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Soul Calibur Legends adventures onto Wii
Soul Calibur Legends, an action-adventure spin-off of the Namco Bandai fighting series, has been confirmed by Famitsu. First hinted at by IGN earlier this week, 1UP explains that Legends will be a Wii-exclusive "diversion," perhaps occupying the idle time between its release and the next 'real' Soul Calibur sequel. Legends will apparently focus on Siegfried, taking it back to the 16th century, but expect many of the franchise faces to pop up and compete for playing time. Namco Bandai has little else to reveal at this stage in development, aside from vague confirmation that the control scheme will use both the Wiimote and Nunchuk -- so be careful not to get tangled while swingin' your "Snake Sword." Will Legends successfully spin off from its fighting roots as Shaolin Monks managed to do? Or might it eventually be tucked inside the closet next to Death by Degrees? Too early to call. At least we won't be playing dress-up at a beach resort. [Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Confirmed: Soul Calibur Legends coming
You can stop holding your breath. The rumor is true! The latest issue of Famitsu proves that Soul Calibur Legends is heading to the Wii, bringing everyone here at Wii Fanboy Manor down to their knees as tears of joy erupt from our face with the force of a bursting dam. Obviously, the game will not be the spitting image of the franchise's 3D fighter norm, offering up fans of the universe a taste of something different. Let's hope it doesn't turn into another Death by Degrees though.
Soul Calibur survey ignites fiery rays of hope
Looks like Namco has been sending out a survey, fishing to see if Soul Calibur fans are digging the Wii. The survey was posted on a forum, and if it was posted in entirety, then the Wii is the only console they asked about. Could this be part of the preliminary research on a Soul Calibur title for the Wii? We can't express how much we hope that's the case. The Wii Fanboy staff spends a lot of its limited spare time discussing various fighting franchises, and there is some serious Soul Calibur love around here. If it were done well ... frankly, the level of our obsession might rival the Gyakuten Saiban love that dominates DS Fanboy.We'll be watching this one closely, looking for any and all scraps of rumor. Who's with us? And what do you think about fighting games on the Wii in general?[Via GoNintendo]
Dream Games: Soul Calibur III
Dream Games is a new weekly column where we explore a game we'd love to see on the PSP. Feel free to check in, and comment, every week.Soul Calibur IIIThe Soul Calibur franchise is considered one of the best fighting series ever. With a large roster of characters, some genuinely interesting weapons and moves, and a great gameplay system, Soul Calibur has it all. After making a brief multiplatform appearance in Soul Calibur II, the third Soul Calibur went exclusively to Sony's PlayStation 2.Why PSP?Namco squeezed all of Tekken 5, and then some, into the tiny PSP. The impressive graphics and enhanced functionality of Dark Resurrection proves that Namco is quite capable of delivering a truly full-fledged fighting game on Sony's portable. The single-player features of Soul Calibur III were mostly bashed by critics, but they might just work on the PSP: the short missions the player must complete are ideal for gaming on the go. Also, the character customization feature doesn't have to go to waste on the PSP; the use of ad-hoc or Infrastructure features can make creating characters worthwhile. While true Infrastructure multiplayer may be too much to ask for, sharing ghost data a la Dark Resurrection may prove to be quite the hit. Imagine: data exchanges that allow you to play against a friend's unique character. Undoubtedly, Soul Calibur III on PSP can become the definitive portable fighting game of all time.Is it possible?Tekken 5 has sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide on the PSP. While not an overwhelming success, that's still an impressive figure (for a port!). Once the game enters Greatest Hits status, it will undoubtedly sell a lot more. There's a demand for good fighters on Sony's portable, and I doubt Namco will want to miss out on such a great opportunity. I hope you're reading this, Namco.
Console launch lineup scores compared
1UP compiled a list of the best and worst games of modern console launches, including an average review score of each system's launch titles. This post updates a similar Next Gen article with just-released Wii and PS3 scores. The verdict? The Wii has the worst recent launch lineup, the PlayStation holds the all-time worst record, and the PS3 lands only two slots above the Wii.While we had fun browsing the best and worst games, we'll keep in mind that this list means little. (1UP and Next Gen even have marginally different numbers.) All of the 1UP launch scores average in the 70-80 percent range, so none clearly represents the success or failure of a console; the Dreamcast comfortably sits in third place, with Soul Calibur as the highest ranked launch title for any system.See also: Next-gen launch reviews projected[Thanks, Embassy]
Soul Calibur IV coming to PS3?
Limber up those weapon combos because Soul Calibur IV has been confirmed for a next installment. One of the producers from Namco Bandai spoke to GameDaily about it being in production, but other than that we're not sure if it will be coming to next-gen consoles or not.However, with Tekken 6 skipping the arcade phase and going straight to PS3, what are the chances of seeing Soul Calibur IV do the same thing? Having a next-gen version of the weapons-based fighter would be a big score for Sony. And just think about what they would try to do with the motion-sensing controller. So we know it's on the way, and there's a good chance it will go straight to consoles, but which system (or systems)?
Soul Calibur movie rumors resurface
More than two years ago Warren Zide's Anthem Pictures scooped up the film rights to the Soul Calibur series. With the recent discovery of a teaser website, there's a possibility that the movie adaptation is now underway and set for release in 2007.According to 1UP, Anthem has teamed up with 2nd Degree Media and will shoot the film in Canada, China, and Romania. A trio of no-name producers is reportedly signed on to the project. Namco Bandai did not respond to 1UP's query.
PlayStation 3 spring launch is "impossible"
Namco Bandai president Takeo Takasu has gone public with his knowledge, or lack thereof, of the PS3's launch date. Takasu told Bloomberg, "Without any announcements so far, the spring release is impossible." In response, Sony issued a vague rebuttal, stating, "Nothing has changed with our plans."But if Namco Bandai, a company that helped boost the PlayStation brand in the past, is still in the dark, then it's safe to assume (as recent certification setbacks have implied) that the PS3 will not launch in Japan within the next few months. But Takasu isn't necessarily concerned, just as long as Sony's next-gen console hits retail by the winter shopping holiday season.[Thanks, The1 & gaminghobo]
Soul Calibur III to (not) come to the 360?
In the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, it was rumored that Soul Calibur III would be making its way to the Xbox 360 as a special edition next spring, with "prettier scenery... and at least one or two exclusive characters," but probably no online play. (What-even with next-gen Live?) Contrary to this hearsay, however, comes word from netjak.com that Namco reps who have spoken to the series creator specifically about this issue have denied any plans for a 360 version of SCIII, special edition or not. Rumors are rumors, but prospective 360 owners who love their 3D fighters are hoping the Soul series creator is seriously out of touch this time (or simply very good at keeping secrets). SCIV wouldn't be a bad consolation prize, though. [Thanks, Martez]
The skinny on Soul Calibur III's music man
Pro-G recently scored a Q&A session with Junichi Nakatsuru, the sound director for Soul Calibur III. They discuss everything from playing trombone in a high school brass band to the future of gaming music. The highlight of course, is when Nakatsuru reveals his most embarrassing musical moment... playing the air keyboard at a live concert after his equipment malfunctioned. [Thanks, JamesO]
Namco launches Soul Calibur III site
Namco have launched the official site for their latest game in the Soul Calibur series, Soul Calibur III. The flash site gives a rundown of the game's story (obviously not the biggest concern for fighting games), custom character creation function as well as video clips of the game in action. The title will be available exclusively on the PlayStation 2 platform from October 25th this year. So if you wanted to know Soul Calibur fighter Taki's height and favorite weapon (it's two ninja swords by the way) then get on over to the flashy flash site.
Soul Calibur III non-exclusive?
UPDATE: As of 10:13 or so, GameStop has taken down the link. So the mysterious, I suppose will linger on a bit longer until an official announcement is made. Thanks, CapAmerica for the tip. A few very observant readers have noted that GameStop is now accepting pre-orders for Soul Calibur III on the Xbox (which, it claims, will be playable on Xbox Live). No release date is set (though the PlayStation 2 version is still scheduled for October 25th), and there is no confirmation from Namco on whether or not this is true or just wishful thinking on GameStop's part. I'd bet it's true, since the game sold pretty well on all three consoles (no word on a GameCube port just yet) and Namco is a company, so naturally it's going to want a profit. Sony might get an exclusive on the game for a few months, but never fear - sooner or later it's bound to hit at least one other console. [Thanks, master x 24 and Efren Abrego]
Soul Calibur 3 details on the official site
The news is buried in a Japanese interview, so we must depend on Game Informer's crack-team of translators to do the dirty work. Apparently, the game's producer, Hiroaki Yotoriyama, verified the Playstation 2 exclusivity. He also said there won't be any "extra" characters, so you Michael Jackson fans can just put your hopes away in that dark drawer over there. Oh, and no online play. Great news all around!
Soul Calibur 3 revealed on Gamespot
It's been verified. The best fighter of all time will soon have a third chapter. Soul Calibur 3 will introduce a slew of new characters, new modes, a new story that may actually make sense this time (hey, we can hope) and an exclusive home. That's right, as we posted earlier, Soul Calibur 3 will be a Playstation 2 title only. At least at first. It's surprising to see a sequel so soon after the second installment. It makes us wonder how well the last one did on the shelves. Anyone have an idea?
Soul Calibur III to be PS2 exclusive?
Sorry, Link/Spawn, you're gonna have to sit this one out. Apparently, an article in GamePro magazine has reported that Sony and Namco have arranged for the third iteration of the brilliant Soul Calibur franchise to be solely exclusive to the PlayStation 2. There had been rumors prior to this that Dante would show up for duty as a playable character for the PS2 version of Soul Calibur III (no offense, Heihachi), though there have also been rumors that a version of Soul Calibur for Nintendo DS was in the works. Of course, there's a chance that all of these rumors may be correct. After all, nowadays when developers label a game as "exclusive," the footnotes usually read "for about the next six months or so." There's a chance that Namco may just be making Xbox, Gamecube, DS, and perhaps even PSP owners wait until 2006 for their daily recommended amount of fighting game goodness. Aside from that, the article also divulged a few other details concerning Soul Calibur III. According to reports, the game will feature around 25 playable characters, three of them totally new to the franchise. On top of this, the game may also feature a full-fledged character creator. Two other modes, Soul Arena mode and Museum mode, were also announced, though their respective functions are anyone's guess. There's also a murmur that the title may not feature online compatibility, though Namco'd be hard pressed to include one should an Xbox version of Soul Calibur III surface. Come to think of it, an energy sword-wielding Master Chief would make such a kickass exclusive character.
Dante joins the Soul Calibur 3 lineup
According to a recent interview with Namco producer, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Devil May Cry's leading man, Dante, could wind up in Soul Calibur 3 for the PS2. Reportedly, Capcom borrowed the Soul Calibur 2 engine for a boss fight in the upcoming Devil May Cry 3. In return, Namco requested the rights to use Dante in the next Soul Calibur sequel to "appease" fans. We could be wrong, but we're assuming PS2 owners will find that Dante is an infinitely more rewarding bonus character than-no disrespect-Heihachi. [Thanks, Don]
