Virtual Vox Pop: Will You Purchase Super Street Fighter IV?
Virtual Vox Pop is a weekly open mic in which we ask you, the reader, to sound off on a particular topic. This week, it’s Super Street Fighter IV.
C’mon, we all knew this was coming.
Capcom set a precedent for out-of-control game updates with the original Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, which spawned Champion Edition, Hyper Fighting, Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers, and (whew!) Super Street Fighter II: Turbo. Sure, there were plenty of excellent entries within that franchise within a franchise, but my god, no one can honestly admit that they weren’t begging for the madness to end or for Street Fighter III to arrive during the mid ’90s. And when the latter was finally realized, we were subject to two additional updates to that game.
Super Street Fighter IV will feature a total of 33 characters: 25 from the original game and 8 new combatants including T. Hawk and Juri, a new female fighter. In terms of gameplay, it will feature new Ultra Combos, improved character balance (“OMGZ! Sagat is gimpedz!”), and an even more robust online experience. Capcom won’t completely have my heart until parries return, however.
The good news is that Gamespot reports that Super Street Fighter IV won’t be priced as high as a standard retail game when it hits shelves in early 2010, but how much are you willing to pay for the title? Are you interested in buying it at all?
The Award-Winning Elven Chronicles Arrives on the iPod and iPod touch
Alive 4 Ever and Magical Drop Touch represent the iPhone/iPod touch’s most prominent style of play: easily-digestible titles that can be lapped up in quick fashion while commuting, or when impatiently waiting in line at the post office. Those looking for more long form gameplay have been coming up empty, but developer Big Blue Bubble is looking to add meatier content to the Apps Store with its Pop Vox award-winning RPG, Elven Chronicles, which is available now for $3.99.
Elven Chronicles puts gamers in the role of a young knight who is fighting to discover the secrets of his forgotten past, and a charismatic elf on a quest for self redemption. The title features large territories to explore, randomly generated dungeons, and attractive 2D hand drawn sprites that are reminiscent of 8- and 16-bit role-playing games of years past, such as Final Fantasy or The Legend of Zelda.
If you’re interested in the role-playing action, check out the screens below (or the trailer) for a few more looks at this promising title.
TimeWasters: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Double Damage
TimeWasters highlights many of the excellent Web-based/lightweight downloadable titles that you can dive into within the space of a lunch break. This week, Chris Gampat explores Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Double Damage.
Cowabunga! Ubisoft’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Double Damage is a free flash game that will keep Turtles fanboys satisfied and time wasters constantly coming back to finish the side-scroller despite how tough it can be at times. Designed to promote the new game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up (PlayStation 2, Wii) fighter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Double Damage is a fun and engaging title that includes many familiar faces that have been series staples since the late ’80s.
Feature: The Greatest 2D Sports Videogame Athletes: Mark Messier Edition
If you weren’t living in New York City during the middle-to-late ’90s, it’ll be difficult for you to understand the unadulterated bliss, shared camaraderie, and fevered excitement that filled the boroughs at that time. The Yankees went from ’80s bridemaids to masters of the universe; the loser Knicks reinvented themselves as world championship contenders, but had the misfortune of running into a little train called Michael Jordan Express (followed by the Olajuwan Express, and then the Robinson Express); the Mets finished strong each year. Except for ESPN junkies and the three Canadian transplants that lived in the city during said span, everyone has forgotten how the New York Rangers contributed the wild ride, and at the helm of the ship was a real man’s man: Mark Messier.
Review: Magical Drop Touch (iPhone/iPod touch)
Bubble popping games have been the face of “casual” gaming for decades, but the more hardcore among us may have mistaken them nothing more than the playthings of those that aren’t “true” gamers. I’ll openly admit that I once dwelt in that camp, but it was the Neo Geo’s Magical Drop III that swayed me to the side of those that seek light merriment in making colorful orbs burst.
Virtual Vox Pop: What’s The Worst 2D Game That You’ve Ever Played?
Virtual Vox Pop is a weekly open mic in which we ask you, the reader, to sound off on a particular topic. This week, it’s craptacular games.
You know a game is a substandard mess of epic proportions when you and your friends try to justify its existence. 1993’s Power Moves was, without a shiver of doubt, the worst game that I ever purchased; in fact, the worst game that I’ve ever played. Worse than the NES’ Athena.
Capitalizing on the Street Fighter II craze that had legions of American teens digital whipping each others ass (and in some cases, really real world ass), Power Moves was Kaneko’s rather blatant jacking of elements from Capcom’s smash hit, as well as the two plane fighting system that SNK’s Fatal Fury pioneered. Copying a pair of the most memorable ’90s fighter should have destined Power Moves to greatness, but it tanked horribly due to molasses-slow pacing, poor animation, and moves that were, at times, difficult to execute – - the three faces of death for a fighter.
Review: Scribblenauts (DS)
Scribblenauts is not a good game.
The controls are absolutely maddening. All movement is controlled by the touch screen, and that wouldn’t be so bad if every other action in the game (save moving the camera) weren’t also controlled by the very same tiny surface. You combine these controls with a physics system that would most accurately be described as “zany,” and you find your little jumpy man, frantically hopping around until he inevitably nose dives into the pool of lava you were just trying to build a damn bridge over.
But then, you were a fool for trying to use a bridge. They never work. Next time, go with wings and a rope. You can solve almost every puzzle with wings and a rope. In fact, of the thousands of words in Scribblenauts‘ dictionary, you will only need about five or six for you basic utilitarian purposes. Sure, some of the other puzzles will ask you kindergarten-level pseudo-riddles like, “What kind of animal lives at a farm?” Maybe you’ll squeal with glee before typing, “cow.” But that’s about all you’ll really need from the dictionary.
Dungeon Fighter Online Beta Now Open To The Public
It’s time to grab your weapon and spells and take to the battlefield.
Today, Nexon America officially opened the Dungeon Fighter Online beta testing to all gamers after months of anticipation. This Neople-created MMO brawler combines the 2D scrapping elements of beat ‘em ups with the fantasy elements inherent to massively multi-player online titles.
Gamers who sign up for the open beta will get a chance to put five character classes through their paces: Fighter, Gunner, Mage, Priest, and Slayer. They can be used in four player quests, or in 1-on-1 or team-based battles.
If you want more information about the game mechanics, check out out in-depth interview with Dungeon Fighter Online’s managing producer, Herb Yang.
Review: Time Hollow (DS)
Time Hollow is a story-driven point and tap style adventure along the lines of the cult classic like Phoenix Wright. In Time Hollow, players assume the identity of Ethan Kairos, a high school student whose parents disappear on his 17th birthday. Strangely enough it’s as though they never existed. After your parents’ disappearance, you come to possess something called the “hollow pen”. Not your average, ordinary nerd tool; the pen can draw portals into time. This pen becomes immensely useful as ultimately what remains of your past are these unclear picture-like memories, also known as “flashbacks”. With said pen, you can draw portals to specific moments within these flashbacks. Still with me? Good.
Bits and Bytes: 9/20/09
Bits and Bytes is a weekly round up of some of the more interesting gaming news items that happened to slip through the cracks during our normal posting schedule. They’re presented here in easily-digestible bite-size chunks. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for more 2D gaming commentary.
Funky Bomber
Bomberman is an old school franchise that has graced nearly every console existence, but it isn’t quite this old school. Hudson has unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming Bomberman Live: Battlefest (PSN/WiiWare/XBLA) that juxtaposes a gameplay mechanic born in the ’80s with funkified jams from the era of ‘fros and platforms. I suspect that the ’70s tunes won’t be the official sonic backing of the game, but I would totally dig it if Hudson went that route, sucka.
Cloud Gaming
The Spawn HD Pro isn’t the only piece of new gaming hardware that has potential to revolutionize the industry. MechaWorks’s vision of gaming consoles is “Full Circle“ an open-source platform that eschews both streaming and subscription-based services. Full Circle combines software for Mac and PC, with “the most powerful hardware console built to-date.” The software will enable games to be played across Mac and PC (and intelligently removes Mac OS X and Windows from memory, allowing titles to run with maximum performance), as well as on the Full Circle Hardware Console. It also supports up to three HDTVs at once. Check out the site for more information.
Non-Madden Football
Electronic Arts may have the NFL license under lock and key, but that hasn’t stopped Quick Hit Football from serving up gridiron fun. This free, web-based MMO-like strategy game looks to wrangle up the fantasy league crowd with its emphasis on strategy over pure action. Unlike games such as Tecmo Bowl Kickoff, it has a handful a true-to-life NFL personalities (such as Ray Lewis) that were individually licensed.
-
Categories
-
Circle of the Joystick
By Business Card Designs
Get your 2D-X gear!
-
Most Popular
- TimeWasters: Infector: World Domination
- How To: Beat the Turtle (and other bosses) in Civilization Wars
- Interview: Herb Yang, Managing Producer for Dungeon Fighter Online
- 4chan Features The Most Epic Pokemon Artwork Ever
- Epic 4chan Pokemon artwork: Take 2
- Interview: Ray Murakawa, Producer, Tecmo NBA Unrivaled
- Project Needlemouse becomes Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
- Interview: Robby Zinchak, Associate Producer, Final Fight: Double Impact
- CES 2010: Hands-On with Super Street Fighter IV
- CES 2010: Hands-On With Dark Void Zero
-
Recent Posts
- Interview: Mike Fahrny, producer, Tecmo Bowl Throwback
- Gameworks, Las Vegas: SEGA’s gaming oasis in the desert
- Virtual Vox Pop: What’s the hardest 2D game you’ve ever played?
- Microvision’s Show WX pico projector pimps your portable playing
- Shank pre-GDC gameplay trailer is bad ass
- Free Twin Blades DLC revealed in new trailer
- Grab your stylus: Scribblenauts sequel coming this fall
- NES controller rug nerdifies your living room
- 8-bit Left 4 Dead creator returns with Mega Man 9 HD Remix
- Review: Legends of Exidia (DS)
