Monthly Archives: December 2016

Argument Time: Is Smash a fighting game?

Smash Bros. Editorial

An interesting question came up on my Facebook Feed this morning, one that garners as much venom as “Which Final Fantasy game is the best?” and since I’m going to be reviewing a fighting game this weekend [Guilty Gear], I figured, why not stir the pot a little!? The question was, of course this: Is Smash a fighting game?  I saw a video that makes some. . . I guess interesting points, but at the end of the day, they were dumb questions, and dumb responses to dumb questions. Why is that? Because who fucking cares? Do people enjoy it, and play it at a competitive level? Sure they do. It’s at EVO! EVO’s the biggest damn tournament in this part of the world, if not the entire world. It’s kind of a big deal. So, if it’s played there on a stage at all, that makes it relevant. Personally? I feel there is too much RNG to Smash. However. . .  I refuse to begrudge people what competitive game they love.

I don’t care if you play Competitive Runescape! [Is that even a thing? Does that happen? Someone tell me.] If you work at it, play it at a higher level than regular, casual players, then that’s fine! Love it, man. I don’t get it, but I love the concept. The actual implementation of the game doesn’t really interest me in the slightest. I see the argument for, and against it being a fighting game. But for the most part, it’s just a bunch of silly, venomous internet trolls trying to make people feel bad for what they play. And I was in that camp for a very long time! Now I do think that the Smash Community has some incredibly bad apples. Some even worse than the ones in the rest of the FGC. Like when the Smash players insist they need private quarters/training areas at events like EVO, because it’s more important than Street Fighter, more technical than Tekken, more relevant than Marvel. Are you absolutely serious? I’m not questioning that it requires skill, I’m questioning the “we’re better than everyone, we deserve our own space” mentality. We’re supposed to be a community, not a bunch of butthurt babies. Just because I don’t play it, doesn’t make it any less valid. I know a lot of people who love Smash, who play it at a higher level than I play any other game. It’s like talking trash about people who like the Naruto fighters. Just let them like them!

But I do ask you guys: What do you think? Do you think it’s a fighting game? A waste of time? Do you simply not care, and just want people to have fucking fun?

Nintendo SWITCH: Region Locked?

Puyopop

It’s the big controversial thing from Nintendo: The notion that games are region locked. NES, SNES, most of the big consoles were, with some minor exceptions. The NES/SNES have versions/ways to play Japanese games, but since the DS was so easy to pirate for, they’ve been harsher than ever on the idea of locking their games down. One of the things I’ve been wondering about, was would the Switch be region locked or not. . . But the word on the street is that it, much like the Wii U, and the Wii, will be locked. Japanese games won’t be able to be played, even if you import them. Now, the vast majority of the owners of the console won’t care. They just want their American titles, and that’s good enough for them. But what about the the very vocal minority, who want to play Puyo Pop, Tetris Battle, the Super Sentai/Kamen Rider games, and the other really cool stuff we don’t get to see? And again, I definitely understand: Piracy is a serious issue, I don’t think it’s nearly as bad as it used to be, I think Nintendo’s cracked down hard enough on it. But where do we draw the line? Should we have to own a Japanese Switch, and an American one, just to follow franchises that aren’t big in America? I missed out on quite a few of the Sengoku BASARA titles, because they didn’t sell well here. But the PS3 versions are ones I can actually have, because they don’t lock down their consoles. Nintendo’s the last bastion of region locking. I hate it, but in a way I understand why they do it, but I don’t agree with it in the slightest. Maybe I’m looking at it from the wrong perspective, and I can accept that. But there are so many titles we never get to see from Nintendo, amazing ones, thanks to this policy. What do you guys think though?

Starfall Tactics December Pre-Alpha Key Giveaway

Prepare to crush your opponents in intense tactical battles, outmaneuver enemy ships or simply ram them and climb in PvP rating with your friend! Snowforged Entertainment is running a pre-alpha test for Starfall Tactics starting today, December 15th!

Starfall Tactics is a hardcore mix of RTS and Wargame genres, which allows you to build a space fleet of your dreams, battle against other players in quick and ranked matches and discover a huge Galaxy you can conquer. Exciting quick PvP matches for advanced strategists and wargamers, challenging PvE missions, plenty of tactical choices, in-depth customization of every unit in your army, nice visual component and a huge open world for MMO fans – it’s all about this game.

Wars for territories, planet colonization, Houses (faction guilds), thousands planets and stars you can name, intense battles in quick matches and the whole Galaxy to conquer – all of this and even more is waiting for you in Starfall Tactics! Join pre-Alpha Faction Wars test from 15th December 17:00 CET to 18th December 23:59 CET and bring your friends, clans, guilds and other gaming communities to create your own House and participate in wars for territories.

 

To Redeem your Key:

  • Go to starfalltactics.com and create a new account or log into an existing one.
  • Click the “I already have a key” button on the main page in the Closed Alpha section
  • Enter your key code and click the Submit button
  • Download Starfall Tactics launcher here, install it and update the game, if update is available.
  • Once the game is updated, hit the "Play" button, and join in the conquest!
  • We also invite you to join the discussion in the special Alpha test forum, available to the select few.

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