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Donkey Kong world champion defends title for second year running
Jeff Willms continues his reign as the barrel-hopping, hammer-wielding champion of Nintendo's 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong after coming in first place at the recently concluded Kong Off 3 competition in Denver, Colorado. Willms finished first with a score of 1,096,200, edging out his closest competitor by more than 20,000 points. This year marks the second Kong Off win for Willms, who took home the top prize in last year's competition. Willms currently holds the fourth-highest Donkey Kong score on record, while fellow Kong Off competitor Dr. Hank Chien boasts the highest score ever achieved, 1,138,600. Chien took third place in Kong Off 3 with a score of 1,056,900, losing out to runner-up Ross Benziger. Noted Donkey Kong enthusiasts Billy Mitchell and Steve Wiebe also competed in the event, continuing a rivalry famously dramatized in the 2007 documentary film The King of Kong. Wiebe ranked in at fifth place by scoring 1,048,800, while Mitchell lagged far behind at 22nd place with a score of 598,800.
Killer Instinct Classic includes two arcade revisions, only available in KI Ultra Edition
The DLC-bundled Ultra Edition of Microsoft's upcoming Killer Instinct reboot for the Xbox One will feature two versions of Rare's 1994 arcade Killer Instinct, Siliconera reports. Producer Torin Retting revealed that Killer Instinct Classic will feature both the original arcade version (v1.4) and the upgraded ROM revision 1.5D, which fixes a number of glitches and infinite combos discovered after the game's initial release. The port will also feature CRT-emulating scanline options, a training mode, and sprite galleries. Retting additionally notes that Killer Instinct Classic will only be included in Killer Instinct's Ultra Edition and boxed Pin Ultimate Edition, and will not be sold separately.
Ultra Street Fighter 4 arcade testing kicks off in two weeks
Ultra Street Fighter 4 is scheduled to hit arcades in the early part of 2014, but first the game needs to be tested. This is where Capcom hopes you come in. Starting on November 29, the company will be testing Ultra Street Fighter 4 at Super Arcade in Walnut, California. From December 6 through 8, players in Pennsylvania will find Ultra Street Fighter 4 at Big E Gaming in Essington. After those tests, it's strictly tournament appearances for the fighter: Ultra Street Fighter 4 hits the annual Capcom Cup tournament on December 14, then jumps the Pacific to appear at Singapore's Tough Cookie Gaming Café on December 20. Full location test details can be found on Capcom Unity. If you can't make it to any of these locations, the good news is that you probably won't miss much. Given the amount of anticipation for anything related to Capcom's most famous fighting franchise, it seems assured that as soon as the location tests start up, we'll see those fortunate enough to play the game flood the 'net with in-depth info on Ultra Street Fighter 4.
Original Madden creator developing street basketball game Grudge Match
Robin Antonick, the original creator of the John Madden Football series, recently took to Kickstarter to fund his latest project, Grudge Match: Street Basketball. Grudge Match is an arcade-style basketball game in development for PC, Mac, Linux and Ouya by Antonick and co-founder Robert Lindsey's new startup, the Indie Sports Network (ISN). According to its website, the ISN's goal, to "be a disruptive force in the sports gaming industry," has a lot to do with its Indie Sports League, Market and Gym/Lab systems, which Grudge Match will use. The League is an online multiplayer modeled after Major League Baseball's farm system, indicating tiered "pro" levels and a leaderboard-style ranking system. ISN describes the Market as a place where players can buy and sell in-game creations "like eBay and iTunes for gamers." The Indie Sports Gym and Lab are the part of the ISN's operation that could cause the "disruption" that Antonick talks about in the project's Kickstarter pitch. The Lab features a coding and scripting system that allows players to create basketball stars, moves, and other in-game items to sell in the marketplace. Antonick envisions the creation system as a means of turning the players into developers as well, as Grudge Match seems to lean heavily on community-created content. The Kickstarter project is aiming to raise $500,000 by December 8, and the Indie Sports Network is currently planning to launch the game in late 2014 or early 2015. Antonick has been involved in an ongoing lawsuit with Electronic Arts over alleged unpaid royalties related to his work on the original John Madden Football game. A US District Court jury ruled in favor of Antonick in July, awarding him $11 million.
Ultra Street Fighter 4 arrives April 2014, says Japanese arcade
Capcom's next iteration of Street Fighter 4 will make its debut in April of next year, assuming the claims of a Japanese arcade are to be believed. Located in the Kagoshima prefecture, Amusement Game Liberty is a largely typical Japanese arcade - not the sort of place in the habit of breaking gaming news. Yet, a recent tweet from the arcade claims that it will feature Ultra Street Fighter 4 as soon as April 2014. The tweet also notes that Capcom is charging arcade operators ¥30 (about $0.31) per play, which will likely force Amusement Game Liberty to charge players ¥100 (about $1) for each game. There is still no word on when Ultra Street Fighter 4 might see American shores, nor any official sources willing to corroborate the arcade's tweet. We contacted Capcom for more, and were told that the company was currently unwilling to attach a solid release date to the fighter.
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma limited edition includes 'mysterious' item
BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma will make its PlayStation 3 debut in two versions: The standard release, and the newly revealed limited edition, which offers players the game alongside a handful of bonuses. Included in the limited edition are a 40-page art book, an official soundtrack CD, a Nendoroid figure of Rachel Alucard, and a fourth item that Aksys describes as "mysterious" before prompting fans to "stay tuned." Without knowing what the last bonus is, the Nendoroid seems to be the highlight of this package. These small PVC action figures are very popular in Japan - most are modeled after fan-favorite anime, manga and video game characters - and though they haven't seen such success in the West, Nendoroids easily serve as adorably miniature home decorations. Aksys has yet to reveal official pricing or release date information for either BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma or its limited edition incarnation.
Atlus details Persona 4 Arena arcade update, teases next Persona team project
Atlus announced new details regarding Arc System Works' upcoming Persona 4 Arena sequel, revealing a new character and teasing the Persona team's next project. P4U: Persona 4 The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold, as it's known in Japan, is currently slated for release exclusively in arcades. Though Persona 4 Arena saw release for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, a console port for Ultra Suplex Hold has not yet been announced. Announced back in August, Ultimate Suplex Hold expands Persona 4 Arena's roster with three new characters. Persona 3 stars Yukari Takeba and Junpei Iori join Arena's playable cast alongside Sho Minazuki, a mysterious addition who does not hail from a previous Persona series game. Ultimate Suplex Hold also introduces a number of gameplay tweaks, including the special move-enhancing "S Hold System." Atlus additionally hints at a new Persona-related project at p-ch.jp, a teaser site featuring Persona series developer P Studio's logo alongside a date in November and a list of cities in Japan. Further details will be revealed on November 24.
Puyo Puyo Tetris makes sense
Visiting the arcades of the otaku hub Akihabara, it struck me that beyond the many fighters, rhythm games, and prize collection machines lining their halls, I was seeing a pattern repeat itself. Tucked away in each one were several Puyo Puyo variants, and right by them the Tetris machines. Seeing this, I wondered why Puyo Puyo Tetris hadn't been made before. Maybe, like Sonic and Mario teaming up recently, I wasn't appreciating the rival puzzle games' long history. Nonetheless, playing the newly unveiled crossover at the Tokyo Game Show a couple of days later, it was immediately clear how much sense this mashup made. Based on time with a seemingly limited demo, Puyo Puyo Tetris looks to offer simple, cute, but engrossing arcade puzzle fun. Quite appropriately, the two play styles just fit next to each other.
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate: Arcade adds a new fighter
When Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate debuts in Japanese arcades, players will be introduced to an additional character not seen in the game's newly-released console incarnation. Who exactly this new fighter might be remains a mystery. The Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate roster includes almost every notable character found in earlier Dead or Alive entries, and with the addition of Rachel and Momiji from Tecmo Koei's Ninja Gaiden franchise, developer Team Ninja is running out of potential cameo characters. Neither Tecmo Koei nor Team Ninja have offered any hints on the fighter's identity. It was revealed in July that Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate: Arcade will be distributed to Japanese arcades via Sega's "ALL.Net P-ras MULTI Ver. 2," a digital platform that delivers games to online-capable arcade cabinets located in Japanese amusement centers. To date there's been no mention of a Western release for Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate: Arcade, nor any word on when the game might debut in Japan.
Seen@GDC Europe: Achtung Arcade is a little box of fun
Stowed literally in a corner of GDC Europe 2013 is Achtung Arcade, an adorable miniature machine put together by the man who made McPixel, the game notable both for being the first Steam Greenlight success to make it to Valve's portal, and for being bonkers. Just like McPixel, Achtung Arcade is kind of out there. Achtung Arcade is based around 17 of Mikolaj Kaminski's Flash games, mostly weird game jam creations like Ninjanoids - which is exactly what it sounds like, Asteroids with ninjas instead of meteors - and Spy Trouble, a platformer with lots of deadly lasers. The cabinet includes a grand total of 505 variations of the 17 games, with different versions featuring changes like "glitchy pixels" and different skins. "I don't have any game in the works as far as to be able to show it at expos or events. I decided to put an arcade machine that can house all my small games and Flash games," Kaminski told us. "These kind of games are way different from the big games that you make. Flash games, the games that you don't have to worry about them being good, or marketable. These are just games, that we love." Most of Achtung Arcade's 17 games are available on Kaminski's website, but some are exclusive to the device, like the aptly named Number 2, a game that sees you guide fecal matter through a line of intestine while trying not to touch the sides. (Don't pooh-pooh it before you've tried it.) Achtung Arcade made its debut at a Berlin game show earlier this year; Kaminski plans to add more exclusives to it, and even hopes other game makers will add their own creations to it as he continues to tour it wherever he can. Will Kaminski bring it to Gamescom this week? At the moment he doesn't have a booth, but he's hoping someone will let him find somewhere to put Achtung Arcade. After all, as he pointed out, it's not like it takes up much space.
Persona 4 Arena arcade-only update adds new fighters, moves, system changes
The Japan-only arcade version of Persona 4 Arena (known as Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena) is being updated with two new characters, significantly updated gameplay mechanics and new abilities for the existing fighters. Currently, there is no plan for any of these changes to come to the console versions, either here or in Japan: "It's an arcade-only update," Atlus' John Hardin told us. "No plans to bring it to the U.S. at this time." Yukari Takeba and Junpei Iori of Persona 3 fame return as new combatants, bringing the game's overall roster up to 15 selectable Persona users. The update also adds a new "Shadow Type" system, according to Shoryuken's translation of Famitsu's hands-on report. This gives players the option of replacing the game's "One More Burst" mechanic with an alternate Shadow form, which grants temporarily unlimited special meter and augmented/enhanced attack properties. Additionally, Shadow Type characters bring their special meters with them to the next round, whereas historically special meter resets at the beginning of each fight. An "S Hold System" is also being added, which allows players to charge up certain special attacks to achieve augmented effects, such as invulnerability. It will also now be possible to cancel normal moves into hops, which will add more utility for combo crafting. Furthermore, the game's existing cast is being outfitted with new moves and abilities, an ongoing list of which can be found here. Location testing is underway at Taito Hey in Akihabara and Taito Station Nipponbashi in Osaka, from now through this Sunday. We're keeping our ear to the ground for further information about when this update will be released, and whether it'll garner it's own name, ala Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition, or Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R.
Potemkin, May, Venom and Chipp return in Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-
More characters have been revealed for Arc System Works' highly anticipated Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, and like the swallows returning to Capistrano, so too have series veterans May, Venom, Chipp Zanuff and Potemkin returned to the roster. This brings the game's list of fighters up to seven confirmed combatants, as Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske and Millia Rage have already been announced. We recognize that Guilty Gear's characters are not as ubiquitous as some other fighting game faces, so we'll break it down SAT style: If Sol Badguy and Ky Kiske are to Guilty Gear as Ryu and Ken are to Street Fighter, then this latest reveal is essentially like finding out that Cammy, Chun-Li, M. Bison and Dhalsim are returning – exciting, if not entirely surprisingly. Everyone's trademark abilities appear intact based on Shoryuken's ongoing translation of each character's move list, so expect plenty of Potemkin Buster-ing in your future. Arc System Works is set to begin location testing for the arcade version of Xrd -SIGN- in Akihabara sometime this month, though beyond that no release window or platform availability information has been made available.
Pokemon Tretta Lab makes mini arcades of Japanese 3DS consoles
Pokemon Tretta Lab turns the Japanese arcade machine, Pokemon Tretta, into a handheld game by slapping a wrap-around, plastic apparatus on the 3DS or 3DS XL. Pokemon Tretta Lab, like its arcade predecessor, has players collect physical discs – called "Tretta" – that the peripheral holds and scans into the game. Tretta Lab uses the same discs as the arcade game, and the retail version will include Mewtwo, Eevee and Lucario Tretta. Trettas? Tretti? ... Tretta. Pre-orders will also receive the Pichu Tretta, Siliconera reports. Tretta Lab launches on August 10 in Japan for 3,800 yen, or $38.75.
X-Arcade's rugged Solo Joystick: supports PC, Mac, Linux and nine gaming consoles
There's multifaceted, and then there's X-Arcade's Solo Joystick. Following up on the outfit's aptly-titled Dual Joystick, the Solo here is a 12-pound beast that's built to withstand just about anything. And, indeed, function just about anywhere. Up for pre-order now, the gamepad is set to ship to gamers everywhere on December 1st, bringing with it 11-inches of arcade-style glory. It'll function with PC, Mac and Linux rigs right out of the box for $99.99, while optional adapters enable support for nine different gaming consoles (PlayStation 1 / 2 / 3, Wii, Dreamcast, GameCube, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Wii U). Oh, and since you're wondering, they company claims that it's "hard at work on new adapters for the upcoming Xbox One and PS4," and it's throwing in a fully licensed version of Maximus Arcade Software for anyone who places an order before September 1st.
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate: Arcade announced for Japan
A new arcade version of Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate is headed to Japanese arcades at some point in the future, according to Shoryuken's translation of a Team Ninja press release on 4gamer. The Dead or Alive series has been absent from arcades for the last 13 or so years, since the release of Dead or Alive 2 Millenium in 2000. The game will arrive in arcades via Sega's "ALL.Net P-ras MULTI Ver. 2" digital distribution platform, which pushes games to networked arcade cabinets installed in arcades and amusement centers around Japan. The new build will be based on Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, though beyond that not much else is known about the release, particularly when it may happen. The announcement also makes no mention of a western release, which is to be expected.
Ninja Theory partners with Chillingo to publish Fightback
Ninja Theory is an excellent game developer based in the UK that's produced Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and the recent Devil May Cry reboot. Now, Ninja Theory is releasing its first iOS title, Fightback, which EA studio Chillingo will publish. Fightback, as you can see above, looks like a fairly gritty arcade-style beat-em-up, and it boasts some AAA grade production values, as well as some interesting touch-based combat. Fightback is set for previews at E3, so we'll see more of the game in action then. It's set to launch on iOS later this summer. Chillingo is a very high-quality studio that's been doing plenty of good work lately, and with its ties to EA, it's no surprise that Ninja Theory gave it the go-ahead on publishing duties. Ninja Theory is a great studio, and we'll look forward to seeing how this one turns out. Show full PR text Chillingo Partners with Ninja Theory Ltd. to Publish Fightback on Mobile and Tablet Ninja Theory's Mobile Debut Playable at E3 MACCLESFIELD, U.K., May 24, 2013 - Chillingo, leading independent mobile games publisher and division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced that they are partnering with prominent Cambridge, UK-based independent video game developer Ninja Theory Ltd. to publish the studio's first mobile game, Fightback for the App Store and Google Play™. From the award-winning studio behind Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and DmC: Devil May Cry, Ninja Theory's Fightback is a thrilling free-to-play action game with a striking 80s action movie vibe and a revolutionary touch-based combat system. "Chillingo is very excited to collaborate with such a talented, critically-acclaimed studio to help shape their first title for the mobile market," states Ed Rumley, COO, Chillingo. "Our team is working closely with Ninja Theory to ensure Fightback delivers a phenomenal experience for mobile and tablet devices." "Mobile and tablet gaming is a phenomenon that we just couldn't ignore as a studio and we're very proud to be working with one of the industry's heavy-weights on bringing Fightback to market. Ninja Theory has always strived for the highest production values and that absolutely remains the case in this exciting new space," said Dominic Matthews, Product Manager, Ninja Theory Ltd. Fightback is slated to launch this summer. Hands-on previews will be shared with press at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles. Additional details and information will be available at www.chillingo.com in the coming months.
Daily iPhone App -- Zoombies: Animales de la Muerte is cute, arcade fun
Zoombies is a fascinating little game. It's made by a company called High Voltage that is probably best known for the Conduit shooter series, though they've been making licensed games for years (I remember visiting the studio for a tour back when I lived in Chicago -- they were based out in the Hoffman Estates suburb back then). Zoombies is a title that's been in development there for a while -- it was first considered for the Wii, then possibly for Xbox Live Arcade and finally has seen release on Apple's iOS. It's easy to see why High Voltage was trying to make this game as a motion control title -- the idea is that you're a kid trying to fight an army of invading undead zoo animals ("Zoo-mbies," get it?), and you are armed with a weapon that you can toss according to a line you've drawn on the screen. Control on the Wii or Xbox would probably have been more direct, but on the iOS touchscreen it means you swipe your finger around, and then the weapon will follow your path. This creates some interesting timing issues -- you want to throw where an animal will be, not where they are. And once you've thrown your weapon, you can't throw it again until it finishes the path, which requires you to keep things as compact as possible. Zoombies' real charm, however, is in the tone and the art style. The whole game, as you can tell by the subtitle, is done in a joyous sort of Mexican mariachi style, and it just oozes fun. The animals are menacingly cute, the kids are great and every level has plenty of "skull goals," which are super satisfying to complete. Even if you don't like that core line-drawing mechanic, this game is totally charming anyway. Clearly, this was a labor of love for High Voltage, and you can tell they had a lot of fun making the game. Zoombies is available for US$2.99 on the App Store now, though there are a lot of in-app purchases included, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that price come down sooner if not later. Still, $3 is cheap, so if Zoombies interests you, you might as well grab it right away.
Razer Atrox arcade stick entices Xbox 360 fighters with swappable parts
Look out, MadCatz -- Razer's ready to add an Xbox 360 arcade stick to its peripheral lineup. The $200 Atrox should please serious button mashers, thanks to Sanwa-sourced controls and completely customizable parts. A total of 10 buttons sit alongside the joystick, and you'll find storage compartments for an additional stick and the bundled 13-foot detachable USB cable under the lid. Fighting game enthusiasts can pre-order the Atrox beginning on May 21st from Razer's online store, with global availability set for June -- Japan's lucky shores will see it this month. There's no word on variations for other systems, but that may be the price to pay for the integrated Xbox Live headset jack. Catch a render of its internals and a press release after the break.
Arcade documentary '100 Yen' launches on DVD
For those of us unable to pop into a nearby Taito Station, the film "100 Yen" sounds like the next best thing, and without some guy angrily making an "X" shape with his arms when you try to shoot photos.The documentary film features a series of interviews illustrating the evolution of arcade culture, focusing on shooting, rhythm, and fighting game scenes in Japanese, Canadian, and American arcades.The film was funded through two IndieGogo campaigns, and is now available on DVD through distributor Filmbuff, which also released Exit Through the Gift Shop and Super Size Me. Blu-ray and online versions are due in Q4.
Visualized: Engadget Expand's pier of arcade
There are very few things on this Earth that can make a view of the San Francisco Bay even more gorgeous than it already is, and a pier with 67 arcade games lined up side-by-side certainly qualifies as one of them. This stockpile of amusement will soon be making its way into our exhibit hall at Fort Mason for the Engadget Expand afterparty, and we captured this glorious vista fresh off the delivery truck. The usual suspects are here: NBA Jam, Street Fighter, Tetris, Tron, Pac-man, Qbert and even Donkey Kong, along with a litany of other classics. Take a quick break this evening and have yourself a good long look at our gallery of goodies below, as well as a video showing the setup in all its glory. %Gallery-183029%
