best team players, and that’s gonna be the thing that wins this for you.

Noah: Absolutely.

Zidiane: Well, that being the case, assuming you get to the final round, you’ll have to go up against just one East Coast team. Do you have any thoughts on which team you might meet on that stage?

Noah: Probably Philly, and to be honest I am not sure who to expect out of the others. Orlando and Houston have strong scenes and are new to the circuit, so it’s really anyone’s game.

Zidiane: Especially with the new format, it’s really an exciting time. We can’t really tell what’s going to happen. That’s about it for the questions I had today. We’ll try to come back and revisit Chicago after some of the qualifiers start taking place, but was there anything you wanted to say before heading out?

Noah: Thanks to everyone involved. The coolest thing about RBPG is that it brings a lot of people together, people who otherwise are used to being on their own little islands. There’s been little reason for TOs to work together like this in the past; we get to learn from one another, which in turn is great for everyone involved.