In the silver age of fighting games that we currently live in, eSports has become a key factor in the success of every game in the market. From having thousands of players compete in Street Fighter every year at EVO, to a niche game like Skullgirls maintaining its scene with smaller-scale events, to the millions of viewers who tune in through streams, the eSports aspect of fighting games keeps them relevant long after launch. With ARMS having been out for a few months now, let’s discuss whether this game has what it takes to thrive in the world of eSports.
video games
Capcom and Iam8bit Collaborate to Release a Collector’s Edition of Street Fighter II on the Super NES
Haven’t bought more copies of Street Fighter II in my lifetime than I’d like to admit, Capcom is clawing at my wallet yet again. This time, the Super NES version of this classic returns in a playable cartridge. Along with the other goodies that come with the package, this limited release will run you $100.
I’m Going to Fan Expo Canada 2017!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
From August 31st to September 3rd, Fan Expo returns to Toronto and I’ll be attending for my 8th consecutive year. Will be the first to admit that I’ve been lukewarm on this year’s event due to what’s currently been scheduled, but I know that once I’m there, my hype levels will pick up and I’ll have a great time.
Here’s a few standout things to me that I’m looking forward to checking out!
Street Fighter V Menat Day 1 Live Stream
Late last night, I took an initial test drive of Menat in Street Fighter V. It remains to be seen how good she’ll be in the long run, but so far, she seems to have a ton of potential. That is, if you can come to grips with her myriad of intricacies.
Menat Revealed as the Latest Street Fighter V DLC Character
Having made her first appearance in Ed’s story mode as “Fortune Teller”, Menat is finally revealed as the latest playable character in Street Fighter V. As Rose’s apprentice, she appears to have a number of her mentor’s moves, as well as a few tricks of her own. All I can say is….
Time to Take a Break from ARMS
I was so close. Like, thisclose.
My goal in ARMS is to hit rank 20. The highest rank in the game. After making a breakthrough in my play style, I got all the way up to rank 19 with just a few wins shy of 20. Then, it all fell apart.
A few internet issues caused the game to unfairly penalize me with rage quitting, combined with a ton of losses against stiff competition and my ranking has fallen off of a cliff.
After many losses and having thrown my controller more times than I can count, I think it’s time to take a break before I destroy my controller, my dignity, and my sanity.
ARMS Reveals Lola Pop as it’s Next Character
After revealing a new stage and teasing the latest character with grainy camcorder footage, we finally get our first good look at Lola Pop in ARMS! While she looks pretty goofy, she’s certainly not clowning around in the ring.
Super NES Classic Pre-Orders Rolling Out Across North America and it’s Been a Mess
Remember when Nintendo said that they would be making significantly more Super NES Classic Edition consoles than its NES counterpart? Sure didn’t look like it during this first round of North American pre-orders. Starting as early as 1am EST with Best Buy in the United States, pre-orders began rolling out and selling out just as fast as they arrived. Heck, during my attempt to snag one, it sold out in two minutes. You do not have to search that far on the internet to find many bitter customers who came up short when trying to snag Nintendo’s latest retro console.
Is the Nintendo Switch a Secretly Decent Console for Fighting Games?
Save for the Smash Bros. series, Nintendo hasn’t been much of a player in the fighting game scene since the SNES days. Once Nintendo alienated fighting game makers with cartridge-based systems and controller designs that didn’t lend themselves well towards the genre, they left for greener pastures.
To this day, if you want to keep up with any of the juggernauts in fighting games, the Nintendo Switch still isn’t the console for you. However, if you’re looking for some under-the-radar hits, retro titles and the inevitable release of Smash Bros., the Switch might be worth a look.
Lessons I’ve Learned While Climbing the Ranks in ARMS
During the beta for ARMS, I was crushing my opposition with an iron fist. It got me thinking that I was going to waltz to the top of the leaderboard. Within hours of first playing the final game, it was me that was repeatedly falling to the canvas. There were nights where I would go on massive losing streaks that would cause me to lose ranks that usually ended with me throwing my controller. Forget about reaching the top of the world, I had to look in the mirror and ask myself if I was actually trash at this game.
Refusing to give up, I kept practicing. Kept making mental notes of all of the different ways I could improve. Having wallowed in the middle ranks for weeks, I’ve turned a corner and am making a strong push to reach rank 20, the highest rank in the game. Here are some things I’ve observed along the way!
In Third Person 