Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 76 – ‘Boney Boners And Kaskade’s Prostate’

Pokken Tournament was super effective against Street Fighter V in retail, as the fighting game from Nintendo and Bandai Namco outperformed Street Fighter V in sales in the United States.

According to video game analyst ZhugeEX, who provides video game sales data and has access to early NPD reports, Pokken Tournament did very well against Street Fighter V here in the U.S.:

Pokken Tournament for Wii U has now outsold Street Fighter V for PS4 in the US at retail. pic.twitter.com/U0oPTDtoB6

— ZhugeEX (@ZhugeEX) May 13, 2016

Though no specific numbers are provided, ZhugeEX does say that based from his information, more physical copies of Pokken Tournament were sold in the United States than Street Fighter V–even though Capcom released their game a full month before Pokken Tournament.

How could this be, you ask? Good question. How does the most recognizable fighting franchise in the world fail to meet sales expectations and underperforms to a game hybrid between Tekken and Pokemon? As discussed by many of us at the Geekscape Games Podcast, Street Fighter V feels more like a demo than a full retail game–especially when compared to the vanilla version of Street Fighter IV.

Suffering from a Story Mode which abandoned Street Fighter’s traditional formula, online matchmaking issues, and a number of bugs found in the PC version of the game, Capcom’s newest entry from its flagship franchise failed to become the retail juggernaut many thought it would be. Instead of selling the projected two million copies Capcom predicted, the latest entry in the Street Fighter franchise only managed to sell 1.4 million copies worldwide. Yes, Alex and Guile are in, but many fan favorites are painfully absent.

Where’s Akuma?!

Considering the 36 million people who make up the install base for the Playstation 4 far surpass that of the Wii U (which stands at nearly 13 million), it is surprising Street Fighter V couldn’t pull off the sales goal. Those who received review copies of the game reported how much Street Fighter V lacked in content, but one would assume that the name of ‘Street Fighter’ alone would move units. It should be noted that while sales for Street Fighter V are low, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the franchise is losing its popularity among the competitive fight scene. On the contrary, it’s quite the opposite.

As of April, over 4,000 Street Fighter V players have registered to compete at this year’s EVO Tournament in Las Vegas–making it the biggest tournament in the event’s history. Pokken Tournament has over 1,000 players registered at this year’s EVO as of this writing.

How can Capcom translate the game’s popularity into a financial gain? What can Nintendo and Bandai Namco do to capitalize on the success of Pokken Tournament? Let us know in the comments below and we will discuss your points on the next episode of the Geekscape Games Podcast!

Over 9000 Magikarps Flail About In New Pokken Tournament Stage!

by Matt RodriguezMarch 12, 2016

A new stage has been revealed for Pokken Tournament and it’s quite the doozy! The level is called Magikarp Festival–you can now battle on a boat-like level in Pokken Tournament, with Magikarps flailing about the ship! It’s going to be tough to concentrate on fighting with all of the funny business going on around the fighters.

Even so, this isn’t the strangest level I’ve seen in a fighting game designed by Bandai Namco. In Tekken 6, there was a level that was nothing but yodeling music while you fought in the middle of a herd of sheep. However, I did notice that this level seemed a bit familiar… this level may be a homage to a similar level in Tekken Tag Tournament 2, the Bountiful Sea.

With the recent news regarding a free Magikarp card promotional event at Target stores soon, this can’t be any coincidence. We have been really happy with our Pokken Tournament experience thus far, and it’s shaping up to be a great fighter! How do you feel about this unique level in Pokken? Does it make you want to bounce with joy?

Source: My Nintendo News, featured image by Sev Cosplay

Not Quite ‘Tekken’ And Not Quite ‘Pokemon’, ‘Pokken Tournament’ Is A Completely Different Monster

by Josh JacksonMarch 9, 2016

Gamers such as myself have been patiently waiting for the release of Pokken Tournament since it was first revealed in 2013. While Super Smash Bros. is great and all, the idea of a fighting game dedicated to Pokemon designed by the the team behind the Tekken series seemed like the greatest thing I never knew I wanted. Luckily for us, we didn’t have to wait until the March 11th release date to get our first taste of how our favorite monsters fare in the fighting arena, as we found ourselves at the Pokken Tournament preview event to give the game a spin. Whatever it was that I was expecting, that all went out the window when I picked up the Game Pad and played a couple of rounds, because it was unlike any fighter I’ve played to date.

More specifically, what makes Pokken Tournament so unique is its Shift Change mechanic. Fights start off in a 3D diagonal perspective reminiscent of the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm games where each fighter will have full range of motion within the circular arena. That’s when some of your favorite Pokemon like Charizard, Lucario, Machamp and Pikachu among others will vie for positioning by confusing opponents with their projectile, homing and quick attacks. However, when specific hits are landed either as a one off or in a combo, the perspective shifts to a 2D plane, changing the way the fight is approached with the change in conditions. Of course, hitting certain attacks in 2D will shift the battle back to 3D, so if you or your character is better in 3D, you’ll want to switch back as fast as possible.

Making matters more interesting are the assist characters that can jump in during a match. By choosing a predetermined pair before the fight, each round asks players to choose which one of the two they want to bring out as their partner. Some like Emolga and Frogadier are straight attackers, while Pokemon like Eevee will give stat boosts for an extra advantage in battle. In Pokken Tournament, it’s not just enough to fight well, because synergy with your support character will be the difference between two evenly matched combatants.

Managing your supports, laying in your standard attacks, knowing when to unleash your Mega Evolution, (and the super move that comes with it), and utilizing guard breaking throws are just some of what you’ll find yourself mastering in the retail version of the game, and that’s on top of the many counter mechanics I’ve yet to fully explore! Feeling much deeper than what you would expect from a Pokemon spinoff while being friendly enough to pick up and play without much trouble, I expect that fans new and old will love their time in the arena when Pokken Tournament is in our hands. Look out for our full review in the coming days, but one thing’s for sure from our short time with the game; it’s nothing like you’ve played before.

Geekscape Roundtable: We Celebrate Pokémon’s 20th Anniversary With Our Favorite Pokémon Memories!

by Derek KraneveldtFebruary 27, 2016

We’re just about to celebrate our 400th episode, and today Pokémon is celebrating its 20th anniversary. What a weekend.

I don’t think I know a single human being whose life hasn’t been touched by those adorable pocket monsters in one way or another. Essentially all of us here at Geekscape have spent countless hours and dollars, and thrown away a myriad (well, one or two) of date opportunities to feed our Pokémon addictions.

Be it the anime, manga, RPGs, puzzle games, stadiums, TCG, plushies, Amiibo, or otherwise, there are a lot of different ways to be sucked into this universe, and it’s nearly impossible to escape it.

So let’s celebrate! There are a myriad of different events occurring today around the country, and we thought that today would be a perfect day to share our favorite Pokémon memories!

Read our memories below, and head down to the comments to share your own!

Josh Jackson

Man, where do I even begin? I’ve been gaming for 26 years now, but I can’t think of many other franchises that have stuck with me as long as Pokemon has. From the moment I first heard of some Japanese game called Pocket Monsters that was taking the region by storm, (along with the stable brain activity of their children thanks to the infamous siezure episode,) to when I stumbled across the anime by accident, and all the way to when my Squirtle and I took our first steps on what would become a lifelong journey, there are far too many memories to count. I’ve traveled miles away for legitimate legendary Pokemon, journeyed across states to participate in tournaments, experienced triumph when completing my Pokedex without hacks in Diamond, heartbreak when I physically lost my cartridges, and a return to glory when I re-caught 718 Pokemon in Y. But more than any other memory, one stands out in my head more than any other, if only because of how embarassing it is.

As mentioned, the siezure episode in Japan had a huge effect on the series, which led to the featured Pokemon, Porygon, being banned from the franchise’s animation iterations, which still endures to this day. However, this wouldn’t stop Porygon from ruining another kid’s day. When my local GameStop announced a No-Legendary local tournament (meaning standard Pokémon only), I trained my favorite Pokemon to peak condition, led by my special attacking powerhouse, Porygon Z. Unfortunately, the store employees didn’t share my enthusiasm for the games and didn’t know what a Legendary Pokemon was, which led to them throwing their hands in the air and allowing anything. I never lost a first round before, so I was both scared and angry, coming to the resolution that all my hard work would be for nothing.

That feeling only grew when I went up against a Dialga that my young opponent, who couldn’t have been any older than 10, threw out at the start of battle. Keep in mind that Dialga is strong against Normal types like Porygon, AND it’s a Legendary Pokemon with high defense. Also keep in mind that I’m a 25 year old man. With that in mind, imagine my shock when the “not very effective” Hyper Beam one hit KO’d his Pokemon! In fact, in a display of maturity and humility, I spontaneously waved my hand in front of my face, trying my hardest to channel my inner John Cena.

Not realizing what I had done, I looked over and saw the boy in tears. I then proceeded to wipe up the rest of his team, which resulted in me beating him so fast that I got a bye in the second round, as my humiliated opponent slowly shuffled out of the store with his dad. A valuable lesson was learned that day. No, not that I’m a jerk, or that a Porygon can one hit KO a likely poorly trained Dialga, or even that the power of Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect can overcome any challenge. It was that Pokemon isn’t just a game, but a lifestyle, and I won’t hesitate to wreck children in my pursuit of the title of Pokemon Master. Train On!

Matthew Rodriguez

My favorite memory is of generation five (Pokemon Black/White). Before my wife and I got married, we were dating long distance and I would only see her once or twice a year. We would always play Pokemon through the internet, but there were other features that were specific to local multiplayer, so we would take advantage of those when we would physically meet. In Pokemon Black/White, they had special missions where you can go to another players world to do various tasks, like locate a missing item, or buying specific items from their world. Well, I proceeded to do a mission, this time relating to hiding an item in her world.

My wife enjoys using the dowsing machine to find hidden items on the ground. One day she calls me and she’s practically in tears, because she managed to find an item in her game that was very useful and it had my name attached to it–she was very happy that she was still connected to me in a different way, despite our long distance apart. She wasn’t playing the game as often at this point so it was a very pleasant, and touching surprise.

It was a moment that brought us closer, as Pokemon had done on more than one occasion.

Natalie Kipper

My favorite memory is more a series of memories centering around the bond I built with my Skuntank, Stinker. He was my first Pokemon to have maxed-out happiness from PokemonAmie. The little side comments during battle about how he tried his best for me and such actually helped me through some of my darker moods. I love my Stinker so much, and if Sun/Moon let me transfer him over, I look forward to another adventure with him.

Shane O’Hare

Pokemon will always have a special place in my heart. It was one, if not THE first RPG I ever played. It sculpted how I approach role playing games today. I have three extremely vivid memories of Pokemon that will stick out in my mind forever. Reading a random issue of Nintendo Power and turning a page to see all about this hot new game/anime called “Poket Monsters”. I was incredibly intrigued, and a bit frightened. “Who would want to collect MONSTERS?!” elementary school Shane thought. The one thing I remember most from that spread, was that Jessie and James were in black Team Rocket uniforms.

Then the hype started. More and more information about the Anime was coming out, and a US broadcast was soon coming. I woke up so early one day to watch one of the episodes on Fox. 10 minutes in and no Pokemon, I realized I was on PBS! I will never forget flipping to channel 4 and seeing Ash and the Bug trainer battling their Metapods in the Viridian forest. I was hooked.

Shortly thereafter we got our US release of Pokemon Red & Blue. I was so hyped for it. Talking about it for days and days. Then one late evening my Mother called me when she was coming home from Anchorage (a city about an hour away). She told me that she had just picked me up a copy of Pokemon Red! I WAS ECSTATIC! I was going to be playing Pokemon! She asked me if I would have rather had Blue. I sheepishly said yes, but that any Pokemon was a great Pokemon. She proceeded to make an additional thirty minute trip BACK to Toys R Us, exchanged Red for Blue THEN made the 1 hour drive back home. I will never forget that moment, and am eternally grateful for her.

The rest, is history!

Eric Francisco

I don’t care about Pokemon.

I mean, I don’t hate it. But looking back on our childhoods — all of ours — our generation was so fickle. Pop culture fads came and went like the coming and going of military regimes. But unlike everyone else in school, I stayed a devout Power Rangers fan through and through long after its expiration date (circa 1997). I beat the Power Rangers drum all the way through Pokemon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Harry Potter, girls… but especially through Pokemon.

Man, I was alone. Yeah, I watched Pokemon and played the games and collected the cards. (I still have them too.) But Pokemon was state, while Power Rangers was church. I only got into it so I wouldn’t be alone on the playground, but I was anyway so what was the point?

But Pokemon gave me something which I’m thankful for everyday: My best friend. Playing the games with him cemented a friendship that lasts to this day. For over ten years I saw how Pokemon began to influence him day by day, and now that nerd is on his way to becoming marine biologist — a career that could only come from catching and training wildlife and learning all about them. As I type this, he’s on his way to grad school in Louisiana, and I couldn’t be more proud.

So, thanks, Pokemon. You made someone’s life worth living.

Power Rangers still rocks though.

Derek Kraneveldt

There are way too many amazing Pokemon memories.

From one-sided trades that had student’s parents nearly in fisticuffs (somehow, my elementary school was one of the few that didn’t ban the cards), to the myriads of actual cash that I saw offered for cards around the playground, to the incredible amount of hours I spent playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game for GameBoy Color (via an emulator, unfortunately). I had a ton of incredible Pokemon experiences, even though I missed out on a lot of the RPGs by being a NeoGeo Pocket kid instead of a GameBoy/GameBoy Advance kid (until way later in the GBA’s lifespan).

My favourite memory has to be the actual, physical trading card game. From picking up the original starter kit (and unfortunately trading my Machamp way too hastily), to spending exorbitant amounts of cash on booster packs in search for that one card to perfect my current deck, everything about the trading card game was fun and addicting, which is probably a big part of why Pokemon is still so near and dear to us all these years later.

I loved everything about the trading card game, except for playing it with most people, that is.

See, I’m a stickler for rules and regulations. I’m the dude that would get a new video game, and sit at the kitchen table reading the manual cover to cover before ever putting it in my console (and I would still be doing that if games still came with manuals). Playing a board game, everyone is going to listen to me read the rules before that board even comes out of the box.

Kids sucked at playing Pokemon. Energy cards might as well not have existed. We’re two turns into the game, I obviously haven’t seen a Charmander or a Charmeleon, and you’re already playing a Charizard (and unleashing its Fire Spin, again, without any energy). Screw you, kids.

It’s probably one of the reasons that I (sadly) dropped Pokemon cards long before everyone else did and jumped into playing Magic: The Gathering with adults. They could follow the rules, and they could actually play the damned game instead of simply playing ‘I drew a better card before you did so you lose’.

There was one saving grace though. Playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game with my close elementary school pal, Graeme H (who I just had dinner with a couple of weeks ago, actually). Like me, he followed the game’s rules to a T, and it was a freaking blast every time that we got to play (because we were actually, really, playing). Eventually, the trading cards fell by the wayside to things like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and other Pokemon-level addictions, but these are memories that I still hold dear, and are moments that I try to bring up whenever we get to see each other.

Thanks, bud.

Adam Lemuz

Pokémon has always been a big influence in my life. Out of the countless games, cards, and tv shows released for it, my favorite Pokémon item has to be Pokémon Gold. This is why I love Pokémon HeartGold even more. The original Gold itself was pretty amazing alone. Being able to explore and catch a whole new generation, as well as being able to revisit the first, made this one of the longest games at the time that I’ve ever played. Bundle that with a beautiful graphical update, being able to have any Pokémon follow you around, and a few more tweaks here and there, and you’ve got a remake that almost feels like it’s completely different from the original. I would say to go out and play it, but odds are, you already have.

Celebrate Pokemon Day With These Special Events!

by Josh JacksonFebruary 27, 2016

Pokemon Day is here! 20 years ago today, Nintendo and Game Freak released two games that would go on to become a worldwide phenomenon. To celebrate two decades of the redefining handheld games, Nintendo has set up a variety of events for Pokefans across the country to enjoy.

First, various GameStop stores are hosting a Pokken Tournament… tournament! As we reported earlier this week, select locations will be hosting a tournament and demo event for the upcoming fighter from the team behind Tekken. Considering that I’m writing this as I wait to play, expect a full preview later today!

While you’re there, or even if you can’t it, make sure to pick up your special 20th anniversary poster at all GameStop’s nationwide with any purchase. Featuring 20 years of Mythical Pokemon on one side, with the Pokemon 20 logo on the other, it’s a great giveaway for any Poke-Fan. Toys R’ Us on the other hand, will be distributing special foil cards to celebrate the Generations card game expansion, along with an exclusive binder available for purchase.

Though if you happen to be in New York, the Nintendo World Store will be hosting its own event, filled with activities and photo ops for those braving the cold and long lines. Los Angeles on the other hand, will welcome back the Pokemon Boutique at Japan LA, for those of us who need some themed clothing or $1000 ruby encrusted Pokeball necklaces!

If sunlight isn’t your thing, you can enjoy the festivities from the comfort of your own home via Twitch! Promising a massive event featuring Pokemon themed activities, discussions, and an animation marathon, the event will run from 10 AM PT, with the marathon ending at 6 PM on Sunday. If that gets old, you can pass the time with your Pokemon selfies in the Pokemon Photo Booth app, making sure your fandom never stops. Or… just keep it simple and download Red, Blue and Yellow, which are available now!

As you can tell, there’s no shortage of ways to welcome 20 years of Pokemon. How will you be celebrating? Let us know in the comments!

We Are Ready To Test Our Might At Early Access ‘Pokken Tournament’ Competitions!

by Matt RodriguezFebruary 23, 2016

In what seems to be a never-ending stream of Pokémon news for the month of February, early access competitions for Pokken Tournament have been announced nationwide! Initially, the only tournaments available were at the Pokémon Championship Series and EVO, but now various Gamestop stores across the country will be holding tournaments as well!

The winners of these Gamestop tournaments will advance to the Early Access Finals, which will be held at the Nintendo NY store on March 17th. The winner of the Early Access Finals will then be invited to the National Finals in Ohio. The competitions will also be divided up into age brackets, one for those born in 2001 or later, and one for those that are born in 2000 or earlier.

The tournaments will be taking place on February 27th, with registration beginning at 10am. The full list of Gamestops holding competitions are as follows:

2201 Preston Road, Plano, TX
1841 Chamblee Tucker Road, Chamblee, GA
3972 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA
8115 S. John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL
6451 W. Diversey Ave., Chicago, IL
242 Bellevue Square, Bellevue, WA
32 E. 14th St. – Union Square, New York, NY
3914 Rivermark Plaza, Santa Clara, CA

For those of us California, this is the second major event being held in the same state, with a later event being the Pokemon Boutique held in JapanLA (starting 6PM). February 27th has been announced to be “Pokémon Day” and it is sure to be a stacked day! I’ll definitely be making my best effort to attend both!

Pokken Tournament is a tournament style 3D fighting game featuring Pokémon, and is being developed by Bandai Namco. It is currently only available in arcades across Japan, but will be seeing a Wii U console release on March 18, 2016.

Source: Business Wire, via Always Nintendo

Geekscape Games Presents: The Top 16 Games Of (The First Half Of) 2016

by Josh JacksonJanuary 31, 2016

I thought Christmas was supposed to be in December! Yet, as we wrap up January and head into February, you would think it was the end of the year considering how many amazing games are hitting the shelves. From high profile sequels to remakes, spinoffs and new IP’s that have demanded our attention, it won’t be hard to find a game or three to play in what’s typically supposed to be the slow winter and spring months. With so many to choose from, where do we start!? In no particular order, here are the 16 games of (the first half) of 2016 that we’re the most excited about.

Honorable Mention: Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow

Date: February 27th

For: Nintendo 3DS

It’s rare that people get so excited for a Virtual Console re-release, but c’mon, this is Pokemon! While not a full release, (and thus, being excluded from the proper list,) we’re too thrilled not to mention these titles! With Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow hitting our 3DS handhelds via the eShop in about a month, these ports will let us connect via built in wireless to rebuild our classic Pokedex’s with ease, all while poking at our nostalgia. It’ll be good to see what Missingno. has been up to after all these years!

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Date: April 26th

For: Playstation 4

As one of the many games that was delayed in 2015, it’s easy to see why we’re anxious to go on one more adventure with Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. With rumors of this being Drake’s last adventure, with some hoping that Naughty Dog focuses more on expanding on The Last Of Us going forward, this very well could be the last time we travel the world with the charismatic adventurer. While it may sound crazy to drop such a popular franchise, it’s not like Naughty Dog hasn’t done it before with series’ like Crash, (which was admittedly out of their hands,) and Jak, and suddenly, it’s not so unheard of. Are you ready to say goodbye?

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4

Date: February 8th

For: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC

While we’re talking about goodbye’s, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 is being touted as the final Storm game. If this is true, it will signal an end of an era for the franchise, which brought incredible visuals, intense boss fights, and a giant roster to the popular series. Oftentimes surpassing its source material when it came to showing off how crazy Naruto and his friends can be when in a fight, it’s appropriate that the fourth game plans on wrapping up the story ahead of even the anime. As the final fights come to a close, we’re hoping we’re left with a game that’s fun enough to carry our fandom for a long time to come.

The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD

Date: March 4th

For: Wii U

For those who listen to the Geekscape Games podcast, (thanks, Jeremy!), you’ll know that I’m generally against HD remakes, especially when they feel largely unnecessary. As with most poor life choices that I’ve made over the last year though, amiibo have changed the way I think. Coming bundled with a sweet Wolf Link amiibo at a standard MSRP of $59.99, the figure unlocks a brand new dungeon, alongside support with other Zelda amiibo to change the game in various ways.

Quantum Break

Date: April 5th

For: Xbox One

As the first game from Remedy since 2010’s excellent Alan Wake, Quantum Break looks to continue the developer’s penchant for innovative action game play to go with its stellar story telling that originated with Max Payne. Starring Shawn Ashmore, the cinematic style from their previous games is still going to be a heavy focus, but unlike many games these days, it doesn’t seem like the game play will be compromised because of it. Promising solid action-adventure elements with puzzle solving areas, we’re looking forward to finally getting Quantum Break in our hands.

Trillion: God Of Destruction

Date: Spring 2016

For: Playstation Vita

This Vita exclusive from the publishers and developers behind the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, (which we’ll get to soon,) Trillion: God Of Destruction has you amass an underworld army designed to take down a seemingly unbeatable god with a TRILLION HP! As you chip away at it over time, you’ll get stronger by training in secret and building relationships with your potential underworld waifus. Because we all need a little love in between fighting an indestructible monster.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam

Out now!

For: Nintendo 3DS

The Mario and Luigi and Paper Mario RPGs have been one of Nintendo’s best kept secrets for years now, providing laugh out loud comedy to go with its interactive turn based combat. But what happens when you combine both into one game? Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam looks to find out, bringing Paper Mario into a new world for a brand new team up. With new abilities, jokes abound, (usually at Luigi’s expense,) and rewarding game play, what’s not to love?

Note: Keep an eye out for our upcoming review!

Final Fantasy Explorers

Out now!

For: Nintendo 3DS

Described as Final Fantasy meets hunting and crafting games like Monster Hunter and Fantasy Life, Final Fantasy Explorers lets players team up in parties of up to four and fight some of the franchise’s most infamous monsters in their pursuit to complete quests. As they’re completed, characters can make new equipment, experiment with various jobs, and even temporarily take the forms of some of the greatest heroes in Final Fantasy history, including Cloud, Squall, Lightning and Yuna! Already adventuring? Share your friend codes with us in the comments and let’s get exploring!

Digimon Cyber Sleuth

Date: February 2nd

For: Playstation 4, Playstation Vita

As the first Digimon game to hit the current generation, as well as the first RPG to release in forever, Digimon Cyber Sleuth features hundreds of champions to collect and fuse as you and your team save the real and digital world from a new threat. Developed by Media.Vision, the RPG masterminds behind the Wild Arms series, and it’s safe to assume that the other beloved monster collecting franchise is in good hands.

Star Fox Zero

Date: April 22nd

For: Wii U

Speaking of being in good hands, the long awaited Star Fox follow up seems like a match made in heaven, (assuming the Lylat System believes in such a concept.) As a collaboration between Nintendo and Platinum Games, what we’ve played of Star Fox Zero with its free range, on rails and on land game play has had us desperate for more. Which made it all the more heartbreaking when it ended up like Uncharted and got delayed from 2015 to this year. Still, it’s looking like it’ll be more than worth the wait, and it will be great to gear up with the old team again.

Project X Zone 2

Date: February 16th

For: Nintendo 3DS

If Star Fox represents a strong team, then Project X Zone 2 is on a whole different level. Not only will Namco Bandai, Sega and Capcom team up for a second round of action packed turn based strategy, but Nintendo is getting in on the fun as well, with Chrom and Lucina from Fire Emblem and Fiora and Metal Face from Xenoblade Chronicles all appearing in the game. As one of the biggest surprises of 2013 for me, I can’t wait to get my hands on this crossover extravaganza once again.

Fire Emblem Fates

Date: February 19th

For: Nintendo 3DS

After Fire Emblem Awakening blew away all expectations in terms of both sales and popularity, the 3DS release served as a type of arrival for the strategy franchise, allowing it to take its place as one of Nintendo’s premiere IP’s. Capitalizing on this, Fire Emblem Fates will release with two versions with two different story perspectives. Featuring solid strategy game play, light dating sim elements and a custom character to lead the cast with, Nintendo is banking on Fates being just as popular, especially with special bundles, 3DS models, and even a downloadable third story on the way.

Megadimension Neptunia VII

Date: February 2nd

For: Playstation 4

Despite it seeming like Neptunia refuses to take a break with so many spinoffs, remakes, and sequels for the remakes, Megadimension Neptunia VII is the first sequel to the core franchise since 2012’s Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory. Now that everyone *should* have caught up after being bombarded with so many mostly solid games over the last year and a half, (assuming you have a Vita or Steam,) it’s time to take Gamindustri to the NEXT level! Featuring multiple stories, new characters, updated transformations and some much needed changes to the combat, and it’s looking like Neptune’s current gen debut might be one of the highlights of the year.

Gravity Rush HD Remaster

Date: February 2nd

For: Playstation 4

For my money, Gravity Rush is still the best game to release on the Vita. It’s breathtaking visuals, innovative game play and exciting exploration using the manipulation of gravity was too good to be ignored. Which is why I’m *really* pulling for Gravity Rush HD Remaster to shine in front of a bigger audience on the PS4. With reworked game play controls to work better on a Dual Shock 4, updated visuals, and all of the DLC included for $29.99, there’s no excuse not to get. Except for the fact that it’s mostly digital only if you’re already out of hard drive space…

If that’s the case, be like me and get the physical version which is exclusive to Amazon, and fall in love with Kat all over again!

Pokken Tournament

Date: March 18th

For: Wii U

Pokken was a long time coming, then all of a sudden, it was right around the corner! This collaboration between the team behind the Tekken series and The Pokemon Company brings together some interesting choices from the Pokemon roster to do battle in a 1-on-1 3D fighting game setting. Most importantly however, is that Pokken is looking to open the floodgates with the series’ first amiibo Card, coming packaged with Shadow Mewtwo. I hope you all have that second mortgage ready to go!

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst

Date: May 24th

For: Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC

Another game that felt like it would never see the light of day. After years of hoping until finally being confirmed back in 2013, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst will finally be in our hands in a few short months! Serving as a prequel that explores Faith’s background, we’re counting on the innovative first person platformer to wow us again. If DICE can pull off the same magic that they did the first time around, then we have nothing to worry about!

Street Fighter V

Date: February 16th

For: Playstation 4, PC

Unlike most of the games on this list, the time it took from announcement to release was relatively short. Not that we’re complaining, because a new iteration of Street Fighter is always something to get excited about! With four new characters to accompany a wide variety of reworked veterans from Super Street Fighter II to Street Fighter Alpha 3, the new V system that’s looking to mix up the rules of battle, and an expanded story mode that looks to bridge the gap between the original cast and Street Fighter III, why wouldn’t we be frothing at the mouth to play this?

As you can see, we’re going to have a busy time throughout the year. What games are you most looking forward to, and are there any that we missed? Let us know in the comments, and check back for the latest news, previews and reviews on the games listed, and everything else in between!

The ‘Evo 2016’ Lineup And New Character Announcement Has Us Hyped!

by Matt RodriguezJanuary 28, 2016

Evo 2016’s full lineup of games has been announced, and it looks pretty amazing! The games announced are: Street Fighter V, Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Pokken Tournament, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat X, and Tekken 7 Fated Retribution.

It’s interesting to note that quite a few of the games, such as Pokken Tournament and Street Fighter V are released this year, with Tekken 7 most likely to be arcade exclusive when Evo arrives. There’s no doubt that character and strategy tiers will still be in debate by the Fighting Game Community, so it is very likely that we will see many diverse matches. It is also worth noting that Nintendo in particular holds 1/3rd of the game lineup, beating Capcom in that regard, which is unprecedented!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMIWr0uEHg8

“The Evolution Championship Series (Evo for short) represents the largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments in the world.” This year, Evo will be taking place from July 15-17 at Las Vegas, Nevada, although one doesn’t have to go in person to experience the excitement–they also to live streams on Twitch and other live stream channels. Because of the scale of this event, it is very common for companies that manage fighting game brands to announce new games and characters for existing games in the days leading up to, and during Evo. One such character, Nina Williams, was announced yesterday. Nina Williams is a veteran character of the Tekken series, and is most notably known for her rivalry with her sister Anna Williams. Her fighting technique is loosely based on Assassination Arts, and even though she and Anna are related, their fighting styles are distinctly different. We are glad to have her back! Her new outfit sports a wedding dress, so we are also curious how this will fit into Tekken’s diverse storyline!

Sources: EVO Home (shoryuken) page, Shoryuken Evo 2016 Details Revealed

‘Pokkén Tournament’ Finally Gets a North American Release Date!

by Natalie KipperJanuary 15, 2016

The North American release date for the Pokémon-flavored fighting game, Pokkén Tournament for Wii U, was announced this morning with a surprise: the N.A. release precedes the Japanese one! Pokémon fans in North America can expect the game on March 18 while Japan will have to wait until April 28.

There is already quite a roster building up for Pokkén Tournament and it doesn’t look the reveals are stopping anytime soon. The most recent ones being Braixen, Garchomp, and Mewtwo along with yesterday’s announcement of Chandelure, bringing the fighter count up to 16 combatants.

The North American version of Pokkén Tournament will retail for $59.99. All first production run copies will also come bundled with a Shadow Mewtwo amiibo card that, when tapped on the Wii U Gamepad, unlock the Shadow Mewtwo as a playable character.

Are you looking forward to this one? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!

A Trifecta Of New Challengers Revealed For ‘Pokken Tournament’!

by Matt RodriguezJanuary 14, 2016

A scan of a popular Japanese publication, CoroCoro, has revealed that there will be three new characters joining Pokken Tournament–Braixen, Mewtwo, and Garchomp. These characters will be joining the existing roster of Blaziken, Charizard, Gardevoir, Gengar, Lucario, Machamp, Pikachu, Pikachu Libre, Sceptile, Shadow Mewtwo, Suicune, and Weavile–now totaling 15 playable characters! Even more, there will be a new character expected to be revealed tomorrow, thanks to a teaser from the official Pokken Twitter account.

Pokken Tournament is currently an arcade game in Japan (with previously limited availability in North America), which centers around Pokémon in fighting game style. It is being developed in conjunction with Bandai Namco, and the fighting system (in my opinion) is very similar to Soul Calibur/Dead or Alive, using a rock-paper-scissors approach… otherwise known as the strike, grab, and block system. It is unique in the fact that it allows for quadruped fighters, such as the Pokémon Suicune.

Pokken Tournament is due to be released on April 28 in Japan, and Spring 2016 in North America/Europe.

Sources: Ruliweb via Gematsu,

New Japanese Pokémon Arcade Game Gives You A Workout!

by Matt RodriguezJanuary 5, 2016

A new Pokémon arcade game has been announced by Bandai Namco for Japanese markets, and this one is very physical!

In the style of “chuck the ball” carnival games, Pokémon will appear on screen, and the players will throw actual Pokeballs at the screen in order to catch the Pokémon. Those with high scores will be reward with the opportunity to catch legendary Pokémon, such as Rayquaza. After every game successfully completed, the player will be given one of 24 collectible cards.

…And I’m just wondering how the game’s screen will be able to handle so many Pokeballs being thrown at it, if DDR machines are any indication on how “serious” arcade-goers can take physical games.

This isn’t the first time that Bandai Namco has worked with The Pokémon Company on arcade spinoff titles. Already in Japanese arcades, and limited American arcades is the title Pokken Tournament, which has been announced to receive a Wii U release this year.

Do you think this game will make it state-side? Would you like to see it in your local arcades? Please let us know in the comments!

Source: Siliconera, Bandai Namco JP

‘Pokken Tournament’ Comes To Wii U In Spring 2016 Worldwide!

by Josh JacksonAugust 21, 2015

Many considered a home release inevitable, but not like this! Following the recent arcade release of Pokken Tournament, a collaboration between The Pokemon Company and the developers behind the Tekken series it has been announced that the 3D fighter will arrive on Wii U in Spring 2016 worldwide! That’s right, not just in Japan, but in every major region, including the West!

Giving us the ability to go head to head with some of our favorite Pokemon in a fighting game environment is like a dream come true for some. Featuring Lucario, Blaziken, Suicune, Machamp, Charizard, and many more favorites, it’s safe to say that I’m not the only one who’s thrilled about the chance to own this game for ourselves.

Outside of the release announcement itself, the trailer revealed a new character as well… kind of! In addition to the standard Pikachu who’s already in the game, (and hilariously mimics attacks from Heihachi and Kazuya, Tekken‘s flagship characters,) Libre Pikachu will debut in all of his cosplay glory. Now, I get that it’s the mascot and all, but do we really need two different ones? Especially when Hawlucha, the original lucha Pokemon, is still nowhere to be seen?

Still, I’m shocked that a worldwide release is so close. What are your thoughts? Are there any other characters you want to join the roster ahead of its home release? Let us know!

‘Pokken Tournament’ Location Tests Are Coming To Dave & Busters!

by Josh JacksonJuly 22, 2015

Did you think we were going to have to wait longer to play Pokken Tournament outside of hoping on a plane to Japan? Thanks to Namco Bandai and Dave & Busters, experiencing the game just became a little more manageable.

During a Reddit AMA with Kevin Bachus, the Senior Vice President of Entertainment and Game Strategy at the restaurant, bar and game chain, confirmed that the highly anticipated Pokemon fighting game from the team behind Tekken will be coming to their arcades as a location test for the states.

From the AMA:

Yes. We will be testing Pokken. Candidly both NAMCO and I are more optimistic about that title and our typical guests than Tekken.

Obviously, details are lacking, but it’s good to know that it’s coming. Still, when will it arrive? Which locations will carry it? And does this location test mean they’re testing releasing more arcade units, or are they measuring overall interest to see if its worth porting over the inevitable console version? Either way, more Pokken is a great thing as far as I’m concerned, and you know we’ll be in those inevitable long lines when it starts popping up.

Check out the latest trailers, including the reveals of Charizard and Weavile, here. Do you plan on camping out and pushing past all the drunks to play? Sound off in the comments!

‘Pokken Tournament’ Adds Two New Fighters And A Rad Opening Trailer

by Josh JacksonJuly 13, 2015

It’s been a few months since we’ve heard any major news on Pokken Tournament, the upcoming Pokemon fighting game developed by the Tekken team at Namco Bandai. As if to make up for this travesty, the game received three new trailers, two of which reveal new fighters, and the third which serves as the opening to the game.

First is the introduction of Weavile, the Dark/Ice type that evolves from Generation II favorite, Sneasel. Using its sharp claws and powerful ice attacks, this Pokemon is often associated with the bad guys of the game’s universe. In Pokken, it puts its high attack and speed stats to great use, dodging opponents attacks and getting up close with ease.

Next, the Generation I favorite, Charizard, was more of a certainty than most. Still, seeing it in action has us all the more excited for the final game. Its powerful wings, claws and fire breath serve as reliable tools for putting the hurt on the enemy, which have carried this Pokemon through nearly two decades of battle. If that’s not enough, its Mega Evolution changes it into the black clad Mega Charizard X, which aims to finish off opponents in intimidating style.

Finally, the best news of all is that the game is right around the corner. Hitting Japanese arcades on July 16th, it wont’ be long before we’ll be able to see the full game in action. Console releases or localization plans haven’t been revealed yet, but considering that it’s Pokemon, it would be ridiculous for it to be passed up.

Tell us who you would like to see in the upcoming fighter! Which Pokemon would be a perfect fit in the Pokken arena? And why would it be Hawlucha?

Source: the-newshub.com

‘Pokkén Tournament’ Gets A Bad-Ass New Trailer!

by Derek KraneveldtFebruary 19, 2015

Briefly: We still don’t know if we’ll ever get a chance to play it, but Pokkén Tournament sure looks to be shaping up nicely.

A new trailer for the game debuted at this year’s Japan Amusement Expo, and while it reveals no new characters (and few other surprises), the 60FPS video offers a gorgeous look at the upcoming fighter.

Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you think. Currently, Pokkén Tournaments is confirmed only for Japanses arcades. Don’t you miss arcades?

The Creators Of ‘Tekken’ Bring ‘Pokemon’ To Arcades With ‘Pokken Tournament’!

by Josh JacksonAugust 30, 2014

Remember that image from late last year featuring Lucario face to face with Blaziken in a 3D space? After months of speculation, and even our own E3 predictions expecting as much, The Pokemon Company has officially unveiled Pokken Tournament, a 3D fighting game that is heading to Japanese arcades in 2015!

Developed by the team behind the popular Tekken series, Pokken Tournament will promises to bring that fighting pedigree to the world of Pokemon. With Lucario, Blaziken and the king of the Starter Deck, Machamp, there are still questions that are left unanswered. Will there be more than just fighting types included? When will it be released? And when, (not if,) will the game receive a console release, especially outside of Japan?

It might be a long time before we find out the answers, but for the time being, we can watch the game’s reveal trailer to our heart’s content. Check it out below, then tell us who you’re hoping makes the jump to the fighting game world!