capcom Archives • The Lifecast Network

Top 5 Fighting Games that Need a Revival

September 27, 2017 dan

It’s no secret that I’m the resident fighting game guy here at The Lifecast. I’ve been playing fighting games for as long as I can remember. There are a lot of well-loved fighting games that simply haven’t gotten their time to shine the past few console generations, and they really deserve to get a new game. So many fighters have become almost entirely forgotten by developers. And in a time right now, in the wake of beloved games such as Street Fighter and Marvel Vs. Capcom being hated by fans and competitors alike for not retaining the spirit of its predecessors, I think it’s time a new game get its time in the spotlight.

5. Bushido Blade

I like to refer to Bushido Blade as a fighting game that everyone loves but nobody has played. Everyone praises the game for its body damage system and innovations made for the genre, but most seem to have not played it despite talking it up. Kind of like Citizen Kane in that regard (did I actually just find a similarity between Bushido Blade and Citizen Kane?). As someone who has played it, I can vouch: It’s a pretty great game, and deserves to come back. It is the only fighting game I’ve ever seen to be founded almost entirely in realism. Most hits will instantly kill an opponent, and as a result, pretty much the entirety of Bushido Blade is neutral game, with huge reward if you win it. You can also sever or disable your opponent’s various body parts to help you gain an advantage in combat. Each weapon has its own set weight and size made to realistically resemble the proportions of the weapons in real life, and the only combos in the game are follow-up strikes that would naturally flow out of the first strike of the weapon. In a time where fighting games are really trying to become as accessible to as wide an audience as possible, a game like Bushido Blade which focuses almost entirely on strong neutral game would be able to not only bring a lot more people over to the FGC, but provide a fun and unique fighting game experience for everyone who plays it.

4. Rival Schools

Rival Schools

Rival Schools is a 3D team-based fighter on the PS1, released in 1997, and is definitely a black horse among Capcom fighting games. Many would compare it to Marvel Vs. Capcom, but to say it’s similar is quite the stretch. Your team is composed of two characters, but only one of them does the fighting. The other only comes in for a team-up attack once you’ve built up enough meter, and at the end of the round, you’re allowed to either stay as your character, or switch to your partner. Any form of team synergy is based entirely on your team-up attack, and what weaknesses your main has that your teammate can cover in round 2. It allows for a lot of really awesome mind games between matches. Take this unique system into mind, and then take a look at the fact that this game also has some of the coolest character designs in any Capcom game accompanied by a slammin’ soundtrack, and you’ve got one of the best fighting games on the PS1. Luckily for us, there is a sliver of hope for the return of Rival Schools, as Hideaki Itsuno has been wanting to continue the series. Hopefully we’ll get to see a long-needed Rival Schools 3 in its full glory some time soon.

3. Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom

Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE BEST GAME ON THE WII

Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom released on the Wii in 2010, just before I started getting into fighting games competitively. I had initially bought it because I loved Gatchaman and Tekkaman Blade (and still do), but a lot of what I loved about it happened after I returned to it a few years after I got into more fighting games, and noticed just how elegant and well-made this game was. The combos are hype, the music is incredible, it’s one of the best looking games on the Wii — even standing up to some of the HD games at the time in terms of looks — not to mention a great roster with a healthy balance of both fan-favorite and lesser-known characters. The game feels like a sort of middle ground between Marvel Vs. Capcom and Capcom Vs. SNK in terms of physics. You’re not so heavy you stay stuck to the ground, but you have enough weight to you to not feel like you’re flying. And not to mention Baroque mode, which is probably the best “X-Factor” style mechanic in fighting games. By pressing the partner button and an attack button to sacrifice the red health in your gauge, this enables higher damage and longer combos for as long as you keep the combo going.

Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom is an amazingly made fighting game. And while I’d be all for a TvC2, I’d be just as much for this game instead being looked at as a template for all Vs. games to come.

2. Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness

Box art for Cacom fighting game, Cyberbots

Cyberbots: Fullmetal Madness is better known as “The game Jin Saotome is from”. As one would expect, one of the most hype characters in Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 is also from an incredibly hype fighting game on the PS1. For the time, it played like a standard 2D Capcom fighter, but with a ton of potential customization to your own distinct playstyle. Each individual mech you can pick has multiple variants which change its arms, legs, etc. to give it different attacks, movement options, etc. Each of these options act as changes to an archetypal robot, of which there are many. The general idea for finding a characher is finding a mech whose style you enjoy, and then seeing which of the variants fit you the best. Or you could be like me and instead of matching your style you just picked the one you think looks the coolest. This kind of setup created a roster of characters that could more or less be tweaked to your own playstyle. If you find a character you like, you can also use the other variants to cover for your weaknesses while still feeling familiar with them, since they’re all variants of the same core robot. You can buy Cyberbots as a PS1 classic on PS3, but just imagine what the possibilities could be for a new Cyberbots today. With how far mecha games have come with customization, it would be awesome to see this core idea taken to the next level.

1. Every SNK Fighting Game

SNK fighting games from left to right: The Last Blade 2, Fatal Fury 3, Samurai Shodown, Garou Mark of the Wolves

SNK is no stranger to making amazing fighting games. Samurai Shodown, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Fatal Fury, and The Last Blade are only a few of the well-beloved series that SNK has made over the years. Back in their prime, SNK was pumping out these games like they were nothing, and all of them felt incredibly good to play. Each game brought something different to the table while all still having that distinct SNK feel to them, ultimately connecting all of them into this huge family of fighting games. The reason these games need to come back is quite simple: They absolutely OOZE personality. Along with being well-designed games — Samurai Shodown being my personal favorite — they have some of the coolest and most lovable characters in all of fighting games. Mai Shiranui, Terry Bogard, Haohmaru, Butt, Blue Mary, Moriya Minakata, the list goes on and on. We’ve gotten rereleases of most of these games on various systems, but that’s not enough. We need brand new games in these franchises. I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants to see SNK return back to its glory days.

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Forgotten Worlds

January 27, 2017 colin

Image result for forgotten worlds sega genesis game

Image courtesy of Vizzed.com

Forgotten Worlds is one of Capcom’s “forgotten” arcade classics
Forgotten Worlds is one of the many twin-stick shooters that flooded the arcades in the 80s. Instead of being an elite commando fighting a vaguely evil army, players were an unnamed mercenary with a jetpack fighting gruesome aliens after they conquered Earth. Forgotten Worlds also manages to throw in some minor-RPG elements, making it more unique than other shooters at the time.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

The game was released in arcades in 1989 and is the third and final in Capcom’s unofficial “Jet-Pack Hero trilogy.” Capcom released a few scrolling shooters starring jetpack-and-gun wielding characters in space. Section Z and Side Arms are two other games in this pseudo-series.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Forgotten Worlds is one of the earliest Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games. The colors, animation and sound were something that certainly aligned with the infamous “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t” ads.

Despite cameos from the characters in crossover games such as Project X Zone and the first Marvel vs Capcom, Forgotten Worlds is very much a forgotten game. It’s not like the game wasn’t a hit, but it just wasn’t a massive one. It’s been re-released a few times on collections, but it’s not brought up when talking about the best shmups of the 80s and 90s.

Forgotten Worlds takes place in a post-apocalyptic alien world with plenty of things to shoot
In the 29^th century, the evil alien dictator, Emperor Bios, has unleased total destruction on Earth. It is up to two mirror-shade wearing, armor-clad Unknown Soldiers (which is their official names according to Marvel vs Capcom) to eliminate the Emperor and bring peace back to the planet. It’s not the most original of stories, but it works. Although, it is one of the few arcade games from the 80s to have cut scenes in-between stages.

Author’s note: no context will be given for the subtitle. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Utilizing two joysticks, players will use one to take aim against the aliens and the other to dodge their attacks. Forgotten Worlds throws more than a few enemies at the players, so taking aim and dodging requires a lot of precise movements. Thankfully, the controls are tight and responsive. It’s a great system that is not only a blast to play, but actually rewards players for playing strategically. As opposed to the typical “mash the shoot button and see what happens” in most shooters.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

The stages themselves are usually straightforward, but have a personality to them. The Unknown Soldiers will be traversing through ruined cities, massive sandy, wastelands that bring Fist of the North Star to mind and technological nightmares. Capcom’s CP2 hardware is incredibly powerful and produces some nice-looking graphics. Arcade goers can wow at the vivid images being shot at on-screen and the overall use of colors creates the atmosphere of Forgotten Worlds.

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb.

Where the somewhat-RPG elements come in are with the money, or “Zenny,” enemies drop after being defeated. Zenny can be used at shops. The shops, quite literally, pop out of the ground. From there, the adorable shopkeeper Sylphie will greet our heroes. Players can purchase, armor, health and weapon upgrades, lives and much more. The enemy-seeking missiles are definitely one of the most helpful power-ups in the game.

Who figured someone who looks like her sells weapons of mass destruction? Image courtesy of the Arcade-Museum.com.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Forgotten Worlds does not deserve to be, well, forgotten. The game truly is one of the great, if not one of the greatest, shmups to be released in the arcades. It stands toe-to-toe with classic like Gradius and R-Type. It even holds its own against arguably the kind of twin-stick shooters, Smash TV. The polished gameplay, great level design and aesthetics and creative gameplay elements make Forgotten Worlds absolutely worth playing once.

While emulating the game on MAME is ideal for an arcade-rich experience, the Sega Genesis version is a tad expensive and is available on the Wii Virtual Console.

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Darkstalkers 3

October 7, 2016 colin

Image courtesy of the Capcom Database Wiki

Darkstalkers 3 is one fast paced, yet incredibly fun, fighting game

Darkstalkers 3 is one of Capcom’s biggest cult hits in the fighting game genre. Similar to the rest of the Darkstalkers series, Darkstalkers 3 sets itself apart from other fighting games at the time. It’s extensive roster of horror movie monsters, spooky techno/jazz soundtrack and some of the most engaging fighting game mechanics keep Darkstalkers 3 fun. It’s also one of the fastest fighters in Capcom’s library.

Vampire vs Succubus! Only in Darkstalkers. Image courtesy of VG Museum.

Equipped with envelope pushing features, Darkstalkers 3 was quietly released in 1997 in arcades, and was not a major hit. The popularity of the then-new Capcom vs series overshadowed Darkstalkers 3. The game was also marketed as Vampire Savior, which may have confused gamers. Home ports did not fare much better. The Sega Saturn port was Japan-exclusive and the PlayStation 1 was mostly ignored.

Original arcade flyer with the name confusion. Image courtesy of Hardcore Gaming 101.

Even when Capcom rereleased this game with it’s solid prequel Night Warriors for PSN and Xbox Live Arcade as Darkstalkers Resurrection, the general gaming public did not notice. It’s a shame, since Darkstalkers 3 truly is one of the most addictive and hard hitting fighting games out there. It deserves to be played by any fighting game fan. And with its horror themed atmosphere, it’s perfect to play during the Halloween season.

Darkstalkers 3’s fighting mechanics are top notch
The fighting properties in Darkstalkers 3 are the definition of addictive and will have players coming back for more in no time.

J. Talbain v J. Talbain to see who is the most badass, kung fu werewolf! Image courtesy of VG Museum.

Darkstalkers 3, and by extension the rest of the series, is more than just Street Fighter meets Universal Monsters. It’s a very technical series, where air blocking, dashing and timing with super meters is the norm. Darkstalkers 3 continues this trend, but welcomes additions. For instance, players can enhance special attacks by taking a chunk out of their special meter. Instead of utilizing a super, the player can instead chain a standard special with this feature. The game also introduces the Dark Force EX special mode, which is similar to the Super Art mode in the Street Fighter III sub-series.

This new feature to the series allows for quicker, more concise matches. For a game known for being technical, having the ability to blow through a match in a short period of time is great. Make no mistake, Darkstalkers 3 is a blisteringly fast fighting game, but it also requires a good amount of skill play it.

Luckily for new players, the controls are not difficult to learn. Anyone who has played any Capcom fighter will feel right at home with Darkstalkers 3’s control set up. Chaining combos and launching special attacks with come as easy as tying one’s shoes.

A shockingly balanced roster, eye-catching graphics and a solid soundtrack round out Darkstalkers 3
For many gamers, a good roster in a fighting game is what matters most. Darkstalkers 3 has a sublime roster lined with creative characters. The roster contains the series’ trademark originality. The busty succubi Morrigan and Lilith, catgirl Felicia, the vampire Dimitri and fan favorites J. Talbain, the nunchuck wielding werewolf and Eddie the Head’s long lost twin brother Lord Raptor. Newcomers include Q Bee, a human-esque bee and BB Hood, who is what happens when Little Red Riding Hood has Deadpool’s personality.

The whole freakin’ roster! With the two *ahem* MOST popular fighters at the forefront. Image courtesy of Fighters Generation.

Darkstalkers 3 contains one of the most badass villains in any fighting game. Jedah Domah is a stoic and ruthless demon, who has some disturbing special attacks. His ultimate plan is to destroy the universe and build it back up as he sees fit.

Jedah taking on the Frankenstein’s Monster inspired character, Victor. Image courtesy of Fighter’s Generation

Disturbing describes the game’s graphics in many instances. Backgrounds range from a jungle with sadistic plants, a post-apocalyptic city or a satanic fetus. They are all colorful, yet creepy, and fit the vibe. With the game taking place in the demon world, known as Makai, it makes sense to have weird and eerie settings for fights.

Image result for darkstalkers 3 j talbain

There it is folks, the fetus. Pure nightmare fuel. Image courtesy of VG Museum.

However, the rest of the game’s graphics are incredible.Anyone taking a look at Darkstalkers 3 will notice it feels like a mid-90s Marvel Comic book. The is game full of vibrant colors and heavy on action. Sprites well animated and fluid. Darkstalkers 3’s animations even rival the almighty Street Fighter III: Third Strike. Animations will perfectly reflect the fighters personality, especially BB Hood who is full of expressions. Special moves are an absolute delight to look at as well.

BB Hood calling in the cavalry! Image courtesy of Hardcore Gaming 101.

To top it off, the soundtrack a good mix of atmospheric and moody horror with techno-jazz.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Darkstalkers 3 and the rest of the franchise is sadly forgotten about by Capcom. The absolute best way to play the game is to download it through PSN or Xbox Live Arcade. It appears on various collections, including Darkstalkers Chronicle: the Chaos Tower on the PSP. Copies are relatively expensive though.

Darkstalkers 3 is simply just fun to play and will wow players with its uniqueness. It does not condescend new or returning players and anyone watching will be in awe over how gorgeous the game is. Sticking around for the excellent, fine-tuned gameplay helps enhance playing. Playing this game on All Hallow’s Eve also adds to the experience.

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Goof Troop

September 2, 2016 colin

Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user hmmisee.

Report to the GOOF TROOP…and we’ll always stick together!
Goof Troop on the SNES is an interesting adaptation. Instead of being a typical platformer, Goof Troop is an overhead adventure/puzzle game, not unlike classic Legend of Zelda games. Goof Troop manages to pack in addicting and challenging gameplay and excellent sound and graphics.

Goof Troop aired on the Disney Afternoon block from 1992 to 1993. It was a sitcom style cartoon about Goofy and his teenaged son Max living in the suburbs of Spoonersville. Goof Troop is another fondly remembered show from the ‘90s, and has one of the more catchy theme songs from a Disney cartoon.

Goof Troop on the SNES is the only game based on the show. Developed by Capcom, it is also worthy of being considered one of their better Disney games as well. Unfortunately, the show’s short lifespan and lack of coverage from the video game press caused Goof Troop to fade away.

Also, in an answer to an obscure trivia question, Goof Troop was also Shinji Mikami’s first video game. Everyone has got to start somewhere.

Goof Troop takes liberties in a fun, creative way
Strangely enough, Goof Troop for the SNES does not take place in Goofy and Max’s town. Instead, Goofy, Max and their neighbors Pete and PJ are out fishing. Suddenly, Pete and PJ are kidnapped by pirates and it’s up to Max and Goofy to save them. Max and his dad end up on a tropical island paradise and begin their adventure.

Goofy and Max make their way to the pirate island! Image courtesy of Obsolete Gamer.

Most of Capcom’s Disney games are platformers. DuckTales, Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers and Aladdin, among others, are going down a well-traveled road. It’s a breath of fresh air to see Capcom use one of their Disney licenses for a different genre. It works in Goof Troop, since the show had a laid back tone and wasn’t huge on action to begin with. It’s nice to see Capcom getting creative.

Goofy tries to figure out what to do. See the determination in his eyes! Image courtesy of Obsolete Gamer.

Players can choose to either play as Goofy or Max. Goofy is much slower, but can take more hits. Max is quicker than his dear old dad, but his health is lower. Regardless of their differences, both characters are fun to play as in Goof Troop. It really comes down to personal preferences.

Goof Troop will have Goofy and his son running around beaches, dockside areas and even pirate castles in order to save their friends. Each stage has enough block puzzles to keep players guessing. They are all challenging in their own right, and are just as fun with two players.

Now what has Max gotten himself into now? Image courtesy of Obsolete Gamer.

Goof Troop is similar to Four Swords Adventures in the sense that it’s a top-down adventure game with co-op options. For certain puzzles, two players would be required. For the most part though, the challenge isn’t steep at all. However, that does not stop Goof Troop from being entertaining.

Max and his father cannot fight the pirates off with their bare hands, but can use the environment and few items along the way. Blocks in the puzzles and even a grappling hook will help Goofy and his son on their quest. It’s actually very satisfying kicking a block in a pirate’s direction and watching them fly off the screen.

Yeah, the grappling hook can be used as a bridge. It’s awesome. Image courtesy of Obsolete Gamer.

Goof Troop lives up to Capcom’s standards for Disney games
The original setting and inspired gameplay make Goof Troop worth playing. It’s the game’s graphics and sound which will draw players in. Capcom knew how to take full advantage of the SNES’ colors and power. Goof Troop on the SNES is able to capture the colorful nature of the cartoon, and even manages to get the expressions down as well.

The cutscenes and in-game graphics represent the cartoon perfectly. Image courtesy of Obsolete Gamer.

The music in Goof Troop is bombastic, but playful. It fits the tropical tone of the setting. It’s not Capcom’s best SNES work, but it serves a purpose in keeping the player entertained.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Goof Troop on the SNES manages to be an interesting adaptation of a cartoon many 90s kids love. The adventure game format and engaging gameplay certainly make Goof Troop one of the more creative Disney licensed games. It’s unfortunate the show was short lived, as this game is one of the most highly appealing games on the SNES.

It goes without saying if you’re a fan of the cartoon, than play Goof Troop. However, the game does have a mass appeal to not just fans of Disney cartoons. Anyone looking for a good time with friends, look no further than Goof Troop. It’s not back breaking in terms of prices, so buying it on Amazon won’t be an issue.

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Darkwing Duck (NES)

July 22, 2016 colin

Image courtesy of Moby Games.

Darkwing Duck for the NES is just as great as the show
Darkwing Duck is good platformer that does the show justice. It is also a solid entry into the consistently great library of Capcom Disney games.

Darkwing Duck is a broad superhero parody which ran from 1990 to 1992 on the Disney Afternoon block. The show was about Drake Mallard and his title character alter ego, battling crime in St. Canard. Along for the ride is his adopted daughter Goslyn and wheelman/sidekick Launchpad McQuack, who is from DuckTales. The show had a silly cast of characters who were parodies of comic book and spy film villains. It’s a fondly remembered show, which combines the quality animated comedy of Disney and the fun of comic books.

Capcom released a game based on the show in 1992 for the NES. Darkwing Duck uses the Mega Man mold of being a platformer where jumping and shooting are key. However, Darkwing Duck is not just another Mega Man clone. Darkwing Duck has some creative level design and boss fights. It stuffs two seasons worth of characters and locations to set it apart from the Blue Bomber.

However, being released at the very end of both the NES and show’s lifespan, the game could not have had a more unlucky release window. Which is a shame. Darkwing Duck on the NES is a fun adaptation that manages to have the personality of the show and fantastic gameplay to back it up.

“WHEN THERE’S TROUBLE YOU CALL DW!”
Darkwing is informed the criminal organization known as F.O.W.L. started to run rampant throughout St. Canard. DW is armed with a variety of gadget to help him on his quest to rid the city of crime.

Darkwing Duck has the same open-ended stage selection of Mega Man. Launchpad drills Darkwing on what villain has taken over what section of the city. QuackerJack, the Joker parody of Darkwing Duck takes control of the bridge; Wolfduck controls downtown and the Liquidator has seized the sewers. Other villains from the show will appear, such as the nefarious Steelbeak, the pseudo-Electro spoof Megavolt and Darkwing Duck’s nemesis Negaduck!

Launchpad is willing to bring DW anywhere! Image courtesy of Hardcore Gaming 101.

Let’s get dangerous… on the NES
Turning on Darkwing Duck for the NES, players will be greeted with a semi-recreation of the show’s memorable intro.

The game oozes with the energy of the cartoon, with DW yelling his classic battle cry, “I AM DARKWING DUCK” at the beginning of each level. The colorful graphics and animation reflect the cartoon perfectly

About to take on QuackerJack. Image courtesy of GameFAQs.

Released in 1992, Capcom knows how to squeeze out whatever graphical capabilities the NES has. Darkwing Duck is a fanatastic showcase for the NES’ graphics and has vibrant and varied colors throughout the game. Characters look like their TV show counterparts.

The game manages to nail the cartoony expressions. Image courtesy of Hardcore Gaming 101.

As the terror that flaps in the night, Darkwing moves fluidly thanks in part to some incredibly responsive controls. Darkwing Duck will certainly invoke memories of Mega Man with all the jumping and the shooting. The level design is certainly inspired. There is enough interesting platforming all throughout Darkwing Duck’s world, such as using a grapping hook to climb up buildings or using tires to get across spiked floors.

DW’s array of gadgets help him move around the stages. Image courtesy of Hardcore Gaming 101.

However, unlike Mega Man, Darkwing does not steal the powers of his enemies. Instead he has to find his own power-ups. DW can gain electric powered ammunition or arrows that shoot in two directions for his gun. It’s a small touch, but the game does not feel exactly like Mega Man once the player gets used to it.

Darkwing Duck for the NES is always challenging. Even for veteran Mega Man players. The abundance of creative enemy types also raise up the ante for each stage. DW may be a superhero, but he will need a player of great skill to take care of the enemies. Boss fights in Darkwing Duck are challenging, having the player utilize their platforming skills to the nth degree.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Darkwing Duck is a great Disney cartoon which holds up even today. Darkwing Duck on the NES is an excellent platformer that does the classic show justice. It does not set the world on fire, but it is a fun game in its own right. Colorful graphics go along with the solid gameplay to create an experience any fan of Darkwing Duck can enjoy.

If Darkwing Duck could provide his own narration for his game, he would say something like this:

“This is a game that is a blast to play. This is a game that shows off my crime fighting skills perfectly. This is DARKWING DUCK…on the NES!!!”

Our hero ladies and gentlemen and his typical catchphrase.
Image courtesy of Nintendo World Report.

Street Fighter V: Is It Finished Yet?

May 23, 2016 dan

Ever since its release, Street Fighter V has been under fire for being an incomplete game, and who can blame anyone for thinking like this? Upon release, people who put that game into their system were greeted with barely anything to do offline. With no arcade mode, no challenge mode, a yet-to-be-added in-game shop for unlockables, and a horrible online experience for the first week of release, anyone who bought Street Fighter V in its February release had essentially purchased a $60 training mode with bad online.

What a lot of people seem to forget, though, was that a lot of the game’s major parts were to be added in March. So, now that the huge March update has happened, is the newest addition to Capcom’s fighting game giant actually worth a buy? Let’s find out.

Gameplay

Fighting games are notorious for alienating the more casual scene due to their high execution requirements, requiring a small frame of time to mix moves together into combos. Capcom noticed this trouble with the casual scene, and has increased the window for combos in this game, making the creation of effective combos much easier to do. Most bread n’ butter (BnB; basic, effective combos) combos in Street Fighter IV only had a window of 2 to 3 frames where you could input the next move before you drop the combo. In Street Fighter V, that number seems to be closer to 4 to 5 frames. On top of this, the casual audience can also rest easy knowing that even if they don’t have combos, they can still get by on the regular moves, because the damage on all attacks in Street Fighter V is huge. A few random attacks can do some serious damage if they land. The best part about these two simple changes is that even though it is more welcoming to the casual player, it also brings the competitive scene for the game closer to its roots. By making execution overall easier, in combination with the high damage from normal and special moves, it shifts the focus of the game away from having a player that has both high execution and a good neutral game, to a player that really only needs a good neutral game.

For those unacquainted with fighting games, the neutral game is the point in a match where neither player is at a clear advantage or disadvantage on screen, and both are trying to get in on each other. This point in the game relies heavily on mindgames and prediction, as opposed to execution. Lots of limb-flailing going on here to keep opponents out or to try to get in on them. Punishing mistakes, applying pressure, everything to do with fighting games outside of execution happens in the neutral game. It’s the core of fighting game fundamentals. This change to almost exclusive focus on the neutral game is a smart choice. By having the gameplay focus more on fighting game fundamentals, it helps to develop the player into someone who is better overall at the game than creating a person with a flowchart of “that one combo they found” or keeping to one singular strategy. It encourages the player to learn, because they know that all they have to know to get by is their opponent, rather than any complicated combo list, while at the same time rewarding the player for knowing those combos.

Mobility in Street Fighter V feels incredible. Everyone has the perfect amount of weight to them and maneuvering around the screen feels incredibly natural. Street Fighter V is by far the best-feeling game in the franchise, even better than fan favorite Street Fighter 3: Third Strike. That said, mobility in a fighting game isn’t really something that can be graded, as how a fighting game feels to the player is almost entirely subjective. So while I feel that Street Fighter V feels the best, this is the part that will vary the most from person to person.

Zangief Spinning Pile Driver Street Fighter V

Image courtesy of GiantBomb user DryvBy

Now moving on to the actual mechanics themselves, Street Fighter V seems to have taken the series back to basics in terms of, well, everything. No more Focus Attacks, no more supers, no more Ultra Meter. In its place, we have Critical Art (CA) Meter, and the V-Gauge. The CA Meter is used for only two things: EX attacks, and a Critical Arts. EX attacks are powered up versions of each characters’ special moves that take one bar of your meter to perform, and Critical Arts are what’s replacing both Supers and Ultras in this game. Critical Arts are powerful moves you can do once you fill up your meter. Performing them takes all the meter you have, but if landed, they can be game-changing. You can charge your CA Meter by doing pretty much anything. Attacking, blocking, getting hurt – anything.

The V-Gauge is also only used for two things: V-Reversals, and V-Triggers. V-Reversals are exactly what they say: reversals. If your opponent is applying pressure, you can spend half of your V-Gauge to push them away from you. V-Triggers are special skills you can perform when your V-Gauge fills up. These skills vary from being something simple like an increase in overall damage for a short period of time, to a special attack that can put you at a serious advantage. Because of the higher utility the V-Gauge offers, it is harder to build up than the CA Meter. You can either build up your V-Gauge by getting hurt or using your V-Skill, a special move that varies from character to character.

That’s it for actual mechanics, though. The minimal mechanics help highlight the neutral game, giving the players just enough tools to deal damage and get in, without it being so full of mechanics you get lost in the sheer amount of options you have. With less overall options, it’s easier to learn your opponents and develop strategies for their specific style of play. It sacrifices complexity for the sake of a more involved mental game, and it works wonderfully.

One last thing I’m going to mention is that the roster is incredibly balanced. Every character has high points and low points that make them each good in their own way, where even the lowest tier characters can still make top 8 in tournaments.

Street Fighter V is by far my favorite Street Fighter game in terms of how it plays and feels.

Looks/Sound

Aesthetically speaking, Street Fighter V looks fairly lacking when compared to other fighting games, such as Mortal Kombat X or Guilty Gear Xrd. Not to say it looks bad, just that it could be better. The quality of the character models is very good, and the environments are bright and full of color. The biggest issue here, though, is that the environments don’t feel like they’re a part of the game like in previous entries. This has to do with the fact that, while the playable characters are animated at a full 60 fps, the backgrounds are only animated at 30 fps. Meaning the images in the back are going to look really off-putting while playing. The stages themselves look good, but when playing through them, I can’t help but feel detached because of this weird, unnecessary difference in frame rate.

Now, onto my biggest complaint about the visuals in this game: the color of the stages. You have all of these beautiful looking stages, with all of these colors that could be used really well to make them even prettier, and this just doesn’t happen because of one huge reason:

HARDLY ANY OF THE STAGES ARE WHITE BALANCED WELL

Image Courtesy of EventHubs’ Jonathan ‘Catalyst’ Grey

Seriously, it may seem like a small thing to some, but god damn is it horribly obvious in this game. The colors in the majority of the stages all have this really ugly blue tint to them from lack of white balancing, as shown above. And when it’s not an ugly blue tint, it’s an ugly orange tint. All of those great colors could have been brought out so much better if they just white balanced the stages.

Now onto the sound, and I’ve gotta’ say, Capcom nailed it with the OST here. You’ve got a bit of everything, from the hype-building Rashid’s theme, Ryu’s orchestral theme, Ken’s awesome hard rock, and F.A.N.G.’s… Dubstep elevator music? Yeah I guess that’s how you’d describe it. But it’s great, I swear! Point is, this OST is awesome, and huge props to Capcom for making one of the best fighting game OSTs of all time.

Story

lol

Content

Ah, here it is. This is where all the backlash is coming from. Does Street Fighter V have enough content to warrant its price? It certainly didn’t at its release. But now that the promised March update has happened, adding in a lot of the content that was lacking in the initial release, is it finally worth a buy?

Well, let’s add it all together, shall we? The amount of content in this game is as follows: Survival Mode, Training Mode, unlockables through the in-game shop, Challenge Mode, ranked and casual online matches, quick stories for each character, access to the Capcom Fighters Network, and yes, the online is now actually stable and working pretty alright now. If you want to count it, we’re also getting a cinematic story mode some time next month.

Survival mode is the closest thing this game has to an arcade mode, and it’s not as good as one. You go through a lot of stages, each increasing in number with difficulty, and try to beat the boss at the end. To stay in the best shape you can, you can exchange points you earn for winning fights for buffs in HP, attack, defense, etc. It would be so much cooler if it weren’t for the horrible AI. It’s pathetic for the first half of survival, and then is absolutely brutal in the second half, so getting through the whole thing, even after a little bit of practice, is still horribly tedious. That said, I still enjoy the occasional survival mode, and don’t really see why people hate it aside from unlocking colors. As a mode on its own, I feel like it’s perfectly fine. The AI may be jank, but going through it once you learn the game is kinda fun. You just have to get over that difficulty spike if you’re playing on anything higher than easy.

The stories take 5 minutes per character, are pathetically easy, horribly written, and have ugly art, though sometimes comically bad. And some stories are kind of entertaining. And by some, I mean just Zangief’s.

Doesn’t stop the art from being ass, though.

Challenge mode is the standard fighting game challenge mode, where you’re presented with 10 combos for each character that you have to pull off. You get nothing out of this aside from something to do and some help on your execution, which isn’t a bad thing. Especially since this is the first challenge mode I’ve seen where the combos in it are actually practical. A couple of the combos I came up with for Nash actually were in challenge mode. It was soul-crushing.

The Capcom Fighting Network is irrelevant if you don’t play competitively, but if you do, it’s a place for you to keep track of the top players and watch replays of pretty much any match that happened online. It’s a great way to learn more about the game.

There is plenty of content, but half of it won’t be revisited after the first play through.

Conclusion: Should You Buy Street Fighter V?

Okay, here it is, the big moment. After everything that’s happened with Street Fighter V, is it finally worth a buy after the update? Well, a used copy of Street Fighter V at Gamestop goes for about $45, and that’s the perfect price. I want to use that to prove something: Even after this huge update, with the extra characters, modes, unlockables, and everything, Street Fighter V still does not have enough content to warrant a $60 price tag. Even now that it’s price has been lowered to $50 for a new copy, that’s not going to be worth it until June, maybe. If the story mode isn’t 5 minutes like what we have now. I bought my copy for $60 on release, and I love it. It’s one of my favorite fighting games, and I feel like my money was well spent for the time I’ve put into it. But I can’t honestly recommend getting this game to anyone for anything higher than $45. I wouldn’t buy a game that was online-only for any more than $30, and with the content Street Fighter V has, it just pushes it up to $45 as a good price. It plays wonderfully, looks good, and sounds great. From the perspective of gameplay, Street Fighter V is absolutely fantastic, and if you want to play it, you should buy it for whatever price you want. But if you’re looking for content, this game just won’t deliver for full price. Get it used.

Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures: Final Fight 3

May 23, 2016 colin

Picture courtesy of Giant Bomb user dracocall

Final Fight 3 deserves more love from SNES fans
The original Final Fight, released back in 1989, is often seen by several old school gamers to be one of the most memorable beat ‘em ups.

The game was a massive success in the arcades, as well as home consoles. Capcom created and developed a sequel exclusive to the SNES under the immensely intriguing title Final Fight 2, which is a solid game in its own right.

Final Fight 3 was also released as a SNES exclusive. However, it came near the system’s end in 1995. The game features the largest roster of characters, each with their own truly unique special moves to add to the already near-perfect gameplay.

GUT Final Fight 3 7

Final Fight 3 is also one of the few side scrolling beat ‘em ups to feature branching paths which effect the game’s ending. From a technical stand point, Final Fight 3 contains some fist pumping anthems which fit the chaotic fights seamlessly and curb check the tinny sounds of the original game. Final Fight 3’s colorful, comic book-like graphics are pleasing to look it throughout.

Since it was released so late into the SNES lifespan, and was BLASTED by several major video game magazines , Final Fight 3 faded into obscurity.

The only franchise to feature a pro wrestling mayor as its hero three times!
Final Fight 3’s story is similar to most beat ‘em ups; an interchangeable gang, (this time the Skull Cross Gang, which to be fair is a totally bad ass name), takes over an interchangeable city (Metro City) and our heroes (Mayor Mike Haggar and friends) must walk forward and punch and kick everyone in the face in the name of justice.

What is nice to see when the game is booted up on the SNES, is an extended intro which gives a detailed backstory, including the riots the Skull Cross Gang has started throughout city. New comers to the series, Luica and Dean are even given a quick origin story and players are caught up with the returning Guy and Haggar.

The cut scenes actually add to the story of Final Fight 3. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user 234r2we232.

Lucia is a booty short wearing cop who mildly resembles Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female. Dean is a big Image Comics looking-dude who controls electricity and whose family was killed by the Skull Cross Gang.

Our heroes, ladies and gentlemen! Image courtesy of Hardcore Gaming 101.

Refined and polished to borderline perfection

By this time in the mid-90s, the beat ‘em up genre was very much a road well-traveled. Final Fight 3 is walking down that road, but the gameplay has beneficial tweaks here and there which make Final Fight 3 fresh and exciting.

The new cast members, Dean and Lucina in action! Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user Kou_Leifou

The new cast members, Dean and Lucia in action! Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user Kou_Leifou

For starters, Final Fight 3 introduces a run button, similar to how Sega’s Streets of Rage 3 did. However, it does not feel as slippery as it was introduced in that game. Running in Final Fight 3 allows for more moves for each character, adding in a bit of depth in a genre that is not known for being deep.

The return of Guy is something most Final Fight fans will love about this game. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user ignor

Guy executing a running attack!. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user ignor

Each of the four characters has their own unique play style and special attacks. Guy is the quick, combo heavy one, not unlike his appearances in Street Fighter. Haggar is a grappler/powerhouse, Lucia is your basic, all around character and Dean is a charge-like character. It helps to have more variety, especially when it comes to playing with other friends.

Final Fight 3 also takes on a more colorful and animated art style that is not like the other games. Characters appear a little cartoony and have that mid-90s Capcom vibe which gives Final Fight 3 an appealing look. It gets rid of the gritty style of the first game and overall looks better than 2.

Haggar has spent most of his political career on the streets! Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user kou_leifou.

Finally, the branching paths will offer some new scenery along with a chance to get a different ending. Not the greatest feature of the game, but it helps add to the experience of playing Final Fight 3.

Final Fight 3’s features similarities to another Capcom franchise…
Even when compared to most beat ‘em ups, the first and second Final Fight had beyond easy control set ups. One button to jump, one to attack and pressing the two made the character do a special attack. There was a separate button in 2 which controlled the special attacks.

An example of the super moves found in Final Fight 3. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user kou_leifou.

This control scheme is implemented in Final Fight 3, but there is the addition of more special attacks. How the player executes the moves is more in line with a fighting game, very similar to how Street Fighter or Darkstalkers plays. Fighting game fans can feel right at home with the special move system along with the super meter which can be triggered and create a devastating super move.

Final Fight 3’s only flaw is the mild repetition
A welcome addition of characters, moves and smoother gameplay allows Final Fight 3 to be great. Not flawless though, as the game suffers from what many other beat ‘em ups suffer from. Repetition.

Dispensing some justice with a lead pipe. Image courtesy of Giant Bomb user 234r2we232.

The player will be taking Haggar and friends on an excellent adventure through some vibrant locales, but the enemies and even the bosses will not be as creative. At least halfway through the game, enemies start to repeat.

The music does not fare much better, as the same tunes are repeated ad nausem throughout the game. They aren’t bad, the song “For Metro City” is arguably the highlight of the soundtrack, but when the player is hearing the same four songs over and over again, it gets old.

One of Gaming’s Undervalued Treasures
Final Fight 3 is one of the best examples of a sequel being overshadowed. The original Final Fight has a massive following and several ports to consoles, whereas 3 has the SNES port and it is exceptionally rare. However, the game can be downloaded on the Wii and Wii U thanks in part to the Virtual Console.

A beat ‘em up worthy of anyone’s collection, Final Fight 3 offers gameplay a little more complex than the average side scroller and features some fantastic controls as well. The graphics showcase the SNES colors expertly and the multiple characters and paths will make this an instant replay, especially among fans of classic beat ’em ups.