BlazBlue’s stages are an intricate collage of high and low poly models as well as 2D layers blended and disguised with light shade and effects to create a coherent image with depth and focus.

Find out the five key stages every character goes through from concept art to the final sprite. Plus see if you can guess how many frames of animation each BlazBlue character has. (It’s probably higher than you think!)

Do you recognize the character on the left? It’s alternate artwork for Nu-13! In this special feature, Arc System Works gives us an inside look at the meticulous character creation process for BlazBlue.

Arc System Works Europe sent us a quick look at Relius Clover, a new character exclusive to BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend.

Guilty Gear creator, Daisuke Ishiwatari, says that DLC and merchandise sales are affecting the way Arc System Works develop their games.

The key goodies exclusive to the European limited edition are twelve prints with unreleased concept art and sketches printed on Hahnemuehle Torchon art card.

In addition to the rear touchpad, you can also map any button press or combination you like to the left and right flicks of the second analog stick.

While BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend includes DLC from Continuum Shift on disc, Arc System Works created new downloadable content for Extend.

The $59.99 limited edition for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 includes a 40 page art book, soundtrack CD with twelve songs, and a 2012 calendar.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend can get newcomers up to speed on everything going on inside Kagutsuchi.

Dezaegg has you covered with BlazBlue console and controller skins.

The two top-selling Vita games at launch were Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational and Uncharted: Golden Abyss.

Whether it’s driven by eco-friendly or cost-cutting decisions, some Japanese publishers are not packing paper manuals with their PlayStation Vita games.

Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom or BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend which one will you take out for a date? Both Aksys published games are slated for release on February 14, 2012.