Feb 12, 2018

Here's Blanka electrifying Street Fighter 5

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Capcom's released the first gameplay of Blanka in Street Fighter 5. He's available to download from 20th February.

The fighting game's next DLC character is one of the original eight world warriors who starred in Street Fighter 2. The video, below, shows his Street Fighter 5 incarnation retains the electricity-based attacks Blanka is famous for. You can mash a punch button for Electric Thunder, and charge for rolling attacks.

Blanka has plenty of attacks which hit his opponent from behind, so he should have decent mix-up potential (a command grab called Wild Hunt, which sees Blanka leap forward, will help here). He can hop forward quickly, landing on the other side of a falling or downed opponent. And the video shows how Blanka is able to jump over and slide under projectiles. I get the impression he'll be a tricky character to master, a fun character to play as and an annoying opponent, which is just how Blanka should be.

Jan 19, 2018

Street Fighter 5 Arcade Edition review

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Street Fighter 5 Arcade Edition is what Street Fighter 5 should have been when it launched back in February 2016: a fun, easy-to-get-into but hard to master fighting game that is, crucially, feature complete.

Here's what Arcade Edition, which is a free update for existing Street Fighter 5 owners or a game you can buy outright, does - or has - at launch that vanilla Street Fighter 5 did not: an arcade mode, online play that works, fun modes for single-player fans, a gallery of awesome artwork and a cool team battle mode. All this stuff should have been in Street Fighter 5 when it first came out (that it has taken nearly two years for Street Fighter 5 to get an arcade mode borders on the criminal). But now Arcade Edition is here, it's hard to deny Street Fighter 5 has finally realised its potential.

It's worth digging into the new arcade mode, because there's a lot more to it than you'd expect. Capcom has created various "paths" through which you can play against the computer, each themed around a different Street Fighter game. One is based on the first Street Fighter, and only features characters that appeared in the 1987 arcade game (Zeku represents Geki). The Street Fighter 2 path includes a barrel-breaking bonus stage, as Street Fighter 2 did back in 1991. There are also paths for Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter 3, Street Fighter 4 and Street Fighter 5. The remixed music is fantastic and the nostalgia costumes look great. When you complete one of the paths, you unlock a cool character ending image as well as a custom illustration (some of which are truly beautiful).

Dec 11, 2017

Sakura and Sagat headline Street Fighter 5 season three DLC characters

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Capcom has announced all six DLC characters coming to fighting game Street Fighter 5 in 2018.

First up is fan-favourite Sakura, who comes out on 16th January, the same day as Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition. Circa Street Fighter 5, Sakura works part-time at an arcade (hence her mic), "but wonders what decisions she needs to make in order to be satisfied with her future". I hear you, girl.

Sakura arrives in the game with her classic stage, Kasugano Residence (in the background fans will notice her dog and younger brother, Tsukushi).

Nov 29, 2017

Street Fighter 5's new Kolin costume lets her cosplay as Elsa from Frozen

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Street Fighter 5 got a raft of new costumes today, and one of them will be of interest to Frozen fans.

Kolin, a character who has ice and snow powers, got a "holiday" costume that makes her look a lot like, well... have a look for yourself.

Yep, that's definitely Kolin cosplaying as Elsa from Frozen. She's got a nice big coat and a lovely tiara. And what an appropriate character for it, too. For reference, here's Elsa in Frozen.