Episode 550: Kowtowing to China

Blizzard finds itself in hot water as it finds itself having to explain its actions in pleasing the Chinese government, in news that’s still hot and doesn’t look like it’s going to cool down anytime soon. It’s enough to overshadow even an official console announcement from Sony. There’s a Gaming Flashback, the embarrassingly bad FMV game Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties.

The news this week includes:

  • Blizzard is facing a boycott after removing a Hearthstone Grandmaster
  • PlayStation 5 launches Holiday 2020
  • Doom Eternal delayed until March 2020, Doom 64 goes multiformat

Let us know what you think.

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Episode 605: Microsoft At It AgainEpisode 605: Microsoft At It Again

After announcing most Zenimax games will be exclusive to PC and Xbox, now the rumors are swirling that Microsoft will buy Discord, the mammoth VOIP that is rivaling Twitch and Facebook for active users.

The news includes:

  • Report: Microsoft in talks to buy Discord
  • PS3, PSP, and PS Vita stores to reportedly shutdown this year
  • Serious Sam 2 surprises fans with substantial new update

Let us know what you think on the Facebook comment page.

Episode 402: One and a Half EpisodesEpisode 402: One and a Half Episodes

This episode is so long, we actually had to cut on of the stories that went too long. We get some listener feedback for Scott as well.

The news includes:

  • EA data leak on Pastebin exposes emails and passwords
  • Adobe confirms major Flash vulnerability
  • Report: Nintendo’s next platform NX combines console and handheld
  • Remaining Batman Arkham Knight Season Pass content revealed
  • EA: Remakes happen when you’re ‘out of ideas
  • Bandai Namco pulls plug on Rise of Incarnates
  • Analyst: Preorders drive more sadness than anticipation

Let us know what you think.

Retro Gaming Moves: Spinning Bird KickRetro Gaming Moves: Spinning Bird Kick

In 1987, Capcom created a new winner with the Street Fighter series. Knowing the demographic, they went for teenage boys with the desire to play fighting games in the arcade in competitive fashion. But is a good fighting game without some eye candy?

Chun-Li was the star, with her Spinning Bird Kick. Actually, Chun-Li never saw the first Street Fighter title… only Ken and Ryu (mainly Ryu) were available in the first series installment. This got our taste wet for battle, and Street Fighter II introduced us to a whole range of great moves and character designs.

Out of all the characters, Chun-Li held her own as a cute skinny yet muscular female with moves like no other. Her Spinning Bird Kick would allow her to flip upside down and whack the opponent upside the head a few times as they fall to their back on the stone.

Chun-Li, or “spring beauty” in Mandarin, was famous for her sexy anime legs and their spinning doom. Gamers would perform the move that the worse possible time for their opponent, such as in mid-jump when your opponent had nothing but death and peril awaiting their landing.

Ken and Ryu had spinning kicks too, but without the inverted impossible moves of Chun-Li it fell short of awesome. When it comes to animated violence, perceived hot chicks and young boys battling for ego and rights to be the winner, the Spinning Bird Kick and Chung-Li was a great choice.

The British rock band Arctic Monkeys have an instrumental song titled “Chun Li’s Spinning Bird Kick” and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance (wikipedia).

It does without doubt, every Street Fighter II player remembers the crazy spinning kicks of Chun-Li and this is what makes her have retro gaming moves!