Neutral Game

This month on Neutral Game, we take a look at team fighting games! No, not... not the games where you build a team out of characters like Marvel vs. Capcom. I can see how you made that mistake, Miodrag did too! I'm actually referring to games where multiple PLAYERS work together on one team, like Gundam Versus, or certain modes of Super Smash Bros, Dead or Alive, and Tekken. It's not the most widespread mode, but it has joys and challenges all its own, and it's well worth exploring. You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

As much as we love fighting games, they drive us crazy sometimes too. There are so many backwards ideas and traditions about how they should be built, stemming from the genre's arcade origins, hardcore player elitism, or simple thoughtlessness. This episode, Miodrag and Colin take the opportunity to discuss the quality of life changes that fighting games really need to undertake to move towards a better future, from input code to training options, and much more still. You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

It's easy for us to talk about what it's like to get started in fighting games as a newbie, but in truth, it's been a long time since either Miodrag or Colin started taking the genre seriously. We hope our advice can be a tool for newcomers, but... what is it actually like for someone who's just getting started? In the interest of finding out, we've brought on our friend Harri as a guest to discuss how, several months ago, he finally started to actually get into fighting games, and how his journey has been. You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

The world's biggest fighting game tournament, Evolution, has come and gone! There were many fantastic fights, incredible comebacks, and all around stunning displays of skill Miodrag and Colin may never hope to match. In the wake of this yearly clash of titans, what announcements made us excited, and what is the state of the competitive meta for various games? You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

For the first time on Neutral Game, Miodrag and Colin have both played a new fighting game, and tried to learn it using their own advice. What are their takeaways from their time in the King of Iron Fist Tournament? From story to online, bears to CEOs, and of course, with the looming threat of being tossed into a volcano, we're ready to talk Tekken. You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

With this episode of Neutral Game, we take a look at two subgenres within fighting games. First, we discuss platformer fighters such as Super Smash Bros and Rivals of Aether, then we move on to the varied world of sword fighting games like Nidhogg, Bushido Blade, and Blade Symphony. How should you adjust your expectations when tackling these subgenres as compared to standard, Street Fighter-style fighting games? You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

Thus far, we've been pretty fixated on multiplayer, but fighting games also have a lot of single player options. On this episode, Miodrag and Colin talk about the various single player modes in fighting games, what they have to entertain you, and how they can be useful in the process of learning the game. There's anything from Arcade and Story modes to minigames and RPG campaigns, for whatever tickles your fancy. You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

Finding the character that clicks with your playstyle is always a major undertaking when starting a new fighting game. However, if you can recognize your own pattern of behavior and preferences, you can start to draw some conclusions. How do you like to play, and what characters are designed in a way that facilitates that? Miodrag and Colin tackle shotos, zoners, rushdown, and grapplers in this character-centric episode of Neutral Game. You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

What makes someone great at fighting games? What are the attributes that lead to success and performance? Miodrag and Colin are back to break down the elements that make up a successful player, and what wins matches. What lost that match for you? How can you figure out what your strengths are, and what characters or games play to those strengths? You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!

Old friend of the site Miodrag Kovachevic and Colin have teamed up to bring this new monthly fighting game podcast for all the aspirants, newbies, and fighters-in-training out there! Ever wanted to get into fighting games, but just couldn't quite make the dive? Maybe you were intimidated by the community, maybe you didn't know where to start, maybe you just didn't click with the game you tried. We want to help. You can contact Colin on Twitter at @SixTwoSixFour, and Miodrag at @MDKII. We'll see you again in a month!