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The latest ‘BlazBlue’ reminds me how impenetrable fighting games can be
Fighting games aren't for the faint-hearted. There's no relaxation or light entertainment in the breakneck world of kill-or-be-killed beat 'em ups. Long before home consoles and internet connections, these kind of games fostered serious competitive scenes around arcade cabinets. The term eSports is now common parlance, and yet the biggest fighting game franchises are struggling, only really appealing to their loyal fanbases. But for the developers behind these titles, it's a catch-22. It's after playing BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle -- which has only recently come to the PC, PS4 and Switch in Europe -- that I'm reminded why. Fighting games can be extremely rewarding, but only as a result of being fundamentally difficult and alienating to begin with.
Over-the-top anime 'Kill la Kill' becomes a game in 2019
One of the better-known (if at times infamous) anime shows of recent years is getting the video game treatment. Studio Trigger and Dragon Ball FighterZ developer Arc System Works have announced Kill la Kill the Game: If, a 3D brawler adaptation of (what else?) Kill la Kill for both the PS4 and PCs running Steam. The creators haven't said much about how the title will work, but the trailer suggests it'll hew closely to the anime. That means a sword-wielding girl out for revenge (with a giant scissor-like sword), an abundance of violence and equal amounts of racy, sentient clothing.
Japan-only 'Double Dragon' game comes to the Super NES this summer
It might be time to dust off that old Super NES, especially if you're a Double Dragon fan -- on July 19th, you can check out a version of Super Double Dragon that wasn't available in North America before now.
A new 'Double Dragon' game is on its way next month
One of the first entries in your 2017 calendar should be the release date of a 30th Anniversary entry in the Double Dragon series. Arc System Works acquired the rights to the series last year, and just announced that Double Dragon IV will be released January 30th on the PS4 and Steam platforms. Despite being the first new update since 2012's Double Dragon Neon release and first update of any kind since Double Dragon Trilogy, its trailer flashes the classic side-scrolling beat 'em up action this series has been known for since it started as a coin-op in 1987.
Heaven or Hell! Aksys bringing Guilty Gear 2 Overture to Xbox 360
Proving that old sprites never die (they just go 3D), upstart publisher Aksys has confirmed that it will release Arc System Works' "tactical action game" Guilty Gear 2: Overture in North America this fall for the Xbox 360. The game, which takes characters from the Guilty Gear 2D fighting game series and injects them into a kind of bizarre amalgamation of 3D action and strategy, cannot help but remind us of last year's Soul Calibur Legends...and we're less than enthused to put ourselves through that experience again without some measure of alcohol.The game is the latest attempt at reinventing the storied franchise, following 2004's Guilty Gear Isuka, which upped the ante by allowing up to 4 players slug it out in a chaotic battle royal. Overture instead turns its attention to the series' complicated, often convoluted post-apocalyptic storyline, with spiky-headed Sol Badguy and his rectangular sword leading the charge in large scale battles while "balancing resources and deploying troops." Frankly trying to wrap our heads around how this will all work has given us a headache, so we're just going to file this one away in our 'might be interesting' basket and go have a lie-down.%Gallery-18161%
Shikigami no Shiro III: a shooter with the human touch
The Shikigami no Shiro series is pretty weird, for a number of reasons: first, the truly off-putting budget US release with the generic Charlie's Angels boxart; second, that the latest iteration of a shooter series is being released in 2007 at all; but most importantly, and most pertinent to actual gameplay, that Shikigami no Shiro III includes a variety of characters, in the same vein as a fighting game. That the game is being released on the Wii seems fairly standard for a shooter, if anything could be "standard" about a modern entry in this classic genre.The latest screenshots show the basic projectiles fired by some of the characters. Yes, you play as a flying human in this game, and not a spaceship or multi-headed dragon. That's something. We can't wait to float around as the classy Munchausen and shoot crystals from our outstretched hands. We can only assume that he's fresh from washing single handkerchiefs in a cocktail shaker.
Spring 2008: American balls get dodged
We don't know how today could get any better, unless we suddenly found a copy of Contra 4 in our Boo Berry (checking ... nope). Siliconera just reported that Aksys Games (also known as heroes of game publishing) will be bringing Chou Nekketsu Koukou Kunio-Kun Dodge Ball Bu to the U.S. under the excellent name of Super Dodgeball Brawlers. Because they play dodge ball, and also get into fights.Even if you don't like Super Dodge Ball, buy it. Buy a couple of copies so Million gets the idea that they need to continue making more new Kunio games. In the meantime, we're going to start ordering decorations and (of course) dodge balls for the Super Dodgeball Brawlers welcoming party. Spring 2008 is just around the corner!
Super Dodge Ball DS uses NES-style control scheme
Spencer Yip played a little bit of Cho Nekketsu Koukou Kunio-Kun Dodge Ball Bu while waiting for a meeting with publisher Arc System Works in which they discussed things that are infinitely less important than Cho Nekketsu Koukou Kunio-Kun Dodge Ball Bu. For him, it was a few casual minutes of gaming to write up whenever he had time; for us, it would have been a screaming, all-caps, exclamation-point-peppered impressions post, complete with hyperbole about how we were ready to die or whatever. We like Super Dodge Ball is what we're saying. We've liked it since it was a flickery mess on the NES.Which is why we're just fine with the major revelation in his impressions post-- that the game uses the "classic" two-button control scheme found in the NES version. A passes, B throws and catches, and the two together jump. Most importantly, it sounds like super throws are activated in the correct run-then-throw-at-the-right-moment method, rather than some kind of touch screen nonsense. Not that we have anything against the touch screen-- we just like our Dodge Ball as is. It turns out that the bottom screen just displays every player's special attack arsenal. Which is a great feature!
Shikigami no Shiro III: yet another shooter for Wii
A Wii version of Alfa System's Type X arcade shooter Shikigami no Shiro III will be released in Japan on December 13, published by Arc System Works. This is one of many shooters coming out for the system for some reason-- possibly lower development costs? Surprisingly, both of the previous entries in the Shikigami no Shiro series have been released in the US, although you may not have noticed them. XS Games released the first on PS2 as Mobile Light Force 2, presented as a sequel to their PlayStation Mobile Light Force, which was actually Psikyo's Gunbird. Both Mobile Light Force games had the exact same Charlie's Angels-esque boxart that had nothing to do with anything. Despite XS Games' best efforts to destroy the localization, Mobile Light Force 2 is still a pretty good budget shooter. The second game was released fairly intact as Castle Shikigami II, also at a budget price. Obviously, we're hoping for a US release on this new game, but from someone else, please.Don't take the title as derisive: even though this is, yes, another shooter, we actually enjoy shooters, and we feel that there's been enough of a lack of them in recent years that a sudden boom on the Wii is more than welcome.
Petit Copter: medical aviation in action
The Wii is all about innovation and new gameplay experiences. Like swinging a controller like a tennis racket, or pantomiming cooking motions, or even standing on things. Sometimes, however, the innovation comes not in the interface, but in the content of the game, as in Petit Copter. Petit Copter will allow you to experience something that you've hopefully never done: flying a tiny model helicopter around in a hospital. Of course, the tiny helicopter probably has an important mission to carry out in the hospital, so that's just fine. Only fly model aircraft in hospitals when you really need to.[Via NeoGAF]
Super Everything-But-Dodgeball DS screenshots
Even without the Cold War propaganda, we're still crazy excited about Super Dodgeball DS, setting our budgets, vacation time, and gods of worship around its release. These latest screenshots from the Kunio-themed sports title have us licking our lips, partly out of lust, partly due to chapped lips.If you thought Super Dodgeball DS's screwiness peaked with its "Panda Shoot" power shot, just look at the screenshot above. One player has crossed the line separating the two teams, a barrel hoisted over his head. His teammate below, encased in ice, is being punched back to the other side of the arena. One of their opponents has curled up into a morph ball while another lies on the ground, unconscious or maybe dead. Complicating matters, the Snowman spectators have even begun to wander into the match. The dodgeball sits to the side, completely forgotten.We've got more wild images past the post break -- Eiffel Tower summoning! A thrown mackerel! A small, yapper-type dog!
Promotional Consideration: Beaning the Red Army
Promotional Consideration is a weekly feature about the Nintendo DS advertisements you usually flip past, change the channel on, or just tune out.With Arc System Works and Milliom [sic] laboring together on a return for the Nekketsu High School Dodgeball Club, we finally have an excuse to bring out our favorite ads for the Super Dodgeball series. Put on your gym clothes, tighten your shoelaces, and run past the break to see what we've been waiting to hit you with.
Petit missions in Petit Copter
Famitsu's got some much clearer screens of Arc System Works and Sonic Powered's Petit Copter, and it looks great! But we love the aesthetic of Dreamcast games. Those of you expecting next-gen may be less enthused about the visuals. We're pretty sure, for example, that those rings are supposed to be ring-shaped.As low-key as the graphics may be, we think the mission types are even more so. The article reveals three kinds of missions: Taking off, flying somewhere, and landing Picking up something with a suction cup and dropping it off Shooting at some targets with a puff of air Combined, these three activities could make for some really interesting missions! Alone ... no. Outside of tutorial missions, we have to believe they'll mix it up. The article mentions shooting at switches to manipulate things in the level, which sounds like it opens up all kinds of missions around the house!
Dodge Ball DS adds Dodge Fist, Dodge Kick and Dodge Panda
Million, the developer of Super Dodge Ball Advance and River City Ransom EX, is made up of former Technos employees, including founder Kunio Taki. It's as close to real Technos as anyone can get. That's why it's so great to see their name (misspelled as "Milliom" though it may be) in the copyright information on the Famitsu story about Cho Nekketsu Koukou Dodge Ball.We're happy to see a return to Kunio and gang after the bizarre character designs in Super Dodge Ball Advance. We're also happy to see insane new power shots, like the "Panda Shoot" seen here, as well as "Cactus Shoot." We're slightly troubled by what appears to be a touch-screen menu for power shot activation.The other big news in this iteration of Dodge Ball is the integration of River City Ransom-style fighting. In addition to beaning each other in the face, you can now just kick some dudes.
Super Dodge Ball coming to DS with eight-person multiplayer
Scans from the latest issue of Famitsu have showed up on NeoGAF, revealing that the Nekketsu High School Dodgeball Club series -- known as Super Dodge Ball in North America -- will be headed to the Nintendo DS in Japan. The Famitsu article mentions that the game will support local download-play for up to eight players. It's still unknown whether online play will be featured, or whether developer Arc System Works is looking for a North American publisher.[Via DSFanboy]
Here's your chance at a private (Wii) helicopter
Do you sometimes get the urge to fly a tiny helicopter all around the house and yard? Y'know, just for kicks. Don't worry, folks -- soon you'll be able to do just that. In Japan, that is, but perhaps the Petit Copter simulation will make its way to English-speaking gamers as well. Arc System Works, the force behind the minicopter, also announced Super Dodge Ball DS recently. If the name Petit Copter seems familiar, it's because it's an existing franchise; it seems Arc System Works is taking over publishing duties on the Aquasystem-developed games that have turned up on Xbox, PC, and PS2. Let's hope that means there's a slightly increased chance of a non-Japanese release in the future for this one! Head past the break to check out a couple of scans that are much, much bigger than the tiniest of toy helicopters.
Super Dodge Ball DS beans you in the face
Oh, Nekketsu High School Dodgeball Club, how we've missed you! If there's one thing that the Nintendo DS has been missing, it's more Kunio-kun. The latest issue of Famitsu reveals that the hot-blooded gang will be returning with another entry to the beloved Super Dodge Ball series, bouncing the game off the back of our heads and onto the DS. Though online support hasn't been revealed -- and we don't expect it, however perfect the idea might be -- developer Arc System Works will include an eight-player free-for-all battle mode, via local download-play. We don't even know eight people! According to initial translations, Cho Nekketukoukou Kuniokun Dodge Ball DS will also feature customization options for players and even teams. We can only hope that a publisher will eventually pick up this title for North America, much like Atlus did with River City Ransom Ex and Super Dodge Ball Advance, both for the GBA. Guard your eyeglasses and scurry past the post break for the magazine scans of this gym class favorite.
Guilty Gear II: Overture revealed for Xbox 360, not a fighting game
Arc System Works is taking a queue from Namco-Bandai with their latest title, Guilty Gear II: Overture and to call it a departure for the famed fighting game series would be a gross understatement. Exposed in the latest issue of Famitsu, Overture, like Soul Calibur Legends, is not a fighting game at all but an action title with adventure elements. Only serving to push this announcement further into the realm of the bizarre, it has thus far only been named to appear on the Xbox 360. Guilty Gear's poster boy, Sol Badguy, looks to be taking center stage in Overture and is being joined by a newcomer, Sin, who bares quite the resemblance to fellow cover child Ky Kiske. This isn't the only time that Arc System Works has experimented with the series as both Guilty Gear Isuka and Judgement have dabbled in different genres, though neither strayed too far from the source material.This will be Arc System Work's first attempt at a fully three-dimensional game.[via NeoGAF]
Check out Hoshigami Remix
The English version of Hoshigami Remix is well on the way to completion, as these new screens show.The game's battle screens are looking very much like Final Fantasy Tactics, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The three difficulty settings should help out players who are new to the whole tactical RPG scene, whilst keeping veteran players happy.We're promised around 50 hours of gameplay, with branching storylines and multiple endings to find. You'll also be able to trade items with your friends over wi-fi. Head past the break for the screens.
Gundam 0079 revealed, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core announced
We have yet to get the first Gundam game in the US, and Bandai Namco is already moving on to another one. Whereas SD Gundam SCAD Hammers used the pudgy lil' SD Gundam characters, this one is based on Gundam 0079, which is serious business. We've got a scan featuring the first images from the game after the break.Also announced, but not yet shown, was a Wii version of Guilty Gear XX Accent Core-- this is apparently 2D Fighter Announcement Week. We're a little scared to see how a precise 2d fighting game will use the Wiimote, and we're hoping that we can skirt the issue with configurable Classic Controller functionality. At least until Hori gets around to releasing a wireless joystick.
