I confess, I have in the past looked at “Create your own character” options in fighting games as, well, fluff.

I’d rather choose a fighting game based on its having strong characters created by, well, professional artists.

I have to choose fighting games based on their characters because, being crap at them, it’s not like I can choose a fighting game based on depth or strategy or anything like that.

At this point I will admit to owning Dead or Alive 1, 2, 3, 4 and both volleyball games.

So I appear to equate “strong characters” with huge jubblies.

But basically I like a fighting game where I can mash buttons and watch my onscreen avatar get beat around until the CPU relents and lets me win a match.

Anyway, back to character creation options, and specifically Soul Calibur IV, which I purchased yesterday after a friend brought over his copy to show me.

I bought the “It’s got Yoda in it!” version, because I didn’t see any real advantage to either and most of my friends have 360s and very few of them have PS3s.

Also I bought the deluxe version in the tin and, uh, the strategy guide. So, even with Game Crazy’s “20% off the strategy guide!” thing, I still dropped $104 on this game.

But.

I can make a custom character that looks like this.

And after I have created a pink-haired glasses-wearing pleated-skirted fighter, I can face her off against a goth-loli dojikko.

And somehow, it all seems worth it.

On a less “creepy guy drooling over virtual women” note, this game also features my favorite Soul Calibur character of all time, that being Lizardman.

Yes, I actually DO occasionally like characters who don’t feature huge jubblies. Lizardman’s cool, OK?