Virtua Fighter compared to other fighters(mainly the latest ones)

[CrazyT]

I like fighting games in general but virtua fighter has been probably my least played fighting game.

This is not because I think it's the worst, on the contrary, I think it is the most well designed game of them all. But that hasn't always been the case. I thought it was too inaccesable, too hard to master hence I went with DOA, street fighter, tekken and so on.

Lately i've been playing VF5 FS and at first I was missing the spectacle from DOA5. But when I started getting back into it again, learning the moves and learning to connect them. I've started having a blast after understanding it.

I still can't say if its the best fighter but what do you guys think?

[Barry the Nomad]

I love Virtua Fighter, despite not being a pro at it. I think it is a very accessible series, far more so than most other 3D fighters. Punch, Kick, Guard, directional stick. Thats it! No crazy amount of buttons, no over the top moves (well some moves are a little crazy, but not at the same level of crazy as Mortal Kombat or DOA or Tekken).

I think people coming into the game expect something far more complex, given the technical name of the game. I know I thought that when first playing it. I thought it was gonna be some crazy 6 button system with stats and leveling up and shit. But turns out it is just a pure, near perfect, fighter.

[Randroid]

I too love VF, ever since seeing the first one in arcades back in the day.

To me it is the supreme master of all fighters. There's a purity to the game that only increases with each iteration.

The Gameplay is so polished and devoid of gimmicks. I'm glad Barry pointed out the fact that the moves are not as over the top as more mainstream fighters. VF manages to perfectly balance the fantasy and reality of combat, where I find other fighters sway too far to either side. If that charm ever takes hold, there's really no other game at all like it.

[Randroid]

Punch, Kick, Guard, directional stick. Thats it!

Off topic, but I wish more action/fighting games took this approach. Keep the action buttons to a minimal and just make sure every combination has a different move possible. It really works well. It worked incredibly well for Bayonetta.

[semmie]

i dont want to talk to much about it but lemme just say that vf is getting to its end. final shodown wasnt exactly an inovation. yes a bit of better graphics

[Barry the Nomad]

To me it is the supreme master of all fighters. There's a purity to the game that only increases with each iteration.

Purity! Yes, that is the word I was looking for. The series took a dip for me personally with Virtua Fighter 3tb, though that was mainly because of the conversion to the Dreamcast being less than great, and Soul Calibur blew me away at the time. I sort of liked them mixing it up with the varied arenas, but I'm glad it didn't stick. It felt too gimmicky. I would enjoy it as a bonus mode though.

[CrazyT]

Yeah purity is defenitly the word.

What I meant by inaccesable barry, is that you will not get far by button mashing or simply pressing forward punches and forward kicks to beat opponents. Cuz that will mostly result in a very simple 1 punch or a 2 punch combo for many. What I found out after playing it longer is that compared to like DOA or tekken, you are supposed to connect different moves together instead of having this huge combo coming out of pressing forward/down/back in combination with the punch or kick button.

I really love this because every win feels like it was because every thing you did was planned and thought of. Like in some fighting games when u panick, mashing buttons can actually safe you. In virtua fighter you have to stay focussed.

i dont want to talk to much about it but lemme just say that vf is getting to its end. final shodown wasnt exactly an inovation. yes a bit of better graphics

Well it's better than adding a few characters, put super in front of the title and sell it for another full retail price. A lot of games get expansions and then are sold as full retail prices(I'm looking at you capcom!!). And tbh SEGA's method with final showdown feels a lot more honest towards the customers compared to capcoms way.

[Kevin-N]

I like Virtua fighter to but i prefer Mortal Kombat over any fighting game. I have virtua fighter 2, vf3tb, vf5 and vf5 fs. I never played 4 because i don't want playstation in my house. I prefer VF5  retail on the 360.

My top 5 fighting games:

1 Mk
2 Tekken
3 Virtua fighter
4 Dead or alive
5 soul caliber

[Centrale]

I've played all of them except 4.  I played the first three in the arcade, 3tb for Dreamcast, missed 4, and then got 5 for the 360 when it came out.  Just this past week got 5:FS while it was on sale and will start playing it soon.  Right from the start, I have felt that the controls are very fluid and intuitive, so you can enjoy playing it without working to memorize a bunch of special moves.  I think the comparison to Bayonetta is apt, as once you learn a few moves you can begin to infer that there are other similar ones and discover more and more.

To me, the gameplay is perfect and has been for a long time.  What I wish they would work on improving are the menu systems (setting up custom matches online in 5 was too clunky) and the training mode.  I'm looking forward to seeing if either of these have been addressed in 5:FS.

[MadeManG74]

Virtua Fighter is my favourite fighting game series, I could even say it's my favourite video game series overall.

I play fighting games a lot and attend regular tournaments to play both VF and King of Fighters XIII. Most recently I even placed top 4 at the Australian nationals for VF5:FS
If you skip to about 30 minutes (I think, can't check at work) in on this archive you can see the top 6 finals for the game:
http://www.twitch.tv/ozhadou/b/370634433

As you guys have said, I really do find it a 'pure' fighting game experience. If you look at how other series have evolved, Virtua Fighter is a stark contrast. While most series have been adding more and more features into their games (sometimes to good effect, sometimes being a detriment) VF is still just two characters and their health bars. There aren't any comeback mechanics like Marvel's X Factor, or Street Fighter's Ultras. I really applaud VF for keeping this style, as it's really what the fans want. In fact even players of other fighters appreciate VF for this fact.

And while I agree the game is really easy to get into, the best thing about it is that it's so, so deep at higher levels, and that makes it so rewarding to play.
Learning how and when to use evades, guards, half and full circulars, mids, how to throw-break correctly etc. It makes the game so much more rewarding because you sink so much time into just one character and still find more to utilise in their game.

There's more i want to go into, but i'll leave it at that for now.

[Barry the Nomad]

Rating my favorites:

1. VF5:FS
2. VF2
3. VF4: Evolution (w/the anniversary mode)
4. VF3tb
5. VF1 32X - great as a piece of history, but I can't play it anymore as a legitimate fighting game

I also have a soft spot for Virtua Fighter Kids. Yeah it's goofy, but I enjoy it. Also I enjoy Megamix as much as VF2. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Megamix and Kids has elements of VF3?

[MadeManG74]

^Kids didn't, but Fighters Megamix had a lot of VF3 elements.

It had the evade button, and all the VF characters had their VF3 move-sets, or at least the majority of it, and Janet from Virtua Cop used Aoi's move-set.

[semmie]

I like Virtua fighter to but i prefer Mortal Kombat over any fighting game. I have virtua fighter 2, vf3tb, vf5 and vf5 fs. I never played 4 because i don't want playstation in my house. I prefer VF5  retail on the 360.

My top 5 fighting games:

1 Mk
2 Tekken
3 Virtua fighter
4 Dead or alive
5 soul caliber

1. MK
2.dead or alive
3. virtua fighter

and thats it. and i even didnt wan vf could v been 2 as well. but because it is purely arcade with no story i made it 3

[Randroid]

I'll jump in here:

My VF ratings are in order

1. VF5: FS
2. VF5 (Never got to play R sadly)
3. VF4
4. VF3
5. VF2


Fighting Game/Series Preference

1. VF (Whichever is the latest)
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2. Street Fighter 3
3. Soul Calibur
4. DOA
5. MK

[CrazyT]

Quite surprised seeing people calling vf easy to get into. Dunno if it's cuz I main Akira, but I really had a hard time connecting moves untill I checked the command last, wheras with other fighters im fine just mashing a few buttons and finding out a few moves that can get me far.

I guess maybe we could say that VF is easy to pick up because it doesnt have all these crazy systems like special moves etc, but I do think it has a lot of depth. Really my kind of game because I love games that are sorta pick up and playish but have a lot more depth than you may initially think.