The King of Fighters Neowave coming to Xbox One with 12 other original backwards compatible Xbox games

Microsoft's initiative to allow games from the original Xbox to work with their Xbox One systems will begin tomorrow with 13 games; one of them being one of the more uncommon games in The King of Fighters series.

The King of Fighters Neowave was chosen along with more recognizable hits such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Ninja Gaiden Black, Psychonauts and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time as the first set of backwards compatible original Xbox games. These games, and others in the future, are made to work with Microsoft's latest systems, including the upcoming Xbox One X.

According to IGN's Ryan McCaffery, these games have been "enhanced with 1080p resolution, higher and/or smoother framerates, and faster loading times." While there is no direct comparison for Neowave specifically, IGN's article does have some videos showing some changes to other games to give you an idea of the enhancements. Latency hasn't been addressed in the article. Some of these games, including Neowave, had Xbox Live support but due to the service shutting down in 2010, the featured games lack this online ability.

With Neowave being part of this initial run of backwards compatible Xbox games, there are some more KOF and other SNK fighting games that haven't been given the updated treatment yet. The original Xbox also carried other fighters such as Soulcalibur II, Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO, Capcom Fighting Evolution and Street Fighter Anniversary Collection that can potentially come to the backwards compatibility list in the future.

Brook releases Nintendo Switch compatibility firmware for Wii U Super Converters

If you are looking for a simple solution to using your controller or arcade stick for the Nintendo Switch, Brook added compatibility to two of its existing converters.

The Taiwan-based company released firmware for its Wii U Super Converters to allow for native Switch support. The converter acts as a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller when plugged into the system. Not only should players be able to play most Switch games including Ultra Street Fighter II with ease, but they should also be able to navigate the system's main menu.

This is a different situation from that of the Brook Universal Fighting Board working on the current 3.0 console update, where the board simulates the Hori Pokkén Tournament pad. This mode works only in a game and can't work with the system's UI.

The Switch firmware can be found here. Brook's Wii U Super Converters for PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360/Xbox One are available now on Arcade Shock and Paradise Arcade Shop!

Digital Foundry checks out graphical power of Tekken 7 & its predecessors

The go-to people for graphics analysis at Digital Foundry got the chance to show off how each version of Tekken 7 is running and made a visual retrospective of the series.

DF's Thomas Morgan explains in detail how the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro and PC differ. This includes variances in resolution, post-processing effects and load times. A full text analysis, with screenshot comparisons, can be found here.

Dave Bierton talks about the evolution of the series and the hardware that powers each game. While Tekken has been a multiplatform series in recent entries, it has been one of the franchises that grew alongside Sony's PlayStation line of consoles before that shift. This growth starts all the way back at the original Tekken for the first PS system and the similar Namco System 11 arcade hardware.

Videos for the Tekken 7 graphical analysis and the series/tech evolution can be found after the jump!

Click to read more ...

Modes trailer for Tekken 7 show off new story content & other features

Check out the latest Tekken 7 promotional trailer detailing what modes you can expect in the home release after the jump!

Story mode is one of the major aspects found in the video with "The Mishima Saga" being the marquee piece. It features new footage of what players will take part in such as a flashback to the Mishima Dojo attack from Tekken 5's intro cutscene. This mode will also allow special moves to be performed with simple commands for casual players. Along with the main story, there will also be character-specific scenarios.

Treasure Battle is one of the new modes that allows players to get special items for Customize mode. This mode also features special fights including battling Kazumi already in devil form as well as Turbo battles originally found in Tekken Revolution.

Players can also expect the usual offline and online modes such as ranked match, arcade and practice. The trailer also mentions the expansive Gallery mode, platform-specific perks and more.

Tekken 7 is coming to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on June 2, 2017!

Click to read more ...

Gameplay trailer for Tekken 7 pre-order bonus character Eliza

Check out the trailer to the once Tekken Revolution-only character after the jump!

Those who preorder Tekken 7 before its June 2, 2017, release will be able to play as Eliza. The female vampire character was chosen by fans during a character poll for TR. She was only unlockable in the free-to-play Tekken game by grinding matches for "blood scrolls."

Now that Eliza is returning for T7, she will be revamped to cater to the new gameplay mechanics.

Click to read more ...

Kuma & Panda coming to Tekken 7, new info on online tournaments

The end of Tekken 7's The King of Iron Fist Tournament 2016 Grand Finals featured the announcement of the series' favorite bears.

Both Kuma and Panda will be coming to Tekken 7. Trailer footage features the bears with very detailed fur shading, alternate outfits and their rage arts. Instead of being simple palette swaps, Kuma and Panda will have unique traits. In addition to the two characters, a new stage was featured in the announcement trailer that you can check after the jump!

For the coming console build of T7, the online mode was detailed. One of them is the introduction of online tournaments which provide Fight Money as the prize. There is also support for double elimination format.

In other console news, Bandai Namco has collaborated with New Japan Pro Wrestling to include a costume for King designed by wrestler Kazuchika Okada in T7. The announcement and brief trailer for the costume is also after the jump.

Tekken 7 will be coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in early 2017!

Click to read more ...

New physical release of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 on the way?

The digital release of UMvC3 may be getting some company in several months.

The Gamestop website has listings for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of UMvC3, physical copies that would cost consumers slightly more than the download at $29.99. Even more interesting is that the site claims the games will be available "only at Gamestop."

While nothing has been officially announced by Capcom at this time, Gamestop's projected release of March 31, 2017, would put it in the window announced for the Xbox One and PC releases of the title. Hopefully Capcom will clarify this information soon.

Jasen's Customs TE2+ EZ Mod for Mad Catz TE2+ sticks coming exclusively to EVO 2016

If you are going to EVO 2016 and want your Mad Catz Arcade FightStick TE2+ to work for all current generation consoles with one simple board, you might have only one opportunity.

The TE2+ gets its own EZ Mod from Jasen's Customs following the release of the original TE2 model. Similar to the normal TE2 EZ Mod, this version is entirely solderless but requires clipping of the USB cable from the original PCB.

Designed to work with the Brook Universal Fighting Board, the EZ Mod contains LEDs that work uniquely when in specific console modes including player-specific lights and colors on PlayStation 4 while the Xbox One renders all white much like the normal controller. Another aspect found on the TE2+ EZ Mod is that the Lock button is swapped by Turbo.

The EZ Mod board itself will be priced at $34.95 only at the Arcade Shock booth. If you are looking to get your TE2+ upgraded at the event, Jasen's Customs' own Jasen Hicks will help sell and install the kits.

Tekken 7 coming to Steam, PS4 and Xbox One in early 2017

Bandai Namco has announced that Tekken 7 is coming home to consoles early next year.

The company has released a new E3 2016 trailer for the game, which will be based on the upcoming Fated Retribution arcade update, showing both story and gameplay footage. At the end of the video, it is shown that the game will be coming to Steam as well as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

There is no concrete date for the game, but T7's Steam page is already active. Check out the new trailer after the jump.

Click to read more ...

Jasen's Customs TE2 EZ Mod for Mad Catz TE2 sticks coming soon, works with Brook UFB

Photo by Jasen HicksFor those who want their Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 to easily work with the previous and current generations of consoles, Jasen's Customs has you covered.

Jasen Hicks developed an EZ Mod for the TE2 line of arcade sticks to allow easy and near solderless support with the amazing Brook Universal Fighting Board. The TE2 EZ Mod replaces the stock TE2 board and serves as a bridging unit for the UFB. Harness cables from the stock board will be installed with little to no soldering required. The benefit for this kit is that if you ever need to switch back to the original PCB, the harness cables can be reinserted. The only soldering requirement is the USB cable's internal wires.

This comes following the release of the EZ Mod for the Hori Real Arcade Pro VLX Deluxe PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 line. Take note that the TE2 EZ Mod kit is made specifically for the original TE2 line, not the TE2+ model. Owners of the first generation Xbox 360, Xbox One and PS3/PS4 TE2 models can make use of this kit.

Paradise Arcade Shop and Arcade Shock will be selling the TE2 EZ Mod in the near future so stay tuned for updates. For now, you can check out the official Shoryuken Tech Talk thread here and two videos by Jasen himself below!

Click to read more ...

Jasen's Customs' Hori VLX EZ Mod Kit available now, works with Brook UFB

Photo by Arcade Shock/Jasen's CustomsIf you are looking to get your Hori PlayStation 3/PlayStation 4 VLX arcade stick to work on most modern consoles, there is a mod kit available to get you started.

Jasen's Customs has a special board designed for the recent Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX arcade sticks from Hori to allow easy multiplatform compatibility. The EZ Mod Kit doesn't allow compatibility by itself but rather act as a bridge to route all signals to a Brook Universal Fighting Board. The stock printed circuit board from the VLX sticks will be replaced by the EZ Mod Kit's "dumb board" in a non-destructive process. This method allows the stock board to be reinstalled if needed.

When installing the mod, there are some things to note. While the VLX sticks normally know what part of the touch pad is being pressed, the mod combined with the Brook UFB will disable that feature until a future update from Brook. Due to signal conflicts, turbo will also be disabled and directional inputs are locked to d-pad.

If you are looking to see the installation process, two videos after the jump show Jasen's Customs founder Jasen Hicks and modder Vicko breaking down the process. VLX owners can order the kit directly from Jasen's Customs or check out Arcade Shock, which offers the kit packaged with the Brook Universal Fighting Board. For Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2 owners, there is also a TE2 EZ Mod Kit in the works!

Click to read more ...

Revised Tusk trailer from Killer Instinct Season 3 teases new character Mira

A previously released trailer for Killer Instinct's Tusk gets a slight change showing off one of the new characters coming to Season 3.

The majority of the Tusk trailer plays very similarly to its original version but adds a female vampire character towards the end as a teaser. While not named in any of the trailer announcements, the recent leak regarding S3 referred to her as Mira, the twin sister of Maya.

Since there isn't any other footage of Mira available at this time, you can find her in action in the Tusk trailer after the jump! Killer Instinct Season 3 will launch on March 29, 2016, for both Xbox One and Windows 10!

Click to read more ...

Pricing info on Killer Instinct Season 3 bundle packs revealed

With the next Killer Instinct season coming very soon, the major bundles have been revealed. If you are looking for a specific pack, make sure to read below.

Players on March 29, 2016, can pay for one of three major packs either on the Xbox One or the Microsoft Store on Windows 10. For those who already own KI, the $19.99 Combo Breaker edition will include Tusk, Kim Wu, Halo's the Arbiter and Battletoads' Rash instantly as well as four more additional characters to be announced. The Ultra Edition, priced at $39.99, will also feature XP boosters, 18,000 KI Gold, Retro outfits for the new characters and an extra color for those outfits.

For those who haven't jumped into Killer Instinct just yet, the Supreme Edition will have every Ultra Edition from every season as well as both Killer Instinct Classic and Killer Instinct 2 Classic on Xbox One only. The Supreme Edition will cost Xbox One users $59.99 while Windows 10 will have it for $49.99, due to the lack of KI Classic and KI2 Classic. If you don't care for the extra content, the alternative is to get the Double Combo edition for $29.99 along with the S3 Combo Breaker package.

Even if you don't pay for any of the packs, the Arbiter, Kim Wu, Tusk, Rash and the rest from S3 can be paid for individually. You can find the full breakdown here.

Preview of Tusk from Killer Instinct Season Three by Iron Galaxy Studios

Check out how the returning fighter from Killer Instinct 2 will be played after the jump!

Killer Instinct Season Three developer Iron Galaxy Studios showed off Tusk in their most recent Tender Moments stream. Much like their past streams breaking down new characters, Tusk's walkthrough isn't any different.

Players can expect a detailed explanation of his moves as well as how he plays in practice. Match videos include footage of Tusk's stage as well as S3 characters Rash and the Arbiter.

Killer Instinct Season Three will be coming to Xbox One and PC on March 29, 2016!

Click to read more ...

Review: Brook Universal Fighting Board (360, XB1, PS3, PS4)

Photo by Paradise Arcade ShopFor arcade stick users, getting one for the right platform has become a bit complicated in recent years. While one tournament might run on one console, another event might prefer a different one. Modders in the fighting game community for years have found many solutions to give people the opportunity to play on the latest platforms without paying for another stick. Some products required soldering skills while others didn't.

With the new generation of fighting games being released more on PlayStation 4 rather than Xbox One, it's easier for players to know what they should get. But just in case, you still might want to have a safety net. There is also the situation of people who still want to use their older arcade sticks. The Universal Fighting Board from Taiwanese company Brook is one of the better answers at the moment. Its built-in Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 support is already convincing enough, but combined with its simple design the Universal Fighting Board is one of the most exciting products in fighting game tech to date.

Click to read more ...

Killer Instinct Season Three Kim Wu reveal & teaser of Halo's The Arbiter

Killer Instinct World Cup showed off two characters to premiere in Killer Instinct Season Three, one returning and the other from another popular franchise.

Players can try out Kim Wu at KI World Cup right now. She was announced, along with fellow Killer Instinct 2 character Tusk, to come back for the Xbox One and PC fighter.

A teaser was also revealed at the 2016 Winter X-Games that Halo's Thel 'Vadamee, also known as The Arbiter, will be coming. Aside from the video showing the backdrop of the Elite home world of Sanghelios, more information will be announced in the coming future.

Both videos of Kim Wu and The Arbiter can be found after the jump! Also check out the S3 changes to the existing cast here!

Click to read more ...

Registration for Mortal Kombat X revised netcode test starts January 19

Netherrealm Studios will soon launch their public test build of Mortal Kombat X running on a newer netcode dubbed the Enhanced Online Beta.

The change from an input lag-based netcode to a rollback style code reminiscent of GGPO was previously hinted before the announcement of the EOB.

Players who accumulated at least one hour in MKX can register for access in the EOB starting Jan. 19. The EOB will have limited spots in the beginning but will slowly add more later on. Scorpion, Jacqui Briggs, Johnny Cage and Sub Zero will be the first set of characters to be playable in the EOB with more down the line.

NRS wants people to provide feedback whether it's through the in-game survey, forums or video content so they can improve the netcode. 

The beta is currently set for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One builds of MKX. No information if the beta will include support for the PC at this time. You can check out the announcement video after the jump!

Click to read more ...

Brook Accessory announces Universal Fighting Board for PS3, PS4, 360 & XB1

Photo by Jasen's CustomsFollowing the release of the PlayStation 4 Fighting Board, Taiwan company Brook Accessory will soon release a successor that can work on the previous and current generation of consoles.

The Universal Fighting Board is a collaboration between Brook, Jasen's Customs, Arcade Shock and Paradise Arcade Shop. The companies wanted to have a board that can work on not only the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but also the Xbox One and PS4.

This board bears similarity to Akishop Custom's PS360+ with such things as a USB out port; screw terminals for button and directional input; and 20-pin breakout ports. It's capable of system auto detection and can work as a XINPUT device on PC. When in PS4 mode, you can add touch pad support and the board has no eight minute timeout. In case Sony updates their PS4 firmware anytime soon, the Universal Fighting Board can also be upgradable.

It's available now to preorder at either Arcade Shock or Paradise Arcade Shop. It will be publicly available around Feb. 3-6!

Killer Instinct Season Three to be Playable at KI World Cup & PAX South

If you are looking to try Killer Instinct Season Three as soon as possible, San Antonio, Texas, will be the battleground.

Iron Galaxy Studios' Adam "Keits" Hart announced that people can get their hands on the first public preview of KI S3 at either Killer Instinct World Cup or PAX South. KI World Cup will take place on Jan. 30-31, 2016 while PAX South will last from Jan. 29-31.

Being a preview build of S3, there will be new content as well as changes from Season Two. While Battletoads' Rash and Killer Instinct 2 character Tusk are confirmed for S3, there are still more characters players might have not seen just yet.

For those unable to attend the event, a live stream is planned to showcase what's in S3 so stay tuned! Killer Instinct Season Three will be available for the Xbox One and PC in March 2016.

Legality on Brook Accessory's Super Converters to be Announced at January 2016 Evo Reveal

Brook Super Converter: Xbox 360/Xbox One to PlayStation 4Evo organizer Joey "Mr. Wizard" Cuellar is in deliberation on whether or not a new set of converters will be allowed at the biggest fighting game tournament in the world.

Mr. Wizard will announce in January 2016 if the Super Converters by Brook Accessory are allowed for use at Evo 2016. Back in November, Mr. Wizard released pictures (1, 2) on Twitter where he tested some of the converters for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. In a recent tweet, Mr. Wizard said the converters might need "another month of testing."

These converters require no authentication for use. Models that allow PS4 compatibility disable the eight-minute timeout issue.

You can find more information about the converters at Brook's official page and the Shoryuken Tech Talk thread. They are currently available now in stores such as Arcade Shock and Focus Attack.