2XKO is officially launched, and Caitlyn wasted no time making an impression on the early Season 1 meta. We share our first thoughts on her kit, why the combo potential already looks scary, and what that could mean once players really get time in the lab. We also discuss the City of the Wolves Season 2 reveal and the community backlash over the use of AI generated characters in the trailer. Finally, we get into the Rivals of Aether Workshop reveal and why community built content is such a big deal for the FGC.

Timestamps

00:01:36 2XKO Caitlyn Impressions
00:13:06 2XKO Season 1 - Trailer
00:24:35 2XKO Season 1 - Patch Notes
00:40:57 CotW Season 2 Characters
00:45:55 CoTW AI Controversy
00:54:42 Rivals of Aether 2 Workshop
01:03:15 Experiencing Something New in 2026

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3q5

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evo Japan 2026 registration numbers make it clear which game is carrying the event (spoiler alert: it’s Street Fighter 6). We talk through Alex’s SF6 World Tour trailer, Caitlyn’s first full 2XKO gameplay reveal, and what her kit could mean for Riot’s upcoming fighter. The episode also covers Kenshiro’s appearance in the City of the Wolves teaser and why SNK’s crossover is turning heads with longtime fighting game fans. We close out with a conversation about Harada’s retirement and what it could mean for Tekken’s future and the wider Fighting Game Community.

Timestamps

00:01:37 New Year, New Tournaments
00:12:45 EVO Japan - Street Fighter Edition
00:25:13 Kenshiro CotW Teaser
00:31:48 Alex SF6 World Tour Trailer
00:39:20 Harada's Retirement
00:49:02 2XKO Caitlyn Trailer & Movelist
01:05:49 2XKO Patch Notes

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3q2

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crash and Jaa are joined by Aaron David Harris as we throw iconic fighting game legends into the ring and ask the question every FGC fan loves to argue about: who would actually win? We break down matchups like Liu Kang vs Kilik, Oro vs Jinpachi Mishima, and a chaotic “Blonde Bombshells” debate featuring Nina Williams, Sonya Blade, and Cammy. Things get weird in the best way with Peacock vs Faust, before we wrap it up with a heavyweight showdown between Heihachi Mishima and Takuma Sakazaki (Mr. Karate). We lean on lore, abilities, mindset, and straight-up fight logic, and when the arguments get stuck, we bring in a judge to figure out who really walks away with the win.

Timestamps

00:02:26 Five Bouts Overview
00:08:49 Liu Kang vs. Kilik
00:14:03 Oro vs. Jinpachi
00:25:38 Blonde Bombshells
00:41:08 Peacock vs. Faust
00:54:17 Heihachi vs. Takuma Sakazaki
01:15:22 Final Scores

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3py

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final episode of 2025, we break down the flood of announcements from the last two weeks across the FGC. The Game Awards delivered new 2XKO character reveals, a console launch update, the Street Fighter movie trailer, and a bit of news on Marvel Tokon. We also dive into the EVO announcement show, covering dates, featured games, and format changes coming to EVO 2026. We’re excited for what’s ahead—but we can’t ignore the rising cost of attending the biggest fighting game tournament of the year.

Timestamps

00:01:32 Street Fighter Movie Trailer Reaction
00:21:42 Aging Player Responses
00:24:15 2XKO Caitlyn and Console Announcements
00:34:22 SF6 and Avatar Announcements
00:37:42 Marvel Tokon Beta 2 Afterthoughts
00:57:09 Evo 2026 Announcements
01:13:12 The Cost of Going to Evo

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3pt

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're covering the new Virtua Fighter documentary and what it reveals about Virtua Fighter history, fundamentals, and the legends who shaped the series. We also break down the current state of 2XKO, diving into how recent balance changes are affecting the meta and what FGC community reactions tell us about where the game is headed. Finally, we share thoughts heading into Marvel Tokon Beta 2, looking at how character balance is evolving and shaping the early competitive scene.

Timestamps

01:11 VF Doc: Final Round
13:58 Marvel Tokon Beta 2
19:38 State of 2XKO
41:26 What is Your Ranked Philosophy
55:25 Personal FGC History Quiz

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ps

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're exploring how the Steam Box impacts the FGC with a detailed look at its performance specs and what the hardware debate means for competitive fighting games. The latest Marvel Tokon beta update brings significant changes to the table, and we break down what players need to know about the newest build and character adjustments. Plus, Chun Li finally arrives in City of the Wolves, and we're diving into her gameplay mechanics, what Chun Li brings to COTW gameplay, and early FGC reactions to her debut.

Timestamps

00:55 Steam Machine Revealed
05:33 Portability & Market Fit
10:23 Steam Machine Pricing Breakdown
14:12 Steam Machine Tournament Viability
17:20 Marvel Tokon Beta Update
20:11 New Stages & Characters
27:18 Chun‑Li Update and Gameplay Impressions
33:31 Would You Rather Community Discussion
41:44 2XKO Sajam Slam Rants and Content Creator Diversity

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3po

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

StaticGorilla is back from First Attack 2025 with exclusive tournament highlights from Puerto Rico's premier fighting game event, breaking down the family atmosphere and intense matches that made this FGC celebration unforgettable. We tackle the heated Capcom Cup paywall controversy head-on, examining how Capcom's decision to gate Capcom Cup 2025 finals behind a paywall impacts Street Fighter 6 fans and the broader Capcom esports scene. Plus, we share our first impressions of Avatar Legends: The Last Airbender Fighting Game, discussing how its early gameplay captures the spirit of the animated series and what Avatar fighters gameplay means for the fighting game community's future.

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3pl

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We recap the hype of Evo France 2025, from wild Dragon Ball FighterZ moments to the energy of the French crowd. Then we break down the surprise DBFZ patch featuring Super Saiyan 4 Goku and all the chaos it brings. Finally, we talk C. Viper’s return in Street Fighter 6, her new mechanics, and Capcom Cup PPV controversy.

Timestamps

00:01:59 Warwick Surprise Drop
00:01:59 Evo France Highlights
00:20:50 Dragon Ball FighterZ Announcements @ Evo France
00:38:21 Avatar: Legends First Look
00:44:40 C. Viper Character Breakdown
01:05:00 Capcom Cup PPV Controversy
01:13:59 2XKO Character Cadence

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3pe

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We tackle the big question: Is 2XKO actually ready for competitive play? After spending weeks in the closed beta, Crashtag, Mezza, and StaticGorilla discuss what's working like solid character variety and surprisingly stable netcode, to what still needs serious polish before Riot's tag fighter can truly shine in the FGC. We dig into the awkward spacing issues, questionable balance decisions, and that evolving meta everyone's either exploiting or complaining about. We also talk about experiences in early 2XKO tournaments. Finally, we discuss where game stands heading into Season Zero and what needs to happen for 2XKO's future in the fighting game community.

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3pc

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evo 2025 is in the books, and StaticGorilla brings a full breakdown of his experience—from the layout and artist alley to the pools and tournament play. We talk about how this year’s venue changes impacted the vibe, arcade setups, and why this may have been the most well-organized EVO yet. They also unpack global EVO expansion, MvC2 cameos, and more.

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ox

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices