Virtua Fighter

Review

by Kyle Knight

Virtua Fighter has a rather significant place in history as being the first fighting game to go polygonal. When it was first released as a coin-op in 1993, it wowed arcade operators with its high price and dazzled gamers with its 3D graphics. The Saturn version of the game, although lacking in some aspects when compared to the original, is a fairly accurate translation and manages to bring Virtua Fighter's eloquent gameplay to a home console.

The Saturn version's graphics are noticeably different from the coin-op. Characters are blocky, at times looking more like LEGO men than actual fighters. When they move, some polygonal breakup is evident. If you're looking for great visuals, Virtua Fighter will disappoint. After the initial period of marveling at 3D graphics, the inherent blockiness of the characters starts to weigh on you. The fact that characters are merely flat-shaded also contributes to their ugly appearance, although they move quite smoothly, something that even later 3D fighters would have trouble with.

Virtua Fighter's sound and music are arcade perfect. Although neither the sound nor music are incredible, both are well done and manage to add to the Virtua Fighter playing experience. The hitting effects make strikes and throws sound sufficiently painful, and the other sounds add ambiance and energy. A decent selection of well-composed and recorded music manages to keep things lively.

The fighting system is where Virtua Fighter shines. Each fighter has a very distinct fighting style, ranging from the hard-hitting technical excellence of Akira Yuki to the all-out brawling of Jacky Bryant. Although some characters are a bit more powerful, the game does manage to keep them all balanced. The fighting system is quite technical and skill-based in nature, ensuring that button mashers won't last very long.

It's also very difficult at the later stages, but if you have the perseverance and dedication to learn the system and the nuances of each fighter, you'll be rewarded according to your effort. There are no super techniques or long chain combos to memorize; rather, the game gives you single moves and short sequences and forces you to rely on your skill in timing, distancing, and maneuvering.

One thing most players will find disorienting during their first encounter with Virtua Fighter is the way the game handles jumps. In contrast to the realistic feel of the rest of the game, jumps have a tendency to float. Not only do fighters grab extended periods of air when they jump, but they also seem to move through the arc quite slowly. This makes jumps nearly unusable in combat, as it's easy for the other fighter to get into a good position to pummel you while you float through the air.

The game's biggest problem is in the controls; they feel a little sticky and unresponsive. Since much of the fighting mechanics relies on your fighter quickly responding to your input, it can become a frustrating problem. It is possible to compensate for the controls, but you shouldn't have to. Fighting games released years before Virtua Fighter have managed to field responsive controls.

Virtua Fighter is a decent translation of the original, despite lacking in some areas. It would have been a great game with tighter and more responsive controls, but even in its current state it manages to be fun to play. Arcade purists will find many problems with the Saturn translation, but if you can overlook an imperfect translation, Virtua Fighter is sure to please.