Fighting Video Games

Timed to celebrate 25 years of comics, cartoons, movies, toys, and video games, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up is a fighting game designed to give the franchise the full Super Smash Bros. treatment, complete with environmental attacks, multiplayer battles, and a large roster of fighters. Players can select from more than 15 characters, including series mainstays Michaelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Splinter, and Shredder, as well as a few characters from outside of the "Turtle" universe, such as publisher Ubisoft's unofficial mascot, Raving Rabbid. Each character has a unique fighting style, and gamers can also unleash projectiles and special ninja powers, such as fire, lightning, tornados, and earthquakes. The game makes use of detailed backgrounds and a 2.5D perspective, giving depth and interactivity to more than a dozen trap-filled stages. "Arcade" mode serves as the primary single-player feature, though solo gamers can also participate in "Battle Royale" and "Survival" modes, as well as the mini-game-filled "Mission Mode." Multiplayer fans can join their friends for "Swap Out" and "Tournament" modes, or head online for one-on-one action. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

The PlayStation 2's fourth Ultimate Ninja game is the first to be set in the Naruto: Shippuden sequel storyline, taking place after the hero has undergone years of training and featuring allies and villains who are more powerful than they were in the original Naruto animé series -- and at least a little bit wiser, as well. The action focuses on one-on-one, 3D fighting. The game's control scheme is similar to that of earlier Ultimate Ninja games, with button-presses that translate to punches, kicks, and powerful chakra attacks. Between bouts, players can explore Naruto's world and interact with other heroes and villains in an RPG-style "Master" mode, where there are quests to complete, new characters and areas to unlock, and the chance to level up fighters with new and more powerful attacks and defenses. Ultimate Ninja 4: Naruto Shippuden deals a full deck of 52 playable heroes and villains from the latter-day animé series, including several hidden and unlockable fighters. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

An enhanced remake of the 2D fighting series' pinnacle arcade game, King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match edition opens up the options for a customized home play experience. As in earlier King of Fighters games, fans of SNK's Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and Ikari Warriors series have a chance to match up their favorite characters in hand-to-hand battle. KoF: Ultimate Match offers an unprecedented total of 64 playable characters, including nine from earlier KoF games that were not featured in the original edition of '98, such as Eiji Kisaragi, Geese Howard, and Orochi. Backgrounds have been revamped and character art enhanced, and there are new opening and character select screens. Challenge mode, Practice mode, and Command mode are available, as well as a complete emulation of the Neo Geo version of KoF '98. True fans can explore arcade-authentic sound effects and background music in the sound settings screens, and alter the look of their favorite characters in Color Settings mode. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga is a compilation featuring five of SNK's annual 2D Fighting releases. Included are the games The King of Fighters '94, The King of Fighters '95, The King of Fighters '96, The King of Fighters '97, and The King of Fighters '98. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Long ago two planes of existence split, leaving humans to tend to their world and the immensely powerful Arcana to live in the Elemental World. The only means of communication between the two worlds comes from Maidens, young girls whose special relationships also afford them great physical abilities. Eleven such Maidens have come together in Arcana Heart, in hopes of preventing the mysterious Mildred Avalon from harnessing the power of the Arcana and destroying humanity in the process. Gamers choose from 11 fighters and then select from 11 accompanying Arcana, each with different skills that improve the Maidens' attack and defense, for a total of 121 different fighting styles. Fighting fans can battle in arcade, story, versus, and training modes, and the gallery mode is full of unlockable extras. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

The third PS2 fighting game in the Ultimate Ninja series is set in the forest village of Konoha, providing players a light role-playing backdrop to the front-and-center fisticuffs, and providing Naruto fans an opportunity to visit and interact with other characters from the Shonen Jump anime and cartoon show. The game's control scheme is similar to that of its predecessors, with button-presses that translate to punches, kicks, and powerful (but more difficult) chakra attacks.

In the role of Naruto (or one of his close companions), players enter a fighting contest and battle their way up a ladder of opponents. Fights can take place in over 50 locations, and victory awards single players the chance to level-up their characters' statistics. A "Versus" mode is also available, for head-to-head battles and for single players who want to skip the narrative and get straight to the fighting. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 is the first in the North American series to offer the option of using the character's original Japanese voices. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Featuring the largest lineup of characters yet seen in a Dragon Ball Z game, Budokai Tenkaichi 3 includes 161 playable fighters and 30 destructible stages. As in previous games, the visuals feature cel-shaded graphics designed to mirror the popular anime's look. Players can choose from ten game modes as they prepare to battle the AI or a friend with their favorite character's assortment of melee, ranged, and aerial attacks.

One of the biggest new features is the ability to fight on certain stages in the day or at night, allowing certain characters to transform. Also new is the Battle Replay option that revisits the last fight with multiple camera angle choices. Exclusive to the PlayStation 2 version is a "Disc Fusion System," where owners of the first two Budokai Tenkaichi games can swap discs and unlock additional play options. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The Guilty Gear fighting series returns to PlayStation 2 with 23 playable characters, 14 backdrops, and a retooled combat system. Once again the action unfolds from a side-view perspective as anime-styled combatants unleash an assortment of punches, kicks, slashes, and special moves in dramatic, stylish fashion. The fast-paced fighting system introduces three new countering and defensive techniques to master: force breaks, throw escapes, and slash backs. Move lists for each character have also been tweaked for more balanced battles, and two fighters (Order-Sol and A.B.A.) make their U.S. version debut. Five play modes include Arcade, Versus, Survival, Training, and "Medal of Millionaire." The latter rewards characters with medals for stringing together elaborate combos. The more medals earned during each fight, the higher one's score. Accent Core also features an assortment of options, allowing players to customize everything from button configurations and round lengths to AI settings and time limits. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The Fatal Fury series makes its fighting debut on the PS2 with Fatal Fury: Battle Archives, Vol. 1. Gamers can take control of characters that include Billy Kane, Axel Hawk, Jubei Yamada, and Duck King as they step into the ring of Fatal Fury, Fatal Fury 2, Fatal Fury 3, and Fatal Fury Special. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 invites gamers back into the brawl as they work their way through three modes of play alone or with friends. Following the single-player storyline, gamers lead Naruto through 16 stages of combat located in the woods, on the water, among temple ruins, and on the streets of an Asian city. In each battle players earn cash and experience points. While gamers may spend experience to increase speed, agility, or defense, the cash is spent on voice samples, character models, video clips. Players may also perfect their moves in the "Practice" zone before fighting friends in "Vs." mode with characters including Gara, Kiba, Rock Lee, and Sasake. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide