Virtua Fighter...after years of hating it.

[BHvrd]

I'm really not sure if this belongs here or in the Classic Gaming forum, but mainly this post is based off of me playing the most recent version (Virtua Fighter 5).

For years I have despised this game, always thinking it was slow, clunky and boring. Despite my years of dismissing the game I always felt there was something I was missing as many other people seemed to clammor on about it. I would keep giving it a shot over the years yet my frustration would always outweigh my enjoyment and after many attempts with every version 1-4 I would just throw it to the side and never take the time to understand and master it, thinking it was a waste of time.

Years later it seems my experience with other fighting games has culminated enough to where I have the resolve and understanding (in other words when I get frustrated and pissed I kept trying, lol) that once over this hump you get to enjoy what the game is truly made of (especially fighting games).

Givin' games like Soul Calibur and Dead or Alive can also be frustrating, but in those games you can "skim by" as they are designed with button mashing as an option. Sure they also have deep combo/reversal/etc moves, but a button masher can also come in and win the day fairly easily. Virtua Fighter is in no way like this at all and until I have gotten in the higher ranks of combat I never realized how much of a perfect fighting game it is.

While other games have reversals and combos, they come NOWHERE near as close to the perfection of this game. Where in other games you can just mash buttons and get by in Virtua Fighter you have to watch your opponent and plan your attack. Of course you also get that "where did that come from" attack that you may do by accident that only makes it better. It is just awesome and for so many years I have wondered what I have been missing and now I see and it's wow, just wow, lovely!

I'm tempted to go back and try the other Virtua Fighter games as well now, but i'm not sure it has always been this in depth, though i'm sure it has as it has stood the test of time. Either way I regret throwing this game to the side for so long, it's by far "imo now" the best 3D fighter there is bar none.

[SegaAges]

Well I must say, welcome to the club, my friend. I assure you that the stay is plesent.

I am a pretty avid Virtua Fighter fan (if you could imagine that). I don't know what all systems you own, but since you have "converted" over, if you don't have one, you need a Saturn.

There was Virtua Fighter on the 32x, and don't hold me to this, but if I remember correctly, it is a clone of Virtua Fighter Remix.

The saturn has VF1, VF Remix, Kids, VF2, Fighters Megamix (Yes, I put this in there), and just for a guest spot, there is a japanese import wrestling game that features Wolf and Jeffery from the VF series.

If you want some insane depth, I would say that you should first look into VF2. You can score that for Saturn for dirt cheap. VF2 is one of my fav VF games.

Also, VF4: Evo for PS2 is another insanely great game. I have yet to get good with Goh or Akira, and if you want depth, look no further than those 2 (and there is a huge cast for the VF games by the time they hit 4).

Now VF Kids for the saturn is fun, and it is a little more fast paced. Depending on the button, there are a few instances in Kids where you can get away with button mashing.

Now when you finally have some good skills honed in, that is when you start playing VF3:TB for DC. That game is crazy difficult. Not impossible by any means, but Sega really upped the difficulty with that game. Once you get better with attacks, it is not bad, but be ready, because it does jump in difficulty.

For just straight out fast paced action (and some button mashing) there is Fighter's Megamix for the Saturn. This game is awesome. It is all the VF characters, all of the Fighting Vipers Characters, and a few others thrown in to spicen up the activities (there are a few characters from the Sonic Fighting arcade game thrown into the mix in there). Think of it like one of the capcom vs games, but VF style with only Sega characters.

Man, for VF5, while it is not overly complicated, it does get some insane combos and moves going on. There are combos where you actually have to time the rest of your combo on the exact moment that one of your hits lands. Very cool.

My character of choice is Jacky. I have been into using that dude since 2.

I do have to ask now since you are a VF person, who is your character of choice?

[Half Japanese]

Quick question about VF5: I have no plans of playing online at all, and no arcade stick or plans to get one, so assuming I can find VF5 on the ps3 for cheaper than the 360 reason, are there any other benefits to spending more for the 360 version?

[BHvrd]

My character of choice is Jacky. I have been into using that dude since 2.

I do have to ask now since you are a VF person, who is your character of choice?

Kinda funny cause Jacky was the first character I really cut my teeth on (difficulty wise), that guy has a wicked somersault kick. Sarah Bryant was next up and I learned alot there, she has some really long legs, lol.

Im using Lei-Fei:

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/140/213743-vf4_leifei_large.jpeg

I really want to try out all the styles, but so far i'm rolling with him as the quest mode is linked to your character. When it comes to Lei-Fei it really seems like standing back and waiting for the attack is the best stance and then the occasional high kick/triple kick. He also has some AWESOME reversals, they look really cool....when I can do them!

Also it's kinda funny you mention Fighters Megamix as it and Fighting Vipers were 2 of the first 3D fighting games I ever played and seeing as you say they were more casual, it's no surprise that I got used to that style, cause yeah, Fighting Vipers was really fun, yet easy.

Honestly though I know there are a select group of people out there who "get" this game and swear by it, i'm just glad I finally reached that plateau and can join the ranks, cause it truly is worth the effort.

[G-Boobie]

Quick question about VF5: I have no plans of playing online at all, and no arcade stick or plans to get one, so assuming I can find VF5 on the ps3 for cheaper than the 360 reason, are there any other benefits to spending more for the 360 version?

Nope. Considering the sorry D-Pad on the 360 remote, you'd be better off with the PS3 version anyway, online or not, fighting stick or not.


Kinda funny cause Jacky was the first character I really cut my teeth on (difficulty wise), that guy has a wicked somersault kick. Sarah Bryant was next up and I learned alot there, she has some really long legs, lol.

Im using Lei-Fei:

I really want to try out all the styles, but so far i'm rolling with him as the quest mode is linked to your character. When it comes to Lei-Fei it really seems like standing back and waiting for the attack is the best stance and then the occasional high kick/triple kick. He also has some AWESOME reversals, they look really cool....when I can do them!

Also it's kinda funny you mention Fighters Megamix as it and Fighting Vipers were 2 of the first 3D fighting games I ever played and seeing as you say they were more casual, it's no surprise that I got used to that style, cause yeah, Fighting Vipers was really fun, yet easy.

Honestly though I know there are a select group of people out there who "get" this game and swear by it, i'm just glad I finally reached that plateau and can join the ranks, cause it truly is worth the effort.

Welcome to the club, good sir. :)

Virtua Fighter is by far the deepest and most rewarding 3D fighter out there. I'm glad you've decided to give it a shot.

[c0ldb33r]

I remember my first time playing Virtua Fighter in the arcade. I used Pai (I like to stick with chick characters). The first time I did her PPPK roundhouse kick combo I almost crapped myself with delight :D

[Sotenga]

I used to not be a large fan of Virtua Fighter, but ever since I got my Saturn, I decided to pick up VF Remix for the system on a whim. It was very inexpensive, so I signed up for that. I immediately found myself hooked to the game due to its simplicity and fast pace. I officially fell in love with it when I was playing as Wolf and I obliterated my opponent in only TWO MOVES.

Naturally, VF2 followed, and it was even awesomer than the first. It's still one of the finest fighters on the Saturn. I got VF3 for my (now all-but-defunct) Dreamcast, and I liked it a good deal, though somehow not quite as much as VF2. I just had to pick up VF4, and I skipped the original to go right to VF4: Evolution, which cost me... around $10? It was a steal for a game that would eventually take a LOT of my time. Man, VF4:E is awesome. Sadly, its memory has been cleared... at least twice, I think? It was annoying to lose some of the neat characters I built up, but I still played the crap out of it.

I have played some VF5, and it is truly great. However, because of the latest version that's in the Japanese arcades (VF5R, with really awesome new karateka Jean Kujo and the return of Taka-Arashi from VF3, and I'm willing to bet a whole jetload of tweaks and new content), I'm hesitant to get VF5 for my XBOX 360 in hopes that VF5R will become a new release. Then again, there is a possibility that instead of being an all-new release, the two new characters from VF5R and any other new stuff from it will become DLC. Either way, it had better get here somehow, lest I be incredibly displeased at Sega. Well... more displeased than usual. Granted, I think Yakuza is fantastic, but that and VF are the only game series running right now for Sega that I can think of about which I give a damn.

ADD: Might as well mention that my favorite characters are Lau, Jacky, Wolf, and I'm somehow good with Goh, who is often thought of as an advanced character to play. However, later VF games seem really balanced to me, as I've not found any character with which I'm outlandishly bad.

[G-Boobie]

ADD: Might as well mention that my favorite characters are Lau, Jacky, Wolf, and I'm somehow good with Goh, who is often thought of as an advanced character to play. However, later VF games seem really balanced to me, as I've not found any character with which I'm outlandishly bad.

I understand you're a poor college student Sotenga, but you can pick up a used copy of Virtua Fighter 5 on 360 for less than twenty bucks now. Totally worth it, and super affordable!

My mains are the Chans. You know, for the record.

[Mr Mort]

Yeah, don't let anything keep you from picking up VF5.
The game cannot be upgraded to VF5:R via downloadable content on either console, and the odds of VF5:R coming out on consoles is slim to none.
Pick up VF5 and enjoy it, it really is the best 3D fighting game out there.

[c0ldb33r]

The game cannot be upgraded to VF5:R via downloadable content on either console.
How come?

[G-Boobie]

Yeah, don't let anything keep you from picking up VF5.
The game cannot be upgraded to VF5:R via downloadable content on either console

Why not? Full expansion packs and title updates are available via XBLA and PSN for several games. The upgrade in the arcade was just a patch in any case: a DVD that flashes the board.


and the odds of VF5:R coming out on consoles is slim to none.
Pick up VF5 and enjoy it, it really is the best 3D fighting game out there.

We agree on these two points.

[Nirvana]

When I bought Virtua Fighter 4, I fell in love with it. The detail was incredible. No two characters are alike. You can't really mash buttons in this game to the extent that you could in other fighting games. My favorite part about it is Quest mode. I freakin love it. I use Akira, and there's something about customizing your character that is just way too awesome for me.

I remember seeing Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution for 10 bucks at Best Buy a long time ago. I jumped on that.

Recently I rented Virtua Fighter 5, and I loved it too. Great game. This is my favorite 3-D fighting game.

[Kitsune Sniper]

How come?

I doubt Sega will ever bother considering how badly the games did in the US of A.

[kedawa]

I've always loved the VF games, but never had anyone to play with.
My friends generally preferred to play Tekken or SoulBlade, and that's if I could get them to play 3D fighters at all.

Sega never released VF4 Final Tuned for console, and I doubt they'll release VF5R either.
I'd loved to be proven wrong on that, of course, and it would be awesome if they pulled a VF4Evo and just released VF5R as the GH version of VF5.

[Sotenga]

I understand you're a poor college student Sotenga, but you can pick up a used copy of Virtua Fighter 5 on 360 for less than twenty bucks now. Totally worth it, and super affordable!

There's a good chance I'll enact on that! After all, I did violate my "Nothing until SF4" hiatus by getting Dead or Alive 3 (for naught but five bucks!), so I do believe I'll be getting VF5 soon. At this point, I'm thinking that it would be more logical to include Jean and Taka as DLC... and VF5 already has a double-decker busload of additional content to spare, right?

However, I would be greatly displeased if elements from R will never make it over to America. Really, all I just want are the two additional characters. Anything else is gravy. But if we can't even be granted them, then I can only write it off as another "LOL SEGA" motion and sigh while kicking a Coke can so hard against a wall that its contents explode and fly out. Yeah, I know, it's nothing original to disapprove of executive decisions made by Sega, but such dislike exists for a reason. At least that no release of VF5R over here is a somewhat logical reason due to not-great sales of VF5 as mentioned above... still wish it would happen, but I guess I can only grumble about it without having any affect.

But at the moment, I doubt that VF5 for the 360 will become rare. This small part of me is still apprehensive about getting the title on the very, VERY small chance that VF5R actually becomes its own release. But due to DLC being all the rage now and VF5 having much of it, I'm coming to see that if we get anything from R, it will be in that form. Thus, if I find VF5 for a very good price (condition be damned), it's a done deal. :)

[kupomogli]

I'll agree Virtua Fighter 5 is the best, but I enjoy playing it on a PS3 controller over 360 controller.

The 360 version is the only one that has online and whenever I did own the 360, you would rarely find anyone online to actually fight against. I think every time I played online I'd find the same two very high ranked people repeatedly, both of which I could almost beat, but considering their rank and wins, they were playing much longer than I was and were also better players.

So yeah. Great game. Terrible online. However if you look at a game like Soul Calibur 4, you could atleast say that Virtua Fighter 5 doesn't have the lag that SC4 very frequently has.

[Sotenga]

I'll agree Virtua Fighter 5 is the best, but I enjoy playing it on a PS3 controller over 360 controller.

I'm hoping to obtain an SF4 fightpad for the 360 for my birthday, so that should extinguish that problem. ^_^

And since I don't currently have Gold, online isn't too big a deal for me. I'm simply prospecting to get the 360 version due to the premise of a PS3 still being pretty far in the future for me.

[heybtbm]

Quick question about VF5: I have no plans of playing online at all, and no arcade stick or plans to get one, so assuming I can find VF5 on the ps3 for cheaper than the 360 reason, are there any other benefits to spending more for the 360 version?

Well, the 360 version is $15 in the clearance section of your local Target.


I'll agree Virtua Fighter 5 is the best, but I enjoy playing it on a PS3 controller over 360 controller.

I splurged...

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/5355/stickvshgzc5.jpg

Virtua Stick High Grade (PS3). FYI: Not my picture.

[Half Japanese]

Well, the 360 version is $15 in the clearance section of your local Target.

$13.98 for me, so I picked it up tonight. I was aiming for the $9.98 ps3 copy I stupidly passed on the other night, but no dice. Either way, glad to have it, as I was a mild fan of 4 despite not being very good at it. Now to look into snagging one of those Street Fighter pads so I can actually manage to play the damn thing.