Koihime Boom

When Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Taisen Sangokushi Engi was announced for PS3, we thought it'd be sent to die. But we're happy we were wrong, as the game received a warm welcome from GODSGARDEN and the fans.

As of now, Kazunoko, KSK, Kami-chan, Naruo, Pekos (the Tekken player), Ren (BlazBlue player), Machabo (the Fei Long and Guilty Gear player) all play Koihime Musou. It also marks the first time these players all play the same game.

GODSGARDEN already streamed 40 hours of Koihime Musou since launch on February 20.

While cute characters is important factor, that's not all of it. The game is fairly simple to get into and watch. No gimmick. A lot of ground game. No comeback mechanics. No out-of-place character to create bad matchup. Long combos only start with Hougeki. It's Samurai Spirits with Focus Attack (called Hougeki in this game) without fancy systems. (We actually have how to play here.)

For those outside Japan who want to try, the download version of the game is available on PSN for 5,800 yen. A sequel of the game will come out some time this year for the arcades.

Umehara event at WonderGOO announced

It's announced in R's Room show today that Daigo Umehara will have a kumite and handshake event at WonderGOO shop Moriya branch on March 29, as part of R's Room's outdoor streaming. The shop will also give away to customers limited Umehara postcard drawn by the manga artist from Umehara: To Live is to Game.

Not the first footage of Umehara playing Guilty Gear Xrd

Just to remind you that Daigo Umehara used to win Guilty Gear XX at Evolution in 2003 and 2004 (two consecutive years).




Evo 2003 Guilty Gear XX Grand Final: Miu vs. Umehara

MarkMan coming to R's Room this Sunday

R's Room, the fighting game related Internet talk show, will have MadCatz's MarkMan and Mago as guests this Sunday (21:00 JST). It's said that they'll show MarkMan's arcade stick collection.

R's Room is hosted by R, the main commentator of TOPANGA League and various fighting game tournaments. The show requires paid membership (525 yen a month) which also gives you access to all the past contents like this.

Kao TV will be streaming Koihime Musou tonight

GODSGARDEN's Kao TV will be streaming online matches of PS3 version of Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Taisen Sangokushi Engi tonight, 23:00 JST or in the next 5 hours.

Update: Added video archive.

Virgin Gaming offers SF4 online money matching, supported by Capcom

Capcom announced today their partnership with Virgin Gaming to offer a middleman service for online money matching for SSF4AE2012. This marks the first time for such collaboration.

Virgin Gaming offers the service for 12% of the bet. Premium members (≥$4.17 per month) do not pay the 12% fee. SSF4AE2012 will be the first non-sports game they support.

Ura Kao TV to stream Koihime Musou

Update: Added video archive

Part 1


Part 2


It's revealed that GODSGARDEN's Ura Kao TV will stream PS3 version of Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Taisen Sangokushi Engi this evening. This is an official stream supported by the publisher to promote the game which will be released tomorrow or February 20.

As previously reported, the game moved from arcades to PC and now PlayStation 3. Major improvement from PC version is PS3 has online play.

A sequel to this game called Koihime Enbu was announced in December last year.

The stream will start at 19:00 or next 6 hours.

Related articles

• Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Taisen Sangokushi Engi trial version released
• [Hands-on] Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Taisen Sangokushi Engi
• Shin Koihime Musou: Otome Taisen Sangokushi Engi PS3 announced
• Koihime Enbu announced 

How to Play: Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax features characters from stories published on Dengeki Bunko magazine. Although the magazine is about light novels, many stories were made into anime later.

DBFC is produced and directed by Sega, but is developed by Ecole/French Bread (Melty Blood and Under Night: In-Birth)

When look closely, this game isn't just a fan service. The system is considerably deep, thanks to French Bread who also impressed us with the system of Under Night: In-Birth.

What we like the most in DBFC is it has proper "Burst" (called Blast in this game) and replenishes over time–they correct the big mistake in UNI. (You can't Burst out of hit stun in UNI.)

HUD

1. Stamina (same as typical fighting game)
2. Support Gauge - Fill over time.
3. Blast Icon - Fill over time.
4. Trump Card Icon - Necessary for special action. Get extra one when lose a round.
5. Time (same as typical fighting game)
6. Round Count (same as typical fighting game)
7. Climax Gauge - For special moves. Fill over time, and when attack, and when attacked.

Control

• A - Light attack
• B - Medium attack
• C - Strong attack
• S - Support
• Dash - Quickly tap forward twice.
• Safe Fall - Press A or B or C while falling
• Throw - Left or Right and C
• Throw Evasion - Left or Right and C while being grabbed
• Quick Forward - Quickly tap 1 to 9

• Combo (basic chain) - A then B then C
• Quick Combo (autocombo) - Press A rapidly
• Impact Skill - A+B or Down+A+B
• Impact Break - Back+A+B (add A or B or C when hit)
• Extended Action - Some moves will altered if you keep holding the button
• Special Move - Same as typical fighting game

Impact Skills have armor property. Main characters have their own.
Impact Break works as overhead attack. It can be followed after first hit.

Support Character
Calling a support can be performed by pressing S or Back+S. You must wait for a while after use.

Support Overview

• Wilhelmina Carmel - Her homing attack freezes opponent.
• Leafa - Her wind attack covers ground or air, blows opponent away.
• Touma Kamijou - Gives defensive support. Can nullify attacks.
• Kuroneko - Her roses attack rises from ground to sky, covers large area.
• Celty Sturluson - Attacks with her motorcycle.
• Haruyuki - Attacks from sky. Slow but powerful.
• Holo - Can heal or attack.
• Boogiepop - Fast attack is short. Slow attack is unblockable.
• Mao Sadao - Grows stronger after each successful hit.
• Innocent Charm - Appears near opponent and can force blocking.
• Kouko Kaga - Can attack or decrease opponent's Climax Gauge.
• Kino - Can fire bullet straight or antiair.
• Mashiro Shiina - Can force block string on opponent.
• Erio Touwa - Has a sliding attack and a move that nullifies attacks.

Climax Gauge
This gauge fills over time and when attack or attacked. Max at 5 bars.

• Climax Arts - Command+B+C (spend 2 bars)
• Reflection Guard - Press any two of A/B/C when blocking (spend a portion of)
• EX Special Move - Perform special move using A+B (spend 1 bar)
• Cancel Support - S while attacking to cancel the attack into calling Support (spend 1 bar)

Reflection Guard is Push Blocking.

Blast
Blast can be performed only when "BLAST OK" by pressing A+B+C simultaneously. Blast replenishes over time.

• Power Up Blast - In normal circumstance, increases power of attack and defense for short period of time, also fills Climax Gauge.
• Combo Blast - Used to cancel a move to another, similar to typical Burst Cancel.
• Escape Blast - Used when blocking or under hit stun. A typical defensive Burst.

Trump Card
Main characters have their own Trump Card. Trump Card is performed by pressing A+C simultaneous. The card is used up one a time, only replenishes one after losing a round, but no more than two.

Potential
Main characters have their own Potential. The effect is unlocked only when a certain condition is met. For example, increase attack power by 20% for 20 seconds when under 30% of health.

Watch Umehara play USF4 live on Taito booth stream!

It's revealed that Niconico will stream the stage events at Taito booth at JEAPO 2014. You'll be able to watch Umehara play Ultra Street Fighter IV live there!

Update: The steam is now over.

The Next Big Thing: Sega announces Blade Arcus

Sega today announced a new 2.5D fighting game called Blade Arcus - from Shining at JAEPO 2014.

Blade Arcus will feature characters from Sega's Shining series and some originals designed by Tony–one of the most famous illustrators in the business.

While not nearly as big, Shining series is Sega's Final Fantasy. The recent RPGs can guarantee at least 50,000 copies each release, some sold 100,000 copies in their first week. Importantly, its merchandises, mainly the figures, is a good source of incomes. Shining series also had two anime (2007 and 2012).

Blade Arcus will be released in the arcades this Summer. Four characters are confirmed so far, but you can guess the rest from the silhouettes in the teaser.

Characters as seen in the teaser

• Won Pairon (original)
• Ryuga (original)
• Rage & Yukihime 
• Sakuya
• Altina *silhouette
• Rick *silhouette
• Melty *silhouette
• Rouna *silhouette
• Xiaomei *silhouette
• Roselinde *silhouette
• Fenrir *silhouette
• Dylan *silhouette

New character intro video of Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax

A new character introduction video of Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax is posted today.

The characters in the game are from the series published on Dengeki Bunko magazine. Although the magazine is about light novels, many stories were made into anime later.

The producers and director of this game are from Sega, but developers are Ecole/French Bread (Melty Blood and Under Night: In-Birth).



We actually have some hype for this game, the characters look fine and French Bread will probably get the gameplay right this time. (This's what's wrong with UNI.)

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax is scheduled for the arcades this Spring. A console version is planned.

Umehara's USF4 kumite planned for JAEPO 2014

It's revealed that Daigo Umehara will have an Ultra Street Fighter IV kumite in Japan Amusement Expo (JAEPO) 2014 on February 15 at Makuhari Messe.

JAEPO 2014 will be held on February 14-15. Only the second day is open for public. Bandai Namco, Sega, Konami will have the biggest booths. Capcom will not participate. The USF4 stage show is organized by Taito.

[Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross] Aki Horona replay #3

Aki Horona, the top Virgilia player, uploaded his online matches yesterday.

1. Lucifer/Rosa vs. Virgilia/Willard *beautiful ending
2. Virgilia/Rosa vs. Erika/Bernkastel *nice Bernkastel pressure
3. Virgilia/Lucifer vs. Black Battler/Eva

Umehara on Mezamashi Doyoubi summary

A Japanese TV program "Mezamashi Doyoubi" (Alarm Clock Saturday) that was aired nationwide yesterday's morning had a scoop of Daigo Umehara's daily life.

Notes
- It begins by introducing e-sports.
- It shows League of Legends tournaments.
- It shows that Japan has a gaming space for e-sports, e-sports SQUARE AKIHABARA. (service fee: 1 hour/400 yen)
- It leads to the talk about Japanese pro gamer Daigo Umehara.
- According to the program, Umehara is "God of Fighting Game" (格闘技ゲームの神)
- [11:00] It shows Umehara's bedroom, a picture of him as a kid with his family. (father, mother, older sister) His room has no game console.
- [13:00] It shows Umehara going to a fitness club in Shibuya. (monthly fee: 6,000 yen to 13,300 yen, tax not included)
- Umehara says he goes to the gym to make a better image of a gamer.
- It shows that he has a cute instructor!
- It shows Umehara going to a business meeting with the editor of his book at Shogakukan (publisher) building.
- It tells that Umehara's Willpower to Keep Winning is the bestselling e-book of 2013 on Amazon Japan.
- It shows Umehara going to his gaming training room after buying stuff from a convenient store. The room is inside an apartment, not the same place as his house.
- His training room has a poster of Rena Tanaka on the ceiling!
- [18:00 to around midnight] Umehara says he trains until before the last train.
- It shows that Umehara uses PC to record his movements for reviewing.
- [21:00] It shows that sometimes he goes for a walk to relax after an intense training.
- It shows how fast Umehara can do Shinku Hadoken.
- The moment Umehara appeared on the TV, the word "Umehara" was No.1 on Japan's Twitter trend.

Umehara's Super Play in gif: vs. Kazunoko (2nd TOPANGA League)

Daigo Umehara finishing off Kazunoko with "Ume Ranbu," perfect with 82 seconds left, in the first day of 2nd TOPANGA League (August 17, 2012).