Showing posts with label Arcade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arcade. Show all posts

Is this the second coming of... NBA Street?! That's the goal!

EA vets create a new with the goal of bringing back that NBA Street energy with a new... IP!

Game Industry Biz, spoke to CEO Scott Probst and creative director Mike Young about what the sports games market is missing while serious simulations dominate. Clearly they're viewing a problem they hope to be a solution for, but... we can't overlook other studios like Playground Sports and their contribution to the arcade sports genre in recent times.

It is interesting to see EA vets form their own studio for the sake of releasing their own version of NBA Street. It will certainly break away from what EA would target legally if they aren't the publisher, but one thing I scratch my head about is will they have official players or... are they going their own way in terms of creating their own characters.

If they choose to take this route, the fun factor will have to be through the roof, because a number of people don't simply play these games just to play with... Jammin John Doe with the double dunk. They play sports games usually because they love gaming + sports and want to be a part of the experience when it comes the league and their favorite teams and players. All it took was inviting my parents to a Heats game back when the big three called the team... home, and they were hooked. Playing sports games of the past, just like the present, is also motivated by the fanfare a good chunk of the time. I won't say it's doom and gloom, because some of us grab arcade sports games just because they're fun (I've played some no name titles back in the day myself)... but there are also other options Play by Play can take if they approach the player associations rather than the league (i.e. What Playground Sports did with Wild Card Football).

I didn't see anything in the Game Industry Biz article about not grabbing the license to make things official, but... the way they use examples like "Nintendo's Mario-fronted sports games" and mentioning fighting games who got their start with unrecognizable characters, it's easy to assume that the characters won't be recognizable during this first go round.

Will it matter? We shall see, but... I wish them the best either way if gamers are satisfied.




FTS: 2D fighting game ‘Yatagarasu Enter the Eastward’ launches worldwide on Steam in Q1 2024

KANAGAWA, JAPAN, January 9th, 2024 -- Yatagarasu Enter the Eastward, a new original 2D fighting game, will be released worldwide on Valve’s Steam platform and on the NESiCAxLive platform in Japanese arcades. The game release announcement was held at CES 2024 in collaboration with the gaming hardware maker MadCatz Global Limited.

This new Yatagarasu title builds upon the world and characters of the previous installment ‘Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm,’ with new characters and painstakingly balanced gameplay, and also combines high-quality traditional pixel graphics with simple gameplay that anyone can easily pick up and enjoy.


Plus it's fight-stick-friendly! -  Blu 


Mad Catz Collaboration

The game also features an in-game collaboration with Mad Catz in the form of stages inspired by the

renowned maker of gaming hardware.



Overview

Following "Yatagarasu Attack on Cataclysm", "Yatagarasu Enter the Eastward" introduces a new parallel world with new characters and gameplay meticulously optimized for your enjoyment. This game preserves the classic 2D fighting game format and features high-quality pixel graphics and a simple gameplay style that anyone can pick up.



■Story

Dec 25th, 1926. The imperial era name transitions to "Kobun” and seems to herald the dawn of a new

period in history... but behind the scenes, a Japanese nationalist revolutionary group has staged a coup d’etat with the goal of restoring "the divine nation of Japan." The revolutionaries acted swiftly, seizing control of the Prime Minister’s residence, the police department, major corporations, and newspapers.

Struggling to react, former government forces initiated a secret plan to eliminate key figures involved

in the coup through an assassination program known as "Yatagarasu." This covert operation was

assigned to the "Iga Clan", a ninja clan that exists today as an intelligence agency and who are also

known as "Government Dogs."


■New Characters

Wugui (VA: Shinobu Matsumoto)

An elderly butler who serves the last descendant of the now-deposed Suitoku royal family. Wugui was

retained by the former king, but his demeanor and skills are uncharacteristic of a butler and his

background is shrouded in mystery. He intends to use the current unrest in Japan to manipulate the

government and restore the royal family.

"It's time to purge."


Ao Tienyi (VA: Yumiri Hanamori)

The last living descendant of the Suitoku royal family. When the royal family was dethroned, she was

spirited away by Wugui and lived in hiding. She has agreed to Wugui’s plan to use the current unrest

in Japan to rebuild her former kingdom. Tienyi is naturally timid but decided to take on the role of the

"bright and cheerful princess" after being deeply moved by Kotaro's acting.

"Have I become the lady you wish for?"



Sistan (VA: Hisako Kanemoto)

Originally an automated doll designed to bring joy to people, Sistan was reprogrammed by a certain

nation to become a secret operative. She was dispatched to Japan on a mission to locate a ‘Divine

Drive’ said to be able to predict any event or grant wishes.

"I will execute my orders... and eliminate all obstacles..."


■ About Yatagarasu Enter the Eastward


"Yatagarasu Enter the Eastward" is an original 2D fighting game. Our goal was to provide easy-to-

understand gameplay so many people can enjoy the fun of fighting games. We deliberately kept the

gameplay simple and focused on building a strong base around the fundamentals of fighting games

and enabling players to enjoy the fun, core aspects of fighting games.


・An Original 2D Fighting Game

An original 2D fighting game designed in the pixel art style which has become less common over the

years. We paid close attention to designing appealing character designs and animations that can only

be expressed in old-school pixel art.


・Core "blocking" System

Yatagarasu's core gameplay mechanic is the blocking / "BL" system, which centers on deflecting your

opponent's attacks and counterattacking. This simple system makes it easy to understand and apply

strategy in the game.


・Simple Game System

For a modern fighting game, Yatagarasu is very straightforward. Our goal was to create a game that

anyone can pick up and play but also offers deep gameplay.


・Commentary System

In live settings, fighting games have an off-screen appeal that includes fun smack talk, cheering, and

commentary to engage the audience. To recreate this lively off-screen excitement, we’ve integrated a

commentary system into the game. This is a unique feature where real-time commentary and hype

play out as matches develop.


・Network Battle Support

For "Yatagarasu Enter the Eastward", we've implemented our own netcode from scratch. You can enjoy

smooth online battles with minimal network lag. This game includes a variety of features such as ranked matches, lobby matches, playing while waiting, and spectating. You can also use a website (Yatagarasu News) to check the current match status from your smartphone.


・Long Production Period and Intricate Improvements

We’ve worked on the production and updating this game for for a long time, constantly improving the

quality while listening to feedback from the fighting game community.



Distributor: Steam

Region: Worldwide

Price: $15 USD

Release timing: Q1 2024


System Requirements:

OS: Windows10,11

Processor: 3.0GHz or better

Memory: 512 MB RAM

Graphics: Must support 640x480 resolution

DirectX: Version 9.0

Storage: 1 GB available space

Sound Card: DirectSound-compatible Sound Card





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2023 Wishmas Guide... for the Office Space!

 



Last but not least... you know we had to dish up a wishmas guide for the office space and the awesome people in it. Yeah... sometimes there are some not so cheery people tucked in there, but maybe their secret Santa can deliver something to turn that frown upside down. Please don't get this confused with buying your co-workers teeth whitener or toothbrushes, it would alllll go down hill from there.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, here's 2023's Wishmas Guide... for the Office Space!


Barista Coffee & Espresso Machine - If you need your coffee or espresso... and the coffee machine at work is down for the count, tag in one like the L'OR Barista Machine that can serve up both options. You can score this particular machine for 42% off right now. Works with various pod brands.




Desktop Zen Garden - Knock it out of the park as secret Santa this year. A Zen garden is a desktop escape that can help ease the mind during those 15 minute breaks or even zoning out during lunch breaks or between calls. Some positions are more stressful than they have to be, and this should be a welcomed gift. This example is the Sakura Budah option, but they vary by shape and design. This option is currently 24% off!



Bluetooth Speaker - While this could be a flashy option, here's a more subtle design for those seeking a clean subtle option the maintains a professional look. This is more ideal for those of you in an enclosed office space... because the built in mic allows for hands free calls in addition to other forms of audio you may listen to in the space (i.e. Lo-Fi). The Oontz Angle 3 has dual stereo drivers and delivers over 14 hours of play time. It's also built so that the bass is richer due to the downward facing passive bass radiator. Dual mode is also available if you have 2 speakers. This speaker is also IPX5 water resistent. There are also other fun options like the Coca-Cola Edition... so take your pick. This speaker is currently 30% off!


Desktop Organizers vary, and for good reason. We don't have the same needs or styles, and i'm glad we don't because there are some awesome organizers out there... like the Lovendo Pegboard 360 organizer. This option let's you utilize both sides and utilizes limited space. You can also connect others and connect it to the end of the desk if you need more of a divider between your desk and someone elses. This organizer is currently 25% off!



Micro Pinball Machine - This isn't exactly the typical gift recommended for a secret Santa exchange, but... the owner of the company could grab one or two of these to incorporate some fun into the workplace. It doesn't require a separate monitor, its all built in and comes with 40 built-in pinball games, Space Invaders, Bubble Bobble, Time Machine + It connects to Wifi, has bluetooth connectivity + HDMI. Why the connectivity? Well... it delivers global leaderboards, multiplayer, a game lobby, voice chat, and downloadable content (basically more games)! This is currently 20% off!


Desk plant - While you could simply buy someone a desk plant, this type of gift challenges your co-worker to grow a bonsai tree. This is a great gift for a co-worker who is super particular or likes to correct. They can focus on keeping the bonsai alive and well.



MuteMe PC Button - You may not believe you need such a device, but... a number of people have found themselves on a hot mic. Trust me, I've heard someone losing it in a meeting, and... it could have been avoided with such a device. Yes this is the one seen on Shark Tank. Works with Zoom, Teams, WebEx, Etc.


Desktop Robot - You might want to consider getting an Eilik robot or two for yourself based on their little personalities. It's also a useful robot that will countdown and all that good stuff. You can actually connect more than two, but it's all up to you how much you'd like to spend. Two Eilik's are entertaining enough... and you will see them having good times, feuding, playing, having a drink together, etc. This is one of the more inexpensive bots that i'd recommend for adults. If another company can recreate such a cool bot, why won't Disney knock it out of the park with StarWars bots? R2D2 could be a smart bot rolling around our desktop or something.