Category: News

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

He slides forward—check out that low profile!

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

The MP version ends with the Peerless Palm.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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…

…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.

• Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, E. Honda, Blanka, Zangief, Guile, Dhalsim
• Balrog, Vega, Sagat, M. Bison, Akuma, Gouken, Seth

Source: Capcom-Unity via NeoGAF

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.

After long being tied to Empire Arcadia, Adam “Armada” Lindgren announced earlier this week that he had left the “development company” to pursue other interests, teasing further details in regards to his future. Fortunately, we haven’t had to wait long to learn exactly where he will land.

Just this morning, Swedish organization Alliance announced that Lindgren will be joining their roster as the group’s very first Smash Bros. player. And, looking at his history, it would appear as if they made a pretty solid choice: over the years, this Peach main has carried the iconic princess to victory in a multitude of large Super Smash Bros. Melee events, including Apex 2013, Community Effort Orlando 2014, Shadowloo Showdown V, and many more.

Lindgren is the latest in a long line of Smashers that have been picked up by prominent institutions in the competitive gaming world, a string of signings that include two-time Evo champion Joseph “Mang0″ Marquez joining up with Cloud9 and Evil Geniuses snagging Kevin “PPMD” Nanney.

Alliance, which was formed last year by Evil Geniuses CEO Alex Garfield, also sports teams for League of Legends, DOTA 2, and FIFA.

Source: Alliance via Andrew Tai Vo, special thanks to MrKingFunk.

This weekend, Canada Cup Gaming will be putting on yet another installment of their popular Canada Cup tournament series. Previous events have been known to attract a large number of foreign competitors, sometimes to the detriment of its organizer, and this year’s looks to be no different thanks to a very different benefactor.

Canada Cup Gaming has announced over the past few days that Twitch will be flying in two very special competitors to take part in Canada Cup 2014. Recent upstart Pepeday, who represents Japan’s Fukuoka Gamers Club, is set to show off his smothering El Fuerte yet again, and alongside him will be South Korean competitor Poongko, whose Seth play has also been known to pressure some high-level talent in his time.

This will give both players the opportunity to qualify for next year’s Master Series, which will see previous Canada Cup champions, special invites, and others return to the northern country to compete in Ultra Street Fighter IV for a $20,000 CDN prize pool.

Canada Cup 2014 is scheduled to take place this weekend, November 7-9, in Calagary, Alberta, Canada.

Source: Canada Cup Gaming

Some time ago, we reported that Capcom would be bringing some of its classic games back to arcades via Taito’s NESiCAxLive network. Today, the first of those games is finally out on the service – Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

This arcade re-release is an important event for fans of the game. Prior to this, 3rd Strike was available only on Capcom’s CPS-III board, which was notorious for eventually refusing to work due to how its security was tied to a battery that would eventually die after years of use. This effectively extends the game’s life in the arcade by allowing it to run on newer hardware.

In transitioning to the widescreen monitors of newer arcade cabinets, the game’s classic 4:3 aspect ratio is still maintained. The extra space is instead filled with the movelists for the selected characters – a touch that should help newcomers get into the classic title.

Other games such as Vampire Savior (Darkstalkers 3 in the west), Hyper Street Fighter II, and Street Fighter Zero 3 (Street Fighter Alpha 3) are expected to be released before the end of the year. In the meantime, check out how 3rd Strike looks on NESiCAxLive in the gallery below.

Source: Siliconera

Back during Lab Zero Games’ gocrowdfunding campaign for Skullgirls Encore, one of the featured reward tiers was a limited number of slots for custom color palettes. As it turns out, even after the successful campaign, not all of these slots were claimed.

Due to feedback from fans who have expressed interest in acquiring these unclaimed palette slots, the developers are now making them available for purchase. As it stands, Painwheel, Double, and Robo-Fortune each have two slots up for sale, while Peacock and Beowulf are down to one apiece.

These slots will go for the same price as the $400 reward tier in which they were previously offered them during the campaign, and will come bundled with everything else that level entailed, including a Steam code for the game itself, a copy of the soundtrack, the digital sketchbook, a character poster, and much more.

Previous donors who wish to upgrade can do so through Indiegogo and pay the difference. If you’re interested, be sure to contact render over at the official Skullgirls forum before the November 21 deadline.

These custom palettes will be added to the Steam version of the game as soon as they are completed before eventually finding their way to consoles.

Source: Skullheart

As part of their campaign to show off the unlockable characters available in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, Nintendo recently released another batch of screenshots. This time around, they focus on both the pairing of the infamous dog and titular fowl from Duck Hunt and returning Pokémon fighter Jigglypuff.

While there’s not a whole lot to see here if you’ve been keeping up with news on these titles, the images display some very (ahem) interesting interactions between these two characters and the rest of the cast. Check them all out below, along with a brand new trailer for the Duck Hunt representatives, and let us know what you think.

Source: Smash Bros., special thanks to TheRedKirby.

Those of you following the upcoming Dead or Alive 5 Last Round may have noticed that there are some differences between the way Team NINJA is handling the last- and current-generation versions. Aside from the fact that PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners will only be able to purchase the game digitally, both of the older consoles also lack Last Round’s new stages and hair options.

“The reason why we can not make last gen retail version is that retailers in the west can not take them and make them in stock. They are not supporting last gen game any more,” Team NINJA explained on Facebook. “Some of the developers like [Ubisoft], Bethesda, [Warner Bros.] will rapidly shift their production line from last gen to new gen console as you may know.”

Of course, this only applies to newcomers, as those who already have Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate will be able to patch the older title to Last Round for free, though additional downloadable characters will still have to be purchased separately.

As for why the new arenas and hairstyles won’t be available on older hardware, it seems as if their absence is due to the developers focusing mainly on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Devoting resources to previous platforms would cause newer versions to suffer in the process.

While some may still be upset with this news, it does make some sense considering that the current-gen versions will feature the team’s new Soft Engine, which they say will more accurately portray the human form.

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round will be available in North America on February 17 and Japan on February 19. In addition to gameplay balance changes and other additions, two as of yet unrevealed characters are set to join the cast.

Source: Team NINJA via Siliconera

Earlier today, a few folks from NetherRealm Studios provided a special live stream, featuring tons of new footage for the upcoming Mortal Kombat X. Much of the discussion revolved around a few of the variations each character possesses, most notably those of Kotal Kahn and Quan Chi, both of which had been given relatively little spotlight during previous demonstrations.

Starting off, Kotal’s Blood God variation focuses on his use of three specific totems and the buffs they impart. The first, made of obsidian, lessens the damage he takes from enemy attacks, while the crystal totem is more offensive in nature, imparting a boost to attack power that can be combined with his Blood Offering special (which sacrifices health for a damage bonus) to drop ridiculous amounts of health from an opponent’s life bar. The blood totem is a bit different in that it steals energy from the enemy as Kotal lands attacks, storing it in the small figure and replenishing his life until the ancient fighter himself is hit.

As a Sun God, however, Kotal’s offense is mostly derived from the variations unique command grab. Each successful attempt to grab the opponent with this attack adds another hit to the string, capping out at three. Kotal can then use the stored energy to continue dealing bigger damage with the command grab or use it to restore his health, meter, or both resources in one shot, though we assume at smaller amounts.

The spells Quan Chi gains as a Sorcerer, on the other hand, act on the battlefield, affecting either the necromancer himself or his opponent should they be standing in their respective fields of influence. One adds continuous damage to few special attacks that drains the opponent’s health after they are hit, the second increases block damage when foes find themselves within its radiating orange circle, and the last gives Quan Chi a single hit of armor that regenerates after a period of time.

The stream also provided some complementary information on variations for Sub-Zero, Scorpion, D’Vorah, and more, as well as new footage of a few fatalities that had yet to play out full during previous showings. If you missed out, be sure to check out the entire archive below.

Watch live video from NetherRealm on Twitch

Source: NetherRealm Studios