December 2003

Wednesday, December 31, 2003

Sammy's new fighting title
Posted by White_Pointer @ 8:42:47 AEST
Sammy Studios and Dimps look like they are teaming up to create a new fighting title called Rumblefish, although this most likely won't be the product's final name. It looks as though it's going to be a 2D fighter and will run on Sammy's Atomiswave hardware. Not much more information is available on it at the moment, except for three small screenshots you can see on Sammy's official website.
Kudos to Martinjnl for the news! Don't forget, if you have some news you think the fighting game community should know about, make sure you send it to us by clicking the 'Submit News' link. Don't worry, you'll be given full credit.
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Tuesday, December 30, 2003

New Poll
Posted by White_Pointer @ 21:25:59 AEST
Well, we are nearing the end of 2003, and it's been a great year for fighting games. There's been a lot released this year, so I guess it's only natural that we ask you, the visitor and fan of these games, which fighting game you consider to be the best fighting game of 2003! There's quite a list to choose from in the poll:

Bloody Roar 4
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Double Dragon Advance
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2
Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu
Gladiator: Sword of Vengeance
Guilty Gear X2
King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood
Kung Fu Chaos
Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
One Must Fall: Battlegrounds
Rocky
SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos
Samurai Spirits Zero
Soul Calibur II
Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution

Vote now for the game you consider to be the best fighting game of 2003!
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Poll Results
Posted by White_Pointer @ 20:56:50 AEST
Time for a new poll, but first, the results of the last one:

What's your opinion about combos in a fighting game?

37.3% - They have their place, but only if they aren't too long
28.6% - I don't care, I adapt to whatever the game uses
22% - I like them...the longer they are the better!
12% - I don't like memorising large button combinations

Well, a pretty mixed result there, but generally it seems that people prefer combos in their fighting games, or at least have the ability to adapt to what the game uses so it doesn't worry them.


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Monday, December 29, 2003

Gamespy reviews Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2
Posted by White_Pointer @ 18:02:27 AEST
Another Gamespy review of a newly released fighting game has been put up, this time it's for the PS2 title Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2. However they didn't seem all that impressed and gave the game 2 out of 5. Read the review at Gamespy here.
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Sunday, December 28, 2003

Next Nintendo console to be backwards compatible with Gamecube
Posted by White_Pointer @ 18:43:12 AEST
Well, fighting game news is rather non-existent at the moment but this is some news that will no doubt please Nintendo fans. For the first time in the company's long history, Nintendo will be making a backwards compatible console. Tentatively titled the "N5", Nintendo have announced that it will be backwards compatible with the Gamecube, which personally I feel is an excellent move by Nintendo and about time too. No-one knows when Nintendo plans on revealing the new console or when they plan to release it, but they will be revealing a new device at E3 2004 and we do know that Nintendo wants to get the jump on Sony and Microsoft and release their next console first. We'll see what happens, but none of the new consoles are expected to be here until 2005 at the earliest.
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Saturday, December 27, 2003

Gamespy reviews King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood
Posted by White_Pointer @ 16:42:54 AEST
For those of you out there who are KOF fans, Gamespy has reviewed the latest instalment in the series exclusive to the Gameboy Advance, King of Fighters EX2: Howling Blood, giving it a solid 4 stars (out of 5). If you want to give it a read, click here.
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Friday, December 26, 2003

Soul Calibur II contest winners!
Posted by White_Pointer @ 21:31:19 AEST
Well, it's a slow news day today, being boxing day and all, so while we are in the festive season it seems like the best time to publicly announce the winners of our Soul Calibur II contest that ended a couple of weeks ago. These winners have already been notified by e-mail, but time to recognise them publicly!

NTSC winner: 'Scud' from New Jersey, USA. He opted for the Gamecube version.

PAL winner: Cory Shelling from Brisbane, Australia. He opted for the PS2 version.

Thanks again to everyone who entered, and be on the lookout for our next contest!
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Thursday, December 25, 2003

Merry Christmas from Blood-Sports.net!
Posted by White_Pointer @ 14:07:27 AEST
Well, we aren't all about blood and gore and violence here. The Blood-Sports.net team wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe holiday. And don't neglect sleep or food as you play your new fighting games!
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Tuesday, December 23, 2003

Soul Calibur II wins a Gamespy Overall Game of the Year award
Posted by White_Pointer @ 22:10:36 AEST
Two days ago we reported that Soul Calibur II was in the running to win one of Gamespy's Overall Game of the Year awards, and guess what? It did indeed win one, in fact it tied for 10th overall best game of the year with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Congratulations Namco!

To see the full list of winners just check out Gamespy's Game of the Year Main Page.
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New Fan Art
Posted by White_Pointer @ 8:08:44 AEST
Rachel York has sent us some more great fan art! There's too many to list here but the fan art covers characters from the KOF series, the SF series and Tekken series, so if you want to check it all out, or if you want to submit your own fan art, just visit our Fan Art Section!
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Monday, December 22, 2003

Gamespy's best games of 2003
Posted by White_Pointer @ 9:58:22 AEST
Gamespy are currently running their annual segment for the best games of the year, and there's no doubt that 2003 has been a great year for gaming. Fighting games have been well represented this year, and they are well represented in Gamespy's awards as well.

Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution and Guilty Gear X2 both won awards for the PS2, while Soul Calibur II won awards on the XBox and Gamecube. Soul Calibur II is also up for the Overall Game of the Year award, which will be revealed on December 23rd.

If you want to check out the full list of winners for all platforms, then visit Gamespy's award page.
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Sunday, December 21, 2003

New SCII FAQ
Posted by White_Pointer @ 18:39:50 AEST
Yes, we finally have ourselves a complete FAQ/Movelist for the console versions of Soul Calibur II. It's also been written by yours truly, your friendly neighbourhood webmaster! So check it out under the Soul Calibur FAQ's!
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Saturday, December 20, 2003

King of Fighters Arcade Stick
Posted by White_Pointer @ 18:01:25 AEST
You might remember a couple of months ago we reported that Nuby Technology released a Soul Calibur II arcade stick for the consoles. Well, now they've done it again and will be releasing a King of Fighters 2000/2001 arcade stick for the PS2, just in time to play the game with. Not only can you now play two of the best KOF games at home, now you can play them as if you were at the arcade!

Not much information is available on the KOF stick yet, but if you're interested in taking a look at what other products Nuby has, just follow the above link.
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Friday, December 19, 2003

When writing articles is painful....
Posted by Pube @ 19:45:45 AEST
Yay. Joy. New history article here. The game is Master Ninja: Shadow Warrior of Death. It stinks. But you can find out for yourself. Go on. I bet my article's better than the game. Read. Now. Or I will force you to play the damned game!
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Thursday, December 18, 2003

Fight Club officially announced
Posted by White_Pointer @ 20:25:25 AEST
Two days ago we reported that Vivendi were currently going to publish a game based on the 1999 movie Fight Club. Well, now it's been "officially" announced as Vivendi has issued out the official press release. They've announced a few more little details too:

-The fight isn't over until someone goes limp, taps out, or is beaten.
-Players will be engrossed in this gritty, visceral world by fighting as one of the many characters from the film.
-It will be a "no holds barred" fighting game, using untraditional moves, intense visuals and bare-knuckle action.

“Fight Club is set to deliver a fighting game that will portray the experience of a realistic fighter that incorporates many elements from the Fight Club movie,” said Luc Vanhal, VU Games’ North American President & COO. “Genuine Games has stepped up to the plate to develop a fighting game that will capture the raw intensity of street fighting that will appeal to movie fans, hardcore fighting game fans and casual gamers alike.”

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

MLG's next tournament
Posted by White_Pointer @ 20:56:43 AEST
Major League Gaming (MLG) has just announced the dates and details of it's next tournament. It'll be held on February 21-22, 2004 in Philadelphia, PA. Featured games will include Halo, Soul Calibur II, Gran Turismo 3 and new MLG title ESPN NFL Football 2k4. A minimum of $10,000 in cash will be awarded to tournament winners.

Interested in entering? Just visit MLG's website for the registration details.
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Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Fight Club to be a fighting game
Posted by White_Pointer @ 17:35:15 AEST
I'm sure fans of the cult movie starring Brad Pitt would love this news. Fight Club the video game is currently in development by Genuine Games to be published under Vivendi, and it's (not too surprisingly) a fighting game! Not too much has been revealed about it yet, by Gamespy have a little more news and some exclusive screenshots so if you're interested, check them out.
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Monday, December 15, 2003

New Fan Art
Posted by White_Pointer @ 8:16:24 AEST
Well, if you haven't noticed it already, Rachel York has sent us some more great fan art. We've now filled up our second gallery and needed to open a third! She seems a very talented artist and hope she continues to submit work to us in the future! To view all of our fan art, just follow the link under the "Features" menu heading, or click here if you are lazy.

Are you talented artist? Want to see your fighting game fan art published on Blood-Sports.net? Just follow the above link for all the submission details!
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Sunday, December 14, 2003

One Must Fall: Battlegrounds heads out to retail
Posted by White_Pointer @ 10:09:15 AEST
Diversions Entertainment have sent word that One Must Fall: Battlegrounds, the new PC 3D robot fighting game that can be played with up to 16 players over LAN or online has shipped out to retail stores, just in time for Christmas! So, those of you looking forward to the game, if you haven't preordered it, look for it on the shelves of your favourite games store.

Thanks to Kate Hedstrom of Michael Meyers Public Relations for the heads up.
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Saturday, December 13, 2003

Dead or Alive Online Japan release date set
Posted by White_Pointer @ 20:36:13 AEST
Tecmo have announced the Japanese release date for Dead or Alive Online. It will be hitting stores across Japan for the XBox in March 2004 and will carry the price tag of 8, 800 yen. To make buying it more of an incentive, preorders will receive a DOA character figurine, either Ayane or Kasumi.

No word yet on when we might expect to see a North American release, but stay tuned.
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Friday, December 12, 2003

Capcom appoints new President and CEO
Posted by White_Pointer @ 14:44:22 AEST
Capcom has announced today that they have appointed a new President and CEO for Capcom USA. Hiroshi Tobisawa is the new President while Bari Abdul steps up to chief operating officer. The appointments aim to promote Capcom's international operations and aspire to intensify the development of succesful products for both the USA and overseas.

"I have known Hiroshi Tobisawa for many years and have enormous respect for his management abilities. So it is with great honor that I make this appointment," said Kenzo Tsujimoto, chairman and president of Capcom Japan. "His knowledge of the operations in our Japan office can only strengthen the US and European operations, and this exchange of communication can only benefit Capcom. I look forward to a very long and successful relationship with him."

Thursday, December 11, 2003

King of Fighters 2000/2001 pack now available for PS2
Posted by White_Pointer @ 8:11:50 AEST
It's finally here KOF Fans! The King of Fighters 2000/2001 combo pack has shipped out to retail stores in North America for a special suggested retail price of $39.99.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reception for this pair of games,” said Ben Herman, SNK NEOGEO USA CONSUMER CORPORATION president. “Fans should stay alert for more great games in the coming months.”

“THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2000 is still one of the best experiences the series has to offer and remains near the top of our list for all-time fighting game greats….This is truly the ultimate collection for 2D fighting fans,” said PSM: 100% Independent PlayStation 2 Magazine. The Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine said, “Give it a go, and maybe you’ll find yourself joining the cult.” GameNOW commented, “…if the world we live in no longer has room for games like these, I want not another moment in it.”

Wednesday, December 10, 2003

Soul Calibur II contest is over
Posted by White_Pointer @ 8:44:22 AEST
Well, that's it everyone, the SCII contest is now closed. We will not be accepting any more entries from now.

Thank you to everyone who entered, and good luck! The winners will be notified by e-mail once they have been drawn in a couple of days, so keep an eye on your inbox!
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Tuesday, December 9, 2003

SNK/PLaymore announce new games
Posted by White_Pointer @ 21:23:35 AEST
SNK Fans should be rejoicing right about now because SNK/Playmore have just announced some new games scheduled for release early in the new year. King of Fighters 2001 is scheduled for a release on (believe it or not) the Sega Dreamcast on Januray 22nd. King of Fighters 2002 is coming to the PS2, although no date has been set yet for it's release, and King of Fighters 2003 is on it's way to the Neo Geo home console and will be released March 11th.

No doubt good news for KOF fans!
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Monday, December 8, 2003

Samurai Shodown Zero for PS2 confirmed
Posted by White_Pointer @ 7:34:52 AEST
You might remember about a week ago we reported that EB Games were accepting preorders of a game called "Samurai Shodown 5", which was speculated to be the home version of the arcade game Samurai Spirits Zero. Well, SNK/Playmore have basically confirmed that yes, the game will be coming to PS2, supposedly with the title Samurai Shodown Zero, although whether this is the same game as "Samurai Showdown 5" remains to be seen. SNK/Playmore haven't announced an official release date yet, but EB Games currently has a scheduled release of June 16th, 2004.
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Sunday, December 7, 2003

Spike TV's Award Winners
Posted by White_Pointer @ 20:21:37 AEST
You might remember we reported not so long ago that Spike TV were holding their first annual Video Game Awards, and that some fighting games had been nominated for several categories. Well, The good news is Soul Calibur II won the award for the Most Addictive Game. But as an ultimate insult to real fighting game fans everywhere, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain won the award for Best Fighting Game. What the hell? It's not even a real fighter! Uggh...

If you're interested in seeing the full list of winners, click here.
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Saturday, December 6, 2003

New KOF 2003 Screenshots
Posted by White_Pointer @ 21:00:45 AEST
SNK have finally released some screenshots and character art from their upcoming title King of Fighters 2003, and we have them right here for your viewing pleasure! Just follow the King of Fighters link under the "Images" menu section and you'll find all of our KOF galleries, including the new KOF 2003 gallery!

Also, while we are on the subject of KOF news, there's a petition running at the moment to port SNK vs Capcom: SVC Chaos to the Dreamcast. Even though it's a defunct machine, there seem to be many stalwart fans who want to see this title to be the last DC game. Will it happen? Who knows, but you can check out the petition for yourself over at SNK-Capcom.com.

Thanks to Martinjnl for the news and giving us the heads up on the new KOF 2003 screenshots!
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Friday, December 5, 2003

One Must Fall: Battlegrounds goes gold
Posted by White_Pointer @ 6:02:10 AEST
Diversions have just announced that One Must Fall: Battlegrounds, the new multiplayer PC online fighting game has just gone gold (meaning it is finished and ready to ship). The game is expected to be on retail shelves by the middle of this month, and as we reported a couple of months ago, if you preorder the game from Gamestop, EBGames or Diversions themselves, you'll receive a free gift.

Thanks to Darcy Naylor of Diversions Entertainment for the news!
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Thursday, December 4, 2003

New Virtua Fighter game...but not what you expected
Posted by White_Pointer @ 7:58:45 AEST
Sega have announced a new title in their Virtua Fighter series, but it's not what the fighting game fans would probably have expected. Sega is aiming at a younger audience and creating an Action/Adventure/RPG game similar to Kingdom Hearts, based on the VF franchise. The title is Virtua Fighter Cyber Generation: Judgment Six No Yabou, Which roughly translates to English as Virtua Fighter Cyber Generation: The Ambition of the Judgment Six, and is currently scheduled for a release on the Gamecube and PS2. Since it's not a fighter we won't be covering it on this site, but it's worth a mention.

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Wednesday, December 3, 2003

Hyper Street Fighter II news
Posted by White_Pointer @ 7:59:38 AEST
Capcom have announced some new little pieces of news about Hyper Street Fighter II, the 15th anniversary celebration edition of the SF2 series. The PS2 version of the game is scheduled for a release on December 18th and will retail for 3,800 yen (about US$34). It's also scheduled to hit the arcades sometime early next year.

For those of you interested in what the game is offering so far, Gametiger has a hands-on preview from the Tokyo Game Show held a couple of months ago.
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Tuesday, December 2, 2003

More New Fan Art
Posted by White_Pointer @ 13:28:48 AEST
Again, we've got a whole stack of new Fan Art. Rachel York has sent us some more excellent hand drawn pictures, Nikola G has sent us some more art based on fighting games, and Timothy Cummings has sent us a great sketch of Scorpion.

Check out all our Fan Art in both our Fan Art Galleries! (We've done some reorganising so if you've seen them recently, check them out again). If you are also a talented artist, just follow that above link for the easy submission instructions!
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Samurai Spirits Zero on PS2?
Posted by White_Pointer @ 9:10:36 AEST
Apparently EBGames in Tokyo are currently offering a game called Samurai Shodown 5 on preorder. While SNK are yet to make an official announcement, it's reported that this is the home version of Samurai Spirits Zero, with a ship date (in Japan) of June 16 2004. Until SNK says anything though, this is only speculation and it might possibly be a new game altogether. We'll have more on this as the info becomes available.
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Monday, December 1, 2003

Dragon Ball Z DVD Guides
Posted by White_Pointer @ 6:33:47 AEST
g-NET Media has announced recently that they have signed an exclusive deal with FUNimation Productions to create official DVD strategy guides (iGuides) for the Dragon Ball Z video games. The guides will be published in all English speaking countries around the world. Their first guide will be for Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2.
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