It’s finally been announced folks. Following a special Square Enix livestream earlier today, the company has confirmed that Dissidia Final Fantasy Arcade will be coming to PS4 next year. Titled Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, this team brawler will feature over 20 characters from Final Fantasy’s history, with Square Enix announcing that FFXV’s Noctis will be on the roster.
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT will be playable at this year’s E3, with the demo on the show floor featuring the heroes from Final Fantasy I through to XIV. It will also be part of the E3 Coliseum showcase, with Echo Fox|Justin Wong and EG|K-Brad fighting it out in a special exhibition on June 13th. There will also be a special Dissidia NT panel during the E3 Coliseum, featuring producer Ichiro Hazama and director Takeo Kujiraoka.
The arcade and console versions will receive continuous development, with new characters appearing in the arcade version before they are ported to console. So far, Dissidia NT has the release date of “early 2018”, so expect more news either at E3 or Tokyo Games Show later this year.
I am forever fascinated by what elements of a game look like when disassembled. So much of the punch and power of Tekken 7’s Rage Arts (and any super move in a modern fighting game, really) comes from expertly-placed camera work. When you replace the cinematic camera with a fixed angle, however, you get to see the shortcuts and tricks developers have to do to keep the action readable.
If you like seeing these camera-less cinematics, you might want to check out our past coverage on camera-less supers of Ultra Street Fighter IV, and the roaming camera mod for Mortal Kombat X.
I am forever fascinated by what elements of a game look like when disassembled. So much of the punch and power of Tekken 7’s Rage Arts (and any super move in a modern fighting game, really) comes from expertly-placed camera work. When you replace the cinematic camera with a fixed angle, however, you get to see the shortcuts and tricks developers have to do to keep the action readable.
If you like seeing these camera-less cinematics, you might want to check out our past coverage on camera-less supers of Ultra Street Fighter IV, and the roaming camera mod for Mortal Kombat X.
Some more Ed tech to help you work on that Psycho-boxing.
Ed’s still the new kid on the Street Fighter V block, with mixed opinions on his effectiveness and playability. If you’re looking to pick up the “nimble boxer,” here’s some videos that might help convince you to try him out–or to stick with him, if you already have!
Gamewisk shows off a variety of Ed’s abilities in this video, starting with confirms from light buttons, and covering some fun V-Skill, V-Trigger, Crush Counter, and corner combos as well:
In “Psycho Break,” Diplomat demonstrates a variety of flashy combos for Ed:
The Prince has been working on some meaty setups for Ed as well to help you keep that pressure on:
Not everyone has the time (or interest enough) to treat Tekken 7’s combo system like a sandbox. And that’s fair! For new players wanting to just jump into the fray, Rooflemonger has put together several beginner combo guides to get you started.
While many of these may not be optimal damage-wise, they are easy to pick up and can serve as valuable building blocks for your Tekken journey.
For those same new players that would benefit from the above, you’ll also want to check out rooflemonger‘s throw break guide:
The genre-blending fighter has finally made its way to consoles.
In the midst of all the hype gathered for AAA fighting games like Injustice 2 and Tekken 7, the indie title Lethal League found its way onto consoles early in May to prove there’s always room for something fun and new. The humble indie fighter originally released on PC in 2014, and has found a niche among dedicated fans. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players now have the chance to get a taste of what the home run-hitting game has to offer. Lethal League‘s identity is defined by its eye-popping art, hip-hopping music, and devotion to giving players a grand slam of a good time.
Team Reptile provided us with a chance to try the game out on Xbox One. The gameplay is very easy to understand, but somewhat difficult to explain without either showing someone or playing for yourself. Combatants start each match spread out on the battlefield with an anti-gravity ball in the center of the arena. Unlike other fighters where you pummel each other directly to get the K.O., Lethal League requires players to hit one another with the ball to take out a stock. There is no single way to play Lethal League; you can try to trap your opponent by making the ball fly as fast as possible, you can rush your opponent to leave them little room to react, or you can run around and just go bonkers. You can play with any strategy that fits your style, and still meet some positive results.
Every character has unique attacks and special abilities designed to get the most out of each swing. Whenever things get too hectic, you can bunt the ball and set up a brand new combo string. Most matches tend to be one-on-one battles, but the gameplay really shines whenever four players are up to bat, especially in local versus mode. Online battles are fun in their own right, I experienced little to no issues during online play, but the lobbies can be a little less than crowded at times. Luckily there is a challenge mode that pits players against computer-controlled opponents in a similar fashion to the Super Smash Bros. Classic Mode. After a few rounds, new mini-game modes will appear like Point Mode, Strikers Mode, and other neat surprises. Training mode is also included, to give players the environment to hone their skills at their own pace.
Distinct art and sound keeps the ball moving.
Everything in Lethal League bursts with color and personality. Playable characters are loud and expressive in both animations and voice acting. My personal favorite character is the big-headed dandy Candyman, but there is a good selection of fighters to choose from. It’s always fun to watch the characters dash across the screen, leaping and bounding to gain control of the ball. It’s rare to see so much personality from simple actions like ducking or walking. The stages add as much character to the game as the fighters themselves. Fast moving trains, abandoned facilities, and even padded rooms create an atmosphere that fits every battle.
One of Lethal League‘s greatest features is its soundtrack. The music is expertly crafted to establish the rebellious tone; fans of Sega’s Jet Set Radio will find a lot to love with Lethal League‘s stoked soundscapes and upbeat notes. The music motivates players to go round after round, emboldened by the funky fresh beats. The soundtrack is also incredibly varied, showcasing the different possibilities within the “dub-hop” genre. The music is so important to the game, that a portion of the bottom of the screen is devoted to displaying the name of the song playing and its artist. The boom box plays another important role to the gameplay–but that’s something best experienced for yourself!
There are a few more nods to Super Smash Bros. like the character emblems, the announcer, and the pop-up text–but aside from that, this game is in a league of its own. Everything blends together so well. Lethal League confidently expresses its style in every way possible. It’s one of a kind flair is immediately recognizable to anyone who has experienced the stellar sights and shocking sounds. Nothing is quite as satisfying as the thunderous crack your weapon makes when it strikes the ball right before it blasts into a sonic boom. You will never forget the first time you break the speed barrier, or the second time, or the third. It’s just one of those things that never loses its luster.
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.
While I certainly wish there were more characters, stages, and songs, that’s my only real request for this title. I just want more. I want more ways to experience this world that was so carefully crafted. A story mode would be appreciated to learn more about the characters, their backstories, and their motivations. How did Latch the crocodile get his cybernetic enhancements? What motivated Switch the robot to quit his day job? Where did these anti-gravitational balls come from, and why does everyone need to hit each other in the face with them? Perhaps these questions don’t need to be answered, after all, they don’t take away from how fun the game is to play. Nevertheless, I can’t help but think about the day to day the characters experience in Lethal League.
Lethal League may seem bare-bones when it comes to content, but what it does have to offer is truly one of a kind. Players can really feel the love that Team Reptile poured into Lethal League. Whether you go up to bat solo or with your best buds there’s never a dull moment. No two matches are ever the same, and there’s always more to learn. It’s a game that needs to be experienced to see just how much potential the fighting genre still has to grow. I highly suggest checking the game out–whether it’s on a console, or on PC. Do it for yourself, do it for your friends, and do it for the Candymans.
Competitive Super Smash Bros. is in something of a weird spot when it comes to its relationship with Nintendo; the company has been slow to even acknowledge the game’s competitive scene, despite how large it’s grown over the years. More importantly, the company has yet to throw the same kind of competitive support that other companies–such as Capcom, SNK, NetherRealm Studios, Arc System Works, and Team NINJA–have provided to their games.
With this in mind, one of the game’s top players has now called out Nintendo on their lack of support. After winning the Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament at Smash ‘N’ Splash 3 this past weekend, Team Liquid’s Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma used the time on the mic that was given to him to try to speak out against this lack of support.
The speech focuses on the fact that Smash has grown a sizable community without any sort of official support. He also points out that for a lot of the players, Smash isn’t just a video game–but also a lifestyle, and a source of livelihood.
You can watch and listen to the speech below. Take note that he Hungrybox does use some NSFW language before the start of his speech.
Launch tournaments are a pretty common thing now when new fighting games hit the streets, and Tekken 7 was no exception. What makes the “Rage Art” launch tournament in the Philippines different, however, was the sheer talent present at the event.
Hosted by the PlayBook Video Game Lounge and Bookshop, Rage Art featured some of the top Tekken players in the world, as Echo Fox’s own JDCR and Saint flew in to compete. Fighting against them were some of the Philippines’ best Tekken players, such as Coffe_Prinz, Prime, PlayBook Elite’s AK, Doujin, and Maru, and Imperium Pro Team’s El.
For those who missed the event, Team Spooky was on hand to stream and record it. They’ve uploaded a video with the tournament’s top 8 matches–as well as a special message from Bandai Namco’s Katsuhiro Harada and Michael Murray–onto their YourTube Channel.
You can check out the tournament matches below. For more on the tournament, you can check out the top 16 brackets (which reset everyone back onto the winners side) here.
Tekken 7 is now in the creative hands of the FGC, and right ouf of the gate players are pushing the damage and the metagame as hard as they can. Let’s see what’s developed thus far in the King of Iron Fist Tournament scene!
Eliza, a character built around 2D-like cancels and jump mechanics, is already starting to look like she has excellent damage output in BJ 포립‘s combo video.
King Jae shows us some clever ways to get out of Gigas’s terrifying 50/50 after his Rage Drive. Some characters don’t have to respect the mixup at all–at least not the mid/high one you’re accustomed to.
rooflemonger has a quick beginners guide to getting of the ground–which is one of the most important fundamentals to understand in Tekken!
If you’re a Kuma player, GreenTekken has some bad news for you.
Japanese player jusful is back with some more advanced ways to land surprise command grabs for King.
Want to play a Mishima? Do you have electrics on standby? Then blankaex‘s Devil Jin combo video is for you. As long as you can do Electric Wind God Fist, of course.
But maybe the patriarch of the Mishima Zaibatsu is more your speed. In that case, HurtboxTV has you covered with this Heihachi combo breakdown.
Not everyone is a Mishima fan–just ask Lee. Then again, with wall carry that KEY1DRPlayz shows off, Lee doesn’t need to be a fan of anyone other than himself.
And closing out today’s list, anthony piccaver sent us this Shaheen combo video, showing off stage transitions and some interesting uses of Rage Drive mid-combo.
Early days are always going to be combo video heavy for a new game (especially Tekken!), but I’m most excited for the tech and match-up videos that will develop. What tech have you come up with?
So many new games have been released these past few weeks that you may have missed the start of Mikado Arcade’s spectacular Street Fighter Carnival. This month-long, multi-game tournament series is a specialty of the world-famous Japanese arcade. SFC9 shows off the diverse set of skills Mikado’s patrons possess across several classic arcade fighters, and it’s a great way to learn more about high-level play in games you may be less-than-familiar with.
Mikado continues to share the joy of these games, with us by uploading the streamed tournaments to their channel! Below you’ll find:
World Heroes 2
Twinkle Star Sprites
Karnov’s Revenge: Fighter’s History Dynamite
Fatal Fury Special
Samurai Spirits 64
Windjammers
Be sure to subscribe to their channel for more SFC9 action. You can get a sneak peek at a few of the games they plan on playing here on their tournament leaderboard! You can also try to catch them live on their UStream.
