Kenny and Nick reunited!!! Will the HyperComboCast #28 tear them apart?!? LISTEN AND FIND OUT!!!!!!

We kick things off with some awesome listener feedback from David Rodriguez. After that, Nick takes a few moments to offer up his thoughts on Kenny's topic from HyperComboCast #27.

Here's the car accident background Kenny talks about from Capcom vs. SNK.

Then it's time for a passionate discussion about art direction in fighting games. Character art, backgrounds, loading screens, and all of the other design touches that set the tone for the entire game.

We cover fighting game series like Capcom vs. SNK, Mortal Kombat, Marvel vs. Capcom, Samurai Shodown, King of Fighters, Tekken, and more. Oh... and, you know there's some love in there for the HyperComboCast favorite, Marvel Super Heroes.

The character art from Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was awesome!!!

After the end theme, we discuss fighting games with the worst art direction.

And, finally, we want to know: which fighting games do you think have the best art direction? You can hit us up two different ways: email HyperComboCast@gmail.com or call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606.

ALSO: Hypno-Hustler.

Kenny kicks things off by discussing the new additions to the Street Fighter X Tekken cast, including this handsome fella:

But after that, then it's time for the real battle... comeback mechanics vs. self-imposed limitations!!!

Actually, it's not a battle. Instead, Kenny poses two different-but-related fighting games questions:

1. Do comeback mechanics like Soulcalibur's Ring Out or Street Fighter IV's Ultra Meter make the games unique or ruin the gameplay?
2. Do you have self-imposed limitations when you play?

Tell us about your self-imposed limitations or share your feelings about comeback mechanics by emailing HyperComboCast@Gmail.com or calling our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 (don't forget to tell us your name and the episode you're calling about!).

These are the booklets from Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, and Marvel vs. Capcom... all for the original PlayStation.

And since the HyperComboCast is taking the week off, I figured it's only right to reward you for your patience with some new wallpaper!

As much as I look back fondly on my days playing fighting games on the PS1, let's be honest -- the arcade versions of these games are exponentially better.

Still, I hope you've enjoyed this trip down memory as much as I have. See you next Monday for the new http://www.audioshocker.com/tag/hypercombocast!!

Kenny dares to go where no HyperComboCast has gone before!

He kicks it solo to deliver an AUDIO COMMENTARY TRACK for 2010's The King of Fighters movie!

Watch along with Kenny by streaming TKoF on Netflix, or if you really love the AudioShocker, you can buy it from Amazon through our associate's link.

Thrill to the intense fights! Be awed by the heart-wrenching drama! Watch Maggie Q get her butt whooped by Ray Park!

Now that's what I call cinema.

Kenny. Goes. Solo.

In this intimate podcast message, Dr. Riot shares the games he's looking forward to in 2012, a few solid fighting games tips, and some of the great things you can expect from the HyperComboCast in the coming months.

To leave us feedback for future episodes of the HyperComboCast, hit up our email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

To kick off 2012, I go solo to deliver my Personal Top 11 Fighting Game Moments from 2011!!!

11. Kuma's bear fart hyper combo.

10. Finding someone who'll take my copy of Super Street Fighter IV PC.
09. Giving up on Super Street Fighter IV.
08. The UMvC3 theme songs tournament.
07. Learning how to hook my new laptop up to my TV with an HDMI cord.
06. Learning how to advance one frame at a time in MAME.
05. Return of Hyper Combo Wallpaper.
04. Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
03. Discovery of World Heroes.

02. Posting YouTube videos of my terrible gameplay.
01. CLASSIFIED. Listen to find out!!!

Remember, we wanna hear from you! Leave us feedback via email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

It's the final battle in the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament!! Kenny and Nick kick things off with a listener call-in by kickass artist Andrew Kilian (see Andrew's work in his Super Haters Guest Week collaboration with Nick!).

To leave us feedback of your own, email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com with your questions or comments OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

And now... the conclusion of the UMvC3 theme song tourney!

Match 1: Nova

VS. Virgil

Match 2: Doctor Strange

VS. Firebrand

WHO WILL WIN THIS MOMENTOUS CHALLENGE??? Does Nova still own nick's heart? Will Kenny push Firebrand all the way to the win? Listen to find out who will be crowned the UMvC3 Theme Song Champion!

ALSO: Here's Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3.

Kenny and Nick kick off Round 3 of the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament by responding to some listener feedback. We play a call-in from Pierce Johnson, who wants to know about playing fighting games on the PC. Kenny drops some knowledge and Nick has a gift for Pierce -- his unused copy of Street Fighter IV PC. Then we answer an email from Kurtis Homan about the Ultimate Fighting System card game.

To leave us feedback of your own, email HyperComboCast@Gmail.com with your questions or comments OR call our automated comment line at 412-567-7606 and we'll play your message on the show.

And now... the tourney!

Match 1: Ghost Rider

VS. Strider Hiryu

Match 2: Hawkeye

VS. Firebrand

During Match 1's discussion, Nick mishears a key piece of opinion from Kenny... will this mistake derail the entire tournament?!?!? Luckily, Match 2 is a much easier battle.

The winners of the two matches face off for the last spot in the finals. Which hot track will make it to the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament, FINAL ROUND???

ALSO: Here's Round 1 and Round 2.

UPDATED: Here's the Final Round!

Kenny and Nick reunite for Round 2 of the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament!!! (Here's Round 1.)

Match 1: Iron Fist

VS. Virgil

Match 2: Doctor Strange

VS. Nemesis

Match 1 is a super close fight, while Match 2 is far more decisive. The winner from Match 1 goes up against the winner from 2... and it's a another super close battle! Who will advance to the finals? LISTEN TO FIND OUT!

P.S. Pierce, we didn't forget about your message! We'll answer it on the next show.

UPDATE: Here's Round 3.

A.K.A. Changing the Game pt 2!!!

Kenny and Alex get together to record their long awaited sequel to HyperComboCast #13 - Changing the Game pt 1, in which they express concerns that the more vocal competitive fighting game scene may have a dangerous effect on the creativity behind fighting games.

ALSO: The controversial "is it a fighter or not" game, Super Smash Bros Melee, kicks things off as Alex's prime example of this effect taking place. Could this be the most polarizing episode yet? Will Nick be unlocked for the next episode? Listen and find out!

Also, don't forget to send feedback to HyperComboCast@Gmail.com!

HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER! Kenny brings in a good local friend of his, John Amenta (ZanSam), to expand on the topic of, HyperComboCast #3 - Learning, and compare the differences between learning in the past (where Kenny started 20 years ago) as opposed to learning now (where John started).

Expect a deep conversation that includes a lot of Chicago area shoutouts, term definitions, civil debate, and other fun stuff.

Welcome to Round 1 of the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Character Theme Song Showdown Tournament!!!

Match 1: Rocket Raccoon

VS. Frank West

Match 2: Nova

VS. Phoenix Wright

Finally, the winner from Match 1 goes up against the winner from Match 2... and while I won't spoil the final fight, I will say it has a very marvelous outcome!!!

UPDATE: Here's Round 2.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! It's the Darkstalkers episode.

Kenny and Nick are joined by Justique and Kayin to discuss the Darkstalkers (a.k.a. Vampire) series from Capcom.

From the gameplay to the character art and everything in between, we've got your ultimate Darkstalkers review right here!

BUT WAIT! There's more than just the video games -- we also discuss Darkstalkers anime, cartoons, manga, comics, and more.

PLUS: Check out our Darkstalkers wallpapers.

Nick rants about NYCC, MvC3 on the Xbox, and bad dpads...

THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE FEEDBACK!

Wait... no... Dr. Mario.

BUT THEN IT'S TIME FOR FEEDBACK!

Christian Wolfe sent us a fantastic email! He wants to know about learning how to use a joystick, and Nick likes his question. Kenny drops knowledge on the topic and his advice is don't feel like you have to use a joystick to play console fighting games nowadays (just don't rely on hot keys). BUT... Kenny still thinks it's a good idea to learn on a stick.

Next up is Kurtis Homan! He wants to know if we're going to EVO2012 (probably not). He also wants to know about the games we wanna see more of (Kenny = King of Fighters, Nick = World Heroes). And, lastly, he wants to know our personal standards for what makes a fight game good (so we go on a huge rant).

If you want to send us more feedback, email hypercombocast@gmail.com or call 412-567-7606. We want to hear from you!

We want your feedback!!! In fact, HyperComboCast #18 (in two weeks) is gonna made out of your feedback! Kenny set up a new email address -- hypercombocast@gmail.com -- and he wants to hear from you. We're even taking a one week break to give you time to hit us up. Send us questions, comments, and rants... we'll read 'em on the show!

Later this week, Nick's gonna be at New York Comic Con... so stop by and say hi! He's gonna have comics, podcast collections, prizes, and more! Find the AudioShocker at table D15 in Artist Alley.

Then Kenny and Nick close out the show with some thoughts about the new Dead or Alive 5 trailer. Is it gameplay? Is it just a fancy trailer thingy? Or is it some sort of elaborate cut scene?

Oh... and... BEAR FART HYPER COMBO.

It's NOT Mah-vel, baby!!! We're talkin' bout fighting game crossovers that aren't Marvel-related. (Cause we already did that.)

Kenny describes Fighters Megamix and it sounds like the craziest game ever.

Nick didn't realize King of Fighters was a crossover. Then there's Capcom vs. SNK versus SNK vs. Capcom! Nick likes the dumb fun of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. And Kenny talks about a ton more crossovers.

Also... Pepsiman.

Your fighters: Kenny and Nick.

The main event: Mortal Kombat the movie.

"It's so real, it hurts!!!"

FINISH HER!

This first Bonus Stage branches off of HyperComboCast 8: Character Design. In that episode, Nick and I spoke about the importance of character designs in fighting games, and other random related stuff.

For Bonus Stage 1, Nick and I are joined by my awesome feminist friend, Michelle, to discuss various aspects of the presence of women in fighting games, and the representation of women in other media as well. Nick is unsure at first if he'll have anything of interest or importance to say, but as the conversation goes on, he actually shares valid thoughts! Stop doubting yourself, Nick!

Characters of Note (in order of mention):
- Sonya Blade (Midway / NetherRealm Studios)
- Storm (Marvel comics)
- Ibuki (Capcom)
- Makoto (Capcom)
- Chun-Li (Capcom)
- Elena (Capcom)
- Urien (Capcom)
- Gill (Capcom)
- Sakura (Capcom)
- Jade (Midway / Nether Realm Studios)
- Mary Ivonskaya (SquareEnix)
- Mitsuko (Eighting / Raizing)
- Uriko (Eighting / Raizing)
- Fox (Eighting / Raizing)
- Poison (Capcom)
- Sophitia (Namco Bandai)
- She-Hulk (Marvel Comics)
- X-23 (Marvel Comics)
- Gertrude (Misnamed as Gretchen by me in the recording, because I didn't remember properly) (Marvel comics)
- Kira (Examu)
- Otane (Atlus)
- Angela (Atlus)
- Morrigan (Capcom)
- Iroha (SNK Playmore)
- Mai Shiranui (SNK Playmore) (I dunno what Nick is talking about, she isn't in KoF XII)
- Makoto Nanaya (Arc System Works)
- Sindel (Midway / NetherRealm Studios)
- Rose (Capcom)
- Tron Bonne (Capcom)
- Crimson Viper (Capcom)
- Hsien Ko (Capcom)
- Vanessa (SNK Playmore)
- Uranus (Eighting / Raizing)
- Marrow (Marvel comics)
- Tiffany (Capcom)
- Rainbow Mika (Capcom)

Games of Note (in order of mention):
- Mortal Kombat Series (Midway / NetherRealm Studios)
- Street Fighter Series (Capcom)
- My Little Pony: Fighting is Magic
- The King of Fighters Series (SNK Playmore)
- Dead or Alive Series (Tecmo)
- Soul Series (Namco Bandai)
- Arcana Heart (Examu)

Last week we said this was gonna be Changing the Game pt 2. Unfortunately, it's not. Instead, we're talking about some upcoming games for 2011 and 2012.

Street Fighter X Tekken -- Kirby krackles, Kuma's cartoony face and his fart hyper combo, plus a return of some MvC1 flavor.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 -- Kenny is PUMPED!

King of Fighters XIII -- gotta be better than XII.

Skull Girls -- a long time comin'!

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 -- The timing makes Capcom look bad... but the game looks good.

ALSO: Squirrel Girl history and Kenny drops the best Falcon quote of all time.

THEN: After the end theme we talk about Vitura Fighter 5: Final Showdown, and how Kenny wants a Rival Schools sequel. Plus, a little Silver Centurion conversation.

NEXT: Changing the Game pt 2 will have to will have to wait for one more week because next time we have a super-special super-long BONUS STAGE all about the fierce females of fighting games!!!

Here comes a new challenger: Alex!

This week, we're showcasing fighting games that broke the mold.

We talk about tons of games, including Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Darkstalkers, Pocket Fighter, Mortal Kombat, World Heroes, Virtua Fighter, Real Bout Fatal Fury, Savage Reign, Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer, Samurai Shodown, Bushido Blade, and MORE!!!

NEXT: Changing the Game pt 2 OR How the Competitive Scene Ruined Creativity in Fighting Games.

UPDATE: Three months later, here's Changing the Game pt 2!

Our shortest episode yet!!! Kenny and Nick get KO'd by the crappiness of Star Wars fighting games, starting with...

Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi! This sub-par PS1 game from 1997 is laggy, choppy, ugly, and boring.

Nick is devastated by revisiting Teras Kasi and realizing that his fond memories are totally bogus. Meanwhile, Kenny does a good job recapping the best (not much) and worst (a lot) of the game.

Then there's Soulcalibur IV, which features Darth Vader, Yoda, and Starkiller among its cast. Yeaaaaahhhh... uuhhh... not too much to say about it.

NEXT: Changing the game!

Welcome to a very special unscheduled Hyper Combo Wallpaper, featuring a delicious image from gamescom 2011.

And here's some video of Kuma's bear fart hyper combo in action:

As if I wasn't already excited enough for Street Fighter X Tekken... NOW I'M SUPER PSYCHED!!! The impact animations have Kirby krackles in them AND Kuma's gonna be farting on every Street Fighter character in the lineup. Ahhhhh I love fighting games.

Was Avengers in Galactic Storm the first Marvel fighting game! NO! It's a wonky digitized sprite affair with eight main characters and eight assist characters (one of the first with assist characters).

Thankfully, X-Men: Children of the Atom was the first Marvel fighting game! This classic Capcom fighter has gorgeous character design, a good selection of fighters, and tight animation.

Marvel Super Heroes (our favorite!) was next, and it took things to the next level. Fantastic obscure characters (Shuma-Gorath, Blackheart), killer art direction, awesome gameplay... EVERYTHING RULES!

X-Men vs. Street Fighter used the Marvel Super Heroes approach and runs wild with it in the very first Marvel/Capcom crossover game!

Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter is where things slip a little bit... and the secret characters are totally lazy re-colorations!

Then it's the first Marvel vs. Capcom!!! (Nick loves the gameplay). We get Venom and War Machine, and some color-themed secret characters.

As for non-Capcom releases... There's the very average X-Men: Mutant Academy 1 and 2. Plus, there's X-Men: Next Dimension, a slightly freshened up Mutant Academy... and Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects is sort of a fighting game.

But then we're onto Marvel vs. Capcom 2!!! Cable and Marrow join the fight... plus two Wolverines? And, ahhh...c'mon, you know the rest. Classic, yadda yadda, etc.

Fast-forward to now... Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Oodles of new characters! MODOK, Phoenix, Taskmaster, and tons more. Plus, some Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 conversation.

And after the end theme, we briefly discuss the rare adaptions of Marvel Comics story lines in fighting games -- Operation: Galactic Storm and Infinity Gauntlet.

NEXT: Star Wars fighting games! (Masters of Tesar Kasi and Soulcalibur IV)

Listen along with us using this Street Fighter OST YouTube playlist as we discuss this unexpectedly strong Priority Records soundtrack!

Ice Cube loves the "BOING!" sound. Come Widdit comes with a lot of good flows. Nas lays down some introspective rhymes. The Pharcyde causes pandemonium on a little kid's TV as he plays Super Street Fighter II. Nick loves the song from the Brothers Under Madness. And Craig Mack may be forgotten but he kills it on his track!

Then it's time for Neon Deion Sanders and Hammer to bring the corny!! Straight to My Feet is a MUST watch music video for fans of the Street Fighter movie and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Next up is Rumbo in da Jungo, which is wrecked by the Wreck League. And then Anotha Level drops another good rap track, but it's the last one...

...because the last two tracks are world music songs. The Angelique Kidjo song is fantastic, but daaaaaamn the Chage and Aska song SUCKS!

NEXT: Marvel, from comics to games!!!

Stories in fighting games! Are they good, are they bad... do they even matter???

Nick thinks DOA 2 exemplifies the best and worst of fighting game storylines, Keny notes how Tekken saves the storyline experience for the home version, and both dudes discuss Street Fighter's sprawling storyline.

Does the tournament concept inherently work against an overarching storyline? Or are fighting games more like "Choose Your Own Adventure" books?

Mortal Kombat has story balls for killing off its main character, and Tekken's plot is deceptively (and/or mind-numbingly) simple. And fighting games movies have an uphill battle trying to tell coherent stories.

Marvel Super Heroes (our favorite!) is the rare video game adaptation of something from other media (the Infinity Gauntlet miniseries). Is there a story in X-Men: Children of the Atom? Is Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter canon?

[NOTE: There's no bonus Hyper Combo fun today... BECAUSE I COULDN'T BEAT X-MEN: CHILDREN OF THE ATOM!!! Goddamn, Magneto is a tough boss.]

NEXT: Street Fighter... the movie... the soundtrack!!! Get prepped for next week's episode by listening to the entire soundtrack using this handy YouTube playlist.

Fighting game characters -- the good, the bad, and the weird! Nick hates Abel, Kenny digs Hinako and her sumo style, and Nick loves Oro's unconventional design.

Of course, TONS more! Kira Daidohji from Arcana Heart, Waku Waku 7, Brocken from World Heroes, debating the game design of Darkstalkers, does BlazBlue have great personality?... but is it over designed?, Guilty Gear craziness, everyone likes Necro, Nick is drawn towards larger characters, Kenny tracks the trend of luchadore characters, theme music in Marvel Super Heroes, did Marvel vs. Capcom 2 lack artistic design?, and King of Fighters has some seriously nuanced characters.

And after the end theme, we get specific about 3D character design -- Battle Fantasia, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and more.

HYPER COMBO BONUS JAM: Iron Man theme song from Marvel Super Heroes!

NEXT: Storyline design!

Here comes (another) new challenger: Kayin, creator of I Wanna Be the Guy!

We're talking about fighting game updates! Starting with Street Fighter II (most guilty game ever!) and running all the way update to today's modern console updates. Do the King of Fighters sequels count? Kayin says yes!!! World Heroes is crazy, Mortal Kombat's apology letter, Tekken's slew of updates, uhhhhh Virtua Fighter, slow updates killed BlazBlue, Guilty Gear has crazy update names, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 versus Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and tons TONS more!

TOTALLY UNRELATED BONUS VIDEO: Cyberbots gameplay!

NEXT: Fighting game design.

Here comes a new challenger: ALEX!!!

Kenny, Nick, and their special guest recap the arcade intro (watch here it here!), and Alex drops some knowledge about the movie* itself...

And then it's time for the Street Fighter: The Movie the game conversation!!! Ridiculous moves, hilarious backgrounds, arcade vs. console, super moves, Akuma???, exploding health bars, and so much more.

Warning: DON'T PLAY THIS GAME ALONE!!!

*BTW, Street Fighter the movie is brand new for only $3.94 on Amazon right now (for the special edition DVD, natch), so if you ever wanted to buy it, now's the time.

BONUS VIDEO: Street Fighter: The Movie the game boss fight, Chun-Li ending, and end credits (with Nick commentary).

NEXT: It's a mystery!

Did someone say "SET THE AGE TO 99"??? It's Jaime Pressly, Devon Aoki, and Holly Valance in... DOA: Dead or Alive!

Spoilers abound! Kenny hits the most insane plot moments with his recap, Nick grabbed some sweet screen caps, Gen Fu's costume is awful, and there's NO IZUNA DROP!!! Kenny gives the movie a high C+, while Nick gives it a solid B.

NEXT: Street Fighter: The Movie... the game!!!

BONUS: Hyper Combo Gameplay Video! It's Avengers in Galactic Storm - Shatterax vs. Thunderstrike:

Justique whoops Nick's butt in this oft-forgotten 90s fighting game (which was the first to feature assist characters).

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: We're going weekly!!! Also, Nick talks briefly about Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters.

AND THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE DOUBLE DRAGON FIGHTING GAMES PODCAST!!!

Replaying Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls crushed Kenny's spirit. And Nick didn't even play it because he doesn't know how to work his SNES emulator.

Both Kenny and Nick agree that the Double Dragon (Neo Geo) fighting game rules... especially the valley girl announcer. Surprisingly fun gameplay, interesting character choices, and great background details.

But Rage of the Dragons divides Kenny and Nick.... Kenny digs it, while Nick's underwhelmed by it. Kenny runs down the characters and discusses the moves, and Nick talks about Kang's racist and sexist win quotes.

NEXT: DOA: Dead or Alive and fighting game movies!

Kenny schools Nick!!! We talk about reading move lists on cabinets, learning how to physically execute moves, playing Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game, and then...

Kenny's top five tips for learning more about fighting games!

1. Understand differences so you can figure out what you like.
2. Play different games to learn more about fighters in general.
3. Learn on a joystick. (This makes Nick sad.)
4. Be social because the best way to learn is through people.
5. Read!!! GameFAQs, Shoryuken, etc.

Kenny lists out where to find some of his favorite tutorials (online and in games), and we close the show out with Kenny's quick opinions on Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat 9, and Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition.

NEXT: Double Dragon fighting games!!!

BONUS: Classic Marvel Super Heroes Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Shuma-Gorath perfects Thanos in the boss stage from the second Marvel fighting game produced by Capcom, Marvel Super Heroes.

Kenny and Nick are back!!! And they're talking about playing with others (*snicker* tee hee).

Kenny tells a tale of Tekken Tag Tournament dick-ish-ness. Nick lost 90 rounds in a row in Dead or Alive 2. Kenny played some Soul Calibur II at a house party. Nick did a little sandbagging on Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter and then got his ass handed to him. Kenny had a Marvel Super Heroes showdown and DID NOT put money on it. Kenny's casual Super Street Fighter II Turbo domination inspired some Super Street Fighter IV and Alpha 3 whoop ass, as well as a Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves hissy fit. And Nick shares his money-saving arcade collaboration technique.

After the end theme, Kenny tells a money-minded Marvel vs. Capcom story. NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR 50 CENTS BACK, MUTHAFRRRUCKA!!!

NEXT: Learning!

BONUS: Another Classic MvC Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Lifted from the Marvel vs. Capcom opening credits, this psychedelic shot features Hulk laying down the gamma thunder on the Human Tornado, Dolemite Zangief.

Kenny (a.k.a. Riot.EXE) teams up with Nick to deliver a brand new podcast all about fighting games!!!

We kick things off with Kenny's HyperComboCast mission statement... AND then it's time for our fighting game origins -- from the gas station around the corner to a small mountain town in Italy.

We name drop Street Fighter II, Darkstalkers, King of Fighters, Marvel Super Heroes, Shuma-Gorath, Spider-Man's slow ass web ball in MvC3, Desk's MvC3 vids, and tons more as we deliver 30 minutes of video game love.

NEXT: Fighting against real people!

BONUS: Classic Marvel vs. Capcom Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Spider-Man is one of Kenny's favorite fighters, and I had these images hanging around, so... here's some Spidey from the Marvel vs. Capcom opening credits!

Capcom, in the evil clutches of Magneto!

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Magneto is a mainstay of the Marvel vs. Capcom series. From X-Men: Children of the Atom to Marvel Super Heroes to X-Men vs. Street Fighter to Marvel vs. Capcom 2, the master of magnetism is one of most formidable baddies in the Marvel lineup.

The Mags you see here is from the cover of House of M: Masters of Evil #4, drawn by Mike Perkins (with a bit of Photoshop magic by moi). Be back here next Monday for another Hyper Combo Wallpaper and the start of September a.k.a. Versus Month!

Say WAZZZUP to Amingo, the Living Cactus

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I used to think that Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was the weak link in the Marvel vs. Capcom series, but I've since changed my mind and embraced the final (for now!) MvC installment.

Amingo is one of the new characters Capcom put in MvC2. Design-wise, I think he's the best looking of the newbies (though probably not the best fighter... sorry, amigo!).

Be back here next Monday for special Magneto Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Captain Commando strikes a classic Capcom pose

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It's safe to say that Marvel vs. Capcom revived Captain Commando's career. Not that it was his first appearance by any means - he had his own self-titled game years before and he had graced Capcom packaging as a company mascot for many moons.

But the cyborg whose name was reverse-engineered from the Capcom moniker (Captain Commando) had his breakout role in MvC1. He made it into countless homes around the world thru the console versions of that game, and did the same all over again with MvC2. Thus he became the greatest captain of all-time (sorry, Steve)!

Thanks to The Fighter's Generation for the Capcom art. Be back here next Monday for another Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Ryu and E Honda are ready to throwdown old school!

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Though Edmond Honda never made it into any of the Marvel vs. Capcom games, Ryu had his dirty little fingers all over them. But that's not what we're here to discuss today anyway. Above you will find a little old school fighting screen shot from the seminal Street Fighter II, complete in an old school arcade screen frame.

The hi-res source for this lo-fi classic was found in THE ARCADE COLLECTION of JESPER CARLSSON. It took me a bit of Photoshop magic, but I fixed the pic and made it into this delicious wallpaper. Be back next Monday for a Captain Commando Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

U.S.Agent tussles with Iron Man, 1980s style!

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Last week, you though I was @#$%ing with you when I put up a U.S.Agent wallpaper. I was 100% legit with that - he's a secret character in Marvel vs. Street Fighter (as well as a "helper" character in MvC).

However, this week is a bit of a cheat. But not because of Iron Man's Silver Centurion armor - you can at least mimic the color scheme in Marvel Super Heroes on the PlayStation by holding the down button for five seconds while highlighting Iron Man, and then pressing a punch or kick button to select him as your fighter.

No, the cheat is actually this image, which is a depiction of Iron Man battling the Captain, not U.S.Agent. However, Steve Rogers wasn't the Captain for long, and the black and reds would soon belong to John Walker instead. You can just use your imagination to pretend he's already wearing them in this picture.

Thanks to Mark Bright, Bob Layton, and Bob Sharen for giving us this awesome art from Armor Wars' Iron Man #228. And thanks to Marvel Avalon for the image. This has been the second part of a U.S.Agent Double Shot, so be back next Monday for an unrelated Street Fighter Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Armor Wars goes Ultimate this September

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Ahhh, Marvel Sutdios. I've figured out your little secret: Iron Man 2 is going to be the cinematic debut of Armor Wars. Wanna know how I figured it out? It was easy. I just looked at the Marvel Comics publishing schedule. See, both the Marvel Adventures and the Ultimate imprints are releasing their version of Armor Wars over the next few months. Why? Because they need to have graphic novels accessible to all types of fans when the film hits! Damn, I wouldn't be surprised if the movie is called Iron Man 2: Armor Wars.

Here we have Tony Stark inside his Ultimate Iron Man armor. The Marvel vs. Capcom series was a weird bird for Tony, as they used him at first, but then ditched him for MvC1. Then they brought him back for MvC2, but everyone was still more excited about War Machine as a fighter by then.

Thanks to Comic Box for this Brandon Peterson image. I'm there every month when they post the best hi-res comic book solicitations on the Internet. Be back here next Monday for a brand new Marvel Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Captain America gets reborn by Joe Quesada

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The Marvel vs. Capcom series has a great wealth of fighters. But from the beginning, I've only had one favorite: Steve Rogers, Captain America. I've been playing as Cap at the arcade and at home for as long as I can remember. He never lets me down.

Cap is coming back. In fact, Reborn #1 hits shelves this Wednesday and that's why we're gracing you with this awesome Joe Quesada, Danny Miki, and Richard Isanove variant cover. From what I understand, this cover won't be available for a few more weeks. But here's a little taste to get you pumped for the Reborn reprint, I suppose!

Thanks to Comic Book Resources and their new Cup O' Joe feature for the image. Be back here next Monday for a brand new Iron Man Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Ye olde fist of War Machine is coming at cha, baby!

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Obviously I have some sort of weird addiction to War Machine. He's in about 50% of all the Hyper Combo Wallpapers I've ever published. And my love for Marvel vs. Capcom certainly doesn't diminish my infatuation with War Machine whatsoever.

While browsing the Internet for more hi-res Rhodey art, I stumbled upon an early Dan Slott issue - What If? #63: What if War Machine Had Not Destroyed the Living Laser? The art you see here is courtesy Manny Galan. I extracted the War Machine image from the cover, Photoshopped it at a high DPI using the cutout filter, and ended up with the excellent desktop wallpaper you see here.

Thanks to Demian's Gamebook for the cover scan. Now go make sure that you get your ass back here next Monday for a new Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

More: War Machine Hyper Combo Wallpaper Archives!

Red Hulk? No way! Only Capcom Hulks here!!!

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I love special characters. I especially love unlockable characters that retain a familiar element while introducing a new theme. Marvel vs. Capcom features Orange Hulk, who is basically a slightly faster and stronger version of the classic Jade Giant. He's not the most ingenious special character... but still tons of fun.

An illustration by Ed McGuinness, this picture comes from the new Hulk series (which is getting turned back to the original series numbering any day now). In its unaltered form, this picture has Rulk on the left and Hulk on the right. I Photoshopped Rulk to be Orange Hulk and PRESTO!

This image... well, um, its origin is unknown to me. But I do know you should be back here next Monday for a brand new Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Some sublime Venom courtesy Chris Bachalo

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Venom is back for the second part of his double-shot wallpaper series! Marvel vs. Capcom's favorite black goop bad boy is what it's all about!

Sad to say, the Venom in this Chris Bachalo illustration is NOT the Eddie Brock Venom you know and love. It's Mac Gargan, the former Scorpion, from the cover of Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man #2. But if you squint your eyes and use your imagination then you'll never know the difference!

Thanks to Comic Box for the image. I'm there every month because they post the best hi-res comic book solicitations on the Internet. Be back here next Monday for a brand new Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Mmm hmmm! Venom is gonna eat good tonight!!!

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It's Venom. He's fishing. What more can I say? Marvel vs. Capcom wouldn't be the same without Eddie Brock and his symbiote suit from space.

Honestly, I forget where I found this picture. The important thing to know is that this is the first part of a Venom wallpaper double-shot. Be back here next Monday for a new Venom Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Rhodey vs. Tony... All Out Aerial Assault!

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Hero versus hero is what Marvel vs. Capcom is all about! It's no secret that I'm not a fan of the arcade version of Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. However, that's the only way you can fight War Machine and Iron Man against each other.

This image comes from the cover of Invincible Iron Man #11 by Salvador Larroca and Frank D'Armata. Thanks to Comic Box for the hook up. They always have the best hi-res comic book solicitations on the Internet. Be back here next Monday for a new Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

More: War Machine Hyper Combo Wallpaper Archives!

Even More: War Machine (Iron Man 2 Movie Poster) Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Morrigan shows off her impeccably shaved armpits.

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I know Morrigan primarily from Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of the Superheroes. In fact, I was a bit embarrassed when Ross Campbell told me she was originally from the Darkstalkers video game series.

I may have never played Darkstalkers... but that'll change soon. My copy of the first game will be arriving any day now, and if I like it, you can be sure to see more Hyper Combo Wallpapers featuring Capcom's heroes of the night.

Thanks to The Fighter's Generation for the Capcom art. Next Monday? Another Hyper Combo Wallpaper!

Illegal Street Fighter sex orgy or a casual gathering of friends?

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DISCLAIMER: This excellent "menage a million" shot of Street Fighter is pre-SFIV. Therefore, it includes everyone except for our new friends Rufus, El Fuerte, Crimson Viper, Seth, etc. We now return you to your regularly scheduled wallpaper blog post.

Ahhh, Street Fighter. My love is deep. Apparently yours is too, as you weren't content with the slam bang thrills of the Marvel vs. Capcom series. No, you had to go get it on with Final Fight and every other goddamn fighting game ever made by Capcom.

That's okay. You may be a slut, Street Fighter, but I still love you anyway. This wallpaper is for you, baby. (You can thank UDON for the kickass art, by the way. In fact, you should thank them by buying their awesome Street Fighter comics books.)

To be 100% honest with you, I don't remember where I found this image. I know I received some help from a Google image search, but otherwise... I'm clueless! But not so clueless as to deprive you of another Hyper Combo Wallpaper. Never fear - a new one will be flying in your face next Monday!

9. Mortal Kombat - I don't care much for this game. The playability is just whatever. However, the game is a cultural phenomenon. And it does have a few redeeming qualities, namely the fatalities. Also, the first MK movie was sweet.

8. Tekken 3 - You can't have a top fighting games list without a Tekken game. As for which Tekken to choose, that's up for debate. I don't like the arcade version of Tekken 5 and I forget the nuances of the other versions. I deferred to Justique for this decision, and she chose Tekken 3 as the best.

7. Street Fighter Alpha 3 - The playability is intriguing, with character quality ranging from painfully stiff to amazingly fluid. Even though the response time could be improved, the character sprites are terrific and the overall selection of playable characters is wonderful.

6. Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi - On the face of it, this game appears to be a subpar licensed fighter from an era of awkward 3D gameplay. But this game has everything you need -- competitive playability, decent character customization options, great unlockable characters, fun little secret tricks (like giving the characters tiny bodies and huge heads), and a solid mythology to pull from (in this case, the marketable Star Wars mythology).

5. Soulcalibur II – Exquisite playability. Great character moves, strong specials, nice looking stages, good character design, and quality response time. I think it lacks some of the finer touches of the top versus fighters on this list, but this fighting game is a modern classic and true fan favorite.

4. Marvel vs. Capcom - I went over this last week, so I won't do it all again. Suffice to say that Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is not allowed on this list. But that's no true loss as its predecessor has far stronger gameplay anyway. In fact, I would venture to say that this is Capcom's most well-rounded versus fighter: the character designs are elegant, the playability and response time are almost perfect, the customization options and unlockables are good incentives, and it's a great cast.

3. Dead or Alive 2 - Customization decadence. A plethora of unlockable costumes make this game like Barbie dolls for dudes. It certainly doesn't hurt that the gameplay is extremely strong, with a ton of awesome moves and a surprisingly diverse set of fighting styles. And don't forget about the ever-classic "age" option, which gives all the ladies giant boobies when you set it to "99."

2. Marvel Super Heroes - I'm not your average gamer. I'm a comic book fan that just happens to love fighting games, not the other way around. And this game is the ultimate in comic book fighting game indulgence. The character sprites are absolutely amazing. Sometimes I just turn on my PS1 and watch the intro to Marvel Super Heroes play over and over. The proportions, the movements, the speed - it's all there, like the heroes have come to life right off of the pages. The playability is extremely competitive and the Infinity Gems theme makes for some awesome special moves. It's almost the greatest fighting game ever, with the clear exception of...

1. Street Fighter II Turbo - Let me tell you a story. I was 11 years old. My family was on a rare overseas trip to Italy. And on this particular day, we were visiting the small mountain town of Bisenti. We started at the bottom, driving up a long spiraling road. First it was sunny, then it was rainy, then it started to hail, then it started snowing, and finally it was bright and sunny again at the top. Though Bisenti was supposed to be my ancestral home, I was bored as shit... until I stumbled into the tiny general store in the center of town and saw the Street Fighter II arcade game glowing like it dropped out of heaven. I slipped a coin into the slot, selected E. Honda, and played that game until I had to be forcibly removed from the premises. I was just a little kid but I was two characters away from beating the damn game on one coin. Two months later I was back at home, playing Street Fighter II Turbo for the first time on a console and I cleaned my friend's clock so bad that he actually started to cry. Thus began my love affair with fighting games and Street Fighter. SF II Turbo is pretty much universally accepted as the best version of this classic versus fighter, and most certainly deserving of the top honors here on the AudioShocker.

Previous: The Top 9 Playable Marvel Characters in Capcom Fighting Games!

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.

9. Blackheart - Yeah, Ghost Rider was popular in the late 90s, but Blackheart!?! Along with Shuma-Gorath, Blackheart was a bizarre choice for a baddie. Still, his playability is awesome, with excellent long range attacks and a few really great specials.

8. Cyclops - Personally, I think Cyke is a natural for a fighting game. He's got big power and he's also a scrapper. His eyebeams make him a great long range character, while his kicks make him a strong close range fighter. The only flaw is that he doesn't have more variations in his eyebeam moves.

7. Gambit - In the Capcom series, Gambit is one of your all purpose agile characters, contrasting especially well with with Jin and Strider Hiryu in Marvel vs.Capcom. Gambit has great power moves, like when he smashes your face in with his staff or charges you up to throw you. And his specials are huge.

6. Spider-Man - Spidey is another one of your all purpose agile fighters, with even greater speed and damage hits than Gambit. I like to use Spidey when I've been beat a few times in a row by an opponent. Bringing Spidey out and landing lots of fast, close range hits is especially demoralizing to a challenger.

5. Wolverine - While Spidey does have great speed and close range attacks, Wolvie has the capability to utterly devastate another player when you're in a bind. His charging moves are especially powerful, and his speed can do irreparable damage in a short space of time.

4. Hulk - Big hits. That's what Hulk does best. Often, he accepts far more damage than smaller characters like Wolvie and Spidey, which can be frustrating. But when Hulk lands his hits, the battle is decisive and it ends fast. His specials are decent, but his regular kicks and punches have tremendous power.

3. War Machine - Rhodey is the replacement for Iron Man in the later Marvel fighting games. While they are basically the same character, War Machine has a few extra moves that make him superior. But even beyond that, his playability is fantastic, with wonderful long range projectile attacks, solid close range strikes, and tremendous specials. Plus, the SFX make a little metal noise when he gets hit. How cool is that?

2. Captain America - Okay, Cap has next to no long range attacks. He's not a well rounded character by any means. But he is by far the best close range fighter, mixing agility with strong basic moves. He's not as fast as Spidey or Wolvie, but his hits tend to land better and with greater effect. His specials are solid, and his power moves are always dependable. Plus, it's demoralizing to an opponent to lose to Cap because he doesn't have all the fancy projectiles or flashy power moves.

1. Juggernaut - An odd choice for the top of the list, but well deserving. Juggs has the hit presence of the Hulk, but with greater speed and agility. His blocks are far more dependable than the Jade Giant or Zangief (the other big brawler characters). And his specials always wreck an opponent. To top it off, Juggy is a wonderful character even in assist mode (as a "sepcial hero"). Overall, he's the biggest bang-for-your-buck in Marvel fighting games made by Capcom.

Next: The Top 9 Fighting Games!

Why the Top 9? Because 10 is too many and 9 is better. 3 X 3 = Awesome. Now that’s what I call math.