What did you do this weekend?!

Hey gang, long time since I did one of these, heh?!

So, what did you guys and gals do this weekend?
Read any fun book I should heard of? Any good movies out there? Any entertaining video games lately?

Me? Well, besides watching hours of 30 Rock for no reason - it's been mostly this...

Yep!
Big FIGHTIN' GAMES marathon!
Powered by the Xbox 360, so it seems XD

It's been the occasion to have a quick run through all of these again, shake back memories and whatnot.

Here's my current impression of this generations' titles (I've mostly played the latest iterations of them, if available)
- Mortal Kombat 9: Luv luv luv this latest episode of Mortal Kombat/pseudo-reboot of the series. Easily one of the best this generation and one of my all time favorite fighters already. Just love how fun, simple and accessible the mechanics are, yet still deep enough to offer a challenge against another player of even the CPU sometimes.

Note: Why did they stop putting out these DLC characters? Warners stopped Ed Boon & co and want them to plan the next game already?

- SSF4: While I wasn't a big fan of SF4 originally, having a long history with the franchise and past episodes (SF3, Alpha,..), Super is quite a good improvement. My bro didn't like it as much a me though :P
We played it not that long, since the others proved so much funnier. But still a classic.

Note: I should be able to finally grab a copy of the update "Arcade Edition" in stores pretty cheap by now. Will probably do!

- KOF12: Oh, KOF. My favorite fighting game series at heart. How much I wanted to love ya...but it looks like such a lackbuster entry, cheap, lazy. Awful ugly menus, bland roster, very slow gameplay...at least it offers the prettiest 2D graphics/sprites ever done!

Note: Can't wait to grab KOF13...to help me forget..about 12....

- Blazblue CS: I'll say it quick.. I really really wanted to love you BB...but I...just...can't....

Note: The original Blazblue CT looked like a modern Guilty Gear. Rocking tunes and all... CS took out all the great rocking music, added clusterfuck HUD informations all over the screen and slowed the pace (and added tons of useless gimmicks too)... I heard there's a new update coming this winter... they better fix everything!
Also, the characters look so uninspired... It's like it's from the same dev team as the GG series...but without the art direction/designer and creator of GG behind it!!

-Tekken 6: I always loved the Tekken series since the original one on the PS1. Though I had a preference for the realism (in the physics and control) for Sega's rival franchise Virtua Fighter over it.
Tekken 6 is easily the best entry of the series so far. Fun, crazy, explosive, colorful.
You gotta love the over-the-top sense of Tekken.

Note: I wanted to play this one for hours non stop...looks like I was the only one on that.
The game is looking kinda dated now, it is showing its age compared to some of the other games we played this weekend. (the console port came out a bunch of years after the arcade original, without much change to the graphics)
Can't wait for the proper new game, Tekken Tag 2!

- Soul Calibur IV: I didn't like much this latest entry in the Soul series.. But it was kinda fun to have a new go at it this weekend.
The guest characters are so out of place this time around though :P
But I preferred playing with the SW characters over the manga artists-designed ones....

Note: Better than remembered.
My problem with this series, is that Namco is over trying to make every entry MORE and MORE epic compared to the previous ones...and it's kinda getting a bit much. Look at the trailer of the new game.
See? Over-complicated silly designs, giant armors and even bigger swords, random details, orchestral music more symphonic than ever (?).
At least Ezio will make this a "must try", just to see how the guy will play in a 3D fighter.

- DOA 4: The DOA serie's always been newcomers friendly, easy to master and quick fun assured.
After playing all these complicated titles above, this was an instant success. Like we never stopped playing it.

Note: Not expecting much from DOA 5, without series creator Itagaki.

- Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Okay, I'll say it right from the start. I always had a problem with this one and couldn't bear to love it that much. I spent hours, literally hours on the past previous two MVC games, more so than all of the above games' play time combined.
I knew MVC3 would be different from MVC2, I was expecting it...even though, it was too much for me. The game just looks bland, no colors at all. All the backgrounds look colorless and liveless, and even the characters don't stand out much over the levels thanks to the over dark art style used here. (I blame this on the art direction)
Anyway, the game was still fun, but too slow for a VS Series entry. And the roster lacks some crazy charas to stand out. (thank god for Taskmaster!)

Note: I'm pretty sure the update Ultimate MVC3 will make me forgive this one, since most of my problems will be addressed and fixed there. Like SSF4 did for SF4, IMO.

- VF5: Saving the best for the last.
Just a gorgeous, great, complicated and fun fighting game. My favorite this generation, alongside MK9.
The game still holds pretty well compared to most of his contemporary fighters.

Note: The latest arcade update (it had like 5 updates since this one) is finally coming to home system...digitally only?! WTF??
I wish Sega was less cheap than that. HEY! If all the others can pull off these DLC updates/disc retail release simultaneously, you can as well!!
Specially since they're cutting so much content to make it possible, size-wise.

And that's all.
I also tried the original SF4, Blazblue and Samurai Spirits Sen by myself, but that was just quick tryouts by myself, just to check 'em out back.