An Angry Look At the Accent Core Wii Controls

Okay. Before I go on the upcoming rant, I understand that Guilty Gear Accent Core for the Nintendo Wii has not ruined anything technically. For all of the purist out there (and I consider myself one of them), Accent Core features a completely traditional control style for use with the Classic Controller (or the Gamecube controller - which I don't recommend). The Nintendo Wii is also receiving a Hori Fighting Stick sometime in August. These should be the only ways that you play this game. Period.

Am I just being a difficult traditionalist who is refusing to see the light of motion controls in a fighting game? Perhaps, but only if you thought Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO was a good idea.

Before I preface into how exactly the game controls, I find it extremely funny that in nearly all of the promotions for the game (including the manual) Arc System Works has recommended the use of the Classic Controller or the Gamecube Controller. The Wii Remote and the Nunchuck seems to be the red headed step child of Accent Core control schemes. A necessary evil, but one that you would much rather be done with and ignore than to let see the light of day.

But I gave it a chance. I promise I did.

When I first picked up the game after using my Classic Controller for a few rounds of Axl on Bridget action, I immediately set the Classic Controller aside to give the Wii Remote and Nunchuck a fair shake. "How bad can it really be?" I thought to myself, unknowing of the can of worms I was about to open up. For those who haven't read up on how the Wii Remote and Nunchuck works in Accent Core for the Wii, let me give you a run down:

Nunchuck
* Analog stick - Responsible for movement
* C Button - Hold the button and perform a shake with either the Nunchuck or the Remote to do a special move
* Z Button - Same as C, but features different moves
* If you shake the Nunchuck quickly without holding a C Button or Z Button, you perform punch
* If you shake the Nunchuk strongly without holding a C Button or Z button, you perform a kick

Remote
* D-Pad Left - Punch
* D-Pad Right - High Slash
* D-Pad Up - Slash
* D-Pad Down - Kick
* A Button - Dust
* B Button - Force Break
* 1 - Taunting
* 2 - Respect

Yeah... It really is as convoluted as it seems.

Essentially with the addition of an easy input and easy False Roman Cancel input mode, any sort of timing is thrown out the window in a mess of shakes, twirls, and hops, while you try to get your character to perform exactly like you want it to. These controls are not just an issue of essentially "dumbing" down the game for the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, but they also successfully take almost all of the skill out of the Guilty Gear engine and replace it with a haphazardly tacked on series of waggles and obscenely unergonomic button presses to perform moves that on a Classic Controller are second nature.

Furthermore, they are badly implemented. There is a bit of a lag in response while trying to use specific moves, meaning that while you may be attempting to Cancel out of a maneuver to continue a chain, you end up trying to perform a Kick and end up eating a 27 hit combo from someone smart enough not to be using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck.

This is probably one of major issues with the Nintendo Wii as a whole. The system's primary control function is inherently difficult to program certain genres for. Attempts to do so are often left in a mess, with developers forced to use alternative control methods such as the Classic Controller as the control method of choice for their Wii games. Nintendo may be ushering in a new era of motion controlled game play, but if this sort of game play is the future, I'm not sure if I'm ready for it yet.

But I digress.

Guilty Gear Accent Core's Nunchuck and Wii Remote control stylings are bad. It is essentially taking the worst parts about Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO and redressing it for the Wii console. If you are a gamer who feels that one flick Shoryukens are a good thing, you are going to feel that Accent Core's controls are right up your aisle.

The gameplay in Accent Core for the Wii while using these control methods however is broken to the point of unplayability.

And this is the real shame of the situation.

Guilty Gear Accent Core for the Wii is a strong port that features several fixes over the PS2 version. However, it is held back by the fact that the Wii Remote and Nunchuck control option is out of the box unpractical for fighting game fans. For people wanting to purchase this game, the price has essentially increased $20 so that you can own a Classic Controller. There are other uses for it of course, but for a series that already has a niche following, this is a good way to alienate fans and to ensure that they will not be encouraged to move away from their comfortable PS2 in order to try out something new.

Reports from Arcade Heroes and the Stinger Report

Today was pretty busy over at Arcade Heroes. Using Kevin Williams at the Stinger Report as a primary source, they broke out a few stories to keep an eye on for the next couple of months while we get into the primary amusement show season. Here's the run down of the rumors, take them for what they are worth.

Street Fighter 4 May Still be on the WayThanks to a tip from the Stinger Report, it appears that Capcom may be soon revealing a new Street Fighter arcade title. It is unknown if this would be Street Fighter 4 something else but at the recent Anniversary celebration for Street Fighter at a number of Capcom arcade venues, displays have appeared with copy that alludes to a new Street Fighter arcade title.

My thoughts - We already know from a previous interview with Capcom that there are definitely some plans involving Street Fighter in the near future. Though there wasn't anything definitive in the interview, catch phrases such as "building our brands" and "multiplatform approach" were used to describe Capcom's potential plans for the upcoming year. Do I think that means a Street Fighter IV? Yes and no.

I think that whatever we see in regards to Street Fighter IV is going to be primarily seen through Capcom USA and I also have a feeling (call it a gut hunch based on "rumors") that its primary format will not be arcades. An important thing to note here about the interview that I've sourced from Charles Bellfield - whatever we see in regards to information about the Street Fighter movie or new games and marketing probably won't be seen until late 2007, since he claims in the interview that releases won't begin until 2008.


Stinger Uber Crystal Ball for JAMMA showIt’s time for The Stinger Report’s predictions of what we might expect to see at the 45th Amusement Machine Show in Japan this September. It only mentioned games that have been seen on test or rumored and not seen at recent private shows. Enjoy and have fun speculating!
‘what might be at JAMMA’

Virtua Fighter 5 EVOLUTION (Sega) Fighter Rumor
Sengoku Basara X (Taito)* Fighter On test
The King of Fighters XII (Taito) Fighter On test
Samurai Spirits Sen (Taito) Fighter Rumor
Oriental Legend 2 (IGS) Brawler On test
New Gungame (Namco) Shooter Rumor
Guitarfreaks V4 & DrumMania V4 Rock x Rock (Konami) Music On test
Taiko no Tatsujin 10 (Namco) Music On test
DDR Supernova 2 (Konami) Music On test
War of Grail (Capcom) Brawler Rumor
D1GP Grand Prix (Taito) Driver On test
Super Hang-On 2 (Sega) Driver Rumor
Sega Rally 3 (Sega) Driver Rumor
Baseball Heroes 3 (Konam) Sports On test
Silent Hill: The Arcade (Konami) Shooter On test
Zombie Shooter (Taito) Shooter Rumor

My Thoughts - Most of these are pretty reasonable. As just a small note about one of the games listed above: it seems that according to inside sources King of Fighters XII is facing more problems than a simple lack of "talent" (the words of Falcoon, not mine). Though I have not been able to substantiate this entirely, the next installment of the King of Fighters seems to already be facing a rough time. Some people have begun murmuring that the project may be scratched and restarted again (as it has been once before).

This is only a rumor from someone who is only passingly connected to the company, so I'm taking it with a grain of salt for now. I would love to see the King of Fighters XII prove me a liar.

*Just a small correction, this one isn't related to Taito as Capcom has chose to use the System 256 hardware for the title.

(Image of Street Fighter II cabinet from Killer List of Video Games)

Dynamite Deka EX Hits Arcades Today

Sega's workhorse NAOMI hardware is an odd beast. Despite the 8+ years of being a mainstay in arcade circles both in Japan and abroad, the system has shown no signs of going gently into the night. Though a lot of releases on the system recently have been simple games dedicated primarily at quick cash ins on the extremely inexpensive development costs, occasionally a random jewel gets thrown in with the mix and shows that the system is still competent now even for larger release. This is of course despite being overshadowed by new hardware by Taito, Namco, and even Sega themselves.

With that said, the latest game in Sega's Dynamite Deka series has opened in Japan starting today. Dynamite Deka EX Asian Dynamite will not win any awards visually and the controls seem to be as sluggish now as they were years ago, but despite the issues with the title, the simple fact that we are getting a new arcade beat-em up in 2007 is a great sign that someone up there loves me. I'm a sucker for the genre, and though most of the games have never been able to capture the same feel as the old standbys, I still put my quarters in and bash the attack button as quickly as I can.

Like the previous games in the series, Dynamite Deka EX has cut scene sequences that require you to press a specific series of buttons or directions to successfully navigate to the next area or to provide other beneficial effects. Though Shenmue was probably the most famous example that I can think of to describe these Quick Time Events, the Dynamite Deka series was one of the first. Added features to Dynamite Deka EX include a costume change feature and mid-level minigames like quizzes.

For those in the US, Coinopexpress is offering new ROM boards for about $1200.

Rumored Soul Calibur Movie Poster

Over at Fighters Generation, a small image of a Soul Calibur movie poster was put up online with the claim that this is indeed the first glimpse of the Soul Calibur movie currently in production by 2nd Degree Media and Anthem Pictures. Last time we heard anything about this movie was sometime in 2006 when the official site launched with a simple teaser promoting the film for release sometime in 2007.

Unfortunately, if this poster is real, the earliest we are going to see the movie is going to be 2008. However that's a big if on the question on whether or not this poster is real. For all intents and purposes it has been thought that this project was shelved quite some time ago (further proof to this fate is the fact that Namco has been coy on talking about the project) and the website was simply an abandoned site on the web.

Is this the first step to seeing the project through? I don't know. I've put the poster up for you guys to judge, but I'm planting this one firmly into speculative until I get a cleaner shot of the image or I see it on another source.

Shin Chuka Taisen Home Page Launched, Wii Controls Revealed

Starfish's revision of the original Taito arcade classic Chuka Taisen finally found a home on the web. Though there isn't much in the way of videos or more screenshots of the game, Starfish has listed a few additional details that were previously unknown. First and foremost, the game is set to be released in August in Japan for 6,090 yen. There is currently no word on whether or not the game is going to make it stateside.

Secondly, the game is going to be adding a unique set of Wii-motion controls to the shooting genre, something that I'm both apprehensive and intrigued at the possibility of. To play the game, you will hold the Wii remote sideways. The direction pad controls your character while the 1, 2, and A button perform specific functions in the game. The Wii-motion controls come in by tilting the controller left or right. By doing so, you speed up or slow down and the screen tilts with you. This provides you more room to navigate through tight spaces, around numerous enemies, or to line up a better shot against one of the many bosses.

We'll have more information about the game next month when my copy is received. Until then, check out the game's official website.

Donkey Kong Record Falls - Billy Mitchell Lays Down the Gauntlet

Press Start Interviews SideQuest Studios

I missed this one last week, but Press Start has taken the time to interview Marcus Pukropski of SideQuest Studios in regards to the Soldner-X project. Some interesting things were revealed in the interview, including the first details in regards to the chaining system in the game.

Still no word on what system or platform the game's going to be released on, but according to Marcus Pukropski in the interview, that should be revealed "during the next couple of weeks".

To read the interview, head over to Press Start. Also be sure to keep an eye on the game's official website for any updates that the development team may put up.

As a side note on the poll that was originally put up by the SideQuest Studios team in regards to the platform of choice for gamers visiting the website - the Playstation Network for the Playstation 3 still seems to lead the votes with over 2,500 votes cast.

Sega Sammy Holdings Slip into the Red

As reported by Yahoo!:

TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese game company Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. said Friday it slipped into the red in its first quarter as its businesses aimed at children slipped.

The company -- born through a 2004 merger between video-game maker Sega and pinball machine company Sammy -- posted a net loss of 5.08 billion yen (42.87 million dollars) during the three months to June, reversing the year-earlier net profit of 779 million yen.

The company also went into the red on an operating level, posting a loss of 2.43 billion yen compared with an operating profit of 2.80 billion yen.

Revenue grew 11.4 percent year-on-year to 95.42 billion yen.

The company said it continued to enjoy strong sales in its key business of pachinko -- a pinball game played in thousands of garish, smoky parlours across Japan. Critics say pachinko is a barely disguised form of gambling.

Revenue in the pachinko division jumped 75.23 percent to 38.2 billion yen.

But the company said it faced tough competition for other forms of entertainment, particularly those geared towards children. Japan has one of the world's greyest populations with young people having fewer and fewer children.

Sega Sammy said one ray of hope was its "Dinosaur King" card games, which have grown in popularity after becoming a Japanese television animation earlier this year.

Sega Sammy said it continued streamlining game arcades, closing 10 more and opening three to leave a net total of 442 at the end of June.

Sengoku Basara X Location Test Videos Part 3 and Impressions

More location test videos of Sengoku Basara X have been appearing on YouTube! This one is another one uploaded by mirafi, and is one of the better ones of the bunch. The location test formally ends today, so this is going to be one of the last looks we are going to be receiving of the beta until perhaps the JAMMA show or the Tokyo Game Show depending on how Capcom and Arc System Works feels.

While I am waiting for my sources to get back to me in regards to their impressions of the title, Insert Credit drew my attention to a post over on the Madman Cafe Forums by Maese Spt in regards to his opinion on how the testing went. I've copied and pasted a selection below, but you can find the full original post here:

As somebody pointed out before, it’s a bit too early to pass any serious judgment about gameplay, because most players were quite noobish. I only got two see two supers and one “Basara KO” on the whole time I spent there, and since the queue was quite long I didn’t even bother to try to play myself. I might have better luck today, tough.

The general looking, as expected, is quite GG-ish, but it seemed not so chaotic to me. It’s fast, yeah, but not vertiginous. That’s a good point in my book, actually.

The presented game was only a beta with 4 selectable characters and a few stages: Yukimura, Masamune (not a surprise, huh), Keiji and Kenshin. What’s worse, all the fangirls there kept selecting Yukimura and Masamune all time, so there was little chance to see other guys in action. I’m not an expert in other Arc System games, but the kind of combos and specials reminded me of the few times I had played GG X. Hmm, that’s quite obvious, I guess.

However, Yukimura and Masamune didn’t feel just like the Sengoku versions of Sol and Ky, respectively; they had quite different movesets and stuff. Generally speaking, specials and supers were not as flashy as I expected, tough. A bit disappointing, yeah, but maybe other characters would have cooler, more spectacular specials. Or maybe it’s just that noobish players could only pull out low level specials. We’ll see today. Not that I’m going to be able to pull out decent combos or whatever, tough!

The engun system is still a mistery to me. Yukimura and Keiji had indeed two supporting characters (they were not present from the start, it seems you have to fill a gauge or something to make them show up), while Masamune had only Kojuro to lend him a hand. It seems the main usage for the engun is to power up your supers and make some special combos, but probably there will be more than that.

Nobody was able to make use of Yukimura’s second engun, tough. Sasuke popped up on the melee every once in a while, but nobody could make Shingen participate, even tough he was present at the background along Sasuke. I think that has to do with the “level” you earn for your engun during the battle: the more level you get, the more (or more powerful) stuff he can do; maybe Shingen is a high level engun and would only show up with really huge gauge levels. Or maybe it’s just he was not yet fully implemented in the beta. Oh, yeah, and Kojuro’s aid seemed quite cheap to perform juggles and the like. I can see people bitching about that when game finally comes out.

Exzeal and Shooting Love 2007 Now Shipping

Triangle Service's follow up to Trizeal, Exzeal and Shmups Skill Test (both part of the Shooting Love 2007 series) is now shipping to arcades across Japan. I'm not to sure where I would put these in the grand scheme of shooting game releases, but Trizeal was a solid experience that was well worth the cost of admission. The games run on the NAOMI arcade hardware, however due to Sega stopping production of GD-ROMs, the chances of a Dreamcast console port is highly unlikely (no matter what die hard Sega fans may want to believe).

For more information about the two games, head over to Triangle Service's official homepage. The kits are relatively inexpensive, so I am planning on purchasing one of these in the near future.

Additional Details from the Sengoku Basara X Location Test

Japanese Arcade gaming news site Am-Net have posted up several detailed images regarding the recent Sengoku Basara X location test. Included in the images was a close look at a poster/flyer for the game as well as several shots of some of the cabinet pieces including moves list for some of the characters. I've pulled a few of the interesting shots that I could find from the posters and have posted them here so you can take a look at some of the latest details coming out about Sengoku Basara X.

To start with, as you can see above, the game is using a basic 4 button layout that features 3 attack buttons and one reinforcement button. The attacks are Light, Medium, and Strong. These are the buttons across the top row. The bottom row has a single button, the Reinforcement button that is used to start Reinforcement attacks, Assists, and Counter-Assists in the game. From my understanding, in order to use the Reinforcement maneuvers you first press the Reinforcement button to queue your ally and then use one of the other buttons to unleash another attack.

I'm getting confirmation on this to be sure, but it does seem that they are trying to add another layer of depth on top of the semi-familiar VS engine of Assists that Capcom has relied on traditionally in some of their cross over titles. I'm not sure whether or not this additional layer is going to be a benefit or a hindrance to the title, so I'm holding off judgment until I can get some hands on time with it.

The second shot was a basic movelist for four of the characters in the game. Anybody familiar with the Guilty Gear series should be able to pick up the characters relatively easily. The four movesets revealed are practically clones of each other, though more than likely, just like in the Guilty Gear series, the different characters will play wildly differently based on their speed, power, and range. Though it is only four characters, I'm disappointed that there isn't a single charge move revealed yet. I'm a sucker for holding down back during the course of a match. Quarter Circle Forwards have just never been my thing...

The characters shown on the cabinet decal above are Date Masamune, Sanada Yukimura, Maeda Keiji, and Uesugi Kenshin.

The final picture of interest I found on AM-Net was an image of a display piece that goes into the details behind some of the Reinforcement mechanic of the game. I'm trying to get a cleaner image of this scan since I'm having a hard time making out the details, but it appears to go into different button commands you can perform with your ally characters in different situations for different effects. For example, there seems to be a mention of an aerial attack that can be used by pressing down and the strong attack button. There are also mention of Guarded abilities, but I'm having a hard time breaking it down.

If anyone has a breakdown of what this scan details or a higher quality version, I would appreciate being notified by e-mail or in my comments.

So far, so good I think. Sure some people may be disappointed at the choice of source material, but the character designs as well as back story has me compelled.

If you are interested in the location test videos that I've found from the event, you can check them out here.

Sengoku Basara X Location Test Video Part 2

This has little to do with the game itself, but I thought it deserved a post as well. This is the video shot by mirafi that shows the line for the location test for Sengoku Basara X. I hope Capcom's watching...

First Basara X Location Test Videos

YouTube! user Mirafi has posted the first videos of the Sengoku Basara X location test. I haven't had a chance to really break down these videos yet, but I'm planning on going through all of them tonight so I can really sink my teeth into the gritty details. The two primary videos are embedded below for your convenience.

I do like the look of the game, and though the videos are a bit poor quality overall (YouTube! compression strikes again...), they go a long way of showing just what Arc System Works and Capcom are attempting to accomplish with the title. To me the game screams Last Blade, which makes sense in a way. I have one person at the location test getting all the information they can about the title, so when I get a report back from them I should have more information for you.



Thanks to GamerCafe for the links.

GLOBAL VR TO DEBUT EA SPORTS NASCAR RACING AT AAMA’S GALA

Global VR has announced the second major game that is debuting from the company's line up at the AAMA gala. After last week's announcement that America's Army would be on display, this week Global VR has announced that their NASCAR racing game is set to finally be shown to the public.

After about a year in development, this game has been high on the anticipation list for a lot of racing fans. Considering the amount of time and effort that has went into providing a realistic NASCAR experience (and the quality of the cabinets which can be seen over at Arcade Heroes), Global VR more than likely has a winner on their hands with this game.

It will be interesting to see how its received from the gaming population. The popularity of the NASCAR brand in the US is undeniably strong. Living outside of Memphis myself (and deep in the heart of the American south), I can not go to into any retail location, arcade, or theatre, without seeing a NASCAR fan wearing a shirt, hat, or bumper sticker.

Though I'm not a huge fan of the sport, I do enjoy a good sit down racer. It will be interesting to see the choices of the officially licensed tracks by Global VR that are going to be playable in the game. I'm assuming Talladega and Daytona will be at the top of the list, but it will be neat to see some of the road courses as well.

The press release is below for those interested in a bit more information about the game.

SAN JOSE, Calif – GLOBAL VR® is pleased to announce that EA SPORTS™ NASCAR® Racing will premier at the August 3rd AAMA Gala in Itasca, Illinois. The fully licensed NASCAR game has hit all major development milestones and is now ready to be introduced to the coin-op market. Jim DeRose, GLOBAL VR president and CEO commented, “We are anxious to present this NASCAR masterpiece to distributors, and what better way to do that than at our Industry Gala? Extensive consumer and field testing have given us the data with which to make our final game adjustments. We are confident that this will not only meet our industry’s expectations but significantly exceed them.” He went on to comment, “NASCAR’s game development has been spear-headed by John Ray, GLOBAL VR Vice-President and Executive Producer and ex-Atari racing game guru. John, along with his experienced team, has pulled out all the stops and the end result is nothing less than spectacular.”

GLOBAL VR entered into an exclusive agreement with Electronic Arts which gives GLOBAL VR rights to develop and manufacture the only coin-operated version of EA’s NASCAR franchise hit. “NASCAR racing fans will recognize the tracks, the drivers, and the cars,” said Jim DeRose. He went on to comment, “While others might suggest their games are NASCAR licensed by using the city names and look-alike cars, only GLOBAL VR’s game will deliver the real-deal. And, as guests at Gala will learn, when you see the extra-ordinary game cabinet and get seated behind the wheel the NASCAR experience will be complete!”

EA SPORTS NASCAR Racing will be available in deluxe, motion-deluxe, and a very affordable standard cabinet configuration. The game cabinets will be linkable and offer players the opportunity to race against 30 different NASCAR drivers in 30 different cars. Featured tracks will include six major, well known tracks.

For information about other GLOBAL VR products, please visit www.globalvr.com or contact your local GLOBAL VR distributor or sales representative.

About GLOBAL VR:
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in San Jose, California, GLOBAL VR® is one of the world's leading manufacturers of coin-operated video games based on home gaming technology. GLOBAL VR is able to leverage the massive investment in development of PC and console games by third party developers by making them suitable for play in out-of-home locations. License agreements are in place with some of the world's leading game publishers including Electronic Arts, Midway, Ubisoft, and Atari. These agreements provide GLOBAL VR rights to create coin-op versions of popular home games such as EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR® GOLF, Underground, NASCAR, Blazing Angels, Beach Head and Operation Blockade. GLOBAL VR has recently entered the gaming industry where contracts are in place with Bally Gaming for development of video casino game entertainment. More information on GLOBAL VR can be found at www.globalvr.com.

New Star Soldier for the Nintendo Wii

Hudson's Star Soldier series has always held a special place for me. In a lot of ways, it was one of the first game that truly introduced me to the world of vertically scrolling shooters. One of the unheralded gems of the Gamecube in my opinion happened to be an import only remake of the original Star Soldier for the system. Though it was definitely a throw back in every sense of the word, the game delivered the quality shooting experience that fans of arcade styled shooters would appreciate, despite its mediocre sales and lackluster reviews from a lot of mainstream media sources.

With that said, it seems that Hudson is planning on revisiting the franchise with a new game in the series for the Nintendo Wii. In a short blog post, Takahashi (from Hudson) has stated that they are currently planning on a Star Soldier title for the Wii, tentatively named Star Soldier R. Though no further information is provided (including whether or not this is another remake or a new game entirely), he states that the game will be revealed with the 2007 Caravan tour.

Though the game is only in its early stages, Hudson seems keen on trying to drive up support for the title to determine whether or not there is a demand for this sort of shooter on the Wii. I know I would personally love to see another vertical shooter coming to Nintendo's newest console, but whether or not we see this title is going to be determined by the initial customer feedback provided to Hudson by fans of the series.

We should have more information soon. I'm crossing my fingers that this title does come through to fruition.

Super Contra shooting the Xbox 360 this Wednesday

It's about time really.

After showing off Super Contra for the XBLA downloadable service last September, fans have been clamoring for their opportunity to get their hands on the superior sequel to the original Contra that is already available on Xbox Live. However you can forget the bright color palettes and horizontal orientation of the NES ports - Super Contra (like Contra before it) is based on the original arcade game and not the Famicom/NES versions.

What does this mean for Contra fans?

A much darker color palette, enemies that are more detailed, and the classic Contra-styled bosses in their original arcade glory. Sure the bright reds and blues of the NES and Famicon Contra/Super C games are not present in Super Contra, but what you get instead is a hardcore action shooter that takes no prisoners and bombards you at every stage with a level of detail that was not possible anywhere else but arcades at the time of its release.

Personally there is a slight downside to Super Contra. The overhead levels, while "okay", I felt were slightly more abrasive than the previous corridor levels of Contra. There were only two of them in the course of the game, but both were a bit jarring in my opinion. Some people swear by them however, so I do understand that this could just be my preference for the side scrolling and up scrolling levels.

The game launches tomorrow for those interested. Online co-op will be available as well as the standard Xbox Live Arcade face lift. At a $5 entry price its an absolute steal for action fans.

More Sengoku Basara X Details

I know this is has taken up the front page of my blog for the last few days, and I apologize for that. In a traditionally slow period for arcade news (late summer to the Tokyo Gaming Show and the Jamma Show), to have Capcom announcing Sengoku Basara X as well as having them already planning on a location test is pretty exciting.

With that said, Gpara has some more basic information released about Sengoku Basara X that I didn't see on any other source this weekend. According to the Japanese news site (and relayed to me via GamerCafe), Sengoku Basara X is currently being developed for the System 246/256 arcade hardware (according to the source its only using the 246's features). This means that any port to the PS2 will be agonizingly easy.

It's a surprise to see Capcom using the Namco developed arcade hardware after several weeks of rumors that the game would be running on the Type X2. It was my understanding that this game was essentially locked for Taito's board based on early reports about the game.

The reinforcement system is also outlined a bit more, but it does seem that it is essentially going to be the same system that we already know and love from Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Your reinforcements however use a timed level bar that increases during the match due to the lapse of time. If you use the reinforcement technique a lot during the course of a match, the amount of damage you perform will be substantially lowered. If you hold off on reinforcement until a lot of time has passed, your allies' abilities will be a lot more powerful.

More information should be coming out after the location tests, so keep an eye here a bit later this week.

Global VR to Deploy America's Army at AAMA Gala

Special thanks to Arcade Heroes and The Stinger Report for the press release in regards to the latest project by Global VR. It'll be interesting to see how the heavy rules based America's Army games translate to the arcade environment.

Arcade Heroes pointed out a rather interesting fact about the game. On the cabinets upper left, the Unreal logo is visible, meaning that this game is powered by Epic's proprietary development platform.

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SAN JOSE, Calif – (July 19, 2007) – GLOBAL VR today announced that it plans to unveil the latest addition to the company's 2007 line-up of exciting titles, AMERICA'S ARMY . The AMERICA'S ARMY coin-operated game is based on the extremely popular AMERICA'S ARMY game brand which is developed by the U.S. Army and includes PC, console and cell phone games, and other branded properties. The “green label”, coin-operated AMERICA'S ARMY game is the result of a unique partnership between the U.S. Army and GLOBAL VR. The partnership which encompasses the development and manufacturing of an official U.S. Army game for the arcade market, will create a new communication channel with young Americans.

Working hand-in-hand with U.S. Army Subject Matter Experts and with the full cooperation of units of the U.S. Army, the coin-operated AMERICA'S ARMY is a realistic and engaging game centered on exciting training exercises, and includes a significant amount of authentic Army videos and other information designed to immerse the player in the Army culture.

“AMERICA'S ARMY is an arcade style training game based on actual Army training exercises designed to challenge Soldiers to hone their skills. Players are rewarded for teamwork, proper use of the Rules of Engagement, accuracy, and target identification,” says Mike Kruse, GLOBAL VR Producer. “The game's many marksmanship exercises are entirely target shooting challenges which makes this unique product appropriate for many location types that do not desire simulated combat games.” Mike went on to comment, “Being a veteran myself, I can honestly report that AMERICA'S ARMY is a highly authentic depiction of Army training exercises and the Army's unique organizational culture…down to the drill sergeant who is constantly by your side to bring out the best performance from each player.”

AMERICA'S ARMY is designed for one or two players and consists of a series of eight training mini-games. Each game is designed with a dynamic difficulty system making the game easy for new recruits and more difficult for experienced players. Bonuses are also important as they reward players with extra experiences and point rewards for jobs well done. Leader boards for each mini-game add fuel to the competition, and give players incentives to beat the top score.

We are so proud to be working directly with the U.S. Army on this project,” stated Jim DeRose GLOBAL VR President and CEO. “To have earned the Army's confidence throughout the game's development and delivered a coin-op game that fits the market needs of most video equipment operators is a huge accomplishment. We are convinced that the cabinet's small footprint, outstanding graphics, “green label” rating, and value pricing will make the game a natural for all locations.”

For information about other GLOBAL VR products, please visit www.globalvr.com or contact your local GLOBAL VR distributor or sales representative.

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About the America 's Army Brand
Launched in July 2002, the America's Army game has become one of the most popular computer games in the world. America's Army has penetrated popular culture and is one of the most recognizable game brands as a result of its unique inside perspective on the U.S. Army and exciting gameplay. As the game's popularity continues to grow with each new release, the Army has expanded the brand through a variety of products to include console and wireless games, America's Army merchandise such as t-shirts and action figures, as well as training applications for use within the military and government sectors. The America 's Army game for the PC can be found online at www.americasarmy.com.

About GLOBAL VR: Founded in 1998 and headquartered in San Jose , California , GLOBAL VR® is one of the world's leading manufacturers of coin-operated video games based on home gaming technology. Through the development of proprietary technology, GLOBAL VR is able to leverage the massive investment in development of PC and console games by third party developers by making them suitable for play in out-of-home locations. Development agreements are in place with some of the world's leading game publishers including Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS ), Ubisoft, and Atari (NASDAQ:ATAR). These agreements provide GLOBAL VR rights to create coin-op versions of popular home games such as EA SPORTS™ PGA TOUR® GOLF , Underground, NASCAR, Blazing Angels, Beach Head and Operation Blockade. In addition, GLOBAL VR also develops and manufactures products previously marketed under the UltraCade label including Global Arcade Classics and Ultrapin. More information on GLOBAL VR can be found at www.globalvr.com.

Doujin Shooter PC Demo Updates

There were several PC doujin shooter projects that received trial versions and demos this past weekend. Though I haven't had a chance to work through them yet to determine their quality, I'm planning on doing so a bit later. For those interested in putting them through the ringers now, check out the screen shots and the links below.

A couple of them look mighty tempting...

Zillion Beats

Micoblaster

Trouble Witches

Banshiryuu

Sengoku Basara X Images

Dengeki Online posted up a series of first look screen shots of Sengoku Basara X in action. The images (which are fortunately a lot cleaner than the Famitsu scans) really begin to show the quality of 2D spritework that Capcom and Arc System Works are utilizing for the game. It's hard to judge the game when its not in motion, but if these screens are representative of the finished product, 2D fighting game fans should have a lot to be excited about in the upcoming months.

Something kind of neat about the screen shots are that they also reveal some of the "assist" mechanic that Sengoku Basara X is going to be featuring. During specific moments in a match you'll be able to call out a "partner" to assist in counter attacks and during combos. How similar this is to the VS. system assist maneuvers is anyone's guess, but the game thus far seems much more grounded than the Vs. system series from Capcom and Arc System Works other 2D titles.



For the full size images head over to Dengeki Online.

Fighting Game Spin Off Updates!

Famitsu posted an update earlier today with a few new screenshots of Guilty Gear II Overture and Soul Calibur Legends. Both of these games have seem to inspire quite a bit of criticism by hardcore fans of the series, which I don't necessarily blame them for (especially in the case of Guilty Gear II Overture). As always though, I'll reserve my judgment for the end (and in a way, I'm actually looking forward to Soul Calibur Legends)...

Guilty Gear II: Overture (Xbox 360)

Soul Calibur Legends (Nintendo Wii)

Sengoku Basara X Website Revealed and Location Test Announced

The teaser site for Capcom's arcade fighting game has been updated this morning to redirect to the official Sengoku Basara X website. You can find the official site for the new game here. A few things were listed on the new site that confirms some of the insider reports by Am-net in regards to the title. Number one, Sengoku Basara X is being developed first as an arcade game (no mention of any home port on the website can be found), and number two, the game is co-developed by Arc System Works (which makes sense considering that Capcom cut most of their arcade division not too long ago).

The character page is updated with 10 fighters, but fighters profiles and more information on the story is currently listed as coming soon.

For those seeking out a chance to play the game early, Capcom already has a location test scheduled for the game on the 25th and 26th of this month. I'm already working on trying to get someone to provide a report for the test, but at the very least I'm sure a rash of videos will be hitting YouTube! once the location tests are completed later this coming week.

Silent Hill the Arcade Game Official Site With Release Date

This may be old news to some... Or maybe not. But the Silent Hill Arcade game official site has been updated with the release date for the game. Silent Hill will be released across arcades in Japan on July 25th.

Though a lot of the impressions about the game have been mediocre from people claiming that it seems to go against the Silent Hill framework, I'm personally interested in seeing what they do with the game simply because the videos posted by Arcade Heroes honestly have intrigued me.

Though there isn't much of the way of details about the game itself, there is a series of random photographs that cycle through the big eye on the site. Most images are predictable creatures you will find in the game, nurses, shamblers, etc. But out of nowhere probably the creepiest creature I have ever seen appeared. What was it you may ask?

A bunny with a chainsaw. I kid you not (see below for the image).



The official site for the game can be found here.

Cave's New Game "Death Lolita"?

It seems that there are finally a few more details on Cave's new shooter revealed earlier this year. According to Mihara (CEO of Arika and the one responsible for the Ketsui DS project), a post on the Japanese site Mixi has stat