Dragonball Teaser Trailer [Trailer Addict - Thanks wwm0nkey!]

BATTLE FANTASIA KNOCKS OUT EUROPE
505 Games Publishing Innovative Fighting Game From the Makers of the Hugely Popular Guilty Gear Series
Milton Keynes, August 1st – 505 Games today announced that Battle Fantasia, a unique all-action fighting game, is heading to the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® in Q1 2009.

Developed by combat veterans Arc System Works, Battle Fantasia is like no other fighter available on consoles, thanks to its unique cast of fantasy-inspired characters, alongside a storyline and script that stays true to its Japanese heritage and manga roots. In fact, 505 Games is ensuring the overall experience is as close as you’ll get to playing a Japanese arcade game in the streets of Tokyo, without ever leaving the comfort of your sofa.

In keeping with the fantasy themes of the game, Battle Fantasia also has elements familiar to fans of role-playing games. Instead of having a standard health bar, characters have hit-points that drain away as they take damage. As a result smaller characters have less health but are faster and harder to hit, whereas larger ones can deal more damage but are lumbering hulks. This means the gameplay experience is unlike any fighter you’ve played before.

Battle Fantasia includes a variety of different modes, including story, practice, survival, time attack, versus mode and online multiplayer. What’s more, by playing through the story mode, it’s possible to unlock new costumes for the fighters, along with a range of artwork by Guilty Gear series legend Emiko Iwasaki.

Battle Fantasia is available in Europe for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® in Q1 2009.

Key features:

• A faithful recreation of the awesome arcade game, from the developers of the Guilty Gear series
• Fast-paced, fluid and balanced fighting
• Innovative 2.5D graphics engine
• 12 playable characters with their own range of special moves
• 2-player head-to-head action and online multiplayer
• Artwork and character design by Emiko Iwasaki

Anime Expo [Official Webpage]

“UFC offers the fighting videogame genre a fresh and innovative look inside today’s most exciting live sporting event in the world,” said Dana White, president, UFC. “UFC 2009 Undisputed represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our growing, global audience and allow fans to step into the virtual Octagon™ to compete against the world’s most prominent mixed martial arts fighters.”

UFC 2009 is slated for a Spring 2009 release. I've generally been put off by the generic feel of previous UFC games, so here's hoping THQ delivers something unique enough to hold my attention for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Leading Fighting Game Publisher THQ Set to Enter the Famed Octagon™ with UFC® 2009 Undisputed

Debut Videogame Based on Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Poised to Deliver an Extensive Roster, Commanding New Game Engine and Powerful Features

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that UFC® 2009 Undisputed, the company’s debut videogame based on the renowned Ultimate Fighting Championship® mixed martial arts organization, is in development for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and mobile devices. Featuring an authentic and comprehensive UFC atmosphere, including an extensive roster of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world, UFC 2009 Undisputed is expected to begin shipping to retail outlets worldwide in spring 2009.

“As the leading fighting videogame publisher(a), we feel the rising popularity of the UFC brand and its incredible mixed martial arts experience make UFC 2009 Undisputed the perfect addition to our expanding portfolio,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “UFC 2009 Undisputed is certain to be the most realistic fighting game to date, including advanced collision detection and AI systems that incorporate individual fighter styles.”

“UFC offers the fighting videogame genre a fresh and innovative look inside today’s most exciting live sporting event in the world,” said Dana White, president, UFC. “UFC 2009 Undisputed represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our growing, global audience and allow fans to step into the virtual Octagon™ to compete against the world’s most prominent mixed martial arts fighters.”

About UFC 2009 Undisputed

UFC 2009 Undisputed is an explosive fighting game that will detail the action, intensity and attitude of a UFC live event. Players will explore a deep roster of more than 80 top fighters in UFC competition across all five weight classes. In addition, they will enter the Octagon surrounded by the sport’s popular commentators, announcers, referees, trainers, Octagon girls and more. Photorealistic models are at the forefront, as players will view amazing ripple effects across the faces and bodies of their fighters from the impact of devastating punches and kicks.

A brand new fighting game engine designed specifically for next generation systems will deliver innovative, responsive and easy-to-play controls that give unparalleled command of fighters, as players take down opponents with a variety of mixed martial arts disciplines like Muay Thai, Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In addition, the game’s Create-A-Fighter system will jumpstart the careers of future champions through character customization and training management, while a robust Career Mode will develop a fighter’s attributes and skill sets while fighting to enter the UFC Hall of Fame through a series of dynamic storylines. Furthermore, players will be able to enhance their UFC 2009 Undisputed gameplay experience through online support, including downloadable content.

More information about UFC 2009 Undisputed can be found at www.thq.com.

The fighting mechanic was pretty basic and what you would expect from this type of open world, mission based game. You can fight everyone form the local yokels and thugs to the mascots of the various casinos. I got particular pleasure out of beating the crap out of one mascot who looked suspiciously like my arch nemesis, The Burger King. By pressing X to attack, you can build up your BuzzBomb meter which, once it's filled, will give you an special move that will send your enemy flying through the air. Beating enemies down yields casino chips that can be used later to buy more clothes, cars and other goodies.

Next we moved on to the gambling portion. At the current time they have confirmed that there will be Black Jack, Texas Hold 'Em Poker and slots with other games to be announced later. I tried my hand at a Black Jack game and did pretty well. Of course, it helps that the game has a built in cheat device for each casino game. In Black Jack, the cards are marked and going into a special mode will allow you to see What's coming up next and what the other player have in their hands. but don't linger to long in cheat mode, because the pit boss is watching and if his suspicion meter fills up, you are busted.

Where game really shone was the party mode. Your character is dispatched to a club that is rather empty and you are implored by the DJ to help her bring customers in. This is accomplished through a series of mini-games like a Cake Mania-esque bar tending gig, beating up cheesy bachelors and a rather gratuitous wet t-shirt mini-game where you spray girls down with water.

My favorite part of the club scene however, was the dancing. Based on the Tony Hawk method of combos, you can make your character pull of various dance moves using button presses. The more moves you can stack up without failing, the more points you can score. If you get really good, you can even get everyone on the dance floor to follow you in a group synchronized dance routine. It was really pretty clever and I found myself thinking that in itself would make a pretty fun game.

All in all I'd have to say that the game seemed pretty fun and the dialog was amusing. The graphics looked great and the recreation of Vegas was really well done with loads of detail. However, what we saw of This Is Vegas was pretty disjointed so it was difficult to get a handle on the overall gameplay. I look forward to seeing a more cohesive version that includes the driving mechanic at this year's E3. It is expected to ship Winter 2008 for 360, PS3 and PC.

A source has also leaked me with the surprisingly honest memo sent to EA employees from Frank Gibeau, President of EA Games. In it he says:

"Within the EA Games Label, we are committed to running each franchise and facility as a city/state, teams with unique creative identities as well as responsibility for product quality, ship dates and profitability....Unfortunately, EA Chicago hasn't been able to meet that standard....Closing EA Chicago is the toughest decision I've made in my career - one that in no way reflects on the talent and dedication of the people who work there."

Read the full memo from EA after the jump...

FROM FRANK GIBEAU Today we are announcing the closure of our studio in Chicago. This is a difficult decision but we are convinced it's the right thing to do for the future of the Games Label and EA.

Within the EA Games Label, we are committed to running each franchise and facility as a city/state, teams with unique creative identities as well as responsibility for product quality, ship dates and profitability. We recognize that games require large investments and extended development cycles. We're willing to take risks, make long-term investments, and to support teams and individuals between launches. But each team is responsible for staying on a reasonable path to profitability. Sticking to that strategy is what gives us the financial resources and flexibility to take risks on new projects.

Unfortunately, EA Chicago hasn't been able to meet that standard. The location has grown dramatically in the past three years while revenue from the games developed there has not. The number of employees has grown from 49 in 2004 to 146 people currently in the new facility in downtown Chicago. As it stands, EA Chicago has no expectation of hitting our profitability targets until FY2011 or later.

Closing EA Chicago is the toughest decision I've made in my career - one that in no way reflects on the talent and dedication of the people who work there. I've enjoyed their games and consider GM Kudo Tsunoda to be one of the best creative minds in our industry. The people impacted by this decision will be treated fairly - we're offering relocation opportunities to many and there will be outplacement assistance and severance for all eligible employees.

I know this decision will be unsettling to many beyond those who work in Chicago. It's important that you understand that we are willing to take creative risks and make long-term investments in people and projects. But the city/state philosophy demands that every project be committed to delivering a reasonable expectation of profitability. It's a performance commitment that binds us together and ensures we have the resources we need to invest back into our people and creative output.

Finally, when EA announced our quarterly earnings last week, John and Warren referenced facility closures. We had planned to include Chicago in that communication but a personal tragedy in the studio - the death of a colleague - resulted in our delaying the announcement out of respect for his family and friends. I apologize for any confusion or concern that caused.

I think you'll find that in addition to tackling some serious challenges, we are making great progress on our business. Consumers have responded well to our new IP and quality scores are tracking up. We are proud of our recent hits, such as Skate and the success we have made in making a solid game with The Simpsons. And we're looking forward to breakout hits like Need For Speed Pro Street, Rockband, Burnout Paradise, Battlefield Bad Company, Army of Two, Crysis, and more in the future with Mass Effect and Mercenaries 2 World in Flames.

We're definitely headed in the right direction.

Frank

Rise of the Ninja is really two games in one. There's an adventure game in which you run around Leaf Village doing quests as you follow Naruto on his rise from an obnoxious orphan everyone despises to an obnoxious ninja everybody seems to like. Then there's the fighting game, which allows you to test your ninja prowess against friends both online and offline. Statistically speaking, at least one of the two should suck. It is a licensed game after all, and while there have been several spectacular Japanese Naruto fighting games, this one was created by Ubisoft Montreal - the first non-Japanese developed Naruto game. Somehow they completely beat the odds. Both modes are pretty damn entertaining.

Tales Of The Obnoxious Ninja

Story mode features you as Naruto, running around Leaf Village doing quests, powering up your fighting moves, and going on missions that carry you through the storyline up to Naruto winning...some big thing. The Chunin Exam, possibly? Not being a big fan of the anime itself didn't stop me from enjoying story mode. It just made me terrible at writing about it. There's this evil sand guy, who tries to kill the bushy-eyebrow kid after nearly killing him anyway. I'll assume it does a pretty good job of following the story, because at several points I recognized moments from the Cartoon Network episodes I managed to catch.

The action in story mode is a mix of platforming craziness interrupted by rounds of fighting. Say you are running through the woods and a bandit appears. In JRPG fashion you enter a battle screen which plays out like your standard 3D fighter. Despite a bunch of fights against the same four or five types of fodder over and over again, the fighting was always nicely balanced with the platforming so as to never feel tiresome or annoying.

The main fun of story mode lies in exploration. I could run around Leaf Village for hours, just sprinting about, jumping across rooftops, and generally being a little hyperactive jerk, just like the real Naruto. As you level up your jitsu powers, more areas open up to you, providing almost as much of a driving force to complete the game as the story itself.

The neatest thing about story mode as far as I am concerned? Memoclips. As you progress through the game you earn memories after important events, called memoclips. When you fall in battle during your adventure, instead of dying, you are taken to a screen that allows you to select from whatever memoclips you have acquired. Like any fighting anime, when Naruto falls, he uses memories of his past to inspire him to go on. Depending on the memoclip you choose, you'll have a certain number of seconds to tap the A button to recover power. It's such a simple little mechanic, but it adds to the anime-feel of the game tremendously.

Kungu-Fu Fighting

The fighting game portion of Rise of the Ninja is relatively simple. There are only eleven characters to choose from, with buttons for vertical attacks, horizontal attacks, blocking, jumping, and grabbing. What sets it apart from other fighting games is the special moves, known as jitsus. Rather than just using a combinations of buttons to unleash a
jitsu, players must hold down the left trigger, standing completely still until their power reaches the target intensity, indicated by a sort of ring power meter dealie bob on the screen. If you are successful, your character launches into their particular jitsu, which acts as sort of a mini-game. For instance, when Naruto performs the Shadow Clone jitsu, he inputs a button combination. If his opponent matches the button for any particular part of the move, the damage is negated and Naruto misses. While jitsus are extremely power, standing still and charging one up leaves you very open to attack.

Thanks to the simplicity of the battle system, characters animate as smoothly online as they do offline, but trust me...online is where it's at. Specifically the Forest of Death Tournament, which unlike regular fighting tournaments is always open. A persistent world fighting tournament? Once you enter the tournament, you have to win two consecutive matches to enter the Tower of Doom. Win three more matches and you are a champion, taking on opponent after opponent until you fall, all the while gaining points that reflect on your score in the leaderboards. You can of course just play one match against a random opponent for a quick online fix, but the tournament mode is so much more fulfilling, assuming you win. I am not a winner. *sniffs*

Super Sexy Jitsu

I really didn't think I would enjoy Naruto: Rise of the Ninja this much. I expected a passable fighting game with a forgettable story mode tacked on, but what I ended up with was so much more. Now I've got to run out to GameStop and beat up that cashier that laughed at me for buying it.

The controls are far too simple for a serious fighting game. Shake the Wiimote to slash while maneuvering with the control stick on the nunchuck. Holding down A and shaking does a power attack, while holding B summons forth a special attack. There is no jump button. None. Nada. Bleach men can't jump. As you hit and get hit the bankai meter fills, and once full giving the 'chuck a shake activates your bankai, which ranges from your character glowing slightly to your weapon becoming a giant freaking skeletal snake. I know this is straight from the series, but it's kinda sad when your opponent suddenly fills the whole screen and your only response is to glow menacingly at them. Rawr! I glow!

In an attempt to mix things up a bit, when two characters' power attacks land at the same time, a little rock, paper, scissors-type mini-game ensues, with vertical, horizontal, and stabbing attacks. At the end of five rounds of this the character with the most wins performs a special attack. Interesting at first, but pnce I kicked the difficulty up to hard it felt like entire rounds were made up of an endless string of these. Highly annoying.

With cutscenes comprised of still pictures with captions mixed with in-game cinematics, I wasn't all that impressed with the overall presentation of the game. Still, for fans of the anime and manga there is plenty of extra content to unlock on top of a grand total of 32 playable characters. You win coins by playing through arcade and story mode which you can use in the shop to unlock extras, so you at least they've got the fan service down pat.

As for the awesome new character created for the game...well, here he is.

I wouldn't recommend Bleach: Shattered Blade to anyone but the most fervent fan of the show. It's a simple little fighter with almost no gameplay depth whatsoever. Any game I can beat simply by simulating masturbation with the Wiimote needs to tweak it's difficulty level somewhat. Either that or I am just really good at it.

I meant the game, you perverts.

Smash! Boom! Plat! It's another huge Game Head World Exclusive! Tonight, EA Chicago pulls back the curtains on its new Marvel Fighting Game for the first time anywhere. See Juggernaut versus Captain America and so much more! And watch as EA puts Game Head host Geoff Keighley right in the middle of the action. From the team behind the Def Jam and Fight Night titles, EA Chicago brings massive destruction and whole hearted fun to the next generation.

Yes, the Wii does have an online component to it folks, and Atari is looking to prove it in a big way with Tenkaichi 3, which means that I won't have to settle for getting my ass handed to me by my nephew when there are so many other people out there ready to kick my butt into mountainsides again and again.

My main problem with the last game has been completely done away with, replacing the weird screen-in and out component for super moves with simple motion controls, which allow you to still look like a badass without looking like a badass with an unhealthy obsession with a little circle floating obtrusively in the middle of your screen. It felt very and fluid while still allowing for a range of motion wide enough to 'accidentally' smack your opponent in the face with your control should they start to win.

The rest is really more of what the fans of the series want. There are now over 150 characters to unlock via the relatively complex fusion system from the last title, with 30 fighting arenas to keep things fresh. The graphics look a bit sharper but overall there doesn't seem to be too much more in the way of tweaks, and honestly that's fine with me. My one major problem has been addressed, and the addition of online fighting is just icing on the cake, as long as it, you know...works. We'll find out for sure this holiday season! *keeps fingers crossed*

The latest game in the series, released in Japanese arcades last year, features several modest updates to the solid fighting game. Two reinvented fighters have been added to the mix, A.B.A and Order-Sol. New offensive and defensive mechanics have been added to allow for even more intricate fighting strategies - Force Break, Throw Escape, and Slash Back.

Perhaps the most notable changes are the re-recorded character voices, a first since Guilty Gear XX first debuted. Combined with new backgrounds and intro animations they'll certainly add a bit of freshness to a series that's been growing rather stale over the years.

The Wii version will also feature special waggle controls that allow you to use the Wii remote and nunchuck to pull off fighting moves, which will be novel for all of five minutes before the classic controllers get hooked up. Hit the jump for a press release and full gallery. Michael Fahey

GUILTY GEAR XX ACCENT CORE FIGHTS ITS WAY TO THE PLAYSTATION®2 COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND Wii™ THIS FALL

Heaven or Hell! Let's Rock!

Torrance, CA (June 22, 2007) - The newest incarnation of the popular fighting game franchise, Guilty Gear XX Accent Core, comes to the PlayStation®2 and Wii, courtesy of Aksys Games, a publisher of interactive entertainment products. Developed by Arc System Works, this latest iteration returns with its trademark high-resolution graphics along with an entirely retuned fighting system, new stages, new characters, graphics, voices and the ability to create matches between old and new characters in the Generations Mode.

"Accent Core is definitely a game for the elite fighting game connoisseur, with its wickedly fast, technique oriented gameplay," said Michael Manzanares, Producer, Aksys Games. "Guilty Gear veterans will definitely enjoy finding out all the intricacies of their favorite characters and mastering all the new gameplay enhancements and systems."
Key Features:

• Over 20 deadly combatants to choose from, including 2 new characters! All of your favorite characters have returned with new moves and an alternate EX version of each. Accent Core also introduces 2 reinvented fighters, A.B.A and Order-Sol that have never been seen outside of Japan.
• Refined fighting game system with 3 new gameplay systems! Accent Core's Force Break, Throw Escape and Slash Back systems give all the fighters' new defensive and offensive capabilities.
• New sights and sounds! New backgrounds, character voices and an introductory animation have been added for a fresh Guilty Gear experience.
• Multiple modes of mayhem! Hone your fighting skills in 5 different modes: Arcade, Medal of Millionaire, Versus, Survival and Training.
• Waggle controls exclusive to the Wii! Gamers can test their fighting game prowess by mastering the new Wii Remote™ controls that lets you pull off the fighters' punches, kicks and special moves with simple gestures. For purists, GGXXAC will also support the Nintendo GameCube™ and Classic Controllers.

Coming out for Xbox in the US this May (though it has been in Japan for quite some time), Battle Storm: Senko no Ronde is the UbiSoft's American version of the Japanese fighter/shooter that looks like it could melt your mind in about two seconds. I could easily take an epileptic seizure if that's not available, though. Kim Phu

Shooting, fighting, androgyny: Senko no Ronde coming stateside [Joystiq]

As always, these are now-gen images, meaning these puppies are huge. Michael McWhertor

Virtua Fighter 5 December Screens

Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and sumo-turned-brawer Akebono duke it out in this D.I.Y. fighter, Knuckle Fighter Alpha. Akebono is the first foreigner to become a yokozuna, the sport's highest title. Deep in debt, the sumo has since entered K-1, where he gets his fat Hawaiian ass kicked on a regular basis. Brian Ashcraft

Jay doesn't do fighting games. He's an avid gamer. He's a Madden fan. He's a great friend of mine. But that's not something he does.

There's one word to describe individuals unwilling to lend their likeness to video games in which they get beat up: Wuss. Brian Ashcraft

Jay's A Lover, Not A Fighter [MTV]

We got a curious email from Hampa, pointing us to this video of his bizarre, bloody turn-based fighter, Toribash. "I know you featured the game Toribash a bit before!" Hampa insisted.

Unfortunately, we haven't, which is a shame, because it looks awesome. How can you not like a game with a description like this?

"Toribash is a turn-based fighting game. Create your own martial arts movies in single player sandbox mode, or join the competition in the multi player modes. Focus is on tactics rather than reaction and button mashing. The game features physics, full dismemberment, decapitation and comic style blood."

And — developers take note! — there's even an OS X version! Time to take Toribash for a spin. Florian Eckhardt

Toribash [Official Site]

Little known fact about me, I spent a big chunk of high school and college fencing. I wasn't great, but I was good enough to go to the Junior Olympics in two weapons and qualify for Nationals in all three. I also taught introductory lessons at Johns Hopkins.

I mention this because Peter Molyneux's speech about next-gen fighting today in Leipzig has gotten me all hot and bothered. According to 1Up he started talking about the idea of bringing the concept of parries and realistic fencing into a nex-gen fight system.

What a fantastic idea. Modern fencing is, of course, not fatal, it's not even really dangerous. Because of that there are a bunch of rules created to force fencers to behave as they might if facing the point end of an epee, sabre or foil.

Basically this means that if you are attacked (except in sabre, my personal favorite weapon), you must defend before counter-attacking. Sounds familiar? It's basically the same rule set that Street Fighter is built around.

If someone pokes a foil at you, you must parry it and then counter-attack, typically. This goes back and forth until someone lands a blow because they are fast, tricky or have more endurance... basically.
If you applied something like this to a nex-gen fighting system, you'd end up with an entire game, wrap it in a role-playing or action game and you'd end up with something no one has really seen before.

It sounds like Molyneux's team is on the right track. What I'd love to see is a game that uses the different buttons as different parries and counters. While foil fencing has eight parries, you could get away with just four. And you could get away with just three parries with the sabre.

Can you imagine using a Wii-mote to deliver authentic slashes with a cyber sabre? Modern sabre's actually use a sensor to make sure the whipping action of a slash is powerful enough to count, this could totally work. Brian Crecente

LGC 2006: Peter Molyneux on Next-Gen Combat [1Up]

Kick Ass Kung-Fu is a virtual reality (soooo 1990's) installation that gives players a chance to really, well, kick ass. Players' physical movements correspond to the in-game character. In the above clip, a bunch of black belts show off just how the game works and demonstrate a smorgasboard of kicks, flips and punches. Uh, this looks kinda hard. —Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Kahsoon]