CAPCOM VS SNK SERIES 3 MINI-FIGURES

From: Action-Figure.com

Diamond Comics releases this Previews Exclusive Capcom vs SNK Series 3 Mini-Figures that is due to hit speciality stores in North America in October...

Imported from Japan! Don't miss out on this third collection of Capcom vs SNK figures! These exciting 4" figurines from the greatest fighting games ever include: Sakura Kasugano and Maki Genryusai (from Street Fighter), and God Rugal, the alternate form of Rugal Berstein (from King of Fighters). A must-have for video game fans! Blister card packaging.

Scheduled to ship in October 2006.

NOTE: This item is sold to retailers in case lots. Please check with your retailer for availability.
NOTE: Available only in the United States, Canada, and U.S. Territories.
Mini-Figures SRP: $5.99

Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 Xbox

Release date: Oct 2006

Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 reacquaints players with the revolutionary games of their time while providing countless rounds of quarter-free entertainment. Each treasured favorite contains bountiful bonus features including remixed soundtracks, original art and history that will leave everyone wanting for more. Homes will turn into a virtual arcade halls as this 20-in-1 compilation will have players flashing back to the good old days and introduce toa new generation the titles that helped define Capcom's legacy as a leading worldwide developer and publisher. -MyGamer

Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 2 includes the following features:

20 timeless masterpieces on one disk

Jam-packed action for countless hours of classic entertainment

Bonus content - Listen to remixed music and view original artwork.

Capcom releases Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie on UMD…

...hopes to avoid bloodshed in high street rush

Movies based on video games have a more chequered past track record than Jenson Button – for every okay adaptation such as the original Tomb Raider (Angelina Jolie 'is' Lara Croft, discuss) there's a dire Super Mario Bros (Bob Hoskins 'isn't' Mario, discuss) waiting in the wings. Considering the live action version of Street Fighter starring Van Damme and Minogue spinning-kicked its way into the latter camp, you might be less than excited at the prospect of a street fighting flick on your PSP.

However, Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie sagely removed the Muscles from Brussels along with all the other 'real actors' in favour of an anime approach more in line with the game's aesthetic and a suitably convoluted tale featuring Ken, Ryu, Akuma and a whole host of their pugilist pals.

The result was considerably more enjoyable, as all who bought the DVD back in 2000 will testify. And anyone who didn't catch it first time round, along with those who'd like to relive the 100 minutes of animated action (plus making-of featurette) on a plane, train or automobile, can now do so thanks to a freshly minted UMD from Capcom.

Currently available in the US at $19.99, we can expect to see it hit these shores suitably hard in the near future (and hopefully at a more reasonable price than UMD films to date).

If 100 minutes of action isn't enough, consider getting your fists into the 29 episodes (split into five volumes) of the Street Fighter II: V animated series, as well as a further two UMDs based on fellow beat 'em up Dark Stalkers.

Then again, if you just can't wait for your fighting fix, there's always the more interactive version of events in the shape of Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max (screenshot above), available to buy here.

By Chris James.

Street Fighter II not hitting XBL in Q2?

Capcom's brawler appears to be on the verge of missing its anticipated release window for third time.

When Capcom first announced in January that it was bringing Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting to the Xbox 360, it said the game would be available "in early 2006." Later that month, the publisher adjusted that time frame to "Q1 2006." Late last month, when GameSpot previewed the title, Capcom then indicated a Q2 release for the game.

With time rapidly running short in the second quarter of the year, GameSpot asked Capcom if the game's release window had been pushed back yet again. A representative replied, "Capcom has not yet announced a specific release date or pricing for this game."

Earlier this week, some Street Fighter fans were buzzing over a July 30 release date for the game listed on the official Australian Xbox Web site, but that entry has since been changed to read simply "2006." The American Xbox Web site is a little more precise at the moment, giving a "Summer 2006" date for the game. This year, the last day of summer is September 23.

By Brendan Sinclair -- GameSpot

Street Fighter II on XBLA dated for July 30?

The much delayed and anticipated Xbox Live Arcade title Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting has gotten a release date -- at least down under. According to Xbox Australia, the classic 2d fighter is going to see the light of day on July 30 for Xbox 360 owners. Rumored to be released in the Spring, then some time this summer, maybe the Aussie's now know something we don't. The U.S. Xbox site still has the game listed as coming out in March 2006 -- perhaps Microsoft should think about updating that. A lot of gamers have been looking forward to this one, so could our prayers for a firm release date be answered?

by Robert Summa

Capcom Ships New Mega Man & Street Fighter Releases

Capcom released MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6 in two versions – CYBEAST GREGAR and CYBEAST FALZAR for the Game Boy Advance, and STREET FIGHTER ALPHA ANTHOLOGY for the PlayStation 2, a compilation of the STREET FIGHTER ALPHA series.

For MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6, the popular net battle series reaches a dramatic climax as familiar heroes, Lan and Mega Man, find themselves on unfamiliar terrain both in the real and cyber worlds. They will face the mightiest threats the series has ever seen but also wield the greatest power ever available. MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6 CYBEAST GREGAR and MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6 CYBEAST FALZAR are now available at retailers across North America and are rated ‘E’ for everyone by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board).

In MEGA MAN BATTLE NETWORK 6, Lan’s father has received a job transfer and the family moves to Cyber City, a town known for conducting various technological experiments. Lan will meet new people and build new friendships in the real world while Mega Man befriends helpful Navis and encounters dangerous new enemies on the virtual plane. Together they will face threats far more powerful and perilous than they ever have before.

A long time ago, two ancient creatures with unimaginable power ravaged the net. These two behemoths, called “Cybeasts,” clashed against each other with such force that the entire virtual landscape was changed forever. One embodied the form of a vicious wolf, with massive fangs and horrific howls that reached far and wide. The other was a ferocious bird with razor sharp claws and immense wings that flapped mightily, blowing over everything in its path. After their last known battle, a giant crater was all that remained and it was named the Underground, where they have lain in slumber… until now. Through the actions of a mysterious foe, they have been awakened and unleashed upon the net. Mega Man is able to intervene and manages to successfully contain one of the beasts within him.

In addition to the shifting story, new features change up the gameplay. A new “Cross System” allows Mega Man to utilize the special power of allies in battle. Mega Man will encounter several “Link Navis” along the way which, when defeated, will lend their own cross ability that can be used in battle. Though very useful, each has a particular weakness. Another powerful advantage is the “Beast Out” system, resulting from Mega Man’s absorptionof the powerful Cybeasts. The option to use the ancient monster’s power during battle will become available, offering a boost in speed, ability to rapid fire Buster shots, double a Battle Chip’s attack power and more. While a Cross is equipped, Mega Man can also Beast Out, combining the forces of these two systems to maximize the power of the Crosses even further. However, the use of the Beast Out system is very limited and if Mega Man becomes fatigued, he may succumb to an uncontrollable overdrive mode called “Beast Over.” In this state, Mega Man will be very powerful for a short period of time, but then when he is released from this mode, he will be left in a very weakened state, close to dying.

The STREET FIGHTER collection features direct conversions of STREET FIGHTER ALPHA, STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 2, STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 2 GOLD and STREET FIGHTER ALPHA 3 which have never before been available together in one package. As an added bonus, the “pint-sized” SUPER GEM FIGHTER MINI MIX (also released on consoles as POCKET FIGHTER), is included which brings the total to five games on one disc. STREET FIGHTER ALPHA ANTHOLOGY is now available at retailers across North America and carries a “T” rating for teen audiences by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board). To date, the STREET FIGHTER franchise has sold more than 24 million units worldwide.

All titles in the collection feature three core gameplay options. Arcade mode pits competitors against a series of CPU controlled opponents in order to beat the game. Versus mode allows two players to choose among the cast of characters for intense head-to-head battles. Fighters can practice special moves and combos to hone their skills in the training mode. Additionally, all four Alpha titles feature survival mode as well as a dramatic battle mode which allows 2-on-1 tag team matches.

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment. Founded in 1983, the company has created world-renowned franchises including RESIDENT EVIL, STREET FIGHTER, MEGA MAN, VIEWTIFUL JOE, DEVIL MAY CRY and the ONIMUSHA series. Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, the company maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Tokyo and Hong Kong. More information can be found at www.capcom.com.

Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie

If You've Seen Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie Before,

You Haven't Seen Anything Yet...

FROM IDT ENTERTAINMENT'S MANGA ENTERTAINMENT --
UNRATED “STREET FIGHTER II: THE ANIMATED FEATURE”
WITH NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN FOOTAGE MAKES
NORTH AMERICAN DVD DEBUT

DVD Includes Exclusive Never-Before-Seen Comic Book;

Available July 18th, 2006

Chicago , IL – Manga Entertainment, an IDT Entertainment company and the recognized industry leader in anime DVD, proudly announces the first DVD release of Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie unrated and unedited, with additional graphic – and sexy -- footage previously unseen in the United States ! In addition, each Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie DVD contains an exclusive, all-new Street Fighter mini-comic-book from Japan 's famous Udon Comics. Street date is July 18 th , 2006 with an SRP of $19.98. Pre-book is June 7 th .

Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie is the feature version of the wildly popular Capcom™ game phenomenon and precursor to the highly acclaimed "Street Fighter II: V” TV series, Street Fighter Alpha and Street Fighter Generations. Now, Street Fighter fans can truly thrill to the feature film exploits of such globally renowned SF characters as the ruthless terrorist leader General Bison, US Army Major Guile, Chun Li and American martial arts expert Ken Masters – complete and uncut!

Manga's new DVD release is the first-time ever US release of the UK unrated version, featuring a soundtrack by KMDFM and never-before-seen footage of graphic violence and nudity that North American Street Fighter fans have been waiting for – including the notorious Chun Li shower scene!

Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie

Pre-Book Date: June 7, 2006 Street Date: July 18, 2006
Cat. #: M2057 ISBN: 0 1313 82057-9 7
Running Time: 110 minutes SRP : $19.98

Manga Entertainment Inc . specializes in the production and distribution of Japanese animation for theatrical, DVD and home video release worldwide. Manga's cutting-edge film collection also features Asian live-action, cult, pop-culture and international animation. The Manga film library is marketed and distributed in the U.S. through Anchor Bay Entertainment, a subsidiary of IDT Entertainment. Manga is headquartered in Chicago and has offices in London and Tokyo . www.manga.com

Manga Entertainment is an IDT Entertainment company. IDT Entertainment is a vertically integrated entertainment company that develops, produces, and distributes proprietary and licensed entertainment content.

More Gouken Images From Sota Toys...

Sota posted some new Gouken pictures over at Action-Figure.com today.







Gouken will be avaible for purchace at this years San Diego Comic-Con July 19th-23rd, via Sota Toys' booth and Toyrocket.com Booth.



I, can, not, wait, to get these!

Street Fighter Alpha Anthology

By Shacknews

The publisher pitch:
The definitive Alpha Collection comes together with five prized fighters united for the first time. Street Fighter Alpha Anthology is an arcade perfect compilation of Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold and Street Fighter Alpha 3. As an added bonus the "pint-sized" Super Gem Fighter MiniMix (released on consoles as Pocket Fighter) is also included.

Features:

Street Fighter Alpha brings together a cast of 13 characters from the collective Street Fighter Universe: Ryu, Chun-Li, Ken, Charlie plus 9 more. This title introduces the use of super combos and alpha counters to add new dimensions to fighting.

Street Fighter Alpha 2 launches with 18 electrifying characters: Akuma, M. Bison, Gen and much more. Players can use the new Custom Combo system to perform devastating multi-hit combos using the super meter. New high and low Alpha counters were also introduced to increase battles.

Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold is an enhanced version of its predecessor.

Street Fighter Alpha 3 includes an un precedented 25 characters and offers players the choice of three "isms" fighting styles.
1. X-ism: Simple fighting style with one powerful Super Combo
2. A-ism: Standard fighting style with several Super Combos
3. V-ism: Variable fighting style including Custom Combos

Super Gem Fighter MiniMix is a miniature version of the popular Capcom fighters in fierce battles. Collect power-up gems to perform an array of special attacks and powerful combos.

Capcom Fighting Evolution

By bc88tsd

Capcom Fighting Evolution is a collision of 5 different worlds in the Capcom Universe. Street Fighter 2, 3, Alpha, Darkstalkers, and Red Earth come together to try and revolutionize 2-D fighting.

Graphics
The Sprites are 8-9 years old for Alpha, and Darkstalkers. For the Street Fighter 2 characters they use the Capcom vs SNK sprites, and Red Earth was never released over here. The new character, Ingrid, looks exactly like the rest of the characters. The backgrounds are cool except for one thing, the moving characters look terrible in the high resolution backgrounds. So there is nothing impressive or revolutionary as far as graphics. The Super Moves are the coolest part, with each one having a different reaction when performed.


Sound
On par with Capcom vs SNK 1 or 2, the music and sound effects do take these characters away from their Q sound predecessors, but nothing new in terms of how they sound.

Gameplay
I guess this is where this game is supposed to amaze us. Well Capcom, I hate to tell you but I’m not impressed. The way this game is played is about the same as Capcom vs SNK 2, but worse. Where you can usually pick a groove, now you are stuck with a groove depending on which character you pick. Also there is a huge balance issue, the Street Fighter 2 characters, Dimitri, and Chun-Li are the most powerful characters in the game. All the rest of the characters are mediocre to weak at best. No Morrigan, no Ken, hardly any unlockable characters, and the only replay value is you get to unlock music that you can listen to in Anniversary Collection. The boss, Pyron, is ridiculous he will teleport 100 times in the average battle, it is a pain.

For those who like classic games like Alpha, Darkstalkers, Street Fighter 2, I suggest buying a Saturn and playing these games Separately, it will be a better experience.

Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded

Bringing hours of entertainment for players on the go, Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded offers faithful arcade ports while delivering competitive and cooperative multiplayer games that canbe enjoyed via the PSP system's wireless ad hoc mode. Game sharing abilities not only pushes Reloaded over the compilation echelon, but presents the opportunity to be challenged just like the good ole arcade days. For those wanting to experience the games in their original presentation, the screen settings can be changed to suit just that. Relive Capcom's history and savor bonus features by earning credits towards Reloaded's themed slot machine to unlock a buffet of goods including original art, playing tips and secret codes.
Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded is guaranteed to provide quality entertainment at a great value.

Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded boasts the following features:

More than 15 arcade-perfect classics on a single UMDTM
Hundreds of hours of nostalgic entertainment
A wealth of added features including game history, playing tips, original artwork, and new secret codes•

Customizable controls to suit any gaming style.

Mygamer.com

Street Fighter II Turbo HFE Being Optimized For Online Play

The anticipated Xbox Live Arcade game, Street Fighter II Turbo HFE, is undergoing optimization for online play. Capcom is optimizing Street Fighter 2: HFE Edition's online fighting mode which has been reported as being laggy. "There's nothing hyper about it," say reviewers in a video at Gamevideos.com. Gamevideos.com lists the release date for Street Fighter II Turbo HFE at June 28, 2006. Watch a video demonstration here.

Magazine scans hint at Street Fighter and Lumines release dates ...

I don't know what magazine this is scanned from, I don't know who scanned it, but I believe the power of me-wanting-this-information-to-be-true will make it so. US$5 for Xbox LIVE Street Fighter: Hyper Fighting? Yes please. Lumines Live as soon as August or September? I'll take it. The fact that everyone is so furiously looking for these launch dates should tell Microsoft something: bulk up the marketplace.

While there is a lot of good stuff in the works for LIVE Arcade, the release schedule has been slow. It seems like months go by between new releases, and this is the time MS should be selling these games online, especially without any competition from Nintendo's virtual console. What are they doing with this free time to build a robust library? Very little. While I'm as big of an UNO fan as the next guy, it's just not cutting it if that's going to be your only release in the near future. If you go to the store you can pick from any number of collections that have a dozen or more games for only US$20, so why is it so hard to convince people to sell single games for US$5 or more? Why aren't we being given more choices, more classics, more indie games?

On the upside, I'm really looking forward to Lumines Live, and if we see it in August for US$15 I'll be a happy puppy. While that price is on the high side for LIVE Arcade games, the only other way to pick up the game is on the PSP, and that version carries a US$20 price point. Not a bad deal.

Street Fighter II Preview Vid

We here at Kotaku tower are hung over and filled with self-loathing this morning, except for that Gauger %&!$*, who keeps on spritely prancing about offering us black coffee and aspirin with the smirky manner only a woman who has watched three men make drunken jackasses of themselves can so obsequiously employ.

So enough talk. Talking hurts. Video! Specifically, this Street Fighter 2: HF preview video from 360 Live. It starts off slow... you can fast forward past the bumbling butterfingers at the beginning to get straight to the gameplay and list of achievements. It looks good! If, you know, pretty much the same. I just wish Microsoft would get around to releasing Cho Ren Sha 68k over Live: then the 360 would have both of my favorite arcade games. FLORIAN ECKHARDT

Street Fighter Video

CvsSNKII Figure Vote' On High-Dreams Website..

Make sure you vote for the next SNK fighter on High-Dreams Capcom Vs. SNK II Toys line. Voting ends in 15 days.


Click Image:


BTW...Vote for King! :D

More Info On SOTA's Gouken

Extra information on Sota's San Diego Comic Convention exclusive Street Fighter Gouken:


Source: Action-Figure SOTA Forum.

Jerry Macaluso, President/Founder Of SOTA Toys wrote:

It may not seem it but getting this figure done in time for SDCC with everything thats gone on with the old factory is not easy.

We basically had to cast a new Akuma protoype and resculpt many pieces. The time crunch is causing this figure to cost FOUR TIMES what it normally would to make. it should be $60 using our standard margins...lol... so its basically a break even for me. But we get a figure we all want.

Making interchangable pieces requires more de-bugging time than we have to get these on time. It may sound simple but all of you have encountered pieces that are difficult if not impossible to interchange. it would be a nightmare on a schedule this tight.

And this is a 100% new tooling as we have zero access to Akumas tooling.

I do have King Atlas and Green Baron. Two of each. I have two of every Micronaut. One mint and one to open. Sometimes more than two..lol. I believe I have one of the best collections in the world.

If you all remember my rule has always been that all fans will have access to every character.

I always made it clear that not every version of every character will be available to everyone.

Our Gouken has yelling head, fists and Shoryuken. Toy Rockets has normal head, open hands and Hadouken.

Toy Rocket will be selling their Gouken on their site so you will be able to get it there if you cant attend SDCC. That is giving all fans in the USA access to the character. I hope they keep the price at $20 but I cant guarantee anything.

If we have any left of ours after the con we will be doing the same but I doubt we will as we have less of them because....

We have sold a certain amount of the yelling head SOTA version to our European and Japanese distributors so collectors in those countries can get them without having huge shipping fees.

The hands and heads are NOT interchangable ( there was no time to work out the engineering on that with the new factory ) . So just buy the one you like best. I made two versions because it helped us cover the steel tooling not because I was trying to get you to buy both copies.

So if you want a Gouken its available to you. If you are a completist I dunno what to tell you other than being a completist is ALWAYS ridiculously expensive.. yer talking to a guy who had to have both Italian and American versions of Ampzilla and it cost me almost $5k.

- The other exclusive looks to be done on time..its not SF and is really limited..I think 500 pieces... its a Johnny Cash variant

- Gouken WILL be available preview night.

MidniteSuby wrote:
Hey Jerry
When will we get to see the final non-mock up pics of the figure? I also want to see how the Hadoken acessory looks like

-Early June

J

SOTA Street Fighter ToyLine Update# 15

Source: Action-Figure SOTA Forum.

Jerry Macaluso, President/Founder Of SOTA Toys wrote:

- The clear SF gifts were packaged.

- Accessory packs are being sculpted..Adam and Rene are running with it..I dont think we'll announce any details until SDCC

- Its not necessarily Capcoms dislike for Marvel legends style figures its the entire eastern cultures dislike. They prefer Kotobukiya and Kaiyodo style 'hidden' articulation. They like articulation to be on a figure by figure basis. They perceive articulation as an 'art'. Marvel legends are seen to be 'cheap' because the articulation is so visible..they are seen to be 'kids toys' same with SF. Of course I didnt know this until after I commited to ML style articulation. I still would have done it the same way even if I had the hindsight...I dont particularly like Kaiyodo or kototbukiya style articulation. I guess its cuz I grew up with Microman/Micronauts and thats what I like.

- My deal with Capcom is i can do whatever I want in plastic..articulated or unarticulated..between 3" and 18" with any character from the Street Fighter Universe except EX characters. That gives me a lot of leeway. I only need to get creative approvals on the 'look' of things.

- No booth at the Toronto Comiccon..sorry..wish we had the staff to do more conventions but we need to get back to work. We only take a week off for SDCC

- Gouken has the X on his forehead but you cant really see it in the pics.

- We've never done anything organized. Its really just fan/collector interaction online and at cons. Truthfully without a new game to rebuild a younger fan base the potential of the franchise just isnt big enough to warrant the costs of more in depth marketing.

- Capcom sees everything before we release pics but they rarely have any comments. There were only two times we battled with them. First was at the very begining trying to get them to understand the 'Marvel Legends' style..they hated it..every japanese company hates it. Second was the infamous 'bloody' 2 pack... but really capcom is fantastic to work with.

- As for 'scrapped concepts/early sketches' .. yeah I have stuff I plan on putting on the new website.

- Let me tell you how we went into the SF line... both feet first. That was at the very begining of the company...Tomb Raider hadnt even come out yet so Jed and I ( yes that was the entire company) had no clue what we were doing. I always knew that I wanted to try and spread out the popular characters to support more rounds but I hadnt planned on letting the fans vote when we started. The fan vote came about through discussions with Nomad and Adrian. They suggested it.

- My fav memory of this SF line was when we released the very first teaser pic of M Bison and the action-figure traffic went bananas...thats when I knew we had something.

- Hellhound..I think it would be a good idea to put the previously released figues on the packaging somewhere.

- What happens to Darkstalkers orders that have already been placed. I dont have an answer to that yet...

- Shipping to Canada. Thats a Jed thing..though I know we have a policy to not mark shipping up. We use an outside packing service so theres additional costs besides the shipping itself..they charge us for the box, the tape, the unpacking then repacking, loading etc.. that adds to each figure. You should email jed@sotatoys.com

- I think Jed is planning to bring some older 'rare' figures to sell that we found in the warehouse..
- IF we re-do Ken and Ryu we WILL put in forward/back shoulder movement..

- With Gouken comoing out I think Goutetsu is a possibility down the road

- When we do Oro I DO want to give him the rocks

- My fav SF girl...probably Karin for cuteness factor.. Chunners for Cool factor

- Capcom is thrilled theres a Gouken..I dont think they ever thought it would happen. I didnt actually ask them if we could do it..hes part of SF..I just had to have them approve the look. They didnt know we did it until I showed it to them.

- The rotocast SF figures didnt sell all that well...we may try it again later in 07 once the new webstore thingie is up.

- I havent seen the SF6 vote results so I dont know how Geki did. Your guess is as good as mine.
- Actually KameN we havent done the artwork for the Gouken clamshell..shoot me an email with an attachment of your work. Jerry@sotatoys.com

- Darkstalkers is planned for release in early 07 as our first online only line. You will see Demitris new head sculpt at SDCC but it wont be painted...or maybe it will..you never know..

- SF5 will be shown completely painted at SDCC.

- We do intend to develop some new styles of articulation. I just cant throw that at the new factory right now as its hard enough for them to understand the quality I demand.

- I go into the voting thing one round at a time. On R7 I might change how we do it..but until we're ready for it I just dont know.

- I get asked a lot at the office about re-doing Ryu and Ken. Im pretty sure it will happen but not sure when. It might be some kind of box set.

- Nothing is timed with the PS2 compilation game.

- Will the Gouken be sold with a ticket system.. not sure..thats up to Jed..he sort of organizes SDCC. Yes Gouken will have his own card..I dont think there are moves to list really.

- Wont have any Gouken accessories to show for a few more weeks. But they're kinda gummi..thats the established style.

- We were about to cancel our SDCC booth because I didnt think we could get an exclusive done in time with the old factory jacking all the molds. I dont like to go to SDCC without a fun exclusive. At the same time I was well aware that there were a lot of people spreading rumors that SOTA was going under and not attending SDCC would only help those people to spread their gossip.

So I talked to the new factory and they said they could do it but it would be very expensive. We sent an Akuma to them to find out how expensive. When we got the cost back it was enormous and I figured Gouken was dead in the water as with everything else going on I just couldnt afford to throw this into the mix financially.

Well Toy Rocket got wind of it and offered to cover half the costs for half the figures and that made it do-able. So then Adam, Rene and Alexi worked their butts off to get it sculpted in less than a week. We actually didnt even have time to mold it..we just sent the sculpt to china..thats why you are only seeing photoshop colored pics.

- Gouken should be available in the UK wherever SF figures are sold. If he isnt its not because we didnt offer it..it'll be because the UK distributor didnt want it. But it will be after SDCC. I am pretty sure it will only be the SOTA version that is available unless Toy Rocket decides to sell theirs to UK independantly from us.

- Its far too late to change the way the figures are coming.

- If we have Goukens left after SDCC they'll go up on our site within a week.

- If and when we go online only everything overseas ( outside USA) will remain as it currently is. If Forbidden Planet currently carries our figures they should continue to carry them.

- ta da !

J

Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting (X360)

By GameSpy Staff

Spiffy: Looks and sounds just like the arcade game; offline head-to-head is a blast; it's the same style of fighting that we all know and love.

Iffy:When it comes to fighting games, there's Street Fighter II and there's everything else (for many gamers, at least). The game (and all of its myriad variants) took the gaming world by storm in the early 1990s, and it wasn't uncommon to see lines at the machine from the moment the arcade's doors opened. There have been a number of collections released on consoles in recent years, but the announcement that Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting would be available for download on Xbox Live sent a shiver down the collective spine of fanboys everywhere. GameSpy's editors finally got a chance to play the game for a nice, long period of time, and we decided to share our thoughts with our loyal readers.

Will "The Brazilian Shocker" Tuttle, Console Editor: Well, the months of waiting have finally paid off, as we all got our first full taste of the Xbox Live Arcade version of Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting today. It was clear from the moment we turned the game on that Capcom knew better than to mess with their most prized (sorry Mega Man!) property. The game kicks off with the same brutal street fight (that punch to the face looks unpleasant) that we all saw a million times in our local arcade, and the character selection screen is virtually identical to the original. All of the audio (both music and effects) sounds great, and the graphics look very good, although not quite as crisp as in the arcade, even on an HDTV. The only thing that I wasn't crazy about was the default screen size, which was basically a small box in the middle of the screen. Thankfully, it didn't take long to change that in the options menu.

Miguel "Big Christ" Lopez, MMO Editor: Yup, it's Street Fighter all right. All the sights and sounds ring true (yes, I'm sure there are some off elements that purists will get their drawers in a bunch over, but those people don't count). If you've ever played a Street Fighter game on a console, then you'll know that it can take quite a bit of work to get used to playing it on a control pad, but that's just par for the course. Incidentally, I wish the original model Xbox controller worked on the 360; clunky as it was, it had six face buttons arranged perfectly for the purpose of Street Fighter. Are there any Xbox-control-interface-to-USB adapters on the market? If so, this would be a great time to get one. Incidentally, I wonder if there is a way to make my old Dreamcast ASCII pad work on the 360. That would be fresh. Anyway, enough about controls -- we tried playing online, and boy, was it bad. I'll let someone else open that can of worms, but here's to hoping that the network code in this pre-release version is far from final.

Sterling "Forgot How to Play As Everyone Except Ken" McGarvey, Associate Console Editor: So, yeah, Street Fighter II on Xbox Live Arcade. It sounds so amazing. As soon as word got around that a preview build would be hitting PartnerNet (the Xbox Live for special debug units), we all got really, really excited. The result was a little bittersweet at this point. The online play is pretty laggy, but there's no way that Capcom is close to unleashing this thing on the public, so we're holding our breath for some improvements. I personally had some difficulty getting a hold of the controls, as the flaws of the 360's d-pad become very apparent very quickly, and the analog still feels a little loose. Hopefully, the bars on the sides of the screen can be changed to black, as they were in Street Fighter Alpha Max on PSP. Will figured that out, but I didn't have time since I was immediately thrust into pwnage as soon as the download finished. I like the way that the Achievements have been distributed, though. With emphasis on both basic single-player kudos and rewards for loyal online players, this one should be 250 points to earn and cherish.

Will: I think that Sterling and Miguel both touched on the game's roughest spot so far: the online play. To be honest, I wasn't expecting all that much, as pretty much every fighting game I've ever played has sucked online. It's not unplayable by any means (save for the occasional freeze-ups), but it's far from an optimal experience. We actually asked Capcom about it, and they mentioned that it's still a work-in-progress and that they'll be upgrading the code frequently until it's juuuust right. Hopefully they'll be able to pull it off. One thing that did impress me about the online, however, was the ability to play in "Quarter Mode," which allows players to line up to take on the match's winner, just like in the arcade. There seems to be some pretty robust stat tracking, too, although there are not enough people online to see how well it actually works. Oh well, at least the offline head-to-head action was as good as ever... wasn't it?

Miguel: Yeah, it's hard to hate on the offline mode, but you know… it isn't really that special given the fact that we've playing Street Fighter II with a person standing next to us for a long time now. I'm saying it now: I want a good online fighting game experience. Why has this never happened? Why can first-person shooters play brilliantly online, but not fighting games? I'm sure there is a legitimate technical reason for this, but I have no idea what it is. I'm just hoping that Capcom or Microsoft or whoever can finally make it happen. The Capcom vs. SNK games on Xbox were pretty shaky as far as the online experience goes. Ditto with the DOA games. This madness has to end. But yeah, anyway, it's fun to mash on your friends in the same room, as it has been for many, many years. But I can already do that. Please, Capcom and Microsoft, make sure this goes down smoothly.

Justin "Crouching Guile" Speer, Associate Console Editor: As someone who's always ready to go a few rounds anytime someone mentions Street Fighter, a working online version of Hyper Fighting is definitely the kind of thing I'd throw down a few bucks for. Aside from it being a great game, and the fact that fighting games these days ain't what they used to be (as much as I respect Guilty Gear and modern 3D fighters like Soul Calibur), I honestly miss the arcade experience of my youth -- which often involved me talking smack to guys twice as old and three times as big as me after sending their post-pubescent butts back to the change machine. Being able to actively share the nostalgia as opposed to having an overpriced game "collection" lying around gathering dust makes a lot of sense to me. And hey, downloadable arcade games could be just the thing to pass the time until the "next-generation" of gaming gets off its ass and gives me something new and different.

Gerald "Used to Play Street Fighter with his Feet" Villoria, Associate Console Editor: Justin makes a lot of sense for someone who hates games. Street Fighter II is my second favorite video game of all time, behind World of Warcraft. So I was jumping out of my seat with excitement at the idea of having an arcade-perfect translation of Hyper Fighting that I could load up for some heated competition from the comfort of my living room. But as is far too often the case, when nostalgia and reality meet, the results can be disappointing. It's hard to pin down exactly what I wasn't happy with. My fond memories of Hyper Fighting are vivid, and the game holds up remarkably well after all this time. Perhaps it was my struggles with the Xbox 360 controller -- this game really needs an arcade stick or six-button pad to be played to its fullest. While I found that it was still fun to throw down for a few rounds, the simpler days of Street Fighter are hard to defend when the Alpha series offers a far deeper and more satisfying game. Latency issues aside -- and I'm quite confident they'll be cleared up when this is made available to the public -- the most exciting aspect of this Xbox Live exclusive release for me is the idea that Capcom is testing the waters, and we'll see more faithful arcade-to-Xbox 360 translations coming to us if this experiment does well.

Sterling: Well, again, Capcom has mentioned that they're going to keep the updates coming. I'm confident that they wouldn't shoot themselves in the foot, especially with something this potentially huge. I think, though, that there's still nothing wrong with couch warfare, because I don't have a copy of Street Fighter Anniversary Collection, and I don't believe it's on the BC list yet (please, someone, make this happen, too; I needs mah 3rd Strike). All around, issues aside, I think that this sets a strong precedent for what we're going to see out of Xbox Live Arcade over the rest of this year. As time goes on, we're going to see certain high-profile downloadable titles get the same fanfare that a sixty-dollar title will get. I, for one, am very excited for Lumines Live, as I considered Lumines one of the reasons to get a PSP last year. Plus, it's another line in the sand as to what we're referring to as next-gen transitions into current-gen over the next year. We didn't hear much about Nintendo's Virtual Console for Wii during E3 (which disappointed me, personally), and we can only hope that Sony's got something up their sleeves in their line of defending charging a month's rent (if not more, for the average person) for their console. Street Fighter II on XBLA is the opening salvo for Microsoft, due to its high profile.

There you have it, our thoughts on the upcoming downloadable version of Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting. There were some things we liked, some we didn't like, and some stuff we're just not sure about yet. Will the online play be fixed? Will we ever feel more comfortable with the controls? Can any of us beat Miguel when he's constantly spinning back and forth across the screen with M. Bison? Only time will tell.

New Street Fighter II’ Hyper Fighting Screenshots

By: César A. Berardini - "Cesar"
Last night, Capcom released a preview version of Street Fighter II’ Hyper Fighting on the Xbox 360 PartnerNet. Today, we bring you a bunch of new screenshots taken from that build.

Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting is Capcom's first title for Xbox Live Arcade. In addition to several offline modes and numerous leaderboards and achievements, the game takes advantage of the new online features of Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the console's powerful processing capabilities to create a seamless online multiplayer experience.

Among several online game options is an exclusive mode called "Quarter Match", which introduces a new way of relivingthe exhilarating arcade experience at home.