Hello HHS, I’m Connor Considine and this is In The Game. And by “Game”, I mean games, fighting games to be exact. A lot has happened in the FGC (Fighting Game Community) over the past two weeks and I wanted to talk about it, so strap in.First, Evo 2021, a competitive event centering around classic fighting games like Super Smash Bros Melee and newer fighting games like Mortal Kombat 11, was cancelled 2 weeks ago. This competitive event is something that many in the FGC and gaming related areas in the school look forward to.. It is one of many events still being cancelled due to the spread of COVID-19 and its many variants in 2021. Hopefully this and other events related to the community will be back in full force in 2022. It is a shame too, as it would have been interesting to see what the new leadership would’ve been like too. 

A classic game, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, a game pinning Marvel’s greatest superheroes and villains against Capcom’s most iconic franchises such as Street Fighter is back in talks for a remaster. It was previously pushed aside by Marvel, Disney, and Capcom for not matching the companies’ wants. These new talks are because of Disney’s semi-recent ownership of 20th Century FOX and constant fan outcry. They want to bring out nostalgia and hope in many fans, including ones who may have played the game previously. This also may attract new fans due to the growth of the MCU and exposure to less known Marvel characters through other games and ventures, assuming it is done well. Nonetheless, I hope fans old and new, get what they want from these talks.

Now let’s move onto something more recent, a Nickelodeon game of all things. The newest fighting game now is Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, a Nickelodeon platform fighter akin to the flash games that used to be on Nick’s old website. The game pins iconic characters from old Nick cartoons and new ones such as Reptar from Rugrats and Spongebob , in a play style similar to Super Smash Bros. Melee, the second game in that franchise’s series known for its great competitive nature. As such, this new game is going to have tournaments akin to those of the previously mentioned Evo, with prize pools up to $10,000 And as the game continues to surely grow, bigger prize pools will follow, maybe until it can compete with Smash Bros Melee. Or, it could die in a few weeks like these clones usually do, as unfortunate as that would be. Whatever happens, I will be excited to see the game’s uncertain future.

But, of course, where things start, some things will have to sadly end. And that thing is the game that inspired the previously mentioned game, and will inspire so many more. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s Fighter Pass, its series of DLC (downloadable content), has officially come to an end. Following characters like Steve from Minecraft, who broke Twitter, it has been a long series of fighters lasting over two years, and it has been a fun one. The fighter that will be ending the Pass, and therefore the game’s content lifespan, is Sora from Kingdom Hearts, an RPG that crosses over Disney characters and worlds with the RPG series Final Fantasy. He was a character that many in the community wanted, so it’s nice to see him be the last one. He releases Oct. 18, less than a week from now, and it will be sad to see it end. Along with Sora is a costume of the Doomslayer, the main character of the DOOM first person shooter series. If you are interested in playing Smash Ultimate, especially when Sora/Doomguy costume comes out, I suggest going to the Smash Bros. club to do that. I am not a current member, but they do seem to have an enjoyment of the game, and you may get that same enjoyment playing with them. They even have the aforementioned Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl if you want to try that. They are open Tuesdays (the day after Sora is out) and Thursdays, so give it a look.

And with that, I am Connor Considine, and you have been In The Game.