Rumble on the Walk: The Street Fighter IV Inaugural Tournament in LA

On Thursday, February 19th, hundreds of Street Fighter fans, gamers, and passers-by found their way to the packed courtyard in front of Universal City Walk's GameStop store in Los Angeles, CA to witness and take part in the company's inaugural "Rumble on the Walk" Street Fighter IV tournament, the first of thousands to be held at stores across the country.

In addition to a 64-competitior tournament played on eight Xbox 360 consoles, the final rounds being displayed on a two-story high big-screen display for all to see, the event also included a raffle for multiple prizes -- headbands, autographed copies of SFIV, and an Xbox 360 console -- a costume contest, a "Best Street Fighter Move" competition, and a martial arts demonstration.

_{The bracket}

Almost as soon as the event began, the tournament bracket was filled to capacity, as was a list of 20 alternates, just in case any of the first-stringers suffered from strained thumb syndrome or fell unconscious at the sight of their opponent's street fighting ferocity. Both groups were lined up behind security gates and could be seen chomping at the bit like ancient gladiators or modern day UFC fighters.

I spoke with the group at the front of the line, including Player #1, the first registrant, "Big Dre Dre." He told me that claiming those spots was "a mixture of being early and being on top of this s***." Unfortunately for him, being the first in line only meant that he got to play first...against a friend occupying slot #2. "They play in order. That sucks." Dre would much rather have used his "Ken Bizzle" skills to KO unknown opponents.

_{The first three entrants into the tournament, including quarter-finalist "Big Dre Dre"}

Once the tournament got underway, things moved rather quickly, grinding down to the top eight street fighters in what felt like no time. In the quarter finals, two of the four matches -- Dre's crushing Ryu-Ken defeat included -- saw players who were down two rounds to none come back with three straight KOs, advancing them to the semis. At this point, matches played out on the big screen, where every super and ultra combo prompted "ohs" and "oohs" from the diverse crowd -- even babies looked on wide-eyed.

_{Sanchez vs. Gutierrez: "Round 1, FIGHT!"}

The final round was a best-of-seven match between Alex Sanchez and Ryan Gutierrez, better known as M. Bison and Balrog. Whereas earlier contests were exhilarating and suspenseful, this championship bout looked like a mismatch, as Gutierrez, or Gootecks, as he called himself, won easily in four straight rounds. This performance earned Gootecks a seed in the Evo 2009 Street Fighter IV Championship Tournament in San Francisco later this year, as well as a one-on-one match with Evo founder and Special Advisor to SFIV Seth Killian immediately following his victory.

Here's the final round of that epic confrontation:

^{Gootecks shows Seth Killian that he's the new kid on the block}

Fans thoroughly enjoyed the tournament, but it wasn't the only attraction of the evening. Four enthusiastic cosplayers were chosen from the crowd to compete in a Street Fighter franchise costume contest, where winners were determined by crowd applause. To no one's surprise, a scantily clad Cammy won easily.

_{Dudley, Q, Cammy, and Ryu pose for the camera}

In the "Best Street Fighter Move" competition, yours truly lost in not-so-grand fashion to the main tournament's runner up, who delivered a very vocal Shin Shoryuken to an imaginary opponent on stage.

Here's the winning move:

^{Mr. Sanchez caters to the fans with his Ryu impression}

...and my losing "Fei Long" impression:

_{I know it's not exactly a Fei Long kick, but I had to choose a character, and he was the closest I could think of}

Far more impressive than our fanboy antics, however, was the live Capoiera demonstration that took place in front of the stage about halfway through the event. A group of performers sparred with one another, performed acrobatic kicks and flips, and tumbled across City Walk like gymnasts doing floor exercises. It was enough to make me want Tekken's Eddie Gordo to join Capcom's Street Fighter IV roster.

_{Capoeira at the Rumble on the Walk}

GameStop's inaugural Street Fighter IV Tournament was truly enjoyable for all involved, from the old-school fans of the franchise, to the new, competitive players, to the random shoppers of City Walk who found the ever-more-mainstream gamer culture interesting enough to stop and watch. The manager of the City Walk GameStop store was especially pleased, saying that the event really helped out with regular foot traffic and general patronage, as well as obviously bolstering Street Fighter IV sales on both consoles -- especially for the Collector's Edition. He also said that Capcom was very helpful, providing plenty of merchandise and support for the event. In all, it was a great success.

In classic Street Fighter fashion, to everyone in attendance, "YOU WIN!"

_{"To GamerNode! <3>}

Rumble | Mortal Kombat Versus Capcom

Today's rumble is the final round in the comic world/fighting game mini-tournament, pitting Japanese publisher/developer Capcom against Mortal Kombat, a fighting franchise created as direct competition to Capcom's Street Fighter.

Google is bringing out the weapons, so let us begin:

Fatality! Capcom has been decapitated/dismembered/gutted/de-boned/etc. by Midway Games' Mortal Kombat series. (Mortal Kombat beats Street Fighter, too.) Too bad, because I've always been a big Capcom fan...and I think the Mortal Kombat series is somewhat worthless.

Unitl next time, Rumble fans...

That Game Is What?

I was having a bit of fun the other day looking up terms on Urbandictionary.com, and I decided it would make for an interesting column if I started looking up videogame terms to pass on to you, the GN faithful. Eventually, it just turned into "name a game and pick the most disparaging/humorous definition of said game" - which isn't really so bad.*

Here's what I found during my quest (entries left unedited for extra entertainment value - beware of extreme profanity):

Video games:
1 - The only thing that's fun to do anymore.

PS3:
1 - sony playstation 3, it was released @ E3 2005, looks like a fridge door with dildos as controllers
2 - An over priced George Foreman grill, enough heat and space to cook food for a 3rd world country plus it costs as much as a 3rd world country...

Wii:
1 - Wii (pronounced "Wee") is the name for Nintendo's new console to be released in 2006. The soundalike word wee is also a euphemism for urinating. Nintendo had always insisted they would become "number one", and now they are.
2 - A repackaged Gamecube with motion controls. Formerly known as the Levorution
3 - To change a cool sounding product into a name that sounds like you have to go to the bathroom
4 - XBox 360's little white bitch

Xbox 360:
1 - Basically Microsoft's next big fat console that allows blood-thirsty players to play blood-filled killing games. Will emulates incredible details and graphics of death, mutilation, blood, infiltration, conspiration, explosion, planet novas, killing and prostitution.
2 - A junky fucking game system that isn't worth a penny. It breaks easily, horrible graphics, the graphics are blurry, junky look, shitty-ass controls, sucks like the xbox. PS3 rules! Xbox 360 sucks ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 - The suckiest Next-Gen console Ever.
4 - The Game console pwned by the PS3 and Wii.

MMORPG:
1 - Many Men Online Role-Playing Girls.
2 - A treadmill that makes you fatter.
3 - A mans mistress
4 - Relationship killer.

Leeroy Jenkins:
1 - Doing it Leeroy Jenkins Style. Meaning to do something so bloody wild that youll be talked about for months because it was bloody insane.

World of Warcraft:
1 - A good fun alternative to life.
2 - crack, in CD-ROM form.
3 - The most highly addictive game ever played. It will consume your soul and poison your water supply.

Halo:
1. without this game most guys would spend most of their time masturbating
2. code word: group, all male, masturbating.
3. electronic circle jerk, multiguy mission.

Halo 3:
1 - If idle hands are the devil's tools, then the Halo franchise should be delaying armageddon for decades to come.
2 - A gift probably from heaven, programmed by god himself. Though Playstation 3 fag boys...sorry, "fanboys" may say it sucks, they are just disappointed that their console will not be able to handle it. With all it's cool features, halo 3 will make gaming history. On Sept 25th the earth itself will shake from the awesomeness of halo. I look forward to laughing at the PS3 fans on that day.

Metal Gear Solid:
1. a game that is too fucking cool for words to describe.if you havnt played it then you cant realy say you've had life experience when applying for a job.

Final Fantasy:
1 - a highly addictive drug.
2 - the video game series that used to be for video game geeks but now is now unfortunately enjoyed by all, including the people that used to beat me up for liking these games
2 - The RPG plague and should be ingorned and it will go away.
3 - some gay game that all the gay ass nerds play and they suck balls

Guitar Hero:
1 - A game played at Best Buy as a way to pick up chicks who dont realize that no skill from playing the real guitar is required.
2 - A video game on the Playstation 2 and the lazy man's alternative to actually playing the guitar because they are either too lazy, impatient, or simply lack the talent.
3 - DDR for your fingers. Has spawned an obsession over the entire country. 15 year olds who have never touched a real guitar consider it to be the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Mario Kart:
1 - A drunk college student's favorite pastime.

Mario:
1- A fat and short plumber that the only way he can get laid is is to save the princess from Bowser. He eats shrooms to grow higher. To give an example of how much he wants to get laid: hes willing to bust bricks with his head. But you, have a better chance of getting laid if you stay big, so don't get hit or you'll shrink.
2 - Self absorbed, self centered, one-upping douche. See also Jackass

Luigi:
1 - A pimp-ass motherfucker who always gets outstaged by his short, fat brother,

Zelda:
1 - Absolutely, beyond a doubt, no questions asked, the GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME EVER CREATED ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH! Anyone who hates Zelda sucks at life completely.
2 - The hoebag princess from The Legend of Zelda series that does absolutely nothing and screams a lot.

Silent Hill:
1 - an insanely scary game designed to make boys and girls defecate as soon as they are exposed to it. its fucked up.
2 - A game is nice and quiet then out of no where OMFG SCARES THE SHIT OUT OF YOU.

Tekken:
1 - see gay.
2 - more like a shit videogame.
3 - The pimpest game there is. Anyone who says "OMG TEH VIRTUA FIGHTAR!" is either an anime fanboy japanophile cockshit or one of those fighting game uber nerds who study framerates and whatshit.
4 - Its the mojo that keeps you alive
5 - virtua fighter is fucking gay and tekken is nothing like street fighter. its the best fightin game out on the market to this day and if you dont like it you can suck a dick. Easily beaten but not easily mastered

Virtua Fighter:
1 - VF = Better graphics, physics, GAMEPLAY, REPLAYABILITY, LASTABILITY!!!
Teken = Better ways to mash buttons, better flashes, better CHEAP factor.
2 - Virtua fighter is a game for American wannabe jap nerds that think gay bullshit is better just for the fuck of it. Well it ain't. Hope you learned your lesson Bitch.

Street Fighter:
1 - A story about RYU's serious ego problem.
2 - The source of all school violence. That and DOOM.

That's all for now. I think I will do this again one day with different games (hopefully ones that are just as loved/hated as the ones listed above). Hope you all enjoyed that as much as I did.

*Disclaimer: The definitions in this column in no way represent the feelings of the author. If you would kindly direct your torches and pitchforks elsewhere, that would be greatly appreciated.