THE LIBRARY
Collector guides, cover censuses, and edition answers, documented issue by issue. Every page answers one specific question, completely.
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FIGHTING GAMES
104 shelves
The Fighting Games Gallery
Twelve games that turned the couch into the arcade.
The History of Tekken 3
The game that rebuilt Tekken from scratch and became the PlayStation's defining 3D fighter.
Why Is Tekken 3 Considered the Best Fighting Game on the PlayStation?
Because the reviews, the depth, and the living room all agreed at once.
Who Is Gon, and Why Is a Tiny Dinosaur in Tekken 3?
He is a manga star on a one time license, not a Namco character.
Who wrote Tekken 3's music?
Nobuyoshi Sano and Keiichi Okabe turned Tekken electronic, techno and breakbeat over the ring.
The History of Street Fighter Alpha 3
The Alpha series ended by trying to be three fighting games at once, and mostly succeeding.
What Is the World Tour Mode in Street Fighter Alpha 3?
An RPG campaign wrapped around arcade fights, built only for the home versions.
Why Does the PlayStation Street Fighter Alpha 3 Have More Characters Than the Arcade?
Because the home version was built to outdo the arcade, not just copy it.
The History of Soul Blade
The weapon fighter that started the Soulcalibur line.
Why Is Soul Edge Called Soul Blade in America?
It was a trademark dodge, not a rebrand.
What Is Edge Master Mode in Soul Blade?
A story mode that paid you in swords.
Why does Soul Blade have three soundtracks?
Arcade, arranged, and the Khan Super Session: three complete switchable scores in one PlayStation box.
The History of Mortal Kombat on Consoles
The port that split an industry in two.
Why Did the SNES Mortal Kombat Have Sweat Instead of Blood?
Because Nintendo required the blood to go.
Why Did the Genesis Mortal Kombat Outsell the SNES Version?
Players bought the version that let them turn the arcade game back on.
The History of Marvel vs. Capcom on PlayStation
The loudest arcade fighter of 1998, rebuilt around what the PlayStation could hold.
Why Couldn't the PlayStation Marvel vs. Capcom Do Tag Teams?
It could not hold four fighters at once. That is the whole answer.
Why Does the PlayStation Marvel vs. Capcom Have a Cross Over Mode Instead?
Because identical teams were the one way to tag inside 2 MB of RAM.
The History of Rival Schools: United by Fate
Capcom’s schoolyard fighter: a 3D tag team game built out of school life itself.
What Was Cut From Rival Schools Outside Japan?
The school year itself. The fighting all crossed the Pacific. The life sim did not.
Why Is Rival Schools Set in High Schools?
Because a world tournament bored Capcom’s veterans. School did not.
The History of Bushido Blade
The fighting game that threw away the health bar and trusted a single sword stroke to decide everything.
Why Does Bushido Blade Have No Health Bars?
Because the sword was the health bar. A clean hit to the head or torso ends a real sword fight, so Lightweight made it end this one too.
The History of Dead or Alive
Tecmo bet the company on a Virtua Fighter rival, and the bet paid. Dead or Alive turned a near bankrupt publisher into a fighting game franchise.
Why Was Dead or Alive Famous for Its Counter System?
Because Dead or Alive replaced the block button with a bet. Read the attack correctly, and you did not just stop it. You turned it into your own damage.