History VideoGame / WayOfTheWarrior

** Nobunaga is likely a tribute to the Samurai Shodown series by Creator/SNK.

One of the many [[FightingGame fighting games]] [[FollowTheLeader that tried to copy]] ''MortalKombat''.

* NotDrawnToScale: The game tried to mimic ''SamuraiShodown'''s scaling backgrounds and combatants depending on their distance from one another, but there's very little consistency in how the fighters get zoomed. At one point, one character will tower over another; the next they will be evenly sized.

Despite it's poor reception, ''Way of the Warrior'' was considered good enough to give Naughty Dog the chance to keep producing games, which ended up in video game jewels like ''Videogame/CrashBandicoot1996'', ''JakAndDaxter'', and ''{{Uncharted}}''.

* ActingForTwo: Jason Rubin, co-founder of Creator/NaughtyDog, is both the Ninja and Konotori.

* SigilSpam: A [[http://www.goatstore.com/photos/Other/3DO/463032_Way-of-the-Warrior_logo+disc_00.jpg three-sided Yin-Yang]] is featured prominently in the game, including on the announcer's forehead. The third side is red and bleeds over the other two. He helpfully explains that it represents good, evil, and the pain caused by the suffering between them.

* ShoutOut: The Book of Warriors is the Necronomicon from [[Franchise/EvilDead Evil Dead.]]

* UnderwearOfPower: Gulab Jamun.

Released for the short-lived [[{{ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer}} 3DO]], '''''Way of the Warrior''''' was one of the first Creator/NaughtyDog creations. It was largely made in basements and houses of the developers, using their friends to represent the digitized, live-action fighters.

* ShoutOut: The Book of Warriors is the Necronomicon from [[Franchise/EVILDEAD Evil Dead.]]

* WalkingShirtlessScene: Dragon and Major Gaines.

The plot revolves around a one-on-one fighting tournament in a mountaintop citadel in the Himalayas. The tournament is held once every century to determine the best fighter in the world. Said fighter is then given an entry in the "Book of Warriors," a compilation of the life stories and fighting techniques of the world's greatest fighters. The rest of the world either prospers or falls into despair in line with the good/evil alignment of the last winner. This now presents a problem as the current tournament will be the last, because there is only one more blank page in the book, and the final winner will tip the scales towards good or evil forevermore.

* AWizardDidIt: The Book of Warrior is "written by magic, in the blood of champions." Presumably, said magic is why the book influences the world along the path of good or evil depending on the alignment of the last fighter entered.

* DemBones: Kull. Also the announcer, a talking skull.

--> '''Konotori:''' (Decapitating the opponent) "What's the matter? Lose your head?"
--> '''The Ninja:''' (Disemboweling the opponent) "You don't have the guts."
--> '''Shakey Jake:''' (Impaling the opponent on his staff) "Stick with it!"

--> '''High Abbot:''' (Performing the shrinking spell) "''Low'' Abbot!"

The music was composed by RobZombie, implying that the game has ''a lot'' of {{awesome music}}. It also has an interesting plot overall. But the gameplay was plainly disastrous, a fact hard to overlook.

''Way of the Warrior'' has left a lot of people with a bitter taste in the mouth, thinking about WhatCouldHaveBeen had the game had smoother coding.

Even so, ''Way of the Warrior'' was considered good enough to give Naughty Dog the chance to keep producing games, which ended up in video game jewels like ''Videogame/CrashBandicoot1996'', ''JakAndDaxter'', and ''{{Uncharted}}''.

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The ninja character bears the descriptive moniker of... ''Ninja''. Fun fact: he was portrayed by Jason Rubin, the co-founder of Naughty Dog.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: An arcade version was planned and made it to prototype, but was cancelled shortly after.

Released for the short-lived [[{{ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer}} 3DO]], '''''Way of the Warrior''''' was one of the first Creator/NaughtyDog creations.

* CultSoundTrack: One of the selling points (And arguably the only thing that people still like) about this game was the soundtrack by WhiteZombie.

* MostAnnoyingSound: Nikki Chan and Dragon make [[MortalKombat Liu Kang]] sound quiet in comparison.

* HurricaneOfPuns: The fatalities seem to attract this.
--> "*decapitation* What's the matter? Lose your head?"
--> "*disembowlment* You don't have the guts."
--> "*impalement* Stick with it!"

* WhatCouldHaveBeen

Released for the short-lived [[{{ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer}} 3DO]], '''''Way of the Warrior''''' was one of the first NaughtyDog creations.

[[SeenItAMillionTimes One of the many]] [[FightingGame fighting games]] [[FollowTheLeader that tried to copy]] ''MortalKombat''.

Even so, ''Way of the Warrior'' was considered good enough to give Naughty Dog the chance to keep producing games, which ended up in video game jewels like ''CrashBandicoot'', ''JakAndDaxter'', and ''{{Uncharted}}''.

* Conspicuous CG: Kull [[spoiler:and the High Abbot]].

* Conspicuous CG: Kull [[spoiler:and the High Abbot].

Released for the short-lived [[{{3DOInteractiveMultiplayer}} 3DO]], '''''Way of the Warrior''''' was one of the first NaughtyDog creations.

[[SeenItAMillionTimes One of the many]] [[FightingGame fighting games]] [[FollowTheLeader that tried to copy]] MortalKombat.

Released for the short-lived 3DO, ''Way of the Warrior'' was one of the first Naughty Dog creations.

During the early stages it received good previews, but in the end it was panned by critics. The fact that it was released on the 3DO (which had controllers that were difficult to use) did not help at all. Nevertheless, it is considered better than most MortalKombat imitators of the time.

The music was composed by RobZombie, implying that the game has ''a lot'' of {{awesome music}}. It also has an interesting plot overall. But the game-play was plainly disastrous, a fact hard to overlook.

''WayOfTheWarrior'' has left a lot of people with a bitter taste in the mouth, thinking about WhatCouldHaveBeen had the game had smoother coding.

Even so, ''WayOfTheWarrior'' was considered good enough to give NaughtyDog the chance to keep producing games, which ended up in video-game jewels like ''CrashBandicoot'', ''JakAndDaxter'', and ''{{Uncharted}}''.

* BonusBoss: With some trouble, you could fight {{Palette Swap}}s of Fox, Dragon, and Major Gaines; beating them would net you a fight with Gulab Jamun.

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The ninja character bears the descriptive moniker of... ''Ninja''. Fun fact: he was portrayed by Jason Rubin, one of Naughty Dogs' founders.
* FollowTheLeader: From ''MortalKombat'', of course. Supposedly, this game was made to secure seed money from publisher Universal for the creation of ''CrashBandicoot'' in exchange for a ''MortalKombat'' killer.

* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: High Abbot.

Even so, ''WayOfTheWarrior'' was considered good enough to give NaughtyDog the chance to keep producing games, which ended up in video-game jewels like ''CrashBandicoot'' and ''JakAndDaxter''.