If you got nothing to do this weekend may I suggest you check out the SoCal Regional online tomorrow on level Up's streams on Twitch TV. SoCal Regional is a event that takes place in LA every year holds big fighting game tournaments for big cash prizes. Most of these players that come to play are very high level players playing each other for the right to be the best in their respected fighting game series. The games that will be played at the event are:

__Satruday: 10:00 am-11:45 (Stream 2)
Sunday: 11:00am – 12:00pm (Stream 1)
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift  is a 2-D fighting game developed by Arc System Works. The game is the official sequel to BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. As with the previous game, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift first came to arcades before both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions as the game was currently released for the Taito Type X2 arcade system board, with a 16:9 ratio and 768p resolution. It was released on November 20, 2009 in Japan. A console version was released on July 1, 2010 in Japan and on July 27 in North America. In Europe, the game was released December 3, 2010 along with a region-exclusive Limited Edition. There are currently no plans to officially release the game on PC.

_Saturday: 5:15pm – 7pm, 9:15pm – 10pm (Stream 2)
Sunday: 12:15pm – 1:30pm (Stream 1)
The King of Fighters XIII is the latest installment of The King of Fighters fighting game series developed and published by SNK Playmore. The game is set after the events from The King of Fighters XI and is also the conclusion of Ash Crimson's story arc, which started in The King of Fighters 2003. It follows another King of Fighters tournament secretly hosted by Those From the Past, the organization behind the events from the two previous games that are trying to break the seal from the demon Orochi and take its power.

It was released for Japanese arcades on July 14, 2010, while ports for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will be released during 2011 in Japan and the United States, with Winter 2011 stated for the European version. The ports are notable for including more content to the original version such as new characters, stages and game modes. An iOS version of the game, titled The King of Fighters-i, was released in July 2011. The game was directed by Kei Yamamoto who wanted to bring elements from previous The King of Fighters titles and fix issues from the previous game.

Saturday: 2:00pm – 3:45pm (Stream 2)
Sunday: 9:45am – 10:45am  (Stream 1)
Mortal Kombat, also known as Mortal Kombat (2011), is a 2D fighting game with 3D graphics (2.5D) and the ninth installment in the Mortal Kombat series. It was developed by NetherRealm Studios (formerly known as Midway Games) and published exclusively under the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment label. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems on April 19, 2011 in North America, and on April 21 in Europe.

Mortal Kombat was officially announced on June 10, 2010, accompanied with a debut trailer which showcases the new presentation and gameplay features. Although set directly after Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, the game focuses on the earliest period in the Mortal Kombat series (the trilogy Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, and Mortal Kombat 3). The storyline involves the thunder god Raiden attempting to change the present by contacting his former self.

Upon release, Mortal Kombat received positive reviews (achieving an aggregated score of 85 out of 100 at Metacritic). The game is currently banned in Australia due to "extreme violence".

Saturday: 7:15pm – 9pm (Stream 2)
Skullgirls is a fast-paced 2D fighting game being developed by Reverge Labs. Currently slated for a 2012 release for the PlayStation 3 (PlayStation Network) and Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade), it is being published by Autumn Games.

Saturday:Tekken 6 12:00pm – 1:45pm (Stream 2)
Tekken 6 is a fighting game developed and published by Namco Bandai. It is the eighth game in the Tekken franchise. It was released in Japanese arcades on November 26, 2007 as the first game running on the PlayStation 3-based System 357 arcade board. The game received an update, subtitled Bloodline Rebellion, a year later. A home version based on the update was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in October 2009 and for PlayStation Portable a month later.

_Saturday: 10:30am – 4pm (Stream 1)
Sunday: 1:30pm – 5pm (Stream 1)
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom. It is an updated version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. After the events of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disrupted the development schedule for downloadable content for the original game, the additional content was made into a standalone title for a discount retail price. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was released in November 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and will also be featured as a launch title for the PlayStation Vita.

_ Saturday: 4pm – 10pm (Stream 1)
Sunday: 6pm – 9:30pm (Stream 1)
Super Street Fighter IV is a 2010 fighting game produced by Capcom. It is an updated version of Street Fighter IV and has been said to mark the definitive end of the Street Fighter IV series. Having been deemed as too large an update to be deployed as DLC, the game was made into a standalone title, but given a lower price than that of a full retail game. It was released on April 27, 2010 in North America, April 28, 2010 in Japan, and April 30, 2010 in Europe for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Super Street Fighter IV was released as one of the launch titles for the Nintendo 3DS, with 3D functionality, on February 26, 2011 in Japan. As of March 2011, the game has sold 1.6 million units worldwide, while Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition has shipped an additional 1 million copies as of April 2011.

This entire event will be streamed live on level up's stream and there will be  two different streams, one will be streaming Marvel and Street Fighter all day while the other will stream all the other games like Mortal Kombat, King of Fighters, and other listed here. Whats new this year is that they will also stream the cosplay contest and will allow the people online to vote for who should win. Cool thing about the stream is that you can switch at any time from one stream to the other thanks to the way its set up. 

So if you really into fighting games, and want to watch some good action this weekend I highly suggest you check out this weekends action. Be sure to check your stuff before watching so that you have an easy time instead of getting lag.

                                                                 Level Up Stream

_-Anthony Beanes
sources: http://www.socalregionals.com/?page_id=8

For those who knew or who are my age, Ultraman was the most hottest thing when it first came out. It was pre power rangers before power rangers came out with the kick ass intro music that every person loves to hear. This past weekend though, Shinichi Ichikawa passed away due to lung cancer. He has worked on the whole Ultraman series like the Ultra Seven, The Return of Ultraman and Ultraman Ace. Ultraman was really a show that was very awesome and had this kinda of production that really calls back to the likes of Godzilla, and other shows back in the day. He will surly be missed.

So this past weekend was the Video Game Awards on Spike TV. Love it or hate it, new footage of games were being shown at the event, and one of which was the return of Metal Gear: Rising. Metal Gear: Rising was announced for the Xbox 360 last year at E3. It was suppose to be an Xbox exclusive, and an offshoot story of Raiden and his battle against other army's that were using the same technology that made Raiden. So it was a bit of a surprise when Kojima came out and showed off a new trailer showing off stuff we haven't seen from the game since E3. The story was originally going to be before Metal Gear Solid 4 but now its going to be several years later after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4 and not cannon to the Metal Gear Series at all but it's own thing.

With the chopping mechanic shown at E3 the story goes is that, the team at Konami didn't know how to use that mechanic and develop some sort of game around it. So they canceled the game silently and that left many of us wondering if it was still around. The cool part in this story is that Platinum Games came over to visit Konami to originally use the story and theme of the game to create their own game, but when they learned that game was canceled, they decided to help out and create the game with Konami hence the new title, "Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance". As you can see from the trailer, it is an entire different game then it was before and using that over the top action Platinum is known for with the cool story elements that Metal Gear is Known for.

What a surprise as they showed off the intro cinematic for Diablo 3 tonight on the VGA's after receiving the god gamer award, and shortly after Blizzard showed off a new trailer for Diablo 3 and boy oh boy what a kick ass trailer it was. As Always Blizzards showed off why they are the kings of story telling in video game cinematic. Check this out and be amazed and excited for Diablo 3.

-Anthony Beanes
sources: VGAs

In a world premiere of the new metal gear solid game, where it looks like the army has taken into nanomachines tech  like how Raiden has. It shows some action fast past action of Raiden cutting up dudes, tanks, metal gears, pretty much anything in sight. It has that Asura's wrath feel at the same time with the over the top action as you are fighting through enemies and bosses including a one on one battle on a train.  In a bit of surprise that I didn't even know about is that the game is also being worked on by Platinum Games whos latest work consist of Bayonetta, MadWorld, and etc.

-Anthony Beanes
sources: Video Game Awards

A new Trailer for Bioshock Infinite showed off, with yet another somber feel where your shooting and running around with your female companion as somber music is playing in the background. Riding the skys around the city shooting off enemies and seeing new ones come at you what looks like to be more mechanical beasts and your local crazies in the city being over runned. No details on when its coming out yet but be sure to check back with us as the game comes closer to its release.

-Anthony Beanes
sources: video game awards

A very interesting different IP from Epic Games taking a different approach to thier games, they showed off a trailer for their new game, Fortnite, which is a very cartoony look of a group of kids fending off the zombie hoard around their fort they made. It looks like Left 4 Dead and tower defense at the same time. This is a very different feel then the whole Gears franchise, so it be interesting to see how Epic tackles this new IP.

-Anthony Beanes
soruces: Video Game Awards

A new trailer for the new Transformers game was shown at the VGA's showing off Optimus and his crew fighting the Decepitcons and showing Bumblebee dying in the beginning part. As it took a more somber mood in the same vain as the gears of war trailers with this somber music in the background while the autobots were fighting the Decepticons, at the very end one of the autobots transformed into a T-Rex which is a big throwback to the Transformers Beast Wars series which I loved. More details will come soon about this game soon. If its like the last game it will come out on PS3, Xbox and PC.

-Anthony Beanes
sources: Video Game Awards

The new Spider Game was shown off today at the VGA's centering around the new movie coming out of nowhere Spider man is fighting off Osborn's robotic creations that have gone out of control in New York City and it shows off Spidy coming to save the day. The costume is the same as the one in the movie and showed off spidy zipping around New York while fighting off the robots and a reporter is talking about it at the same time. No details on when this will come out but looks pretty awesome so far. Trailer will be up tonight.

-Anthony Beanes
sources: Video Game Awards

Alan Wake American Nightmare showed off at VGA's. it looks like Alan is back and is back to fight his anti self, Mr . Scratch with the tools he had before with using the light and his trusty old gun. Continuing the story of what was left in the last game. So I assume this will be probably more of what we liked in the last game but more so with being more action orientated. We see when this comes out and the details that comes with it.