Eternal Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side

Moby ID: 10137

Description official description

Eternal Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side is an enhanced port of the Genesis version of Eternal Champions. It contains added features such as new characters and moves, CGI cutscenes (including intro, cinematic kills and outros), CD quality music and many secrets. The game contains thirteen characters altogether to select from at the beginning and there are twelve secret characters to be unlocked as well.

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Credits (SEGA CD version)

178 People (158 developers, 20 thanks) · View all

Developed by
  • Sega Interactive Development Division
Lead Programmer
Programmers
Engine Programmers
Lead Artist
Animator
Artists
3D Artists
Designer
Executive Producer
Producer
Assistant Producer
Technical Director
Technical Support
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 77% (based on 16 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.9 out of 5 (based on 15 ratings with 2 reviews)

Great, Sega just made Eternal Champions even HARDER!!!!!

The Good
The fighting engine is deeper than most fighting games, although I still prefer Street Fighter, and the graphics are really nice(the fighters are HUGE!!!) Also, Sega put some neat fatalities in CFTDS, and Mortal Kombat look tame in the process. The storyline is as well-written as Mortal Kombat, and the "Cine-Kills" are high-quality for the time. The music as also pretty decent.



The Bad
This game is way too HARD! I, as a hardcore classic gamer, cannot BELIEVE the cheapness of this game! The original is hard enough as it is! And the new fighters they included are WORTHLESS. At least they added the original fighters or this game would COMPLETELY suck. The final boss is just crap. first you fight him in 8 FRICKEN FORMS, and then you have to fight him again in 5 other forms! WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!

The Bottom Line
Don't buy it, don't borrow it, don't even download it. Just pretend it never existed. This is one of the worst fighting games I have ever played.

Overall: 4 out of 10. >=[ Graphics-8/10 Gameplay-3/10 Sound-6/10

SEGA CD · by Joel Mitchell (5) · 2008

The Unsung Fighting Game Hero Of The SegaCD.

The Good
First things first: Mortal Kombat, Fatal Fury Special & Samurai Shodown pretty much played the same (I won't even qualify Paws of Fury as a fighting game!!!): VERY difficult to connect combos but VERY nice to look at (graphic wise... Well, Mortal Kombat not so much). Eternal Champions, on the other hand, completely improved on the presentation from the first game in groves. From the extended move set, to the 256-color palette on screen, to the (kinda) rave soundtrack, this is where it's at for a gory fighting game. Along with the 13 un-lockable characters, there's quite a bit of technique to learn here.

The Bad
Sooooo, unfortunately, while I LOVE this game, I loathe the sluggishness of the fighting engine. This game's fighting engine TRULY needs an enema. That's not to say that you can't work around it. But, I think part of the reason why many people hated EC:CFTDS is because of the way it played - for that matter DOUBLE time for Eternal Champions (cart) for the Genesis (don't get me started on the AI from the cart build - VERY cheap!!!).

Yes, the special attack meter adds a dimension of strategy; but I kinda think it gets in the way of actual combat. I guess a counterpoint would be: some characters would be WAY too powerful spamming moves.

The inclusion of sudden death, overkill, vendetta AND cinekills should more than fulfill a warrior's lust for blood (depending on who you talk to - they are QUITE disturbing!!!).

The Bottom Line
All in all, quite a lop-sided fighting game that does A LOT right; but other aspects, not so much. A gory 1-on-1 where, while the learning curve is VERY high, the satisfaction payoff more than justifies the commitment.

It has its flaws, but to me there is A LOT to like here...

SEGA CD · by Corey I Marsh Sr (2) · 2020

Trivia

References

According to Michael Latham, the character Senator (a politician with the fighting style Dishonesty) is based on Joe Lieberman.

Awards

  • GameFan
    • Vol 3, Issue 1 - Best Sega CD Fighting Game of the Year 1994
    • Vol 3, Issue 1 - Best Sega CD Two-Player Game of the Year 1994
  • Game Players
    • Vol. 8, No. 13 - Sega CD Game of the Year 1995
    • Vol. 8, No. 13 - Bloodiest Video Game of the Year 1995

Analytics

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  • MobyGames ID: 10137
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by John Chaser.

Additional contributors: Big John WV, Cantillon, Patrick Bregger.

Game added August 26, 2003. Last modified March 27, 2024.