Guilty Gear arcade update

Information on a new Guilty Gear arcade title is now available. Tentatively titled "Guilty Gear X Series: Newest Version," the next release in the series will run on the Atomiswave hardware developed by Sammy. Unlike other previously announced Atomiswave games, the new Guilty Gear will be 2D.

Guilty Gear X Series: Newest Version allows up to four players to simultaneously battle, either individually or in teams. It also adopts a new dual-plane system--similar to that in SNK's Fatal Fury series--whereby the game allows the players to fight in both the foreground and background of the stage. Players switch between the planes by executing button combinations, and they can also thrust enemies into the opposite plane.

The basic controls of the new Guilty Gear are roughly the same as those in Guilty Gear XX; there is a joystick and five buttons for attacking. However, the dust button and dust attack has been removed from the game. Attacks previously requiring the dust button can still be executed through alternate button combinations.

The addition of a new button enables players to manually change the direction their character faces. Unlike traditional fighting games, characters in the new Guilty Gear do not automatically change direction when opponents move behind them. Finally, Guilty Gear series’ trademark "instant kills" are missing from the beta release. Pressing all four of the main attack buttons now executes a burst attack instead.

In the game's current iteration, only half of the full cast of characters are playable; they include: Sol, Ky, Millia, May, Axl, Baiken, Chipp, Jam, Slayer, Bridget, and Ino.

Guilty Gear X Series: Newest Version is scheduled to remain in beta testing stage in multiple regions of Japan through next week. Its first public appearance is slated for Japan's AM Show later this month.