TGW89
Player Valuation: £35m
OK, it's time to settle this once and for all. The best fighting game please and why.
In case anyone needs reminding(!) of some titles a quick rundown:
Street Fighter: The grandaddy of them all and does not require introduction. No Street Fighter, no nothing. Simples. For so long it was undisputedly the king, until Mortal Kombat stole the limelight and Tekken wowed us with next-gen 3D graphics.
King of Fighters: SNK's hipster alternative to the Capcom juggernaut. The idea of releasing a new edition every year was good marketing. The KOF games introduced us to a "rage" system whereby fighters got more powerful and fast with damage, adding an extra twist to battles.
Mortal Kombat: Again, no introduction needed. Essentially birthed the ESRB rating system. Enjoyed years of success until creators Midway became a victim of it, with the storyline and characters becoming ridiculous, forcing them to reboot the series in 2011.
Killer Instinct: RARE is known mostly for creating the immortal Goldeneye on the N64, but in 1995, as Paul Rideout was busy stunning the manckneys at Wembley, Killer Instinct was released on the SNES and was every bit as good as its arcade counterpart.
Ridiculous combos, grisly fatalities and a secret agent lass with gigantic teets.... what more could we ask for?
Tekken: When this game first hit the PSX, around the time Kanchelskis was goosing the Kop end net, the effect it had on violence-craving gamers was akin to an asteroid hitting earth.
With a vast array of real-life martial art moves across a roster of just 8 characters (plus 9 unlockables), this game made full use of the 3D breakthrough and set the standard for many years to come. Impossible to win online though!
Virtua Fighter: Although we largely credit Tekken for the 3D revolution, Virtua Fighter was the true pioneer, having first hit arcades in 93 - a full two years before Tekken. It was the first fighting game that really forced players to think about their moves without the aid of endless fireballs and electric shocks.
Soul Calibur: The original installment, Soul Blade, was a good un and was the first popular game to make the use of weaponry in regular combat. It was the first major fighter to use a "story mode" which gave each character a unique identity - some unlockables (like Tekken) would have been nice though.
The sequel Soul Calibur was released in 1999 and was considered by many to be the best fighting game ever. Gamespot even saw fit to award a rare "perfect" score of 10.0. Since then, the series has retained its roots while growing well, unlike Mortal Kombat.
Super Smash Bros: Ever wanted Mario to beat the living snot out of Princess Peach instead of saving her? Well this was the game you finally got to do it! Alright there was no real skill involved but it was FUN! The ever expanding roster makes it even more intriguing!
A wide variety of weapons, including baseball bats, lightsabers and pepper spray provided numerous ways to destroy your opponents. Plus it gives anyone the opportunity to invent a darn good drinking game (every time Captain Falcon does his "Falcon Punch" it's a shot of tequila. Every time Pikachu bolts you it's a shot of hot sauce.... etc)
In case anyone needs reminding(!) of some titles a quick rundown:
Street Fighter: The grandaddy of them all and does not require introduction. No Street Fighter, no nothing. Simples. For so long it was undisputedly the king, until Mortal Kombat stole the limelight and Tekken wowed us with next-gen 3D graphics.
King of Fighters: SNK's hipster alternative to the Capcom juggernaut. The idea of releasing a new edition every year was good marketing. The KOF games introduced us to a "rage" system whereby fighters got more powerful and fast with damage, adding an extra twist to battles.
Mortal Kombat: Again, no introduction needed. Essentially birthed the ESRB rating system. Enjoyed years of success until creators Midway became a victim of it, with the storyline and characters becoming ridiculous, forcing them to reboot the series in 2011.
Killer Instinct: RARE is known mostly for creating the immortal Goldeneye on the N64, but in 1995, as Paul Rideout was busy stunning the manckneys at Wembley, Killer Instinct was released on the SNES and was every bit as good as its arcade counterpart.
Ridiculous combos, grisly fatalities and a secret agent lass with gigantic teets.... what more could we ask for?
Tekken: When this game first hit the PSX, around the time Kanchelskis was goosing the Kop end net, the effect it had on violence-craving gamers was akin to an asteroid hitting earth.
With a vast array of real-life martial art moves across a roster of just 8 characters (plus 9 unlockables), this game made full use of the 3D breakthrough and set the standard for many years to come. Impossible to win online though!
Virtua Fighter: Although we largely credit Tekken for the 3D revolution, Virtua Fighter was the true pioneer, having first hit arcades in 93 - a full two years before Tekken. It was the first fighting game that really forced players to think about their moves without the aid of endless fireballs and electric shocks.
Soul Calibur: The original installment, Soul Blade, was a good un and was the first popular game to make the use of weaponry in regular combat. It was the first major fighter to use a "story mode" which gave each character a unique identity - some unlockables (like Tekken) would have been nice though.
The sequel Soul Calibur was released in 1999 and was considered by many to be the best fighting game ever. Gamespot even saw fit to award a rare "perfect" score of 10.0. Since then, the series has retained its roots while growing well, unlike Mortal Kombat.
Super Smash Bros: Ever wanted Mario to beat the living snot out of Princess Peach instead of saving her? Well this was the game you finally got to do it! Alright there was no real skill involved but it was FUN! The ever expanding roster makes it even more intriguing!
A wide variety of weapons, including baseball bats, lightsabers and pepper spray provided numerous ways to destroy your opponents. Plus it gives anyone the opportunity to invent a darn good drinking game (every time Captain Falcon does his "Falcon Punch" it's a shot of tequila. Every time Pikachu bolts you it's a shot of hot sauce.... etc)
