Kotaku: Soul Calibur

Buy Soulcalibur IV, Get A Break On Fried Chicken

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:40:04 MDT

In an extremely classy move, Namco Bandai Games has included a pair of coupons in the Soulcalibur IV instruction manual, giving gamers a break on their mall shoe shopping and fried chicken fix. Yes, gamers, your sixty dollar purchase of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 fighting game will get you a cool $1 off any value combo at Church's Chicken and a $10 price break on bigger Journeys purchases.

And, hey, it's a full color manual! Sadly, it looks like those who purchased the Special Edition of Soulcalibur IV will have to pay regular prices on their chicken and Vans. Thanks to macmanus for the money saving tip!

Metal Gear Solid? In My Soulcalibur IV?

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:00:09 MDT

With character creation tools in our current-gen games comes some serious character creation; most of it character re-creation. To wit, Kotaku reader CB has gone ahead and created both Raiden and Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid 2 style, to tell a tale of souls and swords eternally retold. Or something. Read this post with Soulcalibur announcer guy voice and it might make more sense.

More pics of the sneaking souls in our gallery below. We await the flood of user creations when the game officially streets in North America this week.

Soulcalibur IV Adds One More Female Fighter

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:00:48 MDT

With this, the seventh new character to join the Soulcalibur IV line up, we're starting to notice a trend. Kamikirimusi, like her predecessors Shura, Scheherezade, Algol Fear, and Ashlotte, is a female fighter designed by a well known Japanese artist, this time by guest artist Hirokazu Hisayuki. Kamikirimusi will fight with a very large metal club/mace and satisfy fans of exposed upper thigh flesh.

Her facial expression seen in the scan above — click through for the full-sized version if you're just visiting the front page — accurately sums up our thoughts on her design.

Soul Calibur IV Features Hot Tag-Team Action

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:30:00 MDT

The latest issue of Famitsu has more news on Soul Calibur IV. Nothing on Star Wars or disappearing clothes here, though, this stuff's technical: the game will feature tag-team action. Yup, in the good old-fashioned Marvel v Capcom style. Well, almost. It's supposedly not quite as extensive - it's suggested that team-mates are used only for stuff like combos, not full-blooded, mid-battle tap-outs. There's also only mention of it being available in singleplayer, but still. A Vader-Kratos (if confirmed) one-two punch? What a weird and wonderful world we live in.

Soul Calibur IV Features 'Character Swapping' [1UP]

Xbox Live Soul Calibur Sure Looks Like Soul Calibur

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:40:19 MDT

It's been almost nine years since I first played the Dreamcast port of Soul Calibur which, at the time, seemed like the pinnacle of fighting game visuals. Another instance of my gaming career where I genuinely thought "This is it. They've done it. It can't possibly get any better." This was, of course, before the engineers at Namco Bandai dedicated man hours and processing power to ass-jiggle physics; before we really knew how detailed a cod piece could be. Anyway, the compressed Soul Calibur for Xbox 360 seems like a fun diversion, but I've still got my Dreamcast hooked up to Input 3 on my television. And Soulcalibur IV is out, like, any day now. Kinda makes the whole thing seem moot.

Soul Calibur Gameplay HD [GameTrailers]

PlayStation 3 Owners Getting Another Soulcalibur IV Exclusive Fighter?

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:40:24 MDT

If Darth Vader wasn't enough to sway you toward the PS3 version of Soulcalibur IV, perhaps the God of War will. According to the latest issue of EGM magazine, by way of 1UP, Kratos may be joining the line-up of souls in Namco Bandai's newest weapons-based fighter. Considering that Yoda versus Voldo fights will be commonplace, we're nonplussed at the concept. It's a surprisingly good fit.

Sure, it's a rumor, but that "expect confirmation soon" and a hint about Xbox 360 owners getting their own platform-specific fighter — Joanna Dark? Marcus Fenix? Banjo?! — makes us wonder if this is less of a rumor than it is a tease.

Quartermann: God of War Meets Soul Calibur? [1UP]

Soulcalibur IV Character Customization Makes Afro Ninja Possible

Michael McWhertor — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:30:10 MDT

While Soulcalibur III was largely forgettable for some of us at Kotaku, some of our best memories were forged in the game's custom character creation tool. The "dancer" style fighter armed with a pair of tambourines made for some rather amusing matches. Soulcalibur IV doesn't appear to be a slouch in the custom fighter department, with all manner of ridiculous weapons and fetish focused accessories at your disposal.

Cowgirls? Check. Pirate wenches? Check. Cat-eared cuties wielding deadly feather dusters? Don't ask stupid questions.

Darth Vader's Apprentice Joins Soulcalibur IV Cast

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:00:23 MDT

A brand new character is joining the cast of Soulcalibur IV and, surprisingly enough, this one isn't sporting Jabba the Hutt sized breasts. Darth Vader's "secret apprentice" Starkiller, star of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, will join Yoda and Vader in pitting lightsaber against blade when the game hits the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 next month. Yes, Starkiller is coming to both versions of Soulcalibur IV, making your decision that much easier.

Soulcalibur IV Unleashed [GameSpot]

Namco Bandai In SHOCK Soul Calibur Breast Cover-Up

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:40:00 MDT

Yes. Shocking. For your submission, the above picture, showing Soul Calibur's Ivy as she's depicted on the game's official website. On the left, how she appears on the Japanese site. On the right? How she appears on the American site. This will not go down well with die-hard fans, Namco Bandai. They're not in this for the swordplay.

Thanks rikasao for the tip!

Xbox Live Arcade Soul Calibur Looks... Constrained

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:20:00 MDT

I remember the Dreamcast version of the original Soul Calibur blowing my baby blue socks clean off when I first saw it. Then again, that was on a 4:3, standard definition TV. This update, on a 16:9 screen and in HD? With those Windows 3.1 desktop-lookin borders? I...look, it still looks great, and I maintain the first is the best game in the series, it's just going to take a while to get used to seeing it look so different, that's all.

Look At What's Inside The Soul Calibur IV CE

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:30:00 MDT

Here's the contents of the Soul Calibur IV Collectors Edition! The box, it's big and colourful. The book, it's black, and book-like. That other thing? That's the "Tournament Kit", which is the most overblown term for a card with a blank tournament tree on it I've yet to come across. The shirts? While different in colour and subject (white with Yoda for 360, black with Vader for PS3), they only come in XL. Sorry skinnies. And fatties. I leave it up to you to decide whether these contents of questionable worth warrant an $80 price-tag.
Tournament kit in Soulcalibur IV special edition explained [Siliconera]

XBLA Soul Calibur Is The Dreamcast One, Not The Arcade One

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:20:00 MDT

Soul Calibur's coming to Xbox Live Arcade. Hurray! But...wait. Which version is it? The magnificent Dreamcast version? Or the, uh, less magnificent arcade version? Rest easy, kids. Namco Bandai have told Shacknews that "the game is based on the Dreamcast version with no major additions or subtractions". Glad that's sorted. Now all we need to know is how far over the 150MB limit this thing's going to come in at, and we'll be all done.
Soul Calibur XBLA Based on Dreamcast Version [Shacknews]

Soulcalibur Legends Gold, Dated, Ugly

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:20:54 MDT

Namco Bandai Games has revealed to the masses hungry for a Soul Calibur adventure that its Wii game Soulcalibur Legends is finally being stamped on discs. Those discs will be put in plastic packages which will be stuffed with box art and instruction manuals, eventually arriving on store shelves November 20. Wii owners can then wildly wave their Wii remotes and Nunchuks, making famous fighters such as Siegfried, Ivy and newcomer Lloyd dispatch dozens of generic enemies.

Let's all cross our fingers that Soulcalibur Legends will continue the proud tradition of Namco Bandai fighters spinning off to third person adventures as established by the flawless Death By Degrees. There's a press release that treats this more seriously down there.

Namco Bandai's Soulcalibur LegendsTM Slashes its way to Gold

World Renowned Franchise Set to Make Exclusive Debut on the Nintendo WiiTM

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (November 1, 2007) - Souls are burning with anticipation as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., announced today that Soulcalibur Legends™ has gone gold for the Nintendo Wii™. Exclusive to the innovative console, Soulcalibur Legends reinvents the unparalleled weapon-based fighting franchise and immerses players into a third person action adventure game. Making evolutionary strides in the series, the Wii's intuitive controls will be the weapon of choice that provides an unmatched gameplay experience complete with various modes of play, a unique combat system and classic roster of Soulcalibur characters.

Set between the events of Soul Blade and Soulcalibur, Legends follows the exploits of Siegfried and other familiar characters from the series as they find themselves on a quest for the ultimate power. Weapons and warriors will clash as they endure to unify the pieces of the Soul Edge sword, the very element which leads to Siegfried's inevitable possession by the cursed blade.

In Soulcalibur Legends, use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to master orchestrated attacks to crush scores of enemies or large bosses. Battle through more than 10 diverse stages and environments in the single player Quest Mode; rising through the ranking system to earn the honored titles of Knight or Soldier. Players can deliver a one-two punch by switching between their character and an ally for more versatility in any given situation. Gamers can also put their skills to the test in a split-screen Co-op Mode, compete against a friend to defeat the most fearsome enemies in Competitive Mode, or spar in Versus Mode to determine the true Wii weapon master.

Soulcalibur Legends is rated "T" for teen by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) and will be released on November 20. For more information on Soulcalibur Legends, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com

McFarlane Making Full Halo 3 Toy Line

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:40:17 MDT

Bungie and McFarlane Toys announced today that they have partnered to bring a full line of Halo 3 licensed toys, including five action figures and three of the game's vehicles. It was recently revealed that Todd McFarlane was responsible for the artwork for the Halo 3 limited edition Xbox 360 controllers.

The five figures are Master Chief, Cortana, a Brute Chieftan, a Jackal Sniper and a Grunt 2-pack. The Warthog, Ghost and Brute Chopper vehicles will release alongside the aforementioned when the product line ships in the spring of 2008.

McFarlane has previously released toys based on Metal Gear Solid, Onimusha, Ultima Online and Soul Calibur, but the company has shied away from licensing game properties since 2003. Michael McWhertor

MCFARLANE TO PRODUCE 'HALO 3' ACTION FIGURES [Spawn.com]

Soul Calibur IV Trailer Teases

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 18:22:06 MDT

Way on the short side and big on the armor fiber close-ups, here's the trailer for cross-platform Soul Calibur IV. It's due out in 2008, so you have all year to practice your button mashing! Brian Ashcraft

EGM To Drop Soul Calibur Bomb

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:00:03 MDT

Paper mag Electronic Gaming Monthly has the inside dope on Namco's new Soul Calibur fighter. Not just regular inside dope, but exclusive inside dope. Here's teaser:

If you're hankering for a virtual fistfight, top-quality options about — the Virtua Fighter, Tekken, and Dead or Alive franchises all offer satisfying punch-up action. But if you're truly looking to give your opponent something to cry about, it's all about wielding sharpened steel, and nothing beats Namco Bandai's Soul Calibur series for weapon-based fighting thrills. In our world-exclusive preview, we'll reveal the future direction of this beloved series.

This button mashing issue of EGM goes on sale July 3, so sit tight! Brian Ashcraft

Soul Calibur Info [1Up]

Mystery GameCube Fighter Coming To Wii

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:20:35 MDT

In the latest Wii-k In Review podcast, the IGN editor who tackles all things waggle, Matt Cassamassina, hints at a very interesting upcoming Wii game. He says of the unnamed title that "anyone with a brain will be able to figure it out."

There used to be this fighting franchise, it came to GameCube. It will be coming to Wii but it won't be a fighting game anymore. It's gonna be some kind of crazy ass adventure game.

Cassamassina clarifies by adding the following.

There was one fighting game that sold pretty well, though, that was from a third party. So, I'm sure you can figure out what it was. Who the hell knows if it's gonna be any good, either.

The GameCube didn't exactly have a ton of fighting games, at least not one's that were strictly fighters, but Mortal Kombat, Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bloody Roar, UFC and, of course, Soul Calibur have all made at least one appearance on the Wii precursor.

Matt's wording certainly leads one to speculate that a Soul Calibur Adventures-type of game would fit that description nicely. Bloody Roar didn't exactly burn up the sales charts and both Mortal Kombat releases featured adventure elements, so "crazy ass" wouldn't apply.

If my Soul Calibur Adventures speculation does bear fruit, I only hope it features a controllable Ivy and a third-person camera. With freelook. And zoom. Michael McWhertor

Wii-k in Review Podcast: 05/04/07 [IGN]

Papercraft: Sophitia

fdemarco — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 14:00:00 MDT

If you've tired of dying Easter Eggs but still feeling the urge to be crafty, I've got a great papercraft for you. Today's offering is Sophitia from the Soul Edge/Soul Calibur series. This is a fan made papercraft by rokunoya and Sophitia's look here is very anime style. My only gripe is that the scoring lines are on the outside and there is no non score line version available, but then again, that's why we have Photoshop. Still, lines or no lines, this is a stellar model. Enjoy! Flynn De Marco

Sophitia papercraft model [rokunoya]

Games That Break Your Joystick

kotaku.com — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 07:40:02 MDT

The Guardian Gamesblog • which we link less than we read • has posted a round-up of the least joystick friendly games of all time, "It Came Off In My Hand." I've had that problem, alright.

Most videogames are designed with the limitations of the hardware in mind. Most... but not all. Sometimes, game designers - for whatever reason - just don't consider the delicacy of the average joypad. In fact, a few titles seem to have been designed with controller destruction as a key priority.

Like Keith Stuart, I've broken at least a few gamepads through Soul Calibur, although unlike Keith Stuart, these gamepads were destroyed by being smashed nunchuck style off the head of the person who had just Volsoed me to death. Florian Eckhardt

It Came Off In My Hand [Guardian Gamesblog]

Soul Calibur's 4 Confirmed, Gloved Hoods Excited

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 04:22:52 MDT

In an interview with Namco Bandai's Daisuke Uchiyama, the producer let it slip that the company is working on a new Soul Calibur title. GameDaily reports:

Since Namco and Bandai have now merged and Namco is well known for its fighting game series such as Tekken and Soul Calibur, we asked Uchiyama if it was possible for one of Namco's development teams to work on a future DBZ title. Uchiyama laughed and said that ideally that would be the scenario, but by the time the merger was finalized a new Tekken (Tekken 6) and Soul Calibur (Soul Calibur IV confirmed!) were already in the works.

That means not one new button masher, but two! Brian Ashcraft

More Here [GameDaily]

Soul Calibur Movie Finally Coming

Brian Crecente — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 14:00:36 MDT

Anthem Pictures has been sitting on the movie rights to Soul Calibur for two years now, but 1Up reports on recent rumblings that the fighter is finally heading to the big screen.

1Up unearthed details that seem to show that movie will be hitting sometime next year and involve the work of two producers who have little to no film credits under their belts.

Oh well, we still have Silent Hill to look forward to... at least until this weekend when our hopes and dreams are collectively shattered in yet another abysmal film.

Is anyone, besides me, planning on seeing SH on opening night?

Chuck Norris Does Soul Calibur

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 09:22:12 MDT

This avatar should satisfy our Chuck Norris quota for the day. Or the month or heck, even the year.

Chuck Does Oblivion [Kotaku]
Chuck Norris [Official Site] Thanks, Andre!

Soul Calibur Movie Site Up

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 08:20:17 MST

Back in 2001, Hong Kong martial arts guru Sammo Hung was somehow involved in a Soul Calibur movie. Promising, but the rights to that big screen video game adaptation have since been sold to the producer responsible for American Pie. The SC movie has been in the works for years now and finally will be out in 2007. Shudder to think.

Don't Hold Your Breath [Official Site] Thanks, Torokun!

Pricing on Soul Calibur games [Amazon]

Soul Calibur III Toys Ready to Kick Ass

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 09:20:38 MST

Namco's releasing a set of Soul Calibur figs for a mere 630 yen ($5 US) a pop. Cool thing is that they've got all these spiffy little accessories for them. I only wish they're gonna hit store shelves before Christmas instead of next year. 'Cos I'd love to save a spot for the lovely Tira and her lethal ring blade under my tree.

Full Story Here [DengekiOnline]

Leet Blind Gamer Kicks Fighter Ass

Brian Crecente — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 08:32:28 MDT

A blind teenager has mastered the art of ass-kicking in Soul Calibur, according to an Associated Press story. The Sioux City teen learned the fighting game through endless hours of trial and error. The teen likes to hang-out at local arcades beating the crap out of suckers. Occasionally he gets fancy and plays the game facing backwards. Nice.

Blind Boy Masters Video Games [Next Generation, thanks Bill]