History VideoGame / DarkStalkers

* AmusingInjuries: Played with: getting hit by a cutting attack generally tends to bisect the character mid-match in the appropriate spot, only for the halves to rejoin themselves in a comical manner right away, such as the character's upper torso doing a backflip and landing to its original spot without any consequences. However, if the character is defeated by such an attack, the effect sticks until the next round if there is one.

* EveryoneRemembersTheStripper: Arguably the main reason why the franchise still remains so popular in the public memory and why the female half of the cast is much more prominently remembered than the male half of the cast

This was Capcom's second fighting game franchise after ''StreetFighter'', which means it shares many similarities with its sibling series (''{{Gamepro}}'' infamously referred to it as "''Street Fighter'' in a Halloween costume"): numerous characters have similar fighting styles to the ''Street Fighter'' cast, and the game features a six-button control scheme. ''Darkstalkers'' was one of the first fighting games to introduce the concept of Super Moves, bring air blocking into the mix, and expand basic combos into lengthy streams before any of the CapcomVsWhatever games were created.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Bulleta/BB Hood. Oh boy...

* {{Combos}}: Darkstalkers was the pioneer of the zigzag chaining, where players can chain normals from weakest to strongest, tracing a zigzag line with the button presses, making this series a grandfather to [[MarvelVsCapcom the Marvel series]], GuiltyGear, MeltyBlood and countless others.

A new ''Darkstalkers'' game -- as in, entirely new, instead of a re-release of past content -- hasn't been made since 1997. On July 21 2011, [[http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/21/capcoms-yoshinori-ono-says-darkstalkers-arent-dead/ Yoshinori Ono said he is pushing Capcom hard to revive the series.]] In his own words: '''DARKSTALKERS ARE ''NOT'' DEAD!''' Darkstalkers 4 is [[http://venturebeat.com/2012/03/03/inside-source-reports-darkstalkers-4-is-in-the-works-exclusive/ also rumored to be in developed]] since that time.

A new ''Darkstalkers'' game -- as in, entirely new, instead of a re-release of past content -- hasn't been made since 1997. On July 21 2011, [[http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/21/capcoms-yoshinori-ono-says-darkstalkers-arent-dead/ Yoshinori Ono said he is pushing Capcom hard to revive the series.]] In his own words: '''DARKSTALKERS ARE ''NOT'' DEAD!''' Darkstalkers 4 is [[http://www.gamesradar.com/capcoms-next-big-fighting-game-darkstalkers-4-rumor/ also rumored to be in developed]] since that time.

A new ''Darkstalkers'' game -- as in, entirely new, instead of a re-release of past content -- hasn't been made since 1997. On July 21 2011, [[http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/21/capcoms-yoshinori-ono-says-darkstalkers-arent-dead/ Yoshinori Ono said he is pushing Capcom hard to revive the series.]] In his own words: '''DARKSTALKERS ARE ''NOT'' DEAD!'''

* ExecutiveMeddling: The creative teams at Capcom want to do a fourth one, but the suits won't let them. Why? Well, it's not StreetFighter. That's why.

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[[caption-width-right:348: That cute little girl, the [[TokenHuman normal-looking one]]?\\
Biggest psycho in the bunch.\\
It's that kind of series.]]

A FightingGame series produced by {{Capcom}} during the fighting game craze of the early to mid-1990s. In contrast to most martial arts-themed fighting games of the time, the majority of the game's characters are based on classic monsters, including FrankensteinsMonster, the WolfMan and the CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon, all of whom boasted zany combos and attacks to set it apart from most fighting games.

It was Capcom's second fighting game franchise after ''StreetFighter'', and shares many similarities with its sibling series (''{{Gamepro}}'' infamously referred to it as "''Street Fighter'' in a Halloween costume"), including the characters with similar fighting styles, a six-button control scheme, and a diverse cast of fighters. It was also one of the first fighting games to introduce the concept of the now-ubiquitous Super Moves, brought air blocking into the mix, and expanded upon basic combos into lengthy streams before any other VS game ever did.

The ''Darkstalkers'' series is also notable for having quite a bit of {{fanservice}}, especially in the case of Morrigan and Felicia, whose designs are unashamedly provocative (in particular, Felicia doesn't even wear anything). Morrigan herself is probably best known for her appearances in the various [[CapcomVsWhatever Vs. fighting games]], such as ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' and ''Capcom vs. SNK'' and even more notorious for having the same sprites recycled for over 7 years (and thus clashing in sprite style with just about everyone else) until ''Namco x Capcom'' (which used a slightly SuperDeformed battle sprite style anyways, like ''Pocket Fighter'' before it, only more serious) and ''Tatsunoko vs. Capcom'' (which used 3D graphics; considering that ''Marvel vs. Capcom 3'' also uses 3D, guess the sprite is dead for good.).

On July 21st, 2011, [[http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/21/capcoms-yoshinori-ono-says-darkstalkers-arent-dead/ Yoshinori Ono declared]] at San Diego Comic-Con that '''DARKSTALKERS ARE ''NOT'' DEAD!''' While a new game has not yet been announced, Ono is seriously pushing to revive the series and bring it back.

* ''Vampire Savior: The Lord of Vampire'' (1997, Arcade / Sega Saturn) (the Saturn port brought back the missing characters from ''Night Warriors'')

* ''Vampire Chronicle for Matching Service'' (2000, Dreamcast) (Uses the ''Vampire Savior'' engine, but allows the player to select the original versions of the characters.)
* ''Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower'' (2004-2005, PlayStation Portable) (Port of ''Chronicle'' with an extra game mode: Chaos Tower.)

For character specific tropes (and when adding new ones) check the [[Characters/{{Darkstalkers}} Character page]].

* CapcomSequelStagnation: Shortly after the release of ''Vampire Savior'', Capcom released two minor upgrades to ''Savior'' in Japan titled ''Vampire Hunter 2'' and ''Vampire Savior 2''. The only difference between the two are the roster One bring backs the missing characters from ''Night Warriors'' by replacing a few of the returning characters from the original ''Darkstalkers'' and the other brings back the entire ''Night Warriors'' cast by ditching all the new guys from the first ''Vampire Savior''.

** In the UDON comic series, only Morrigan, Felicia, Demitri, Talbain, Victor, Bishamon, Donovan and Pyron put in major significant appearances. The rest are relegated to the background - Lord Raptor, Hsien-Ko, and Rikuo in particular only have cameo appearances.
** In the OAV, Anakaris, Rikuo, Victor, and Sasquatch make their only appearance in the entire series in the opening of the final chapter, where they all get [[CurbStompBattle curb stomped]] by Pyron.

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A FightingGame series produced by {{Capcom}} during the fighting game craze of the early to mid-1990s. In contrast to most martial arts-themed fighting games of the time, the majority of the game's characters are based on classic monsters, including FrankensteinsMonster, the WolfMan and the CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon, all of whom boasted zany combos and attacks to set it apart from most fighting games. It shares many similarities with its sibling series, ''StreetFighter'', including the characters with similar fighting styles, a six-button control scheme and a diverse cast of fighters. It was also one of the first fighting games to introduce the concept of the now-ubiquitous Super Moves, brought air blocking into the mix, and expanded upon basic combos into lengthy streams before any other VS game ever did.

* HeyItsThatVoice!: Two voice actors from NeonGenesisEvangelion also star here. Gendo Ikari is Jon Talbain, and Asuka Langley Soryu/Shikinami is Lei-Lei/Hsien-Ko
** And Felicia's voice actress also voices [[SailorMoon Sailor Chibimoon]].

* HornyDevils: The Succubus race, whose only known members, Morrigan and Lilith, provide the trope image. Notably, Morrigan is depicted as relatively benevolent and Lilith as innocent and misguided, as the souls of the men they feed on aren't [[DeaderThanDead destroyed]], but rather continue to exist as part of the succubus in the physical form of bats, living in [[HappinessInSlavery endless pleasure]] [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean and happiness]] [[{{Immortality}} for eternity]]. Because of this, Morrigan explains in one of the comics by Udon that she enjoys taking men out of their short, toil-filled lives and giving them bliss. Nevertheless, the physical aftermath of a Succubus' "feast" is still ghastly, as the man's physical body is left a desiccated corpse that inevitably horrifies whoever comes across it.

* {{Stripperific}}: Naturally, all of the females.

* DemotedToExtra: To date, the only characters of this game which made playable appearances on other Capcom-produced games[[hottip:*:This is, VideoGame/NamcoXCapcom, VideoGame/CrossEdge and the SNK-made crossovers don't count]] are Morrigan[[hottip:*:''Marvel Vs Capcom'', ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2'', ''SuperPuzzleFighterIITurbo'', ''PocketFighter'', ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsSNKMillenniumFight2000 Capcom vs. SNK]]'', ''Capcom Vs SNK 2'', ''VideoGame/TatsunokoVsCapcom'', ''Marvel Vs Capcom 3'']], Felicia[[hottip:*:''Marvel Vs Capcom 2'', ''Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo'', ''Pocket Fighter'', ''Capcom Fighting Evolution'', ''Marvel Vs Capcom 3'']], Anakaris[[hottip:*:''Marvel Vs Capcom 2'', ''Capcom Fighting Evolution'']], B.B.Hood[[hottip:*:''Marvel Vs Capcom 2'']], Demitri[[hottip:*: ''SNK Vs Capcom Chaos'', ''Capcom Fighting Evolution'']], Donovan[[hottip:*:''Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo'']], Hsien-Ko[[hottip:*:''Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo'', ''Pocket Fighter'', ''Marvel Vs Capcom 3'']], Anita[[hottip:*:SecretCharacter in ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'', AssistCharacter in ''Marvel Vs Capcom'', ''Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo'']] and Jedah[[hottip:*:''Capcom Fighting Evolution'']], with the other characters appearing in cameos at best.

* {{Leitmotif}}: In addition of usual character [=BGMs=], everyone also gets a unique victory music.

* Everyone Remembers the Stripper: Arguably the main reason why the franchise still remains so popular in the public memory and why the female half of the cast is much more prominently remembered than the male half of the cast

* Cool Versus Awesome: The series' reputation for actually adhering to continuity aside, this trope is the backbone of the plot.

* Stripperific: Naturally, all of the females.

* AmbidextrousSprite: Obvious, as it is a [=2D=] fighter. Victor, Lord Raptor and Donovan fit the trope better, though.

* MightyGlacier: Victor von Gerdenheim, the Frankenstein's monster.
* LightningBruiser: Sasquatch, the yeti. Ironic in trope name alone, as Victor wields the power of electricity, while Sasquatch imbues many of his attacks with ice.
* ChineseVampire: Lei Lei, known as Hsien-Ko outside of Japan. Unlike her movie and myth relatives, Lei Lei is actually quite friendly and doesn't eat human souls, though she can lose control of her powers if her sister, Lin Lin/Mei-Ling (the paper ward on her head) becomes detached from her.