Editorial

I still remember the first issue of Sega Saturn Magazine I ever purchased. It was the Feb 1997 edition, emblazoned with incredible cover art of Akira Yuki, and the title ‘Fighters Megamix’ in the corner. A new fighting game from AM2 was just about the most incredible thing that a Sega fan could ask for in ’97 (and in my opinion, it still is), and this was the first sighting of something that would become a very special game in Sega’s history.

Have you ever felt that your reactions are too slow? Or that you can't keep up with the speed and flow of the game? We often tend to blame ourselves and write the problem off as due to bad genes or old age. However, this 2012 blog article, titled Reaction Speeds in Gaming by Kayin, shows the actual cause is more than likely a mental issue, rather than physical one, and can be overcome with a change in the way you think. (potentially NSFW language)

A look back to the past 19 years of Athena and Beat-Tribe Cups organized by VFR. A nice review before the 15th Beat-Tribe Cup event coming up this weekend!

These are interviews from Sega's Virtua Fighter 20th Anniversary Website - 1993-2013. I'll try to get the best ones up soon. Stay tuned.

EDGE recently featured a retrospective article on Virtua Fighter 5 which reflects back on their review of the Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown release in 2012. In reconsidering their initial assessment of the title two years later, they write: "but that learning, that process of discovery, refinement and perfection of the vast library of possibilities and potential is at the centre of what makes Virtua Fighter so endlessly rewarding."

Here's a recent interview with creator of Virtua Fighter "Mr. Yu Suzuki" / Former SEGA-AM2 Head. Yu Suzuki is still an advisor to SEGA while he's running his own studio called YS NET. It's done by a special magazine that is affiliated with Famitsu of Japan.

Yu Suzuki Interview with Strana Igr [shenmuedojo.net]

The fighting game community has never been so big and active throughout the US. Every quarter there is a massive FGC(fighting game community) event showcasing some of the greatest talents in fighting games the world has ever seen. For some it's a chance to see greatness and clutch on a level that we aspire to get to. For others it's a way to showcase your talents and see just where you stack up in terms of time dedicated to your preferred fighter. This is not fact or statement, it is a compilation of feelings and emotions I felt after my time with some FGC events. It's a self check for everyone out there that loves fighting games and is connected to them as a player, spectator, or creator.