Virtua Fighter 3tb

The Good
Virtua Fighter 3: TB, hit arcades in around 1997. It was assumed that it would be ported to the Sega Saturn, however, Virtua Fighter fans would have to wait two years for it’s home release of the Dreamcast. Fortunately, it was well worth the wait.

In Virtua Fighter 3, 12 Virtua Warriors are available. 10 classic, 2 new. As well as two secret fighters. Once again the Virtual fighters from all over the world compete, for the title of the world’s greatest fighter.

In Virtua Fighter 3, as in previous versions, the fighting is fluid and very realistic. Perhaps the most realistic you will find in the realm of video games. Punches, kicks, grapples, throws, and blocks are all motion captured, and look incredible. Virtua Fighter was the first franchise to make use of motion captured technology. The controls are tight as a drum, as we have come to expect from the series.

And unlike most fighters you must block attacks to survive in VF. The TB, or Team Battle, is a feature in which up to three Virtua fighters can team up. This was also a first for the series and for fighting games in general.

The Graphics are much improved over the Arcade. They still are not the best, considering the considerable power of the Dreamcast. But lighting effects and realistic looking hair and clothes help. The stages are well designed and all have a unique look. From the top of a building, to a subway station, that you may recognize as the subway from Virtua Cop 2, to a Pagoda.

The sound and music department does the job. The sound effects are well used. Particularly, the bone cracking thud of the combos. The music is good, but sparse.

The Bad
There are not many modes of play in Virtua Fighter 3, but fighter games are not supposed to be about modes are they? The Graphics could be better as well.

The Bottom Line
Virtua Fighter 3 is one of the best fighters on the Dreamcast, which is quite a compliment considering how many there were on the console. It is often overshadowed by bigger titles, but Virtua Fans know that this is were it’s at.