Virtua Fighter (ARC, 1993)
Graphics-8 Sound-8 Control-7.5 Challenge-7.5
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+ 2-player vs, decent character roster (smaller than in SF2 though at 10 chars), replay feature (skippable), alternate outfits (hold up), difficulty options, some unintentionally (?) funny moves and sfx - check out the facial expressions, skippable staff roll?, good animation for the time, basic lighting effects and face textures, ring outs, blocking and throws (SF2), pretty impressive music, can hit a knocked out opponent with a special jump attack, metal character (later used in Mario 64), can side-roll after being knocked down (press block)
+/- Can't cancel most moves (see Flashback-style games), escape-able throws?, no side-stepping, can't unlock Dural by beating her - only via a cheat code, moon jumps, almost impossible to hit an opponent who's lying down later on, can only block some throws
- You only get one shot at beating Dural, no moves list in-game, simplistic combos and a lack of flashy moves (no fireball shots for example) as well as hit effects, many shared moves between characters, some hit detection problems (when characters are attacking off of the default gameplay plane, some odd hit priorities such as when using jump attacks), often frustrating to watch a move being performed knowing you can't cancel it and that it's not going to connect, some overpowered moves or tactics, pretty simplistic backgrounds, simple arenas (no obstacles or different terrain effects), some voices get tedious to hear after playing for a while, no intro or ending cutscenes (shows in-game fights with a more cinematic camera for an intro and knock out replays for the ending - no special ending for beating Dural?), no practice mode
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 Originality-6
Overall Score-7
+ 2-player vs, decent character roster (smaller than in SF2 though at 10 chars), replay feature (skippable), alternate outfits (hold up), difficulty options, some unintentionally (?) funny moves and sfx - check out the facial expressions, skippable staff roll?, good animation for the time, basic lighting effects and face textures, ring outs, blocking and throws (SF2), pretty impressive music, can hit a knocked out opponent with a special jump attack, metal character (later used in Mario 64), can side-roll after being knocked down (press block)
+/- Can't cancel most moves (see Flashback-style games), escape-able throws?, no side-stepping, can't unlock Dural by beating her - only via a cheat code, moon jumps, almost impossible to hit an opponent who's lying down later on, can only block some throws
- You only get one shot at beating Dural, no moves list in-game, simplistic combos and a lack of flashy moves (no fireball shots for example) as well as hit effects, many shared moves between characters, some hit detection problems (when characters are attacking off of the default gameplay plane, some odd hit priorities such as when using jump attacks), often frustrating to watch a move being performed knowing you can't cancel it and that it's not going to connect, some overpowered moves or tactics, pretty simplistic backgrounds, simple arenas (no obstacles or different terrain effects), some voices get tedious to hear after playing for a while, no intro or ending cutscenes (shows in-game fights with a more cinematic camera for an intro and knock out replays for the ending - no special ending for beating Dural?), no practice mode