The best 32-bit 3D fighting game

[sheath]

The 360 Virtual On is VOOT, and I can't play it with my Twin Sticks.

[Jesse813]

Virtua Fighter would be the best 32 bit 3D fighting game for me

[Baloo]

A lot of love for VF2, I like it. Definitely one of the best 3D Fighters of all-time.

But where's the love for Fighters Megamix? That game is just everything great about 3D SEGA fighting games packed into one. Amazing stuff I tell you. The only bad thing is that the graphics took a hit from VF2 due to the fact that they put everything but the kitchen sink into the game. Definitely my favorite 3D Fighter.

[M4R14NO94]

I have the PS2 version of Virtua Fighter 2 (best home port version), and Xbox 360 version of Virtual On (best home port version).

I have those too! Although I have the trial version of VOOT.

The 360 Virtual On is VOOT, and I can't play it with my Twin Sticks.

There's also Virtual On Force, which was only released in Japan (not sure if it's region free, though), and that one's a retail release, unlike Oratorio Tangram.

Didn't HORI release some twin sticks for the XBLA Oratorio Tangram?

[StarMist]

Vs.

[bgpjr]

Tekken 2 gets my vote. After I played it at an arcade, I went and got a Playstation. First game was Tekken 1 (since 2 had not come out yet). Loved that game. I didn't get into 3 too much, nor the later sequels. Still haven't gotten the latest for PS3 despite it being $20.

[Chilly Willy]

I'm not much for fighting games, so I went by which was more "fun" instead, and the most FUN fighter is Battle Arena Toshinden. Nothing is more fun than tricking the computer into doing a special right off the platform.

[A Black Falcon]

I'm going to ignore the fact that you don't mention the N64, because it has 3d fighting games on par with the ones on PSX and Saturn. That said, my favorite polygonal 5th gen fighting games:

N64: Fighter's Destiny, Fighter Destiny 2, Mace: The Dark Age. (Mace is my favorite Midway 3d fighter and is a genuinely good game, and the Fighter's Destiny games are interesting and unique. There's nothing else quite like them.) Runner-up: Flying Dragon (an okay, but not great, game with an interesting RPG-ish mode.). Not so good but kind of entertaining: Bio F.R.E.A.K.S. (another Midway title, this one has modern touches like saving, command lists in the pause menu, and lots of moves...) Worst I have played: War Gods, Dark Rift (both are utterly abysmal!)

Saturn: Fighting Vipers, Dead or Alive (DOA1 is simple, but fun. Fighting Vipers kind of surprised me in actually being fun -- I'm not a VF fan but this one I liked a bit more. I have not played Fighters Megamix, so I can't judge that one. I do also have Last Bronx, but it's pretty average.). Not so good but kind of entertaining: Battle Arena Toshinden Remix. (I haven't played Toshinden 2, but I have the third one for PSX and think it's pretty bad; this one for Saturn is more fun. The Game Boy one's actually my favorite Toshinden game though...) Worst I have played: Criticom (so, SO bad...)

Playstation: Dead or Alive, Evil Zone, Street Fighter EX 2 Plus. Runner-up: Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha. (Evil Zone's a unique and interesting fighting game with completely original gameplay and controls. I like this one a lot, really. The SF EX games aren't amazing, but they are okay fighting games. DOA... I like the PSX version more -- the graphics aren't quite as good, but the vast amounts of added content, and additional playable character (Ayane), push it over the top. Rival Schools isn't that good, but I do love the the Dreamcast sequel... that's a great game. I do not like the Tekken franchise, and Soul Blade isn't very good either (Calibur was the first good one).) Worst I have played: I've mostly avoided abysmal PSX fighters, so I guess it's probably Toshinden 3.

Overall? I think that 3d fighting games overall were definitely on the weak side that generation. That's something that improved a lot the generation afterwards, for sure. My overall favorites probably would be Mace, Evil Zone, and Fighting Vipers, to choose one game on each platform. Maybe DoA instead of Fighting Vipers for the Saturn? But that's better on PSX, so probably not. Maybe anyway, though; it is close between the two.

[TheSonicRetard]

Virtua Fighter 2

[netpredakonn]

Tekken 3 has got to be the best 32-bit 3D fighting game. What Namco achieved when converting it from the arcade to the ps1 is nothing short of amazing. They graphics still looked wonderful, the loading times were almost non-existant and there were even more characters crammed onto the game. And almost every character was worth playing with. Also, there nice cinematics for the endings of every character and plenty of bonus features to unlock. I'm pretty sure this is the ps1 game I've spent the most time playing.

[Devil N]

My fondest memories of any 32-bit fighter are with Tekken 2. Not just because it was an excellent fighting game in its day, but also because as one of very few fighters in existence it had atmosphere. The character designs, the backgrounds and especially the music were fantastic and really sucked you into the game. None of the later Tekken games had this effect on me, even if they were excellent games in their own right. Hell, I even based my nickname on a character from Tekken 2, stupid as it may sound today.

[Cornholio857]

A tie between VF2 and Fighters Megamix.

Besides, who couldn't like this?





Mmmmm.....memoorieees...

[eddiespruce]

I actually enjoyed Fighting Vipers more than Virtua Fighter 2. I've never played Fighters Megamix before, so I can't comment on that one.

[TrekkiesUnite118]

I'd say either Virtua Fighter 2, Dead or Alive, Fighting Vipers, or Fighters Megamix all on the Saturn, if we are going off of home releases that is. Graphically the games are all top notch, especially VF2, and DoA. And they are all incredibly fun fighters to play. I still enjoy these games and have the urge to play them from time to time.

I never have really enjoyed the Tekken games. I had a Saturn with Virtua Fighter 2 for years before I first played a Tekken game, so to me Tekken felt like a cheap knock-off. And graphically the Tekken's pale in comparison to Sega's Fighters on the Saturn. Tekken 3 is impressive looking, but I think Virtua Fighter 2 still comes out looking better graphically thanks to the higher resolution and higher frame rate. Also I think Virtua Fighter 2 might have more detail in the character models.

[sheath]

Virtua Fighter 2 is the least detailed in the character models, they are simple blocks. The PC version uses both the Saturn models and the Model 2 models with and without lighting. Compare that with the lit models in Fighter's Megamix. The polygon counts of the models in Fighting Vipers and Fighter's Megamix is much higher than VF2, it's unfortunate they couldn't manage to use the lighting and keep the high resolution of VF2, Last Bronx and DOA.

Also, I think I should say again that Virtua Fighter 2 on Saturn has the most advanced AI of any fighting game, and the only one that actually learns the player's fighting style and forces the player to adapt.