Street Fighter III on its way to PS2...

[Use Your Illusion 0]

UYI: Are you expecting SCEA to let KoF2003 come out here, or do you have an import/modded PS2?

 

Because if it is the former case, then I wouldn't count on it.

I realise SCEA seem to have a strong distaste for all things SNK, but IGN.com, as of today at least, are saying that October 2004 is when we can expect to see it around in the United States. I'm an Australian citizen, so considering SCEA do actually let it through, I won't be able to pick it up until around X-Mas, I'd say.

 

What's your take on the situation, Renegade?

 

Also, SFIII - 3rd Strike and KOF '03 are certainly at the very top of my wish list this year, so the other games I mentioned will only be bought if there is cash left over after I buy those two.

 

UYI

[AndrewTS 0]

I had no idea you were an Aussie, UYI.

 

Well, I wish ya luck. And it isn't just dislike of SNK--they've been anti-2D since the days of the PS1, but are even stricter these days.

 

This is off topic, but here's a good way to get some beat 'em up action cheap:

 

http://members.rott.chello.nl/~r.vanmastbergen/index.html

 

It's like a Streets of Rage (specifically 2) clone with SNK sprites. Looks pretty good and is a blast to play until you get bored with it (gameplay isn't as good as SoR2, unfortunately, but still fun).

[Renegade 0]

UYI:  Are you expecting SCEA to let KoF2003 come out here, or do you have an import/modded PS2?

 

Because if it is the former case, then I wouldn't count on it.

I realise SCEA seem to have a strong distaste for all things SNK, but IGN.com, as of today at least, are saying that October 2004 is when we can expect to see it around in the United States. I'm an Australian citizen, so considering SCEA do actually let it through, I won't be able to pick it up until around X-Mas, I'd say.

 

What's your take on the situation, Renegade?

 

Also, SFIII - 3rd Strike and KOF '03 are certainly at the very top of my wish list this year, so the other games I mentioned will only be bought if there is cash left over after I buy those two.

 

UYI

SCEA are dicks but 2k3 should be released. Almost all other Kofs wound up on the PS/PS2 so I don't see what makes 2k3 an exception. Then again 2k/2k1 came out god knows when on the PS2.

 

And UYI, I strongly advise not to buy SvC unless you found it for dirt cheap.

[AndrewTS 0]

Is 2K2 going to be skipped over here for release, or do you think they'll put it together in a double-pack like they did for 2K/2K1?

 

Yeah, I have it on Dreamcast already (Mario-esque announcer: "pick-a your part-nah!"), but it's a good deal, I think.

 

Man, I can't wait to see the glowing Game Informer reviews.

[Renegade 0]

Not sure. Then again I don't really care about 2k2.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

So is KOF '00/01 readily available in the United States? I've been so busy with University etc. that I haven't been to a game store in months and months, yet alone even looked around the internet to see where I can get it.

 

Everyone I have spoken to about KOF 00 tells me it is easily one of their favourites in the series, and I'd love to know where to get it.

 

UYI

[AndrewTS 0]

So is KOF '00/01 readily available in the United States?

Yup. I got mine rather easily the first day it came out, and seen good prices for it on the internet.

 

I'm referring to the PS2 double-pack, of course.

 

Whether you'll like 2000 or 2001 kinda depends.

 

2000: Ren hates it, and I like it. It's awesome visually and aurally, and there's tons of kick-ass strikers to use (like a version of Choi that looks like Freddy), and they're actually useful. Some people think they're too cheap in this game (at least, certain strikers anyway), and it really hurts gameplay. However, if neither you or the people you're playing abusing them to be a dick, there's no real problem with it.

 

There are number of purists (Ren included) that hate the game because of that, and the ability to use the strikers for some cheap combos.

 

2001: Renegade likes it, I don't give a damn about it. I hate the new art, the backgrounds suck, and the boss is the most annoying KoF boss I've fought, personally. It plays pretty well, and I like how you can choose the striker/fighter combination you'd like (You could have anywhere from 1 fighter and up to 3 strikers, to 4 fighters and no strikers). However, I just don't have as much fun playing it as the other KoFs. It just feeled rushed and less polished than most of the other games.

 

So, up to you, but depending on the type of fighting games you like, you're bound to enjoy one of them. KoF 2k1 is pretty deep, but the overall fun just isn't quite as much there for me.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Awesome, thanks Andrew.

 

You'd be surprised how hard it is to track down that double pack over here in Oz. I had a look around while I was in the city today and found very little that could help my cause (CVS2), as well as digging around numerous local online video store sites and coming up short.

 

Guess my next step is to import it. I'm a pretty avid KOF fan, so I'm sure if you and Ren dig either game for particular reasons, then it will be the same for me.

 

UYI

[Renegade 0]

2000:  Ren hates it, and I like it.  It's awesome visually and aurally, and there's tons of kick-ass strikers to use (like a version of Choi that looks like Freddy), and they're actually useful.  Some people think they're too cheap in this game (at least, certain strikers anyway), and it really hurts gameplay.  However, if neither you or the people you're playing abusing them to be a dick, there's no real problem with it.

Hate is a very strong word. Character wise the game is great, but the strikers break everything in the game. Also the huge number of strikers bug me because if there wasnt like 100 strikers per character the game would probably have much better character sprites.

 

Kof 2k1 has horrible music and visuals, but has much deeper and less abusive gameplay (unless your playing as foxy or to some extent Maylee). Its a game that you would probably hate when you first see it, but when you play it for a while its quality shines through.

 

I actually like 2k quite alot, but 2k1 is just better.

[AndrewTS 0]

"I actually like 2k quite alot, but 2k1 is just better."

 

I guess statements like "plays like ass" might have misled me.

[AndrewTS 0]

UYI: Well, tell me what games you're looking for, what the prices you're looking at online are, and how much you think it would be to ship it there, and maybe we could work something out.

 

Although it would probably be quite a bit to ship over to Austrailia, but it would be a lot cheaper to ship them together as opposed to separately.

[AndrewTS 0]

Oh yeah, the new 3D KoF will make it to the States. Whoopee.

 

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/03/29/news_6092435.html

[Renegade 0]

I can play as gay cowboys in 3d?

[Use Your Illusion 0]

The screenshots don't look particularly awful, but SNK's last trip into 3D land wasn't exactly an eventful one, and I have no desire to see them try again.

 

It's what you do with what you have that counts. Stick to 2D, kids.

 

UYI

[AndrewTS 0]

Well, the thing with Wild Ambition was that it was just a remake of Fatal Fury in 3D. That's it. They even reused really-old voice samples. Gameplay wasn't enhanced one lick.

 

Basically, it was a pretty pointless exercise. I hate when we add another dimension to a game--then don't do a damn thing with it. It's completely unnecessary, then.

[Pegasus Kid 0]

I'm prety sure this will be a direct port.  In fact, if you look at any of the SF Fanboy sites like SHORYUKEN they're not only clamoring for a direct port, but a direct port of the arcade that had all of the programming flaws (infinites) rather than the balanced out version that was released for Dreamcast.

Which infinites?

Sorry Renegade, I meant unblockables (like Urien) and 100% combos (like Makoto's and Chun Li's). As far as I know, there are no infinities in 3S.

[Renegade 0]

I'm prety sure this will be a direct port.  In fact, if you look at any of the SF Fanboy sites like SHORYUKEN they're not only clamoring for a direct port, but a direct port of the arcade that had all of the programming flaws (infinites) rather than the balanced out version that was released for Dreamcast.

Which infinites?

Sorry Renegade, I meant unblockables (like Urien) and 100% combos (like Makoto's and Chun Li's). As far as I know, there are no infinities in 3S.

Yeah it did seem odd when you said infinites.

[Anya 0]

Well, the thing with Wild Ambition was that it was just a remake of Fatal Fury in 3D.  That's it.  They even reused really-old voice samples.  Gameplay wasn't enhanced one lick.

 

 

Have you ever played WA? It sucks, but not because it's a remake of FF1. It doesn't look, sound, play or feel like FF1. It's a shame too, because the game is worse than FF1 and it being a straight remake of it would have been better.

 

 

Everyone has all their new moves. FF1 doesn't have a power guage and all the crap that goes with it, like the desperation attacks, super specials and counters. The button layout is different.

 

The roster is also totally different. Kim, Mai and others introduced after 1 are in and a bunch of people from 1 like Richard Myer and Duck King are out. There's new characters too. The roster is more like FF2 than FF1.

 

The story is told through FMV cutscenes and is different than the original. The game has the same basic story, but is retold.

 

The presentation is also totally different, with new music, stages, art, and all that. It doesn't look like FF1 at all.

 

 

 

It's more like a modern game, in 3D, with the FF1 story. Take away the story and it could easily pass for a brand new game.

[AndrewTS 0]

Yeah, I played W.A., but not the original Fatal Fury.

 

I thought Desperation Attacks were "Fatal Furies."

[Renegade 0]

I thought Desperation Attacks were "Fatal Furies."

 

DMs came from Aof if thats what you mean.

[Anya 0]

There's no desperations or supers of any kind in FF1. FF1 is like really old school. More than SF II even. There's like 3 specials per character and no advanced techniques at all. The game only has 3 buttons too, punch, kick and throw. You can't even play as anyone but Terry, Joe and Andy in the original version.

 

 

Desperations were added in FF2.

[AndrewTS 0]

Gotcha. I thought the Desparations were eponymous, and the title of the game meant something. So when I'd heard Wild Ambition was a remake of FF1 (albeit incorrectly of course), I'd assumed Desperations were what the title referred to in the original game.

[Anya 0]

I think "Fatal Fury" refering to Terry and Andy's desire for revenge against Geese.

 

Or it's just a generic "intense" cheesy sounding name for a fighter....like DEADLY ARTS~! MORTAL KOMBAT~! KILLER INSTINCT~! PRIMAL RAGE~! or whatever.

 

 

BTW, Rage is going to be on Midway Arcade Treasures Vol 2 along with the MK games. That is cool.

[AndrewTS 0]

I thought Atari made Primal Rage? Or did Midway gobble up Atari/whoever the hell made that game?

 

It'd be weird to think the MK makers made an MK clone. Or rather, it wouldn't be (War Gods, Tao Feng).

[Anya 0]

Midway bought them a few years before they got out of the arcade market themselves. Only the Time Warner Atari games though, some other company like Activision has the Atari name. The whole Atari rights situation is weird and convoluted.

 

 

Midway also did Bio Freaks and Mace. None of them made by the actual MK team though.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Fatal Fury 1 may be old school, but that didn't stop me from playing it almost every day when I was a kid.

 

It's much more fun when you have someone to play with you, as you can rip it up as the other characters, including Geese Howard via a little trick that escapes my mind at present.

 

Geese and Terry were always my faves, and remain so to this day.

 

UYI

[Anya 0]

Yeah, I played a lot of FF1 too. The Genesis and SNES ports had the other characters playable. I have the Genesis one. Too bad it's missing Billy. It's weird that there's no girls at all in FF1. One of the few fighters not to have a token female.

 

The Geese code is like hold left before going to the selection screen.

[AndrewTS 0]

Midway bought them a few years before they got out of the arcade market themselves. Only the Time Warner Atari games though, some other company like Activision has the Atari name. The whole Atari rights situation is weird and convoluted.

 

 

Midway also did Bio Freaks and Mace. None of them made by the actual MK team though.

So the short story is, when Atari went kaput, companies like Activision and Midway swooped in like vultures and picked the corpse clean? So some got the name and some got the publishing rights to old games and some got certain copyrights to make future games, and those properties may have changed hands since? Not too difficult to figure out except to when you want to know who got what.

[Anya 0]

Ok, I just did a little research on this. It's pretty funny, in a "the mighty have fallen" way.

 

 

In the 70's Atari founder Nolan Bushnell sold the original company to Time Warner.

 

After the crash of 1984 Time Warner sold the company to Jack Tramiel, founder of the Commodore. Time Warner retained the rights to the arcade division though, and split off to become "Atari Games". Tramiel's Atari went on to do the Jaguar and all that and Atari Games had Primal Rage and a few other titles.

 

Midway bought all of Time Warner Interactive's stuff and I guess they got the games like PR, but not the "Atari Games" brand name.

 

Then Tramiel sold his Atari to some company called JTS, who sold it to Hasbro, who sold it to Infogrames.

 

I am not sure how Activision comes into play, I guess they just pay Infoframes(who is now called Atari) for the rights to use the name.

 

 

 

So basically in the mid 90's there were TWO Ataris at the same time and now Infogrames is what's left of the original and Midway has the rights to the games the spin off Atari made, but not the actual name Atari.

 

 

Rampage: World Tour is also in the collection, another pretty cool game.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Rumours are flying around the internet that Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike will be bundled with Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition. This is pure rumour though, and hasn't been confirmed by CAPCOM. I first saw mention of this over at Fighter's Generation, an *awesome* site full of all sorts of goodies.

 

Also, Sakura, don't forget that Pit Fighter will also be making an appearance in the Midway Arcade Treasures game.

 

UYI