Category: News

Surprise! Seemingly out of nowhere, the official Japanese Pokkén Tournament DX website has announced a new update for Pokkén Tournament DX. It’s set to arrive on Wednesday, July 11, and features balance changes for all 23 fighters (and several supports).

Here are the changes for the Battle Pokémon:

Blastoise

• Aura Sphere (Upward): can now fire aura spheres upward after water gun
• Burst Mode: now improves Blastoise’s move speed universally.
• jX (Field): Can now input bjX to track opponents
• Dark Pulse: no longer interacts with opposing projectiles

Decidueye

• Soaring > Forward dash: reduced landing recovery
• 8X: increased block stun
• 6XX: reduced recovery, but also reduced hitstun
• CA: Reduced active armor frames to match other grounded CAs.
• 5X: increased combo scaling

Empoleon

• nY: Can now ice skate right out of nY by holding down the button.
• 5YX: New move. Hold the button down to go into ice skating.
• Movement: Empoleon move speed has increased universally.
• jX (Field): Increased active frames of the hitbox while descending. Can change the direction of the move with 7/8/9
• 5X: increased the hitbox of the second hit
• 2X: When inputting 1X, you won’t spin as far.
• 4X: More blockstun.
• Skating -> Jump (Duel): Input forward to go even further when jumping.
• 2X: Increased hitstun. Combo scaling increased.
• Skating -> Jump: fixed a problem where your controls would get locked if you were hit with a certain timing out of this move.
• Skating (duel) -> Y: can no longer use duel phase moves after phase changing with this move
• Back Skating -> Y (duel): fixed an issue where phase changing with this move would cause the camera to get weird

Scizor

• Bug Bite: Can now be activated from ]A[
• Swords Dance – Shots: Can now forward dash right out of this move with R.
• 2X: More block stun. Increases pushback from the wall if you wall splat with this move to better position Scizor for combos.
• Homing 1: reduced recovery, reduced hitstun
• Hover Turn: fixed a bug where inputting hover turn would cause you to use u-turn in certain situations

Croagunk

• 8[Y]: new move
• j8X: On whiff, the move’s random effect has been altered.
• BA: – increased reach. Improved tracking. Increased iFrames.
• bY – Avoids some high projectiles. Just frame increases synergy.
• Gunk Shot (Self Destruct): can now guard break opponents

Darkrai

• 6Y: On hit, causes a down state. On just frame, grants more synergy.
• 4Y: Just frames give synergy now. Also causes a down state.
• 2Y: Reduced recovery. However also does reduced blockstun.
• Shadow Claw (slice derivation, held): more phase shift points
• Air Teleport (Nightmare mode): increased recovery if you air teleport

Shadow Mewtwo

• Psywave Projectile (Max Charge) – now eats other projectiles more easily (higher priority)
• Miracle Eye – reduced HP cost
• Teleport: reduced recovery time
• 6Y: When the second hit hits an opponent above ground, increased stun
• 5X: increased the window to cancel into 5XX
• Psywave Vortex: reduced HP cost, but also reduces synergy gain to match reduced HP cost
• 6Y (Burst): when burst ends, the pillar disappears too

Mewtwo

• 6YX: new just frame added. Just frame adds more damage and synergy gain on success.
• Psystrike: Just frames add synergy.
• 2X: Just frames add synergy.
• BA: removes any supports you have out on activation (IE gets rid of rotom if you try to Rotom + BA)

Braixen

• j8Y – new move
• Flame Charge – when crossing opponents up with this move, you will move a shorter distance
• Flame Charge EX – fixed a problem where after performing this move, you would auto correct into the wrong direction

Garchomp

• Dig – On crit, OR in burst, now allows you to combo afterward. Made it easier to combo opponents who were hit out of the air. Now avoids projectiles while doing the uppercut portion as well. Nose Dive – now is cancellable into pokemon moves
• 4X – Can now avoid certain low projectiles.
• [Sand tomb] – fixed a problem where the animation wouldn’t play on hit

Sceptile

• 6Y: Can cancel into vine hang after the move.
• Detect (Success): increased chip
• CA – On critical hit, the opponent is now downed. (not sure if hard knockdown or if crumple) On hitting an aerial opponent, hitstun increased.
• 5[Y] on hit, causes a down (not sure if hard knockdown or crumple)
• 6Y: on start up, this move can avoid lows. The last change is “fixed a bug where jump forward after using vine hang would cause your inputs to get stuffed afterward”

Chandelure

• Will-o-Wisp: deals more damage to shield (duel phase only)
• 4y: more base damage
• WoW: reduced knockback against blocking opponents
• jY (Field): reduced the range Chandelure can move while performing jump laser

Pikachu Libre

• sY – when enhanced, hold the button to do a magnetic hop (I forget what the actual name of her special jump thing is, her wall jump IIRC)
• sY – higher base damage
• jX – has reduced range when crossing over opponents

Gengar

• 6YX – Press R to permeate
• sY – can cancel into pokemon moves
• Sludge Bomb – attack debuff lasts for less time if an opponent walks over the trap
• BA – on activation, removes any supports you have out
• Mid Air Jump – fixed a bug where you couldn’t properly use astonish after jumping back and permeating

Blaziken

• Air Dash – changed the trajectory of his air dash.
• EX Heat Wave – Reduced combo scaling
• jY – Can now cancel into Pokemon moves. Increased hitstun, reduced knockback.

Weavile

• 6Y – new move
• Burst – lasts longer
• Icicle Crash (Slam) – increased chip damage
• 8X – Weavile can now combo if this move hits opponents out of the air

Charizard

• Charizard Flare Blitz (Straight): increased block stun. Increased knockback on blocking opponents
• 5X increased block stun
• j6Y you can now swat some projectiles to erase them with Charizard’s tail
• Inferno: Now has longer range. On hit, applies speed down. Increased combo scaling (buff and nerf)

Suicune

• Up CA – lowered the height at which this move launches upward to better hit small and crouching opponents
• 2Y – increased block stun on the first hit, less recovery on 2Y.
• 5YYY – no longer puts you in an aerial state
• can cancel hydro pump and blizzard with R

Gardevoir

• Gardevoir jCA (duel phase) the range at which this move moves increased
• Energy Ball (Duel) goes further and has some improvement to track opponents movements
• Energy Ball: Diffused (Field) has a bigger hitbox
• 8X increased the forward movement from performing it
• When Gardevoir does calm mind in BA, she gets 2 stacks
• Now has more blockstun with BA

Machamp

• Cross Chop in duel phase has more active frames, and the distance you get pushed back from cross chopping a wall is reduced
• jump homing now moves Machamp faster as he tracks opponents
• Machamp can change the trajectory of his air grab by inputting back
• ]X[ is now a thing

Pikachu

• Pikachu Volt Tackle’s hitbox is bigger in burst
• nY can cancel into Pokemon moves from the 1st and 2nd inputs
• Can cancel Electro Ball
• Can cancel 8X with 6R
• Does more damage with BA

Aegislash

• jY (Field): can now input directions to change the trajectory 6Y (first part) – increased range. Increased amount of time you can delay 6YY.
• High Stance – gives more synergy at more intervals than before
• Shield Form Pokemon Moves – reduced durations of buffs received from form changing
• Iron Head – now has difficulty hitting crouching and small opponents (possibly changed to a high?)
• King’s Shield – Less invincibility time on a successful counter.
• 4Y: no longer puts you into an aerial state
• 4X (Enhanced): reduced the amount of time your buffs last upon use

But wait! There’s more: closing us out are some important Support changes:

• Diglett: Does more damage.
• Pachirisu: Removed invincibility on start up, replaced with projectile invincibility on start up.
• Magikarp: charges slower
• Yvetal: fixed a problem where your opponent’s synergy didn’t go down on hit if you activated burst at the same time.
• Litten: charges faster
• Popplio: increased duration of the double jump buff
• Mega Rayquaza: does even more damage, costs less synergy to use
• Celebi: charges faster

That’s it! Get your Switches ready to download the update on the 11th.

Source: Pokkén Arena (translation);  Pokkén

Edmonton’s longest-running tournament returns once again to issue a challenge to all players in Alberta!

Competitors in Alberta — and all of Western Canada — will want to clear their schedule and head to Edmonton next month for Alberta Beat Down 2018, being held on August 24-26, hosted by Team Edmonton Gamers!

Registration is open now on smash.gg. As in prior years, the fight card is full of great games to clash in:

• Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
• Ultra Street Fighter IV
• Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
• Dragon Ball FighterZ
• Tekken 7
• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
• Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

A number of CCG-based events will be held as well.

Sources: smash.gg; Team Edmonton Gamers

France is known as a mecca for SoulCalibur, and it seems like that will stay the same for the next iteration. Recently, a few famous French players ventured to Bandai Namco’s offices to sit down for a little bit longer with the game. Kayane, Hayate, Keysona, and Keev spent as much time as they could combing through the game’s mechanics and garnering impressions on SoulCalibur VI‘s growing cast.

The players compiled their thoughts in a SoulCalibur VI Feedback Doc, divided into several sections. Overall, their opinions are positive, agreeing that the E3 build has come a long way from the earlier version. They would like to see an option to turn off armor breaking, and their major complaint about game mechanics is slightly-too-high combo damage. They suggest lengthening Soul Charge but reducing its power slightly, because it lasts for only a very short time.

As for characters, they dub Mitsurugi and Sophitia as the most basic, beginner-friendly characters, unsurprisingly. They consider this game to offer best version of Zasalamel, dubbing his combos “stylish.” Interestingly, they also said that Geralt “seems very strong;” he’s mostly an unexplored character at this point.

If you’re more of a watcher than a reader, they also recorded footage of their matches.

Here’s an extended clip of Kayane using Geralt and showing his potential.

Hayate uploaded a clip of him using Kilik against Keev’s Nightmare.

The SoulCalibur.fr channel uploaded several clips of gameplay with various characters.

In case you missed it, check out the Talim reveal trailer.

Sources: Google Docs; KayaneTV; SoulCalibur.fr; Hayate EIN

“Raging Demons”, or forward-advancing super throws performed with a chain of button inputs, are common in Fighting EX Layer. However, there’s two characters in the game whose Raging Demons have alternate cinematic versions — Skullomania and Shadow Geist — which direct references to their secret animations from Capcom’s EX series.

Both secret cinematic are performed by doing the normal Raging Demon input then holding down+light punch+medium kick. The differences might be purely cosmetic, but showing your Skullo Beam is an important part of the Skullo Meta, as far as I’m skullo-concerned.

Source: Fighters Generation

The CONQUEST continues!

This weekend will see two qualifier events in two different cites in the RED BULL CONQUEST circuit: both New York, NY and Nashville, TN will be hosts to the action on Saturday, July 7th. Competitors will clash in Street Fighter V, Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2, and Tekken 7 to earn the coveted qualifying spots for the National Finals in Washington, D.C. in November. From the press release:

As home to two of the strongest fighting game communities in the country, fighting game fans won’t want to miss this weekend’s action! New York has cultivated one of the most thriving and diverse fighting game communities in the country, with players such as Dieminion, a strong Street Fighter who competes internationally every year, and FightingGM, a Guiness World Record holder for most TEKKEN championships, competing this Saturday in the Big Apple. Additionally, the Tennessee qualifier will see players like prominent TEKKEN 7 player Lil Majin and up-and-coming Street Fighter player and Clutch 2018 winner Splash. World class Tekken competitor Hoa “Anakin” Luu will be also be making an appearance to check out the South’s fresh talent.

A solid crew of FGC illuminaries will be dishing out insider secrets and competitor strategies as players compete to prove their skills, with FGC notables Persia and Yipes hosting the New York City qualifier, while hosts Vicious and Tasty Steve share insights on the South’s FGC in Nashville.

Want to watch the fights? Streaming information is as follows:

New York City Red Bull Conquest Qualifier: Saturday, July 7

• Schedule: 1:00 PM ET Start Time | Estimated Top 4 start 6:00 PM ET

• Link: twitch.tv/redbullesports

Nashville Red Bull Conquest Qualifier: Saturday, July 7

• Schedule: 3:00 PM CT Start Time | Estimated Top 4 start 7:00 PM CT

• Link: https://www.facebook.com/redbullesports/

Be sure to tune in!

Source: Red Bull Esports [press release]

As some of you may know, Arc System Works recently announced a new game based on Studio Trigger’s Kill la Kill. The game, dubbed Kill la Kill the Game: IF, had a panel at Anime Expo 2018 where Arc System Works and developers APlus Games dropped some info and a new trailer.

For those wondering about platforms, the trailer reveals that Kill la Kill the Game: IF is currently being developed for PlayStation 4 and PC. The game itself is set to be released on both platforms sometime next year.

The trailer also shows off our first glimpse of how the game plays, showing some hints of mechanics that seem inspired by ArcSys’s other games.

In addition to this, Arc System Works also confirmed at the event that the game will be at Evo 2018. This will be the first time that the game will be playable by the general public.

Just confirmed by the #Kill_la_Kill panel at #AnimeExpo2018, the first playable build of the #KLK video game will be debuting at #EVO2018! pic.twitter.com/e386Gi8Rly

— Arc System @ AX2018 #3911 (@ArcSystemWorksU) July 6, 2018

As mentioned above: Kill la Kill the Game: IF will find its way on to PlayStation 4 and PC sometime in 2019.

Source: Arc System Works (Twitter); Arc System Works