Line #83 VideoGame/VirtuaFighter


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/183614a6e1c07645c6d7c68c5ca8839e.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Promotional image for the [[MilestoneCelebration 20th Anniversary]] showing the ArtEvolution of Akira Yuki.]]
3	''Virtua Fighter'' is a FightingGame series produced by Creator/{{Sega}}'s [=AM2=] development team. Debuting in the arcades in 1993, it is notable for being the first truly successful [=3D=] fighting game franchise, paving the way for the likes of ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' and ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive''.[[note]]Although Sega's lesser known ''Dark Edge'' predated ''Virtua Fighter'' by a year in having 3D movement, it used sprite-scaling technology instead of actual polygonal models.[[/note]]
4
5	The game's story is about the dealings of the mysterious corporation, Judgment Six (J6) who holds the World Fighting Tournament as a front to create the ultimate fighter. A major recurring storyline in the game is with J6's involvement with some of the other competitors. Kage-Maru's mother, Tsukikage, is turned into Dural, the final boss of the series. Sarah and Vanessa are both kidnapped by J6, the latter used to make the newer version of Dural after Kage saved his mother.
6
7	Compared to other fighting game franchises, ''Virtua Fighter'' doesn't have much focus in its storyline. This is partially due to trying to make the combat mechanics more realistic and the depth in the characters' fighting styles as a whole and the moves they use. ''Virtua Fighter'' is known for the balance of its characters between each other. The series is also notable for being one of the few fighting game franchises to preserve its character roster throughout every entry, adding newcomers without removing any of the established fighters. The sole exception was Taka-Arashi, who was retired in ''Virtua Fighter 4'' due to the difficulty of integrating the sumo wrestling style into the new engine, only to return in ''Virtua Fighter 5R''.
8
9	The main lineup consists of:
10	* ''Virtua Fighter'' (1993, Model 1) (1994, Saturn) (1995, [[Platform/Sega32X 32X]])
11	* ''Virtua Fighter 2'' (1994, Model 2) (1995, Saturn) (1997, Windows PC) (2004, [=PS2=]) (2012, [=PS3=]/Xbox 360) (2018, [=PS4=] via ''VideoGame/YakuzaKiwami2'')
12	* ''Virtua Fighter 3'' (1996, Model 3)
13	** ''Virtua Fighter 3tb'' (1997, Model 3) (1998, Dreamcast)
14	* ''Virtua Fighter 4'' (2001, NAOMI 2) (2002, [=PS2=])
15	** ''Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution'' (2003, NAOMI 2) (2004, [=PS2=])
16	** ''Virtua Fighter 4: Final Tuned'' (2004, NAOMI 2)
17	* ''Virtua Fighter 5'' (2006, Lindbergh) (2007, [=PS3=]/Xbox 360)
18	** ''Virtua Fighter 5 R'' (2008, Lindbergh)
19	** ''Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown'' (2010, Lindbergh) (2012, [=PS3=]/Xbox 360) (2018, [=PS4=] via ''VideoGame/Yakuza6'')
20	** ''Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown'' (2021, [=PS4=]) -- A VideoGameRemake of the fifth game using the Dragon Engine from Creator/RyuGaGotokuStudio's ''VideoGame/LikeADragon'' series.
21
22	Related games in the series include.
23	* ''Virtua Fighter Remix'' (1995, ST-V/Saturn) - A re-release of the first ''Virtua Fighter'' that features updated texture mapped graphics.
24	** ''Virtua Fighter PC'' (1996, Windows PC) - Features the original and ''Remix''-style graphics.
25	* ''Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series'' (1995-1996, Saturn) - A series of CGI gallery discs featuring image songs for each character. Ten main volumes (one for each member of the ''[=VF2=]'' roster) were sold in Japanese retailer, while the eleventh disc (which covered Dural) was only given away as a mail-order by sending the spine cards for the other ten discs to Sega.
26	* ''Virtua Fighter 2 Genesis'' (1996, Genesis) - An official 2D demake.
27	* ''Virtua Fighter Kids'' (1996, ST-V/Saturn) - A version of ''[=VF2=]'' starring {{chibi}} versions of the cast.
28	* ''Virtua Fighter GG Portrait Series'' (1996, Game Gear) - Similar to the CG Portrait Series, but features the ''Kids'' versions of characters. Only had two volumes: one for Akira and another for Pai.
29	* ''Virtua Fighter Animation'' (1996, Game Gear) - A 2D tie-in to the anime series. A version was released for the Master System in Brazil.
30	* ''VideoGame/FightersMegamix'' (1996, Saturn) - A crossover with ''VideoGame/FightingVipers''. Based on an abandoned Saturn port of ''[=VF3=]''.
31	* ''VideoGame/VirtuaQuest'' (2004, [=PS2=]/GC) - A 3D action RPG spinoff.
32	* ''Virtua Fighter: 10th Anniversary Remix'' (2004, [=PS2=]) - A {{retraux}} version of ''[=VF4=] Evolution'' done in the same graphical style as the first game.
33
34	A 35 episode [[Anime/VirtuaFighter anime]] aired in Japan from October 2, 1995 – June 27, 1996. Only the first 24 episodes were dubbed into English, though the entire series has been dubbed in Spanish, Italian, and Arabic. An OVA titled ''Virtua Fighter Costomize Clip'' was also released in 1996, consisting solely of animated music videos set to songs from the Virtua Fighter image song album ''Dancing Shadows.'' The OVA is incredibly obscure, but [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHhErfbJ76BIDaOO4DHG4qIvBrHE74QbD it can be viewed here.]]
35
36	Akira, Pai, Sarah, and Jacky were playable guest fighters in the fifth ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' game. Akira, Pai and Dural have also made appearances in ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'', with the first two together as a playable paired unit and the last as a recurring boss. Akira and Pai also return for ''Project X Zone 2'', although Pai is instead a solo unit and Kage-Maru replaces her as Akira's partner. Akira also appears in ''VideoGame/DengekiBunkoFightingClimax'' as a FinalBoss with Pai as an AssistCharacter. He even appears as an Assist Trophy in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', in his blocky {{Retraux}} appearance from the first game.
37
38	Now has a [[FanficRecs/VirtuaFighter Fanfic Recommendations page]].
39	----
40	!!Examples list - Ready... GO!
41
42	* AllThereInTheManual: The plot and character biographies, they are never featured in the games.
43	* AlternateContinuity: ''Virtua Quest''.
44	* AmazonianBeauty: Vanessa. Tall, muscled, and a skilled grappler. Not to mention gorgeous.
45	* AndYourRewardIsClothes: ''Virtua Fighter 4'' was the first fighting game to feature accessories for your fighter that did not affect the fighter's stats in any way (even if you gave them weapons).
46	* AnimalNemesis: Jeffry's constant battle with the "devil shark".
47	* AnimeHair: Akira, Jacky, and Goh. Brad's is almost there.
48	* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Lei-Fei. He seeks to become stronger, and wants to steal Lau's style then kill him to increase his strength.
49	* ArtEvolution: The picture above could easily serve as an evolutionary chart of 3D gaming. The first game was one of the pioneers in 1993, and the series has admirably kept pace with the graphical advancements over the generations.
50	* BigDamnHeroes: In the ''Virtua Fighter 5'' opening, Pai pulls one off to [[http://youtu.be/QnwuyHMhigs?t=13s save her father Lau from being killed by Lei Fei.]]
51	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: This is part of the process of making Dural. It also happens to Sarah, who is a candidate for the same process. It's likely happened to Goh and Jean as well, when they were younger.
52	* BreakingTheFourthWall: In ''Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown'', during the game over countdown, Taka stares up at the players and begs them to continue.
53	* ButtonMashing: Depends who you play as, and whether your opponent knows the mechanics. You can be punished severely for this practice, even by the AI.
54	* CainAndAbel: Sarah and Jacky when Sarah was brainwahsed by J6.
55	* TheCharmer: Brad.
56	* ChefOfIron: Lau. He enters the tournament to get enough money to open a restaurant.
57	* ChineseGirl: Pai and Eileen. Pai is more traditional, with ox-tails and standard kung fu, but Eileen's monkey style and outfits still qualify her.
58	* ChromeChampion: Dural. She appears as an entirely chrome nude woman.
59	* {{Combos}}: A staple of the genre.
60	* ComicBookTime: From ''4'' and onward, birth dates were no longer given for the character.
61	* CostumePorn: In ''Virtua Fighter 4'' and ''5''.
62	* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Dural is comically overpowered.
63	* CoolMask: Kagemaru and El Blaze, being a {{Ninja}} and a MaskedLuchador, respectively.
64	* CoolOldGuy: Shun. Despite being more than double the age of most of the roster, he kicks just as much ass. Lau is approaching this as well, with noticeably graying hair in later installments.
65	* DarkerAndEdgier: ''Virtua Fighter 4'' began a trend where the series took on a more realistic and slightly darker tone compared to the more brightly-colored look and somewhat cartoony feel of the first three games (especially compared to the first and original ''Virtua Fighter''). Though it's worth noting that the series still has funny/narmy moments from time to time.
66	* DifficultButAwesome:
67	** The series is widely recognized for being one of the most complex and difficult to get into in the fighting game genre, but it is also arguably the most well-balanced amongst its characters and a perennial tournament favorite. While the game has tier lists, a low-tier character can easily best a high-tier one with practice and skill. The difference is nowhere near as pronounced as in other series.
68	** Akira is generally considered one of the hardest characters to master in this already difficult to master game. That said, he consistently tops tier lists.
69	* DittoFighter: Dural has several moves that belong to other characters.
70	* DivergentCharacterEvolution: Sarah and Jacky have developed far different moves and backstories over the course of five games.
71	* DownloadableContent: The costume packs in ''Final Showdown''. If you bought the [=PS3=] version early, you got everything
72	* DrunkenBoxing: This is Shun's fighting style.
73	* DrunkenMaster: Shun. He has a move where he takes a swig; certain moves are only available after having taken so many swigs.
74	* DubNameChange: The Latin America Spanish dub changed damn near every character's name [[note]] The Spanish versions of the games left everyone's names intact [[/note]], every other dub kept the character's names as is.
75	* EdgeGravity: Averted. Despite being the first major fighting series to use {{Ring Out}}s, there is nothing stopping you from meandering over the edge and costing yourself the round. Later installments did include physical walls, however.
76	* ExcusePlot: Due to the lack of in-game references, the machinations of J6 end up becoming this when you play. None of the games even have character-specific endings (not even the console ports).
77	* FacialMarkings: Wolf has them. He most likely wears them for stage appearance reasons as he's a Canadian born and raised, with the only resemblance to a Native American heritage being that he was a huntsman prior to being a wrestler.
78	* FlawlessVictory: Called an "Excellent" win in ''Virtua Fighter'' parlance.
79	* FragileSpeedster: Pai, Aoi, Eileen, and Lion. All are quick but can't take much damage.
80	* {{Foil}}: After the first game, characters are often introduced to the series in contrasting pairs:
81	** ''2'': Both characters use Chinese martial arts (Drunken Fist and Mantis Style respectively), but Shun Di is a laid back OldMaster while Lion is a HotBlooded youngster.
82	** ''3'': Aoi and Taka-Arashi represent traditional Japanese martial arts (Aikido and Sumo) and are almost pure examples of traditional archetypes in the nation's culture, the female YamatoNadeshiko and the male [[SumoWrestling Sumo Wrestler]].
83	** ''4'': Lei-Fei and Vanessa are two very different takes on the concept of the StanceSystem; Lei-Fei requires a solid understanding of how to transition between his multitude of stances while Vanessa can freely choose between two discrete stances. There's also a degree of irony in their personalities; Lei-Fei is surprisingly violent and conniving for the traditionally peaceful Shaolin monks, while Vanessa is a much nicer person than her background as a soldier for Judgment 6 would suggest.
84	** ''4: Evolution'': Brad is centered around smothering his opponents with a relentless stream of strikes, while Goh prefers a more technical game plan centered around throws and counters. Brad is also a TallDarkAndHandsome playboy with an eye out for the women competing while Goh is [[ObviouslyEvil a hideously scarred and pale assassin]] with a different eye out for the other competitors.
85	** ''5'': Eileen and El Blaze are both the smallest and most acrobatic members of the cast and are both stage artists with relationships to characters from the first game. The former is a cutesy Chinese opera performer who idolizes Pai Chan while the latter is a hammy MaskedLuchador who openly challenges Wolf for the championship belt.
86	** ''5: Final Showdown'': Taka-Arashi is a returning character who once again embodies the traditional image of the Sumo wrestler, while newcomer Jean Kujo is a French karateka with a more modern {{Animesque}} sense of fashion.
87	* GenkiGirl: Eileen. She acts like a monkey in many of her poses.
88	* GlowingEyesOfDoom: In ''Final Showdown'', one of the customisation pieces is an Egyptian mask with glowing [[RedEyesTakeWarning red eyes]] Kage Maru and El Blaze also have unique face pieces which have the same effect.
89	* GratuitousEnglish: While Jeffry, Jacky, Sarah, Vanessa, and many other characters do, in fact, speak coherent English, some of their win quotes seem awkward:
90	-->'''Jacky:''' "I've done handcuffed lightning!"[[note]]This is actually half of an out-of-context quote from UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli, which goes "I done handcuffed lightning, put thunder in jail..."[[/note]]\
91	'''Sarah:''' "Even good guys blow it..."
92	* HealthyGreenHarmfulRed:
93	** ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter1'' and its remix: Codifies characters' full health bar with a green colour, and damages/low health bar with a red colour ([[https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/genesis/586580-virtua-fighter-2/images?pid=586580&img=12 glowing red in the second game]]).
94	** In ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter2'', the characters' health bar is shown in a green colour. As the characters beat each other, their health bar begins to show [[https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/genesis/586580-virtua-fighter-2/images?pid=586580&img=12 a red glowing colour]].
95	%% * HotBlooded: Akira.
96	* ImpendingClashShot:
97	** A downplayed version (due to it being a Long Shot) appears in the fifth installment [[http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Virtua-Fighter-5-Unlockables-PS3-2.jpg between Eileen and El Blaze.]] where we get an half non-EvilOverlooker in the background and the rest of the cast in the middle ground spectating the fight.
98	** The ''Virtua Fighter 5'' opening [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezAaHgBmmxg features dozens]] of character match ups.
99	* IncestSubtext: In whatever media they appear in, Jacky always seems just a little ''too'' close to his sister Sarah. One of the most blatant examples is in an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0j_SINHcqQ animated music video of Jacky's theme song]] that has a flashback of him and Sarah playing together at a beach. Not as children, but as adults, and Sarah is wearing a pretty skimpy bikini. Anyone not familiar with the characters [[RelativeError could easily assume they were lovers]].
100	* JigglePhysics: ''Virtua Fighter 5'' uses this. The breast size and the type of clothing the female character wears actually affects the amount of jiggle, making this a much more realistic and well executed example than most. The only character this doesn't effect is Eileen, the youngest girl in the cast. Inversely, Vanessa, who has a large bust, jiggles no matter what she wears. Amusingly, [[ChromeChampion Dural]] has jiggle physics, [[ArtisticLicensePhysics despite her metallic body]].
101	* JumpPhysics: In a series steeped in deep technical gameplay with a focus on realism, it took the fourth game to finally stop the characters from leaping like they're affected by the moon's gravity and not Earth's.
102	* KyuAndDanRanks: The series introduced them from part 2 on. Until 1st dan, those will be gained by experience points, afterwards with victory points. Once the player reaches 10th dan, it's possible to acquire even higher rankings with the titles (High King and Emperor being the highest in ''Virtua Fighter 4'' and Champion in ''Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution''.
103	* LeftHanging: The story (what little there is) was left incomplete due to the franchise losing its popularity to other 3D Fighters and the resurgence of 2D Fighters.
104	%% * LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: Respectively Pai and Sarah.
105	%% * MagicalNativeAmerican: Wolf.
106	%% * MaskedLuchador: El Blaze.
107	%% * MegaCorp: Judgement Six.
108	* MinimalistCast: To date, there are only 20 fighters including [[SNKBoss Dural]]. This is a well-sized roster. But one must recognize that other fighting game series that have ran as long as VF have amassed a ''large'' amount of fighters during their run, making the size of VF's roster much smaller in comparison.
109	* MirrorMatch: When both combatants are the same character, the second one wears clothing in a different color/style. The first two games present the opponents in a fixed order, and no special attention is drawn to the mirror match.
110	%% * {{Ninja}}: Kage-Maru.
111	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: El Blaze is a pretty clear clone of real life luchadore and WCW/WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio.
112	* NoblewomansLaugh: Sarah has one during one of her win poses.
113	* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent:
114	** All English-speaking characters sound American, regardless of origin. Equally all the Asian characters speak in Japanese.
115	** Lion is French, but he sounds more like a loud American teenager.
116	** Jeffrey has more emphasis on the ScaryBlackMan rather than an Australian Scary black man.
117	* NumberedSequels
118	%% * OldMaster: Lau and Shun.
119	%% * TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: J6 again.
120	* PopCulturalOsmosis: Due in part to there not being a new mainline release of the series since ''2006'', it's not uncommon for new players now to know of ''Virtua Fighter'' through the fact that [[GameWithinAGame it's a playable arcade game]] in the ''VideoGame/LikeADragon'' franchise.
121	%% * ProfessionalKiller: Goh and Jean.
122	%% * ProfessionalWrestling: Wolf and El Blaze.
123	%% * PsychoForHire: Goh and Jean.
124	* PunchKickLayout: The control layout of the series mostly involves a single punch button, a single kick button and a guard button. ''[=VF3=]'' also had an evasion button, which ended up being removed from ''[=VF4=]'' that made evasions done by tapping up/down then returning to neutral akin to sidesteps in ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}''.
125	* PutOnABus: Taka-Arashi, between ''3'' and ''5 R''. Other than him, the series is notable for never dropping any character, new or old, a rather unique case for long-running fighting game series.
126	* {{Retraux}}: ''Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary'', which is ''Virtua Fighter 4'' with the first game's blocky polygons and soundtrack. ''5: Ultimate Showdown'' carries on this tradition with its “Legendary Pack” DownloadableContent which gives the cast ''[=VF1=]'' character skins, a ''[=VF1=]''-style stage, and a ''[=VF1=]''-inspired UI.
127	* RankInflation: After reaching 10th dan, players can revive titles (see KyuAndDanRanks). Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad in this case.
128	* RepeatCut: The game shows a replay of the fight-finishing blow, at a more cinematic camera angle.
129	* RingOut: A fight can be won by forcing the opponent out of the arena (or lost, if you accidentally step off the edge yourself). The effort required to beat an opponent this way is similar to depleting the health bar, and is also scaled for high-damage matches that last 30 seconds.
130	%% * TheRival: Wolf to Akira.
131	%% * ScaryBlackMan: Jeffry.
132	* ShipTease:
133	** Akira gets this with Pai a lot, but only outside of the games. It's extremely prevalent in the anime and even comes up in the American comic. Borders on OfficialCouple.
134	** In addition to that, Jacky and Pai are ship teased on two separate occasions when they travel together without Akira, first being thought of as a couple on a honeymoon, and then confronted by paparazzi in the second season who think they're having a secret affair, since by that point they've become celebrities.
135	** In the actual games, Aoi/Brad is teased in one intro and one of Brad's special item wins.
136	* ShoutOut:
137	** One of Shun's customizations in the ''5'' series is a blue tank engine. [[WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends Sound familiar?]]
138	** Jacky's infamous "I done handcuffed lightning!" line is a shout out to one of heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxLokrATgIw speeches.]]
139	** Several of the custom costumes. You can dress Sarah as [[VideoGame/SpaceChannel5 Ulala]], Akira as [[VideoGame/{{Shenmue}} Ryo Hazuki]] and, for those who know their Sega, there's Kage's VideoGame/RentAHero costume. El Blaze has an [[VideoGame/SambaDeAmigo Amigo Sombrero]], Wolf has a [[FrankensteinsMonster Frankenstein]] head, a hairstyle option for Jacky and Lion looks like a [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Mishima]], and Jeffry has a mohawk that makes him look a ''lot'' like Creator/MrT.
140	** One of Eileen's custom items is an extending staff, much like [[Manga/DragonBall Son Goku's]]. Given her [[Literature/JourneyToTheWest monkey motif]], it fits.
141	** Jean is one big ShoutOut to ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure''.
142	* ShownTheirWork: When developing the early games, Yu Suzuki required the development team to learn martial arts. This helped make the moves realistic, and the style utilized by each character is a very close approximation of it in real life, with a few liberties taken [[RuleOfFun for the sake of fun]]. For example, many of Jacky's moves utilize Wing Chun techniques, which were the foundation of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, as opposed to simply copying moves from Bruce Lee's movies, and ends up being much closer to actual Jeet Kune Do than the average BruceLeeClone.
143	%% * SNKBoss: Dural. She doesn't spam powerful attacks, however.
144	%% * SociopathicHero: Vanessa snaps necks while laughing.
145	* SpinOff: ''Virtua Quest'', a 3D action beat 'em up featuring the cast of ''Virtua Fighter 4'' as fighting data in {{Cyberspace}}.
146	%% * SuperDeformed: ''Virtua Fighter Kids'', also a SpinOffBabies.
147	* TechDemoGame: One of the tenants of the franchise which got more defined as time went on. In particular, the first one just showed the viability of a 3D polygonal fighting game ''at all''; and ''3'' includes elements such as stages with much more clearly defined limits and angled floors, along with costume pieces that can be knocked off most of the fighters, to say nothing of Dural's new reflective design.
148	* TechnicianVersusPerformer: This series is the technician to ''every other fighting game's'' performer.
149	%% * ToBeAMaster: Akira.
150	%% * {{Tsundere}}:
151	%% ** Vanessa.
152	%% ** Aoi to Brad, if you read their backstories.
153	%% * VictoryPose
154	%% * TheVoiceless: Dural.
155	* TranslationConvention: A somewhat strange variant-- Asian characters speak Japanese, everyone else speaks English.
156	* UpdatedRerelease: Each game in the series had their fair share of software revisions, but it wasn't until ''[=VF3tb=]'' that Sega started releasing full updated versions for each entry. Most notably, ''[=VF4=]: Final Tuned'' and ''[=VF5R=]'' were arcade exclusives and never had home releases.
157	* WarriorMonk: Lei Fei - which also technically makes him a BareFistedMonk as far as we know, though it doesn't matter since this is an unarmed-combat series.
158	* WholeCostumeReference: ''Ultimate Showdown'' received downloadable costume packs themed around [[VideoGame/LikeADragon Yakuza]] and Franchise/{{Tekken}} characters.
159	* WrestlerInAllOfUs: Wolf, Jeffry, and Taka-Arashi. Both Wolf and Jeffry use grappling moves, while Taka-Arashi is a sumo wrestler.
160	** Beyond that, some of the other non-wrestling fighters use pro wrestling moves in their arsenal. For instance Lau has a jumping chokeslam and his daughter Pai can do a DDT.
161	%% * YamatoNadeshiko: Aoi.
162	%% * YourDaysAreNumbered: Lau in ''5''.
163

Context VideoGame / VirtuaFighter