November 2004

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

KOF 94 Re-Bout delayed for Japan
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:38:39 CST
The Japanese release of King of Fighters 94: Re-Bout has been delayed by one week and has now been pushed back to an expected release on December 30th, according to The Magic Box. There hasn't been any word yet on when or if it will be released outside of Japan.
Post or view comments

News Poster wanted!
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:12:58 CST
Want to work for a large video game website? Here's your chance. We are currently looking for a new news poster to join our team. You'll be...yep, you guessed it, posting news on the site's front page! To read the description of what's involved, as well as what the requirements are and what your benefits will be if you are successful, click here and read this, then if you are interested send me (White_Pointer) an e-mail (e-mail addresses are on the contact information page) and we'll get back to you!
Post or view comments

Tekken 5 first signs of TRC's
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:24:04 CST
The first signs of Tekken 5's time release characters are starting to emerge, only a week after the game has hit the US arcades. For 400,000 gold (ouch) you can buy an Eddy Gordo swap as a Christie customisation via the games unique IC card system. If you have been wondering how the TRC's would be revealed, this should give you at least some idea of how it's going to be happening.
Post or view comments

Raiden to appear in Unreal Championship 2
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:33:23 CST
Raiden from Mortal Kombat has been confirmed to be a secret selectable character in the upcoming Midway-published XBox game Unreal Championship 2. The game appears to be a combination of FPS and fighting, and it seems Raiden is the MK character that has got the green light to go into it. Interesting news!
Post or view comments

Sammy contributes to future game development
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:51:57 CST
Sammy Studios have reportedly contributed $290,000 to the University of California in the campus's Experimental Game Lab and Centre for Research in Computing and Arts. Sammy will also provide their SCORE game engine to the school free of charge.

"The creation of the Experimental Game Lab has enormous relevance to our industry," said John Rowe, president and CEO of Sammy Studios. "It brings a dedicated video game curriculum to a nationally ranked digital media arts program, ultimately producing a greater number of creative and savvy entrants into the industry."

Capcom revenues up
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:38:49 CST
Thanks to a couple of recent titles selling very well, Capcom's revenues have risen considerably over the last couple of months. Their income rose by 5.4 percent to 1.5 billion yen, or US$14 million. The company said in a statement:

"In overseas markets, both Mega Man Anniversary Collection for PS2 and GameCube, and Mega Man Battle Network 4 for GBA, had healthy sales, supported by the robust US market."

New Fan Art
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:16:44 CST
Regular fan art contributor Rachel York has sent us some more great artwork! Her newest additions to our galleries are artworks of Orochi Iori, Morrigan, Ken Masters and Benimaru...so check them all out in our fan art section, where the new art is in gallery 5. Are you a talented artist yourself? Want to see your artwork up here for the world to see? All you need to do is follow that above link for the simple submission instructions!
Post or view comments

PS2 Tekken 5 on schedule
Posted by White_Pointer at 00:20:20 CST
Namco have announced that the PS2 port of Tekken 5 is on song and on schedule to ship out to North America early next year.

“TEKKEN 5 will propel gamers of all ages to the next level in the fighting genre,” said Yoshi Niki, Business Unit Director with Namco Hometek Inc. “With TEKKEN 5’s completely new fighting engine, customizable characters and interactive environments, no fighting game fan will want to be without it.”

Fight Club ships to retail
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:12:36 CST
Vivendi Universal Games has announced that their game based on the hit movie Fight Club has shipped to retail. For those of you who missed our coverage on it earlier in the year during E3, it's a 1-on-1 3D realistic (meaning no fancy moves) street fighter game for the XBox and PS2. The game also supports online play. It retails for US$49.99 and should be on store shelves now. No word yet on a PAL release date though.
Post or view comments

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 ships
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:32:07 CST
Atari have announced that Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 has shipped and should be on store shelves by November 23rd. In support of the launch a special edition will also be available, which includes an exclusive Broly Chibi toy; a behind-the-scenes bonus DVD featuring Behind the Screams: The Making of Budokai 3; the Budokai 3 “Super Trailer” video, and access to exclusive information on the first-ever Dragon Ball Z action game, Dragon Ball Z: Sagas coming to U.S. video game consoles next year.

“The Budokai series of Dragon Ball Z games has established itself as a successful fighting franchise in part because its in-game features have consistently become more sophisticated and authentic with each new product introduction,” said Matt Collins, Director of Brand Marketing for Atari’s Beverly Studio. “This year’s installment takes the biggest gameplay leap forward yet with the introduction of the Saiyan Overdrive Fighting System, making Budokai 3 the best DBZ fighting game ever made.”

KOF 2002/2003 delayed for PS2
Posted by White_Pointer at 05:04:33 CST
SNK confirmed today that the PS2 release of King of Fighters 2002/2003 has been delayed, although no reasoning for the delay seems to have been given. Originally due to be shipped this month, the new projected date is "January/February 2005". The XBox version is still due to be released in 2005 as well.
Post or view comments

Capcom ships Capcom Fighting Evolution
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:50:43 CST
Capcom Fighting Evolution (the US name for Capcom Fighting Jam) has finally shipped! To bring you up to speed in case you haven't been keeping up with the news, CFE features characters from Street Fighter II, Darkstalkers, Street Fighter III, Red Earth and Street Fighter Alpha, and pits them against each other in 2-on-2 fights using their classic fighting styles so it's bound to be a hit to those diehard Capcom fans out there.

"Capcom's fighting games have earned world wide respect and have elevated the industry standard to new heights over the years," said Todd Thorson, director of marketing, Capcom USA. "With an arsenal of established characters, time-honored control schemes and versatile options, Capcom Fighting Evolution is a must have for any fighter fan."

Just Add Monsters back as Ninja Theory
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:52:19 CST
When Argonaut Games went into a financial collapse, it's child companies, including Just Add Monsters (the guys behind Kung Fu Chaos) seemed like they were gone. But every cloud has a silver lining though and the directors of Just Add Monsters in conjunction with former Argonaut founder Jez San have brought the company back under the new name Ninja Theory. Their aim is to stay as an independent developer. They will be continuing to work on Heavenly Sword, which they have been working on since 2003, which doesn't have a publisher yet but has apparently attracted a good amount of interest.
Post or view comments

New PSP fighting game on the way
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:37:17 CST
A fighting game based on the popular Japanese manga series Bleach is on its way to the PSP. There isn't much known about it yet, apart from the fact that it will be a 3D fighter and use cel-shading. There isn't even an official title for it yet, but we do have an expected release of sometime in 2005. We'll bring you more news on this as it becomes available.
Post or view comments

Tekken 5 arcade release
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:25:14 CST
Tekken 5 is now available in arcades throughout South Korea, and should be in US arcades within the coming week! This news should be of great news to Tekken fans who have been dying to get their hands on the game and give it a thorough working over. Be on the lookout for it the next time you are down at your local arcade.
Post or view comments

No MK: Deception Kollector's Edition for PAL
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:59:30 CST
Sorry people from PAL territories, but the "Kollectors Edition" of Mortal Kombat: Deception will not be finding it's way to you. It's been confirmed by the retail chains so unfortunately it looks like PAL has missed out on this. However, if you live in Australia, EB Games has a special offer at the moment...if you pre-order the game (it's not due out until the 19th) and put down a $20 deposit, you'll get $20 off the total price when you pick the game up. A small consolation but better than nothing.
Post or view comments

No US distributor for CFJ?
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:51:24 CST
It seems no distributor in the US is willing to pick up the arcade version of Capcom Fighting Jam so the distribution will primarily be handled overseas. As a result we may not see the game on the arcade platform outside Japan, but the game is still coming out on both the PS2 and XBox. This really is an indication of how much the arcade scene is beginning to suffer. Is this a sign of things to come?
Post or view comments

PAL release dates for SNK games...
Posted by White_Pointer at 04:51:13 CST
We've managed to track down the PAL release dates for SNK's recent fighting games...so without any further ado, here they are:

King of Fighters 00/01 PlayStation 2 - 15th November 2004
King of Fighters 00/01 XBox - 15th November 2004
SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos PlayStation 2 - 24th January 2005
SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos Xbox - 24th January 2005
KoF Maximum Impact PlayStation 2 - January 2005
King of Fighters Extreme (Hudson) N-Gage - January 2005

The good news is is that fans in PAL territories don't have too much longer to wait before being able to get their hands on the games. Keep a lookout for them!
Post or view comments

MK released for Mobile platform
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:45:34 CST
You might remember way way back in May during E3 this year we discovered that THQ and Midway will be bringing classic Midway games to cell phones, including the original Mortal Kombat. Well, the time has come, and THQ have issued a press release stating that the games are now available!

"Midway’s timeless arcade classics remain as fun and addictive as they were nearly 10 to 20 years ago - these hits will never go out of style," said Tim Walsh, president of THQ Wireless. "It’s a testimony to technological advances that gameplay experiences that once stood six feet tall can now fit into gamer’s pockets."

"Midway is excited to see THQ bring these classics to mobile phones," said Steve Booth, vice president of licensing at Midway. "THQ has committed to develop content and graphics that have the same look, feel and sounds of the original arcade games; you can carry an entire arcade everywhere you go."

MK going wireless
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:35:05 CST
In a press release issued several days ago, Midway, along with wireless game developer Games Inc, have announced that they will be bringing classic Midway titles, including Mortal Kombat, to the wireless platform. The games will be both single player and multi-player with online league tournaments running for the latter play option.

Roger Ach, CEO of Games Inc., welcomed the Midway addition, saying, "Midway's Classic Arcade games will be another important component of our goal to make Games, Inc. the centerpiece of Branded Online multi-player and single-player content. Midway and relationships such as this, serve as more examples of how Games is focused on executing its business plan to strengthen our Branded Online multi-player and single-player content and build shareholder value."

New Poll
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:31:53 CST
With the recent activity in the PC market, fighting games are beginning to make a name for themselves where they haven't been traditionally recognised. With the arcade scene undoubtably getting weaker, competition is starting to move out of those sorts of places and into the home and online. But what is the best platform to play fighting games on? Is it still the arcade, or is it the consoles now? What about the hand held systems or the PC? This new poll asks you what you think, so go ahead and vote!
Post or view comments

Poll Results
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:24:37 CST
It's time for a new poll, but first, the results from the last one:

How many players do you prefer in a fighting game?

34.1% - 2-4
21.8% - Strictly 1-on-1
16.3% - More than 16
16.1% - I don't care
11.5% - Up to 16

Surprisingly, most people actually don't prefer the traditional 1-on-1 style and would prefer fighting games these days to have up to 4 players in the ring. An interesting result!
Post or view comments

Ed Boon interviewed by CNN/fn
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:34:47 CST
Recently Ed Boon was interviewed by worldwide recognised news channel CNN in regards to Mortal Kombat: Deception, and it also touches on where the franchise has come from and what could be in store in the future. The video is now availble to download from a variety of sources, and luckily for you guys, we are one of them! So if you want to check it out head on over to our Mortal Kombat movies section and grab it!
Post or view comments

New Interview
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:19:23 CST
It's been a while but we've got a new addition to our Interviews section! This time around we have an exclusive interview with Eric Petersen of Cartel Games, the publisher behind the upcoming PC fighting game Mythic Blades. Check it out in our Interviews section!
Post or view comments

Atari ships Godzilla: Save the Earth for PS2
Posted by White_Pointer at 21:04:27 CST
The Playstation 2 version of Godzilla: Save the Earth has shipped and is now available to buy throughout North America. If you enjoyed the original; Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, then you should enjoy this, with more monsters to choose from and online play to mention a couple of improvements.
The XBox version is due to ship on November 22nd. No word yet on a PAL release for either version.
Post or view comments

New NeoGeo Battle Coliseum details
Posted by White_Pointer at 03:04:12 CST
NeoGeo Battle Coliseum, the new 3rd party title from Sega Sammy (currently under development by SNK) has been put on show for the first time under Sega Sammy's new joint venture. The new company has opened an arcade game exhibit for distributers in Japan, and the new fighter was one of three titles on display. While the game was only about 30% complete with only 8 playable characters, it gave a good insight as to what the final game would be like.

In a similar vein to SNK's KOF series, Battle Coliseum will feature tag-team battles, but these will be 2-on-2, (not 3-on-3) and will feature characters from previous NeoGeo titles, including those not developed by SNK. There is a single round per match, and the match is over if just one of your characters is knocked out. The control scheme also has some similarity to the KOF titles, 2 punch buttons of different strengths, 2 kick buttons of different strengths, and 1 button to switch between your two characters.

The confirmed roster of characters so far is as follows:

Yuki (World Heroes)
Ai (World Heroes)
Hanzo (World Heroes)
Tung Fu Rue (Fatal Fury)
Asura (Samurai Shodown)
Haohmaru (Samurai Shodown)
Rock Howard (Garou: Mark of the Wolves)
Hotaru Futaba (Garou: Mark of the Wolves)
Kisara (Agressors of Dark Combat)
Kyo Kusanagi (King of Fighters series)
Iori Yagami (King of Fighters series)
Shermie (King of Fighters series)
Mr. Karate (Ryo Sakazaki from Buriki One)
Mr. Big (Art Of Fighting series)
Robert Garcia (Art Of Fighting series)
Lee Pailong (Art Of Fighting series)
Kaede (The Last Blade series)
Moriya Minakata (The Last Blade series)
Akari Ichijou (The Last Blade series)
Cyber Woo (King of the Monsters series)

The game is currently slated for a Japanese release on Sammy's Atomiswave arcade platform next year. We'll have more information on this as it becomes available.
Post or view comments

Capcom's official word on the SFAC recall
Posted by White_Pointer at 01:58:38 CST
Capcom have finally come forward and given an official statement as to why the Japanese XBox version of Street Fighter Anniversary Collection has been recalled. According to them, the game suffers from a music bug. To be more specific, when the game is set to "Original" sound mode the stage background music for the character Hugo doesn't play correctly.

But there is this overlying issue of the lack of a region lock, which Capcom are keeping very quiet about. Even more intriguing is that Capcom have sent out a message to anyone who has purchased the game already to contact customer support to exchange their disc for a fixed version. This all seems rather over the top...the entire game gets recalled and taken off shelves and they ask people to send their discs back...all for such a small issue.

The new discs will be ready for shipment in about a month...which seems like more time than what's necessary to fix a minor sound bug. Whether the new discs have region locking implemented or not, we'll need to wait and see.
Post or view comments

Guilty Gear Isuka ships for PS2
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:54:22 CST
After it spent what seemed like an eternity in its Gold period, Sammy has finally shipped Guilty Gear Isuka for the PS2 to North American retailers and will be on store shelves very soon.

“With ‘Guilty Gear Isuka’ shipping today, fans can rest assured that the wait for the first Guilty Gear sequel in nearly two years is almost over,” said Tim Pivnicny, senior VP of Sales & Marketing, Sammy Studios, Inc. “Those familiar with the series will recognize that ‘Isuka’ retains the virtues that put the franchise on the map, even as Arc System Works pushes the 2D fighter envelope by introducing revolutionary new features and creating entirely new play modes. We invite Guilty Gear fans and those new to the series to visit www.guiltygeargame.com, the official game website for North America to chat with others, get downloads and see more on the game.”

No Altered Beast remake for the US
Posted by White_Pointer at 02:22:31 CST
Sega's PS2 remake of their classic side-scrolling brawler Altered Beast, currently under development by Wow Entertainment, has been confirmed to not be making it to the US and will stay a Japanese only release. While Sega didn't give any real reasoning for the decision, they did say that "Sega is more particular about the titles it ships in the US." It's also confirmed that they haven't licensed the title to any other publisher either. So unfortunately for those of you who were looking forward to this one, unless you live in Japan you won't be playing it.
Post or view comments

Region-free SF: AC recalled
Posted by White_Pointer at 20:15:57 CST
Right back into the news!

This week, Capcom released Street Fighter Anniversary Collection for the XBox in Japan, and not wanting to wait for the overseas release many gamers quickly imported the game, willing to tolerate the region-locking. However, much to their surprise, they found the game to not actually be region-locked and played perfectly on non-Japanese XBox consoles. It even played on XBox Live just fine!

A couple of days ago however Capcom recalled the game and pulled it from the shelves, giving the reasoning that the game contained a bug, although whether they were referring to the region-free compatibility is uncertain. Obviously though once the new batch hits the shelves and they no longer work on non-Japanese systems we'll know.

The collection of games is currently slated for an official US release in February next year.
Post or view comments

Site Downtime
Posted by White_Pointer at 20:07:42 CST
Yep, you would have noticed the site was down for the last day and a half or so because we exceeded our bandwidth limit again. This is becoming a reoccuring problem now so we are looking at ways to address it that (hopefully) won't cost us any more money. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Post or view comments