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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 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]
