Category: Games

[originally posted at Total PlayStation]

It is somewhat amazing to me that Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike is over 10 years old. An even longer time ago, as a child, my brother and I would spend hours together and with friends pummeling each other’s faces in games such as some iteration of Street Fighter II or Street Fighter Alpha. That feels like an eternity ago. Sometime between then and now, the gulf of skill dividing my brother and I widened to a grand canyon. I, of course, was left behind on the side of slightly informed amateurs and button-mashers, while he advanced to the realm of watching tournament replays and modifying arcade sticks (yes, more than one). Unsurprisingly, it became less fun for me to play against a seeming master of the arts, and I eventually lost interest in fighting games in general a short while after the Dreamcast and its delights of Soul Calibur, Dead or Alive 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom. The only game I could beat him (and anyone else) at with ease and consistency was Power Stone 2.

[originally posted at Total PlayStation]

Sony’s “Welcome Back Program” is finally available after much ballyhoo and anticipation. We previously detailed exactly what is available in the various regions of the world, but that might not be enough information for some gamers to make a decision on what games to claim. This guide will attempt to help readers make an informed decision about what to choose, because free video games are Serious Business.

[originally posted at Total PlayStation]

Have a gamer in your life? Fretting over what to buy your finicky friend or family member? This gamer gift guide has some suggestions that should give you a head start on your holiday shopping, because who needs extra stress during this season?

[originally posted at Total PlayStation]

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 attempts to return to the classic roots that made the original series so successful. Over the years, Sonic has picked up many new friends, gimmicks and gameplay additions, which Sonic 4 eschews in the name of fanservice. However, for every step in the right direction that Sonic 4 takes, it takes another three steps backward, losing the essence that made the Genesis games fun and in the end, feeling more alien and foreign than nostalgic and familiar.

[originally posted at Total PlayStation]

Phantasy Star Online was one of the first games I played online. My buddy and I dialed our Dreamcasts onto the Internet using his family’s two phone lines to play together in the same house, and I was instantly hooked. Several spinoffs, sequels and systems later, Phantasy Star Portable 2 brings a very familiar experience to Sony’s PlayStation Portable, along with some updates that hope to freshen up the franchise.