Street-Fighter-IV
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Rumor: Street Fighter IV uppercuts Xbox 360, PC for winter release
Rumor has it that Capcom accidentally revealed the release schedule and platforms for the upcoming, official, fourth installment of Street Fighter. According to a story on French gaming site Jeuxvideo, Capcom inadvertently let the information slip on a press site that scheduled the 2/3D fighter hybrid for a winter release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.While the general consensus is that Street Fighter IV would make its way to next-gen platforms, a PC release is a surprise. While we could speculate that the rumor has weight due to Capcom's recent admiration for the PC platform (with Devil May Cry 4 and Lost Planet releases), the well-known similarities in development for Xbox 360 and PC titles and USB being the primary input on all next-gen controllers, we're going to remind everything this one is just a rumor for now.On a side note, with the popularity of the Cybercafé in the Eastern market a PC release would make sense. Just saying![via Big Download]
Collectibles cast Street Fighter in plastic, ink
If there's one thing we enjoy as much as playing games, it's collecting various odds and ends that reflect our passion for the hobby. Whether it's a Lunar Ghaleon puppet on the mantel or the Varia Suit statue on the coffee table, there is never any question where our loyalties lie. Now UDON Entertainment has added another collectible to our radar in the form of a limited edition art book dedicated to the numerous brawlers who have thrown down in Capcom's storied Street Fighter franchise. The hardcover will feature the artistic styling of such artists as Penny Arcade's Gabe and pin-up style comic cover artist Adam Hughes, among several others. The book is available for pre-order now, with orders placed today dropping you in the running for Capcom's IGN-branded Okami for the Wii. At $80, the book isn't cheap, but really, when it comes to the things we adore, what price can do love justice?And while we have Street Fighter on the brain, we'd be remiss not to mention an interesting blog post over at Camp Capcom, as the company is apparently entertaining the idea of creating a collection of figurines based on the upcoming Street Fighter IV, and as such are looking for input on which characters deserve to make the cut. So, of the faces we know, both old and new, who would we most like to see make the leap from polygons to plastic? E. Honda? Vega? El Fuerte? Hit up the poll on Capcom's blog and let your voice, albeit anonymously, be heard.%Gallery-22939%
New Street Fighter IV screens punch out classic bosses
While Capcom's Street Fighter IV wowed us in February with its new fangled graphics and animation, it was the game's decidedly retro feel that grabbed us by the neck and assaulted our head like a barrage of Yoga Noogies. As it turned out, for all its 3D charm the fighter played like a sexed up Street Fighter II, which to be fair is just fine by us.Now Capcom has released screenshots of Street Fighter II's bad guy quartet, Balrog, Bison, Sagat and Vega, all of whom make a return in the upcoming sequel. We can hardly wait to face down Vega's (or M. Bison for those of you with a name hang up) ever-annoying Psycho Crusher, something judging by the above pic has Ryu equally enthused.%Gallery-21918%
Bison is back for Street Fighter IV
Bison is one tough guy. He cannot be stopped, can he? Like a cockroach (on steroids) that can't be stomped out he's survived numerous close calls. Think back, he's toughed out Ken and Ryu's dual hadoukens in the animated movie. Even more devastating, he went through the horror of Jean-Claude Van Damme's butchery of Guile. But now, the criminal overlord somehow miraculously survived Street Fighter II and will make a return to Street Fighter IV. The pupil-less baddie isn't the only old school boss making a comeback. Balrog, Vega, and Sagat are all in the new game, completing the four horsemen of yesteryear's fighting glory. We're sure that the inclusion of all classic bosses and characters will bring back all those good memories; however, we're still in the dark about what system this gorgeous title is going to. When are you going to let us know Capcom? While we ask that question, you can check out some pics in our gallery below and many more over at Capcom's blog.%Gallery-21874%
Arise, rumor: Street Fighter IV Wii
We know that Street Fighter IV is possible for the Wii, but it looks like at least one person has decided it's going to happen. Is it a typo? Wishful thinking? Someone with advance knowledge? There's no telling, but the game was listed as a Wii title on the back of what appears to be a promotional DVD packed-in with Japanese manga magazine Champion Red. There, in a list of other Capcom titles, are the words Wii owners may be longing to see. We're not getting our hopes up over this one -- at least, not much -- but on the other hand, after what Capcom said about putting the title anywhere it will fit, a Wii release does seem likely. We just doubt this is the proof, so put your Classic Controller down and just be patient.
Chun-Li's massive hands cause for concern in Street Fighter IV
Criticisms of the visual style of Street Fighter IV are a dime a dozen, ranging from gripes about exaggerated facial expressions to attacks on the, erm, girth of Chun-Li's thigh muscles. Now, it seems that the poor Chinese Interpol agent is once again under attack, though this time for the bizarre proportions of her hands.A few new art shots on Capcom's official Street Fighter IV website have caught the attention of 1UP's Kris Pigna, who's become mono-maniacally focused on the portrayal of Chun-Li's appendages. We have to admit, the above image has given us pause as well. Not only is her one hand abnormally large -- and featuring a bizarre growth between her thumb and forefinger -- but her other hand is downright monstrous, with thick calloused digits and yellowed fingernails. Let's just hope this is an artistic snafu, and not some crazy new backstory about Chun-Li's mutant transformation.
Street Fighter IV: 10 El Fuerte screens
A few days ago Capcom shot out these fresh screens of El Fuerte, one of the newest characters in the upcoming Street Fighter 4. Included in the screens, that guest star an unfortunate Zangief getting taken to town, are the Guile and Blanka environments which mighty pretty, in a heavy UDON ink kinda way. Some of the shots look interesting and while we're optimistic for the fighter, we wonder how hardcore fans are taking the over-the-top antics of the characters (ie. Zangief's expression in the above image.) Hardcore? Let us know what you think about these shots and your overall impression of the upcoming fourth installment.%Gallery-20066%
Classic SFII combos work the same in SFIV
If you read our hands-on impressions of Street Fighter IV from GDC, you know the game bears more than a passing resemblance to Capcom's classic Street Fighter II (with admittedly updated graphics). Well, the folks at GamesRadar wanted to see just how far that similarity went, and found that many classic combos from the original game work exactly the same way in the new one.The video evidence (also available below the jump) highlights the cosmetic differences in the two games while at the same time showing how seemingly identical the basic gameplay is. We can't say this is necessarily a bad thing -- Street Fighter II is a classic for a reason -- but that classic is already available as a Virtual Console download, an upcoming HD remix, and even a PS2 Anniversary collection. Why are we supposed to trudge out to the arcade for a dressed up version of a 15-year-old experience that we can get at home?
Meet the new Street Fighter: El Fuerte
As you probably already guessed from the illustration, El Fuerte is a luchador in the lucha libre style of Mexican wrestling. But now, he's trading the glitz and glamor of the ring for the newly-3D world of Street Fighter IV, as the third character to be announced for the game.But El Fuerte isn't just another bag of muscles, he's a sensitive aesthete, who "divides his professional life between Lucha Libre wrestling and gourmet cooking." So, he's like Alton Brown, if Alton Brown could crack your skull open like a walnut? ... Color us petrified.
New Street Fighter IV Cinematic Trailer
Employing an art style similar to that seen in the original trailer for the game, the newest bit of Street Fighter IV media to be released is another cinematic trailer, this time showing off Chun-Li and the new character C.Viper. The inky stylized quality to the video makes for a fun little teaser trailer, and sharp-eyed players will be able to spot a signature move or two hidden in all the fluff. Despite the fact that this video in no way represents the final gameplay, it does give a bit of a feel for the flavor that Capcom is shooting for with the series return. And for a game shrouded in mystery, Capcom's media release schedule seems to be rather consistent, possibly hinting that the game is farther long than anyone knows. If we find some more videos such as this one, it could be a sign that we could see that fighting game revival sooner than we thought.
New Street Fighter IV Characters & Gameplay
For a game that has no announced platforms or release date, Capcom certainly is being liberal with the Street Fighter IV exposure. The game was available to play in the Taito center in Akihabara and we were lucky enough that at least one person who was there was sporting a camera. These here videos are not direct-feed, so they're a bit shaky and low-quality, but they're still good enough that the action can still be clearly seen. Which is good, because these vids showcase the first looks at two confirmed characters, Sagat and M. Bison. With the return of these well-known characters, the total fighter list for the is now at 12. With the game having only 16 fighters, how will we see the last fighter spaces filled? Will Akuma be coming back? Will we see more than just two original characters? We'll have to wait and see, as this year seems to be the one that heralds the rebirth of the fighter genre.M. Bison video after the break.
Street Fighter IV test machines in Japan, features Sagat and Balrog
Currently in the wilds of Japan there are Street Fighter IV arcade machines available for public consumption. The Capcom Blog posted video of the game's newest build featuring Sagat and Balrog as bosses, but neither shows up on the character select screen. There are also three new battle locations. North America: Drive-In at Night South Asia: Beautiful Bay South America: Inland Jungle Capcom emphasizes that even if you hop on a plane right now to hunt down one of these machines in Japan that these are not the final build of the game. They are merely another iteration of SFIV found at various conventions so far. But, if you happen to be over in Japan right now ... happy hunting!
Street Fighter IV Wii port possible
In speaking with Eurogamer, Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono commented that having a port of Street Fighter IV on the Wii is entirely possible. He wants everyone to know that graphics don't make the game, gameplay does. And, we're hoping that should this game come to the Wii, it doesn't incorporate waggle shortcuts for maneuvers.Ono explains "Street Fighter IV, as it stands now, would be well-suited for the higher-level platforms. But the game doesn't have to have these visuals in order to be fun, We could go, potentially, to the Wii. We could make it on Game Boy, for all we know right now." He goes on further to explain that as "long as the rules are the same, that can be independent of the visuals. So we're not going to be limited by any hardware specs; we're going to aim as wide as possible."Take it as you will, but it's hardly a confirmation the game is coming to the Wii. However, that bit about aiming as widely as possible could very much mean a Wii port is in the works. It is the console with the largest install base right now, after all.
Capcom: it's 'Shadaloo,' folks
The bigger the fanbase, the more vitriolic the debates on canon, and Capcom's Street Fighter series is certainly no stranger to tirades and flamewars on character histories, proper chronology, and the like. So it's a big deal when the developer steps in to answer one of the larger questions: How exactly do you spell the name of M. Bison's evil organization?The official word from top men at Capcom is that the group shall be known as "Shadaloo" -- not "Shadowloo," "Shadoloo," and especially not "Shadowlaw." Are we clear? Good. Now we can move on to more important topics, like if Street Fighter Alpha 1 is really part of the proper timeline.
GDC08: hands-on with Street Fighter IV
After playing Street Fighter IV on its (fantastically expensive) arcade cabinet at GDC for well over an hour, I can't help but feel like Capcom will soon pull off one of the best cons in gaming history. You see, if you've played Street Fighter II then you've essentially played Street Fighter IV. There are a few differences, of course -- we'll get to those in a minute -- but for the most part it's the same game it was nearly two decades ago. There's a common axiom that states, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," or in Capcom's case, "if it ain't broke, keep repackaging it and selling it to the same people over and over again." That's basically what Street Fighter IV does once again. My would-be journalistic sensibilities tell me I should be angry about that. Honestly though, I was having too much fun to care. Hence, a con.
GDC08: Joystiq interviews SFIV's Yoshi Ono
Shortly before we furiously mashed buttons in an attempt to play Street Fighter IV, Capcom programmer producer Yoshi Ono agreed to have a brief (punchy?) chat with us regarding the franchise's triumphant return to arcades. Be sure to thank the disembodied voice of David Crislip for translating -- without him, the conversation would have been considerably more awkward. We'll have a full report on the gameplay soon.[Thanks to Veronica Belmont of Mahalo Daily for acting as our inquisitive vector!]
Street Fighter IV: New screens & character
With multiple good fighters coming out in 2008, will Street Fighter IV's name be enough to have it succeed? (Assuming it's released in 08, as it has no official date.) It depends. The game does have a rabid fanbase, and now that all their favorites are confirmed, we're starting to wonder who the new characters are. To placate us, Capcom released screens featuring a new character, Abel. Abel appears to be kick-boxing inspired, though just that of course that tells us nothing about how he will play (which is the important part). The semi-controversial, over-the-top facial animations are here in full form as well, and the graphics, though again not loved by all, are nevertheless very well done and have a very close feel to that of the old 2D hand-animated games. With all these reveals regarding the game, here's to hoping that it hits shelves before the year is out.Abel's character bio and concept shot after the break.
Famitsu drops avalanche of SFIV screens
With the revelation that the playable cast of Street Fighter II would be returning for Street Fighter IV came one burning question: where are the damned pictures? Of course, the story originated from Japanese gaming mag Famitsu, so the answer is pretty simple. Famitsu has now been so gracious as to put the screens on their website for all to see. All told we have in-game shots of Chun-Li, Blanka, Zangief, Guile, E. Honda, Dhalsim, and newcomer Crimson Viper (how come everyone else gets normal names?). The article also contains shots of some of Ryu's super move as well as the new Saving Attack system. In the Saving Attack sequence of images, Ryu blocks Ken's fireball and then quickly counter attacks, knocking Ken to the ground. Good stuff, and reason for Street Fighter fans to take notice.[Thanks, gaetge]
Original Street Fighter II cast returns for SFIV
Before the latest issue of Famitsu (via IGN), we knew Ryu and Ken were back for the "fourth" (and we use that term lightly) Street Fighter title. Now we have a confirmation that Chun-Li, Blanka, E. Honda, Zangief, Dhalsim and Guile are all returning. Street Fighter IV is now officially a 17-year reunion for the SFII lineup. Be careful, we suspect Zangief might try to spike the punch.The magazine also provided an illustration for how the new Saving Attack system will work: Ryu blocks Ken's fireball and immediately counters, causing Ken to fall down. Street Fighter IV is expected to be playable at the Japanese Amusement Expo on February 15.
'Crimson Viper' joins Street Fighter 4 roster
Ryu and Ken have a new sparring partner, as "Crimson Viper" joins the Street Fighter IV cast. The series' newcomer might sound like a character cribbed from Kill Bill's deleted scenes, but her true origin is being kept under wraps. A preview in Famitsu reveals that Viper's fighting style will be completely new to the series; her voluptuous proportions are not.Famitsu has also confirmed SFIV's first official platform: the arcade. Though long thought to be extinct, these musty dwellings for underdeveloped men and teenage angst still thrive on the islands of Japan. Within such havens, SFIV will make its debut later this year.
