Street-Fighter-IV
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GDC 2010: Interview with Street Fighter IV producer Takeshi Tazuka
We stopped by the Capcom Fight Club party here at GDC 2010 last night, and in addition to playing the new game, we also got to talk to producer Takeshi Tazuka. Actually, we got to talk to his translator -- Tazuka only speaks Japanese, and I only speak English, so the interview was done with a middleman in between. But even with the language barrier, we did get some good chat in about the new game, Capcom's future plans for the iPhone, and what Tazuka thinks about making a game like this for the iPad. Read on for more.
Video: The elusive iPhone Shoryuken
The jury is still out on Street Fighter IV for iPhone, but let it be known: You probably won't pull off a Shoryuken -- the "Rising Dragon Fist" -- on your first try. Or the second. Or the third. We learned this very quickly when trying out the game at Capcom's Fight Club event during GDC. Granted, there is a simplified input configuration -- which we discovered after this video was shot -- but longtime Street Fighter fans could get a tad miffed by all the whiffs. Should you make the $10 investment for SFIV, on your phone, you'll probably want to spend some time in the game's expansive "Dojo" training mode before hitting the world circuit.
GDC 2010: Street Fighter IV for the iPhone out now
Tonight at GDC 2010, I went out and stopped by the Capcom Fight Club party here in San Francisco, and while there, Capcom projected the actual App Store interface for sending their Street Fighter IV app to the App Store on various screens around the room. We actually got to see them press the button on the release live and in person, and sure enough, the game is in the App Store right now for $9.99. Before you go press buy, though, I'll also tell you that I got a chance to play the game, and while it is about as faithful a Street Fighter IV game as you can get on the iPhone, playing a fighting game without actual buttons is not really an ideal experience. While I was able to pull off a Hadoken and almost all of the other old moves after a few tries, the highest levels of competition in a fighting game require precision and subtlety, and this control scheme has neither of those. If you just want to play Street Fighter on an iPhone, sure -- be an early adopter, pick up the game, and enjoy a few rounds of Guile vs. Ryu. But if you're looking for the kind of in-depth fighting experience that Street Fighter IV on consoles and in the arcades offered, you probably won't find it here -- the controls are a little too inconsistent to really dig into the deep counter and powerup systems on display.
Street Fighter IV available on iPhone tonight
Finally, your morbid curiosity about what it would be like to play Street Fighter on an iPhone can be satiated. At a Capcom Fight Club event, Capcom launched Street Fighter IV for iPhone as fans watched -- which made for probably the most exciting iPhone game launch of all time. It's not showing up on the App Store just yet -- Capcom said it may take a couple of hours for the Apple servers to catch up -- but sometime tonight, you'll be able to swipe, swipe, swipe until you finally pull off a Hadouken.
PC Street Fighter IV only $20 from Impulse, GFW On Demand
Following last week's killer deal on Batman: Arkham Asylum, Games for Windows on Demand continues its series of game sales with Street Fighter IV. Right now, the service is offering Capcom's fighter for 50 percent off, knocking the price down to a palatable $19.99. Or, if you prefer, Impulse is also offering it for the same price. Of course, it's worth noting that Super Street Fighter IV will be released in just a month, so you might just skip the whole thing and wait for a couple of weeks. Unless, of course, the allure of "a nifty little special set of things" is just too much to resist. Source - Games on Demand Spring Sale Source - Street Fighter IV on Impulse [Via 1UP]
New Street Fighter IV iPhone media arrives on US shores
Though we all got a first eyes-on with Street Fighter IV's iPhone appearance not too long ago via an exclusive early look from GamePro, Capcom just officially released the first video of the game as well as a smattering of new screenshots (all 32 of which have been conveniently compiled by Andriasang). And while the trailer seen above features the same two fighters (Ken and Ryu) that the last video did, we certainly don't mind getting another chance to marvel at the uncanny vision of Street Fighter IV being played competitively on iPhones; it's quite like being drunk in North Korea -- something just doesn't feel right. The trailer also gives a "Coming March 2010" at the end, so it would seem that we don't have too much longer before we'll be able to marvel at the game from the comfort of our own phones. %Gallery-86253%
Fallout 3 irradiates Games on Demand
Attention would-be wastelanders, Fallout 3 is now available on Xbox Live Games on Demand. The game clocks in at 5GB and is available in all Xbox Live regions except India, Japan and New Zealand. It costs $29.99 in North America, which is about even with most retailers. As usual, prices for other regions will vary. Meanwhile, Street Fighter IV -- previously available only in North America and Asia -- is now available in all Xbox Live regions. Before you plunk down the cash for Street Fighter IV, though, don't forget that you can grab something a little more super next month. Shortcut - Add Fallout 3 to your Xbox 360 download queue [Via Xbox.com] Shortcut - Add Street Fighter IV to your Xbox 360 download queue [Via Xbox.com]
iPhone Street Fighter IV has eight characters, will cost $10
GamePro has dropped some details on the iPhone version of Street Fighter IV, which is due out in March. The site has word that Capcom will sell the game for $9.99 on Apple's App Store, and that it will feature a total of eight characters: Ryu, Ken, Guile, Blanka, Chun-Li, Dhalsim, M. Bison and Abel. While it hasn't shared any gameplay impressions yet, it did post a video, which you can see after the break. Surprisingly, the game looks just like Street Fighter IV, with the ultra moves, same colorful art style and other graphical touches from the bigger console versions. We're still not sure about playing with the touchscreen "buttons," though -- while they aren't in the way as much as we thought from the original screenshots (most of the fighting takes place in the middle of the screen), not having that tactile feedback could be a problem. Still, the game looks good. No exact release date yet, but like all those people hanging out in the backgrounds of these fights, we'll be watching. %Gallery-86253%
EGM Now launches with ... digitized final issue of old EGM?
We've been hearing about Steve Harris's digital version of the soon-to-be relaunched EGM for quite some time now, and we're just one month away from the magazine's return to newsstands. However, if you're trying to get an early peek at what Harris has in store for EGMi: The Digital Magazine (that he's said will be released supplementally between print issues), now's your chance. But what's this? The mysterious unreleased "last issue"of EGM? It is! As Harris puts it, "The links on this cover page aren't live yet - but they will be long before Summer arrives." Okay, okay, it might've taken a year for the issue to become available -- and yes, it might be full of content on games that have been out for quite some time now -- but hey, it's a chance to explore "layers and depth that you control." Doesn't that seem enticing? Well, we're not really sure quite yet, as the Screen Paper-based issue has yet to incorporate the promises we've been hearing since last September. With grand plans for the release of a digital magazine every week once the print mag relaunches, we'll certainly see how this shakes out soon enough.
Street Fighter IV coming to iPhone
I've wondered before just how a fighting game on the iPhone would work, and now I'm going to find out: Capcom has announced that they're releasing the latest Street Fighter game (they're up to IV now) on the iPhone. You can see how it works over at IGN -- there's a virtual joystiq on one side, and four virtual buttons on the other. I have no idea how it will actually work in practice; it certainly seems like your thumbs would cover up both your character and the enemy while fighting, and that's assuming that your thumb has the dexterity to know which buttons you're pushing without tactile feedback. But we'll see -- Capcom says the game will have a large number of fighters to choose from (though probably not as much as the full retail game), and the ability to play multiplayer via Bluetooth. One other interesting note on this one: Street Fighter IV has only been released on the major consoles, and the iPhone will be the game's first handheld relase (that we know of so far). This could be Capcom's experiment -- if they can release it on the iPhone before putting a port out on the DS or PSP, and see some success, we could see other larger developers releasing ports earlier (or maybe even exclusively) on the iPhone in the future. But let's not count our hadouken before it's completed -- first we have to see if a game like this will even work on Apple's little handheld touchscreen.
Street Fighter IV coming to iPhone ... why are you laughing?
No, no, seriously. Street Fighter IV, the game, is actually going to come to Apple's portable, with somewhat scaled-down models lifted directly from its console big brother. Each character in the game also has their complete moveset, which you'll pull off with customizable on-screen virtual stick and buttons. In addition to warming up in Dojo Mode, you'll also be able to play against a friend via Bluetooth. Though Capcom's touting a large roster, all we know at this point is that it will include Ken and Ryu, as seen above. While we're curious about how Capcom will fill the ranks, what we really want to know is how they'll make it more enjoyable than it appears at first blush, which is not at all enjoyable.
BAFTA people's choice GOTY voting now open
Do you live in the UK and dream every night about the possibility of one day voting on a people's choice game of the year award? Right, us neither, but if you're into that kinda thing, UK retailer GAME is holding the second annual GAME British Academy Video Games Awards at the London Hilton on March 19 and you can vote for the awards show's top "honour." Sure, you can't actually buy tickets and attend or anything crazy like that (the event is live-streamed online, in fairness), but you still have just over a month to put in your vote for one of the 10 games in the running -- games that were chosen from a list comprising "the top selling games of the year sold in GAME stores." At the very least, voters will automatically be entered into a contest to win a "Sony Home Entertainment Package," so, if nothing else, there's always the possibility of winning a Sony ... something (or somethings). Click through or glance a few inches up for the people's choice award contestant list.
Street Fighter IV hits Games on Demand
We get it. The outside world is far too dangerous to traverse just for video games. There are, like, bees and stuff out there. That's why we have things like Amazon and Games on Demand. The latest coming to the latter is Capcom's new Platinum Hits title, Street Fighter IV. At $30, it's the tamest you'll ever see final boss Seth -- this could be your best bet at having some semblance of self-esteem. Shorcut: Add Street Fighter IV to your download queue [Xbox.com]
Amazon deal: Mad Catz Street Fighter IV Tournament FightStick for $99
Mad Catz's Street Fighter IV Tournament FightSticks are currently priced to move at sonic boom speeds on Amazon at $99 for Xbox 360. Regularly priced at $150, there was a serious shortage of the peripheral last year, but now these baby Blankas are looking for a home. For those with a little patience, the Super Street Fighter IV Tournament FightSticks are coming in April, but are priced at $150 like the original. %Gallery-40901%
Mad Catz reveals teased Super Street Fighter IV accessories
After teasing us with half an image last night, Mad Catz and Capcom have announced a new "Tournament Edition" arcade stick is in development, branded with new art featuring Super Street Fighter IV. The stick will be made available in two flavors (check them out below!) for the Xbox 360 and PS3. Alongside the "Tournament Edition S" sticks, Mad Catz "anticipates" releasing four new FightPads for consoles, branded with new art. Considering the supply and demand issues the original batch of controllers saw, we "anticipate" Mad Catz will flood the market with the new batch of peripherals. Unfortunately, Capcom recently pulled Super Street Fighter IV from its Q1 release window; however, we can only presume the controllers will be made available within the same time frame as the game itself. When we pried a Mad Catz rep for a release window on the new controllers they would only confirm it's slated for a release this spring. Hopefully that means we'll get our hands on both items in time to shield us from the April showers. %Gallery-82028%
Capcom teases Super version of SFIV Tournament Edition joystick [update]
click to embiggen Update: Capcom's Twitter feed got a bit more informationey later on this evening, showing off the Capcom suite at CES, complete with "new hotness from Mad Catz." Though the shot is significantly more blurry, it certainly seems to indicate a new arcade stick coming from Mad Catz for Super Street Fighter IV. Considering the Consumer Electronics Show is happening right this minute in Las Vegas, it's no surprise that Capcom's Twitter account is busy teasing pictures of yet-to-be-revealed arcade sticks for the upcoming sorta-sequel Super Street Fighter IV. As you can see in the image above, an inky outline of Ryu overlooks a more colorful button set than the previous game's stick. Additionally, the shape of the controller's box certainly bears a striking resemblance to the Street Fighter IV Tournament Edition joysticks from Mad Catz that were in such short supply last year. We've followed up with Capcom but were told there's no official comment just yet.
Best of the Rest: Randy's Picks of 2009
Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes If I had my way ... well, a lot of things would be different. When it came to video games, I'd make sure that everyone -- whether they own a Nintendo DS or not -- had a chance to play Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. Now, I know, Might and Magic? Isn't that some long-dead RPG franchise that's probably best left in the ground? Well, yes -- but Clash of Heroes is about as far from any of the other games in the series as you can get. At its core, it's a puzzle game -- a combat puzzle game -- developed by Capybara, the same team behind PSN's wonderful Critter Crunch. Take that game's core mechanic, add a load of clever new ones and build a story-driven experience around it and you have one of the finest (not to mention most addicting) DS games ever.
Crysis and Street Fighter IV round out today's Steam deals
Despite discounting games as part of its ongoing holiday sale event, Valve has seen fit to offer even more games at reduced prices, this time flipping the switch on massive discounts for triple-A titles like Street Fighter IV, which can be yours for $10, and Crysis Maximum Edition -- a bundle of Crysis and Crysis Warhead -- for under $14. That's not all, as your hard-earned greenbacks can also net you cheap digital copies of Medieval II: Total War, Half-Life: Source and Shattered Horizon -- though we'd be remiss if we didn't point out the very tempting combo of Darwinia and Multiwinia, both of which can be yours for $3.
Wii-playing police receive slap on the wrist, strict talking to
Look, if people are going to eschew their work day in favor of having a gaming tournament, we're the first to sympathize. In the case of those in the business of protecting our lives from murderers and financial institutions though, we find it hard to offer much solace. So when eleven officials from several Florida agencies were caught on videotape playing games a couple months back and the story caught on internationally, we were hopeful that those found guilty would maybe, you know, actually receive some form of punishment. Instead, the Lakeland Ledger reports that the offending officers will suffer such retribution as ... a few hours of retraining? The names of the officers are even being withheld due to their "undercover" status at the time. Lakeland sheriff chief of staff Gary Hester goes as far as to say, "We are learning from our mistakes ... I think we handled [the investigation] properly." He then hurriedly rushed back to a game of Street Fighter IV in progress against a competing police department. ... Okay, we made up that last part.
Net sales down for Mad Catz, Q2 earnings show rise in PS3, Xbox 360 biz
Plastic peripheral powerhouse Mad Catz has unleashed its fiscal 2010 Q2 earnings results (that's the three months ending September 30, 2009 for us normal folk) and, while the company is still making plenty of cash ($21.6 million this quarter, to be exact) it saw losses of 16 percent when compared to the same period last year, where Mad Catz' net sales earned it $25.8 million. Its biggest market, North America, also saw a dip in sales this year to the tune of 18 percent; US sales have fallen nearly 20 percent this quarter, while Canadian sales rose 55 percent. When comparing its gross sales by platform, Mad Catz only managed to lose a small fraction of its PC platform business, while simultaneously building its PS3 and Xbox 360 revenue streams by ten and four percent, respectively, and growing its specialty controller business nearly 20 percent. The company did take a considerable hit in its Wii business -- sales dropped eight percent -- as well as in other platform markets, however. Citing what its key products were during its fiscal Q2 2010, Mad Catz obviously had a lot of love for Capcom, as several of the fight sticks it offered for 2D fighters were top earners. Aside from that, it pointed to its new line of Rock Band accessories and some Wii items such as its Remote and z-Chuk as other successful ventures. While this quarter may not have been the best for the company, all signs point to it being a successful fiscal Q3 2010 for Mad Catz. With its collaboration with the biggest game in the universe and its venture with Capcom to offer new fighting game stuff -- the company also confirmed that Marvel vs Capcom 2 stick is legit -- we have a feeling our next post on its earnings will probably have an image of Scrooge McDuck in it.
