Many of you who adore Street Fighter as I do will probably remember the 1994 Live-Action movie starring Jean Claude Van Damme and the late, great Raul Julia. Needless to say, it was HARDLY the perfect video game movie translation we were looking for, but it did have its fun, campy moments, which continue to make it stand out as a cult classic film of sorts. In fact, Capcom's attempts at restarting the film franchise with this year's Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li made that film look waaaayyy better in the eyes of fans. Indeed, JVCD's movie was memorable, but the legacy it left behind would turn out to be something much worse...
Street Fighter TV Series Intro
Flash forward to 1995: with the movie's "success", audiences got a sequel of sorts in the form of an American Animated TV Series, which was aptly called "Street Fighter". While the characters looked more like their video game counterparts, their personalities were carried over from the live action film. The show also turned out to be a shameless pastiche of G.I.Joe, portraying the mighty world warriors we knew from the fighting games as a secret crime fighting organization determined to combat the forces of Shadaloo. To say it was disappointing is an understatement in itself. Campy dialogue, inconsistent animation, and horrible jokes turned this show into a laughing stock in the eyes of SF Fans, and it paled in comparison to the Japanese presentations, which were more faithful to the source material one way or the other. In fact, a series of videos were put together by this guy in You Tube to showcase the insanity going around the poorly made US animated series. Watching this alone may take a few brain cells off, so before clicking on the vid link, keep in mind that these clips aren't going to make you any smarter.
Street Fighter Stupidity Part 1
Street Fighter Stupidity Part 1
And wait... there's more... HD Remix style in fact...
Street Fighter Stupidity HD Remix: TURBO Part 1
Street Fighter Stupidity HD Remix: TURBO Part 2
Can't say I didn't warn you... BISSSSOOOOONNN!!!XD
It's October already, and by the end of this month, gamers will finally see the long awaited console release of Tekken 6, the 3D fighting game brawler from Bandai Namco Games. Since it was first introduced to us in arcades almost two years ago, T6 was the first installment in the long running King Of Iron Fist Tournament series to not get a direct port to home systems immediately, and it's a smart move by the developers, since it extends the lifespan and replay value of the game in the Arcade. It also allowed Bandai Namco the time to sort out certain issues and tweaks, as well as adding new content for fans to enjoy, which culminated in the update game, Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion. Now, after a long, hard wait, Tekken fans will be able to take the game home for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PSP by the end of this month, and I'm pretty hyped up for this game already. In fact, the full cinematic intro for the game made its way to You Tube, and it was shown to me by my friend Billy. Check it out below and see how it looks:
Tekken 6 Console Intro
As expected, it's an extended version of the original T6 opening; Another typical cinematic introduction. While it's a nicely done CG piece, I still prefer the intro to Bloodline Rebellion. If you haven't seen that, here it is:
Tekken 6 Bloodline Rebellion Arcade Intro
Much better and more stylish. Hope there's an extended version of this that rotates with the other intro in the console version.
Tekken 6 hits the PS3 and 360 on October 27. Watch out for it.
This is academic by now, but I'm sure you all have seen the new Super Street Fighter IV trailer by now, right? No? Well, my last post reflecting on Super Street Fighter II's history included a low quality You Tube version, but seeing as how that video site updates frequently, here's the NEW High Quality version for your personal amusement:
Super Street Fighter IV Announcement Trailer HD Quality
On the game's development progress, producer Yoshinori Ono has revealed a lot more things fans can watch out for in the update. First off, contrary to earlier reports, enough fan appeal and demand may give SSFIV an arcade release after all, so players will be able to practice early before the console release by venturing to their local arcade shop and inserting quarters for some new one on one bashing. Secondly, the game's intro theme, "Indestructible", will be removed, probably due to negative feedback from the fans. I didn't really think of it as an SF song, but its Backstreet Boy style groove kinda grew onto me after a while. Still, it will be interesting to hear whatever new theme Capcom can cook up. As an early farewell tribute, here's a video of the song again for old time's sake:
The Next Door by EXILE (Jap. Version)
That was the Japanese version of "The Next Door" by JPop group EXILE. Here's the English version... and it's probably what caused the uproar in the first place:
The Next Door by EXILE (Eng. Version)
See the difference? Now you'll probably not miss the latter at all.
Going back to the game, Ono also points out that Seth, the game's final boss, will be much harder than before. If the developers are planning on giving him "Gill-like" qualities, we'd best be prepared. Seth is already a powerhouse with his moves... will he become even more cheap in SSFIV? Let's see.
SSFIV Yoshinori Ono Interview
On other aspects of the game, Focus Attacks will be getting different frame date, and all of the characters will be pre-unlocked, so players who could only use the likes of Gouken and Cammy on consoles will be getting them on the potential arcade release alongside the new fighters like Dee Jay and T.Hawk. If you want to hear what Ono has to say, click up on the You Tube Video for the interview. It's a still a long wait until spring 2010, but I'm already getting m hopes up.
Now that another Street Fighter game has been confirmed, let's take a spin back to 1993, during the time when people inserted quarters and tokens to play some of the most awesome video games.
The 90's... Arguably considered to be the Golden Age of arcade gaming, this era boasted some of the best fighting games the world has ever seen. Of course, none would be more dominant than Capcom's signature 2D brawler, Street Fighter II, which amassed quite a following after introducing players to the world of Hadoukens, Sonic Booms, and Spinning Bird Kicks. The game, however, underwent several modifications in response to commentary and feedback from the fans and developers. Over time, SF II had two major updates: The first being SF II: Championship Edition - which allowed users to play as the 4 bosses and duke it out in mirror matches, and then finally SF II: Hyper Fighting - a faster version of the game that kicked things into turbo and saw characters getting additional moves and balancing tweaks. After everything was said and done, Street Fighter fans were expecting Capcom to count to III and produce a true sequel. Alas, the next game would, yet again, be another update... but this time, there would be major changes incorporated that would take many players by surprise.
On October 1993, Capcom unleashed Super Street Fighter II - The New Challengers to the gaming public, and much to the amusement and disappointment of players around the world, it was STILL the same Street Fighter II many have played and bashed each other over. However, the developers made it a point to introduce new changes, and with that, a new hardware system, the CPS II, was used to add more sophisticated audio and graphics to the game. Old favorites like Ryu and Zangief returned of course, sporting some new moves, voice actors, and redesigned stages. Their stories were relatively the same though, and the last boss was still the infamous dictator and leader from Shadaloo, M.Bison. The big addition in Super, however, was the introduction of four new characters: Cammy - A British female agent from Delta Red whose past has ties to Bison; Dee Jay - A Jamaican musician and kickboxing fighter; T.Hawk - A Native American from Mexico with a personal mission against Shadaloo; and Fei Long - a Hong Kong martial artist and actor modeled after Bruce Lee. Each of these guys were brand new characters for players to use and mess around with, so replay value in Super was fresh. Scoring evolved in a way, and first attacks, counters, combos, and reversals were added to your top score. Gaming speed, however, was reverted back to the way it was in Championship Edition.
Super Street Fighter II Intro
While it wasn't the sequel players were expecting, Super Street Fighter II still managed to sway fighters from the competition and give them something to brawl over once more. There was a single elimination tournament battle mode that allowed players to compete professionally, so there was more than enough reason to try this baby out. For its time, it was the new game to play in the arcades, and nobody complained about it.
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Eventually, it got itself another update, this time in the form of Super Street Fighter II Turbo... a game that brought back game speed selection and introduced the super combo system to the SF Universe. It was also the first game in the series to introduce a hidden character, namely Akuma/ Gouki - the evil brother of Ryu and Ken's master, Gouken. He was a wicked and wily Ansatsuken practitioner with more powerful moves than the two, including a teleport and the ability to throw air fireballs. Unlike the other characters, he doesn't have a super combo... but trust me, he didn't need it.
After this, the game never saw another update again... that was until a few years ago, with Super Street Fighter II HD Remix, which again rebalanced the game and replaced the old sprites with new, high-definition looking ones courtesy of the comic book folks from UDON Entertainment, who publish the current SF Comic series. Technically, was still the same SSFIIT that we knew back in the 90's, but it was a pretty looking fighter, and people still went mad over it.
We learn from history and take lessons from it, and Capcom has been using this as a dogma to sustain one of the most lovable fighting game franchises in gaming history. Back then, SSFII was a big deal. Now that Street Fighter IV's going "Super", it's going to be deja vu all over again. Haven't heard of Super Street Fighter IV yet? Take a look at this trailer below:
A new month and day dawns upon us. In the wake of the typhoon disaster that hit us this past weekend, people from all walks of life continue to donate goods and volunteer for relief efforts. In many ways, that reflects the spirit of what being a true hero is and helping others in their time of need. True enough, we look up to inspiring figures from comic books and movies, but the true test of one's character is being able to go and make a difference in other people's lives. Despite the hardships, we persevere, we rely on one another, and we stand tall even when all hope seems lost. I was reminded of these values when I got the chance to view the latest animated movie from Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics, and it starred two of the most beloved and well known heroes that continue to inspire people the world round.
Superman Batman: Public Enemies Starring: Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman, Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor Written By: Stan Berkowitz Produced By: Bruce Timm Directed By: Sam Liu
When Lex Luthor manages to sway the public into electing him President Of The United States, his first act is to gather and put together a super hero task force to respond to emergency threats around the world. Heroes like Captain Atom and Power Girl willingly join the cause, but the world's greatest hero, Superman, does not believe his archfoe's sudden change of heart. When a meteor full of Kryptonite makes its way toward Earth, President Luthor responds to the world's call, even asking the hero of Metropolis for his assistance. Their meeting, however, proves to be a set up, and Superman soon finds himself as a fugitive for "attacking the president" while under the influence of Kryptonite. Now on the run alongside Batman, The Man Of Steel and The Dark Knight must work together to stop the meteor and expose Luthor for the criminal that he is.
This film is another great effort from the minds of DC and Warner Bros. It's an adaptation of the comic book series of the same name I collected back in August of 2003. Written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Ed McGuiness, Superman/ Batman offered fans a unique look at the sometimes powerful/ sometimes complex relationship the Boy Scout and Gotham Knight shared. Right on the heels of Loeb's Batman run on Hush, I had a newfound respect for the World's Finest duo, and I was craving for more interaction between the two, which was answered with the release of this new ongoing series. Suffice to say, the artsytle by McGuiness reminded me so much of the relatively new Justice League animated series back then, and it played well into the dynamic action and constant thought process Loeb fed into his stories. 6 years later, the seminal story arc is transformed into what isn probably one of the best animated features ever produced by Warner Bros. Animation. To say it's good is an understatement - it's literally a must see for anybody who's a fan of DC's two poster boys.
Around two months ago, I saw Green Lantern: First Flight - another DC Animated Film that represented the origin story of the Silver Age Emerald Warrior himself, Hal Jordan. While I enjoyed it for the most part, I found the reconfigured and modernized tale to be somewhat lacking on the epic adventure requirements. It does give those unfamiliar with the GL mythos a concept to grasp upon, but being a veteran reader, I felt a tad disappointed with certain elements, particularly the depiction of Sinestro and how the final battle of the film came to be. That's not going to be a problem here with Superman Batman. Those who haven't read the actual comic it was based on won't have to backtrack just to understand it. DC has taken great care in constructing a movie the follows the same plot, but changes a lot of the elements in it to coincide with changes in the comics and in the times. In fact, it reflects on current issues happening in today's world, including the recession and conflict among egotistical minds who can't look past each others differences. It's a brilliant movie made by the team of Bruce Timm and Sam Liu, and, again, it has nothing to do with the DC Animated Universe.
As for the movie itself, what more can I say? Heart stopping action, fan service, and beautifully cast voice actors make it peach perfect for viewing. I love the team up and chemistry Supes and Bats share, and it's played on well that they're best friends who can count on each other even if they have different ideologies in life. Lex Luthor is still as calculating and brillaint as ever, and this is only enhanced by his new status as President Of The United States. We see his rise to power and descent into madness too, so it's a perfect movie to expose the villain for who he truly is. Other heroes and villains in the DCU make cameo appearances too, so watch out for the important ones and fan favorites.
As for the voices behind the characters, Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, and Clancy Brown reprise their roles as Batman, Superman, and Lex Luthor respectively, and their reputation alone makes fans aware that everything is going to be good and fine. I couldn't even think of anyone else to play these characters other than them, especially Conroy, who's almost two decades into being the legendary voice behind the Dark Knight. C.C.H Pounder also reprises her role as Amanda Waller. Her character's less villainous in this movie as compared to her DCAU counterpart, but the voice still fits the role perfectly. I was also surprised to find out that Alison Mack, who plays Clark Kent's best friend, Chloe Sullivan, in Smallville, voices Power Girl, bringing her another Superman related role she can add to her resume. She's not too bad as Kara either, and I hope we'll be seeing more of her in other adventures.
In the end, Superman Batman Public Enemies is a great animated adventure no fan of the World's Finest can deny. It has all of the elements you could ask for in a superhero movie, and with beautiful writing and a stellar cast voicing the roles, there's hardly any reason for you to skip this besides work or important matters that need attending to. As someone who has grown up seeing much hero worship being done, it also puts things into perspective that we can be heroes ourselves if we put our mind into what we do, and by setting a good example for others to follow as well.
The title says it all, and I decided to share this one since it's a really well-made post.
Gaming blogsite Destructoid has released a nice little piece of writing that clearly shows why people shouldn't complain about Super Street Fighter IV getting a disc release instead of downloadable content. The article has a lot of good points to share to all the doubters and naysayers, so before anyone goes off complaining about Capcom's newest fighter, read up on the facts first and understand WHY the new game needs to be re-released. With that said, hit the link below to view Destructoid's Guide on "How To STFU About Super Street Fighter IV".
Super Street Fighter IV updates never stop! Discussion is already circling the fan community, and now more trailers have actually popped up to show us how deep this game is going to get. There's a new trailer now from the Capcom Line Up Press Conference that popped up from you tube, and with the addition of showing T.Hawk and new character Juri, we finally get to see Dee Jay in action! Check out the video below!
