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ESRB rates SOE-published 2D brawler 'Revenge of the Wounded Dragons' [update]

by Ben Gilbert { Nov 19th 2009 at 4:30PM }

Update: An SOE rep has confirmed to Joystiq that more details on the game will be released next Monday. Hold tight!

If it weren't strange enough that Sony Online Entertainment is listed as the publisher for recently ESRB rated PlayStation 3 side-scrolling brawler Revenge of the Wounded Dragons, we find it all the stranger that a trademark filing from last September puts Wet developer A2M in the developer's seat. The game's description, aside from pinning it as a PS3 exclusive, tells us that it's a "2D fighting game" where players will "frequently punch, kick, and throw enemies as they 'side-scroll' forward through the platform city environments."

We put our top men on deciphering this rating-wary, encrypted message, and they have surmised that the title will likely be some form of a Double Dragon clone. Reading further into the description, we see that the game follows "two brothers attempting to avenge their grandfather's death and rescue their sister from the local mafia boss." A 2D, sidescrolling brawler that follows the tale of two brothers out for revenge? You don't say! We contacted both A2M and Sony Online Entertainment for comment, but have yet to hear back.

Source 1 - ESRB
Source 2 - USPTO

Congratulations to osuiscoolteam2008 on being the first to comment. You've been emailed a free Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta code. Click here, for more information on this giveaway. Official rules apply.

iPhone It In: Canabalt

by Ben Gilbert { Nov 11th 2009 at 8:00AM }

Canabalt is a 2D side-scroller where you control a gentleman continuously running across rooftops and cranes, gradually building up speed while avoiding various objects which will either slow down or kill him. Rather than "score" or "points," developer Semi Secret Software measures your success by the distance you manage to cross, even allowing for instant bragging via Twitter in-game. It's a simple premise with a surprising amount of depth.

And it's exactly the kind of game I want to pick up and play on my iPhone. Canabalt is perfect for the device: the gameplay comes in short, addictive bursts, it loads up quickly, and it employs the touchscreen in an intuitive way. Though a vast wealth of quick and addictive games now reside on my phone, I find myself constantly returning to Canabalt's rooftops and blaring techno music whenever I have a spare moment.

Gallery: Canabalt (iPhone)

Continued →

French dev bringing Toki back with HD remake

by Xav de Matos { Oct 22nd 2009 at 3:00AM }

The classic shoot 'em up platformer Toki is getting the HD treatment, with an upcoming enhanced version from French developer Golgoth Studio. The studio -- which currently consists of six members -- intends on bringing the adventure back to life in with a "full 2D remixed version" based on the 1989 arcade original. In Toki HD, players must rescue his princess Miho from the evil sorcerer Vokimeldo, and reclaim his human form.

Toki HD producer Anthony De Sa Ferreira told Joystiq via email that -- while the game has no official platform as of yet -- the game has been submitted for approval for Games for Windows Live and Xbox Live Arcade. If its goal of resurrecting a classic arcade title isn't enough to get you on its side, Golgoth's motto of "2D refuses to die" might rope you in. Way to tug at our nostalgic heartstrings, guys. Check out the first gameplay footage of Toki HD after the break.

[Via GameSetWatch]

Continued →

Street Fighter IV characters go 2D, revisit the late '90s

by Ben Gilbert { Sep 11th 2009 at 3:15AM }

If Street Fighter IV were made 10 years ago and lacked all those bulging 3D muscles and gorilla hands, it might look something like the images you see above. Shoryuken forum member Steamboy33 took it upon himself to draw up Street Fighter 3-esque versions of 11 different characters from SFIV, reappropriating sprites from previous SF games as a template.

The adorable stature of these sprites almost has us wishing for a Smash Bros. meets mini-Capcom game, but let's be realistic -- no one wants to fight Seth ever again. Ever.

Gallery: Street Fighter IV

[Via iPlayWinner]

Fall Over: A platformer for gentlemen

by Xav de Matos { Aug 4th 2009 at 8:00PM }

Fall Over is a gentleman's platformer, with a twist. Combining a familiar-looking 2D landscape and real-life physics, indie developer Arvi "Hempuli" Teikari has put just enough spin on the genre to combat our rampant attention-deficit disorder.

Fall Over is a simple concept; as a fancy-suited gentleman, reach the end of the level with as many coins in your pocket as possible. The challenge is working with the game's real-world physics, including the little things we take for granted -- like accidentally knocking your character on his back after hitting his head on a platform above -- and keeping your coins safely tucked away. It's the engine that would make Mario scream, and it's a free game worth a few minutes of your time. Make sure to grab your top hat and monocle before checking it out.

[Via BigDownload]

Vanillaware: HD Muramasa wouldn't be 'a great deal of extra work'

by JC Fletcher { Aug 4th 2009 at 6:00PM }

Vanillaware's Muramasa: The Demon Blade is quite beautiful on the Wii, but would such a work be possible in HD? Vanillaware founder and president George Kamitani told Gamasutra that he thinks so. "Well, the original art we draw is all done in double-size -- in the case of Muramasa, the animation frames then get compressed down to the Wii's native resolution," he told Gamasutra. "As a result, producing a fully HD title would not be a great deal of extra work for us; it would just mean our original art is displayed in higher resolution." This is very similar to what WayForward's Voldi Way told us about 2D development in HD.

Despite the relative ease of transitioning to HD, Kamitani said there was no plan to re-release Muramasa as an XBLA game (or to re-release it anywhere else), but that the company is "in the experimental stage" of high-definition development.

Gallery: Muramasa: Demon Blade

Review: BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (Xbox 360/PS3)

by David Hinkle { Jul 15th 2009 at 3:00PM }

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is a game that's going to immediately feel right for hardcore fighting fans. If you've cut your teeth on Arc System Works' Guilty Gear franchise in the past, or enjoyed some of the more intense Capcom offerings in the 2D fighter genre, then the principles and mechanics of BlazBlue are going to feel natural to you.

[Note: If you're not one for battling through long paragraphs of words, try our casual setting, which features a much easier opponent: a video synopsis.]

Continued →

Tatsunoko vs Capcom gets online play, 5 new characters for North America [update]

by David Hinkle { Jun 2nd 2009 at 9:30PM }

Update: Capcom sent out a release the following day, redacting the mention of online play and five new characters. Did someone at Capcom jump the gun?

The release of Tatsunoko vs Capcom in North America will change a bit from its Japanese counterpart, Capcom has announced. The North American release eliminates one character from the Tatsunoko side of the roster and adds five new fighters not found in the original game. Not only that, but the North American version of the game will also have online play, a feature the original Japanese release cannot boast.

[Thanks, WiiNinja!]

Latest King of Fighters XII trailer is a history lesson

by David Hinkle { May 30th 2009 at 4:00AM }

With the release of King of Fighters XII drawing near (or, if you live in LA, you can play it early tomorrow!), SNK sent out a trailer to remind people why this franchise is so revered and why the latest installment should be worth your time. You know, thinking back on all of these games, we've realized something: King of Fighters has been around for a long time. No, seriously, it has!

Grossly obvious statements aside, we will say this: Them's some pretty sprites.

Reggie on Bob's Game: Refused license doesn't reflect on Nintendo's support for the little guy

by Ben Gilbert { Apr 4th 2009 at 11:00AM }

You remember Bob's Game, don't you? The humble 2D RPG made by a single, possibly loony, individual? Well nearly two months have gone by since the game's creator Robert Pelloni was denied developer status by Nintendo and -- other than a NYC littering spree -- we've heard little about the game as of late. In an interview with Nintendo big boss Reggie Fils-Aime on MTV Multiplayer last week, however, the record was set considerably straighter.

When asked for his side of the story on what had come to pass, the Regginator had this to say: "He did submit to be a licensed developer. We have an evaluation process. We evaluated the opportunity. We decided at this point in time that he did not meet the requirements to be a licensed developer." Well that about does it then, no? Apparently MTV wanted more from the conversation, pushing the CEO on what to do if a developer wants to work with Nintendo but doesn't necessarily have two or three major games under its belt, "My hope is that any developer who has a compelling idea will reach out to our licensing organization and share their idea and go through the process of becoming a licensed developer for the Nintendo platform," Fils-Aime said, "And we have a legacy of supporting that type of development."

Unfortunately, as it seems, Mr. Pelloni's game wasn't quite "compelling" enough of an idea.

This Wednesday: Bust up fools in 'The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai' on XBLA

by Ben Gilbert { Mar 30th 2009 at 1:00PM }

Announced via Major Nelson's podcast last night, this Wednesday's "Days of Arcade" XBLA game will be the 2D, side-scrolling, three-player co-op beat 'em up (breath), The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. Coming in at 800

($10), you might remember Dishwasher from GDC 2008 when, among other XNA titles, it was featured as a free download, showcasing the XNA development tools. Be sure to keep a lookout for the X3F Podcast-born achievement that pays homage to Peter Moore's fake guitar playing prowess! And if you're like us and can't spare the extra spacebucks just yet, feel free to window shop in our gallery below.

Gallery: The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai (XBLA)

[Thanks Menno!]

BlazBlue confirmed for North America summer release

by Jason Dobson { Mar 6th 2009 at 8:30AM }

With its global online support, we expected that Arc System Works' console port of arcade brawler BlazBlue would eventually be released outside of Japan. Now niche publisher Aksys has quietly revealed plans to bring the elegant 2D fighter to North America for both the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Like their counterparts in Japan, fighting game fans in North America can look forward to mastering super moves and combos this summer, as players beat the heat by staying indoors away from bears and tiresome physical activity. With King of Fighters XII slated for a July release as well, the only question we're left with is: How will our hands survive?

[Thanks, Nick]

BlazBlue throws a beatdown on PS3, Xbox 360

by David Hinkle { Mar 5th 2009 at 2:27PM }

Arc System Works, the folks behind popular 2D fighting franchise Guilty Gear, are planning on bringing their high-def 2D fighter, BlazBlue, to the Xbox 360 and PS3 IGN reports. Currently only available in Japanese arcades, the title is being ported to home consoles in the region, with release aimed at this summer.

Notable additions to the console port include a story mode, with individual stories for each character available. This story mode will offer branching storylines based on the battles you win, as well as the choices you make while playing. Director Toshimichi Mori says the story mode easily offers 30 hours of gameplay.

On top of that, gamers can look forward to online support for battling folks around the globe, as well as DLC, which Arc has planned, yet no specific items were mentioned. The console version of the game will also provide all characters with Astral Heat special moves, which were only given to a select few boss characters in the arcade version of the game.

SFIV Tiger Uppercuts PC this summer, may include Mad Catz fighting stick

by David Hinkle { Feb 27th 2009 at 3:02PM }

For our PC brethren that have been watching 2 million console gamers with envious eyes, know that your time will come, uh, months from now, as Capcom has dropped word that Street Fighter IV could be arriving on the PC as soon as this summer. Capcom vice president of business development, Christian Svensson, even says that Capcom has been in talks with Mad Catz to bundle one of those SFIV fight sticks with the game. "I'm in talks with Mad Catz to figure out how can we actually do some bundles of pads and Street Fighter IV PC," said Christian.

However, a release date of "this summer" isn't even set in stone for the game. When asked about the PC version's release, Christian merely responded by saying, "Let's say summer." We have a feeling a lot of PC gamers have some choice words for Christian, but we remember what our teachers told us about assuming.

Gallery: Street Fighter IV

Watch the Street Fighter IV opening cinema

by David Hinkle { Feb 7th 2009 at 9:00PM }

In 10 days, the U.S. will receive Street Fighter IV. It's a game that needs no prefacing of any kind. We just thought that you might want to take a break with us and watch the completely awesome Japanese opening cinematic. Seriously, if you watch one video today, this should be it. It's way better than the last trailer we showed you. Akuma totally fights Gouken. You can find the video past the break.