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SEGA of America Disclaimer: The manufacturer provided NewTechReview with a unit of this product for review. Reviewed by Scott R. Garrigus | ||
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If you've ever played the arcade version of Virtua Fighter, then the Dreamcast version won't disappoint you. Virtua Fighter 3tb for the Sega Dreamcast is one of the best fighting games around, not only because of its beautiful graphics, but mainly for the authenticity and sophistication of its fighting engine. Virtua Fighter 3tb provides a number of different gameplay modes including Normal Mode (for one-on-one combat), Team Battle Mode (which is just like the arcade version except that you can choose up to five characters), Versus Normal Mode (for playing with a friend), and a Versus Team Battle Mode (again for playing with a friend). There is also a Training Mode so that you can learn all the character's moves before going for the high score. The game keeps records of your fighting results as well for a look at how your fighting skills have progressed over time. You have twelve different fighting characters to choose from, each with his or her own fighting style. These fighting styles are authentic real-life styles taken from the many schools of the martial arts, and each character stays true to their style during gameplay. This is what makes Virtual Fighter 3tb such a deep (and not to mention fun) game to play. The characters and their styles include: Akira Yuki (Hakkyoku-ken), Aio Umenokouji (Aiki Ju-jutsu), Jacky Bryant (Jeet Kune Do), Jeffry McWild (Pancratium), Kage-Maru (Hagakure-ryu), Lau Chan (Koen-ken), Lion Rafale (Tourou-ken), Sarah Bryant (Jeet Kune Do), Shun-Di (Drunken Fist), Taka-Arashi (Sumo Wrestling), and Wolf Hawkfield (Wrestling). There is also one hidden character name Dural who is some type of metallic android who utilizes the moves taken from the other characters. You get to fight her at the very end of the game. The graphics in Virtua Fighter 3tb are quite excellent. This is especially true for the fighting arenas. Instead of just flat surfaces, characters get to fight on different ground levels because of hills, steps, and slanted terrain. This make the fighting system even more sophisticated and challenging. The characters themselves also look very good but could still stand a bit of improvement. There are plenty of jaggies to be seen, and some of the casted shadows are very blocky. The sounds add a nice dimension to the game, although the music could be better. But these are very tiny nit picks. As I mentioned earlier, Virtua Fighter 3tb is one of the best fighting games around. The depth and sophistication of its fighting engine keep things authentic and interesting. And if you take the time to master all of the moves of each of the individual characters, this game will provide you with plenty of playing time. |
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