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 Fighters
Megamix (Sega for Saturn)
What do you get when you combine the cast of
Virtua Fighter with the warriors from Fighting Vipers? Sega AM2’s Saturn
Classic 3D
fighting title, Fighter's Megamix. In case you haven’t heard of this
under-rated fighter, it mixed brawlers from both Virtua Fighter and
Fighting Vipers. So, how does the game stack
up to it’s own saturation marketing campaign? Glad you asked. To begin with,
FMM features more than 22 characters from the aforementioned games plus 10
hidden fighters. This made for a huge cast. Along with the then state-of-the-art
Saturn engine, it was definitely impressive for it's time from a technical
standpoint. How did the fighters interact with each
other, you may ask, knowing that VF and FV have radically different styles of
play? And how does the game hold up today from a historical standpoint? Read on and find out.
Note: This review originally appeared in MMCC fanzine #1 - Spring 1997. We
haven't changed the original review, but our current take can be found at
the end of this article.
How you respond to the melding of characters and styles really depends on
your mood. This now mostly forgotten crossover title lets players select the more traditional virtua Fighter style of play
or the more violent and intense Fighting Vipers style. Fighting Vipers style has
more punches and kicks, but they do less damage. The ability to try the
different characters from each game and see how they adapt to the others’
style adds a lot to the game, though in general, playing the Fighting Vipers in
the VF style is more fun than the reverse. While the ability to mix and match
the two games’ characters is great, what’s most exciting is that this isn’t
even the biggest change that Fighters Megamix brings to the games. In Sega’s
seemingly unstoppable quest to squeeze every ounce of excitement and value from
the title, there have been two major improvements that immediately add much
realism to the games. The biggest comes as a surprise: all the fighters can now
dodge or escape via a single button. This move has been taken directly from Sega’s
brand new Virtua Fighter 3 arcade game, giving players a tantalizing glimpse
into what is hoped will be a spectacular conversion of that title. While this
doesn’t sound like much to players of Tekken or Soul Blade, it adds a
completely new dimension to the game. It’s a wash as to whether it makes the
game easier or harder. While it’s easier to dodge attacks, it makes opponents
harder to hit. This technique does add a new layer of countermoves to the game
and is thus a welcome addition.
 The other significant change between the title
and it’s forebears is the complete elimination of the ring out in all games.
While Fighting Vipers’ solution of putting the characters into cages or
enclosed areas has been implemented on those stages from that game, the Virtua
Fighter stages now take place in completely open, unrestricted areas. This too,
seems minor at first, but it definitely becomes important to those players who
used the ring out system to their advantage. Now, without this crutch, players
will have to win based solely on their ability. This is a most welcome change
and makes the bouts in FMM much more satisfying and intense. It’s also keen to
note that many of the hidden and secret characters don’t fit either style,
making for a game which can have some bizarre combinations and completely
lopsided duels. The graphics in the game are excellent, they’re sharper than
those found in Fighting Vipers but a shade below that of Virtua Fighter 2 in
terms of detail and animation, but superior in the game’s excellent light
sourced graphics. The arenas from both games look about the same, with the
exception of the missing rings from the ground in the VF stages. Speaking of the
arenas, there are about ten brand new ones, and the non-exclusivity of them
means many fighters will be seen on more then 20 new arenas, adding a lot more
visual variety to the game. The soundtrack is slightly disappointing as most of
the music in the game comes from existing ones found in the VF and FV games with
no noticeable differences.
With all the effort put into the game, you have to
wonder why Sega decided to skimp on this important element of the game. Here
again, the saving grace is the mixing of the music and that there are many new
soundtracks to go with the game’s expanded cast of characters. Now, that the
basic features of the game have been described it’s time to go into how
Fighters Megamix actually plays. You may have heard that the game features 10
hidden characters. This is true to some extent, but the way that players access
the characters isn’t really that hidden. Players can access 8 of the hidden
characters by beating a course of 7 or so fighters, with the last being the ‘hidden’
character. Once that character has been beaten, a short CGI movie plays and when
the player goes to start again, they’ll find that fighter accessible from the
main menu. When all the fighters have been unlocked, that’s where the fun of
the game kicks in. With all 30 characters, the game takes on epic proportions.
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of different combinations that
players can battle in. This is what adds such a tremendous value to the game.
The hidden characters are a mixed bag. Some of them, like the enhanced stronger
version of Bahn or the hidden character Siba (an unused character from the VF
series) genuinely add a new fighter to the game, while others, such as a giant
stuffed bear (no this isn’t a joke!) or the car from Daytona USA (Seriously…)
seem to exist purely for novelty value and humor. As such they are fun and show
a rare sense of whimsy in the ultra-serious world of ultra-violent fighting
games. It’s sad to say, but the majority of the hidden characters are JOKE
characters, which after the humor wears off, is very annoying.
Still, you can’t
fault Sega for trying. Luckily, the rocks that supported other AM2 classics
underlie FIGHTERS MEGAMIX as well. It’s not entirely surprising that AM2’s
solid gameplay, dead-on controls and outstanding graphics are present in FMM.
What makes this game special is not merely these elements, it the flair in which
it has been carried out. Instead of resting on their laurels, AM2 has wisely
surveyed the cut-throat world of 3D fighters and decided something truly
extraordinary was called for given the difficult to near impossible position
that the Saturn now finds itself in the video game marketplace. While the game
may have a few flaws, it’s depth, variety and yes, real innovation make
Fighters Megamix stand almost alone in terms of its’ depth and strategy. While
it initially seems, on the surface to be merely a marketing ploy designed to
repackage older Sega games and sell them to gamers again it’s just not true.
Look at all the options that Sega has added and the gameplay structure, which
has been improved and tweaked relentlessly creating a game that is more like a
sequel to both Virtua Fighter AND Fighting Vipers packaged together on one disc.
This is proven by massive playing on my part and an in depth examination of FMM’s
innovative attributes as compared to the games it ‘recycles.’
This gamer is happy to
reveal that Fighters Megamix is one game with unprecedented depth and
breadth. AM2 legendary status as the single best reason to own a Saturn
remains completely intact. FMM isn’t just the best Saturn game to come
out this year, it’s the best game to come out for the system since last
year’s amazing NiGHTS and it’s the best 3D fighting game since Virtua
Fighter 2 came out over a year ago. What makes it so special isn’t
it’s parts. The genius of this game is that the various fighters and
styles fit together so naturally that Fighter’s Megamix becomes much,
much more than the sum of it’s parts.
Maybe I was a bit optimistic, but nearly a decade later, the game remains interesting, though not as
revolutionary as it seemed at that point. The Saturn's limitations are
evident these days but while the graphics may seem blocky and unimpressive
to today's eye, it stands up nicely from a gameplay standpoint. Fighters Megamix
still offers unprecedented depth and
breadth. While its been exceeded over the past decade, this is still a cool
title. While Fighting Vipers may have vanished as a franchise, Virtua
Figher is still going stong and this title is an interesting curiosity
from that stanpoint alone. AM2's legendary status as the single best reason to own a Saturn remains
completely intact. It feels a bit dated these days, but
its still an enjoyable game and an interesting historical diversion.
-Michael Palisano
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More Saturn Classics
Robo Pit
Atlus for Sega Saturn
This game starts out with a strange idea have you ever wanted
to play a game with cute fighting robots you create? The fight scenes are more
reminiscent of a combination of Cyber Sled and Jumping Flash than Tekken. There
isn't much technique to the fighting, though you can do special moves when your
power meter is powered up. This isn't a bad thing however, giving Robo-Pit a
strange, yet oddly fun feel all its' own. Each time you win a fight, you get the
opponent's weapons which you can use to enhance your robot. There are 100
different robots to fight in order to beat this game, so it has a lot of replay
value. The graphics are very good for the Saturn system, though a little
unimaginative. A more bizarre concept with equally bizarre soundtrack has rarely
been seen in electronic gaming. Aside from this, ROBO-PIT is a good game, though
adventurous types will enjoy it more.
Alone in The Dark: One Eyed Jack's Revenge
THQ for Saturn
Similar in feel to Flashback and Out of this world, this
conversion of the semi-popular PC hit hits the Saturn not with a bang but with a
thud. You control a private eye on a mission inside a mysterious hauned house in
order to unlock it's mysteries. The graphics aer quite good, featuring
outstanding character polygon animation and detailed scenery. The plot involving
zombies and ghosts wandering around a haunted house is very promising, but is
killed by the title's terrrible execution. The sounds are definitely below
average and lead to the overall impression of a quickie port. While the game is
engaging with a lot of plot, it is one of those point-and-click type PC games
that don't require much thought on the part of the player. Those familiar with
this type of game know that it requires a great deal of patience. You will
definitely have yours taxed during the long load times and frequent viewings of
the same cut scenes in the title. Alone in the Dark does not start out as the
most engaging Saturn title, then you try to control the character. This has a
really terrible user interface that instead of adding complexity as intended,
just makes the game incredibly frustrating. You have to navigate through a
confusing menu system while selecting which device to use, while the action is
still taking place, out of your view. The buttons seem out of place on the
controller and worst of all the reaction time and control is terribly
frustrating. You cannot help but to think that Alone in the Dark seems to take
place in slow motion. There is a much better title called "Resident
Evil" which does everything Alone in the Dark does and does it much better.
Steer clear of this frustrating headache.
Ascii Saturn Stick
Ascii Entertainment
Those of you who love your Saturn fighters will
love this well-built joystick from the good people at Ascii. The well-built
joystick is a solid peripheral. The first thing players will notice is the
sleek, black design, which compliments the Saturn nicely. It’s constructed out
of metal and plastic and feels substantial when held in your hand. You don’t
think for a second that this is a shoddy controller - quite the opposite. The
design of the joystick is elegantly simple and makes a classy impression. The
Ascii Saturn Stick is unique because it uses an arcade-style joystick. Instead
of a ball on top of the handle, the Ascii Stick joystick uses he traditional ‘bat’
style joystick to better recreate the true feeling of arcade fighters. This type
of stick makes It much easier to perform tricky special moves in most fighting
games. It’s very comfortable and goves the players hands a better grip on the
action. The buttons on the base of the console are big and feel nice when
pressed. The button configuration is excellent, with the buttons arranged in a
way that makes fighting much easier. The Saturn’s left and right shift keys
are buttons that are the same size and proportion as the others. They’re
placed at either side of the standard ABC and XYZ buttons for ease of use and
maximum comfort. Unfortunately, the joystick lacks auto-fire and rapid fire
functions. It’s no big loss as the feature is useless in most fighting games.
It’s only when other games are played that this missing feature becomes
apparent. As stated earlier in this review, the main use of the stick is for
fighting games. This is the genre the stick was designed for and where it
shines.
A quick rundown finds performance and enjoyment increased dramatically
when playing Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers, Fighters Megamix and especially
Capcom’s Street Fighter Alpha 2. All the above games benefited from the stick’s
outstanding performance. Street Fighter Alpha 2 is improved dramatically by the
joystick’s design. Capcom uses this type of joystick in the arcade game, and
usuing the Ascii Saturn Stick in conjunction with the above perfectly recreates
the feel of the arcade game. Making the special moves easier to perform. While
many gamers find these sticks to be frivolous, testing the Ascii Stick with the
above selection of games proves that the stick more than makes up for it’s
cost by providing the player with an added layer of control, far superior to
using even the best control pad. In addition, by virtue of the Ascii Stick’s
solid features, it greatly improves the enjoyment and general playability of
most fighting games. Making this controller even sweeter is the joystick’s
intuitive button placement. While the bat joystick may be a bit awkward at
first, once players grow accustomed to traditional ball style controllers will
find that this controller excels by offering precise control unmatched by many
other controllers, even some models with a equivalent price tags. This
high-performance joystick will not let you down, it’s solid construction means
that it will withstand the toughest matches and take a lot of punishment. If you
are looking for a solid performer, the Ascii Saturn Stick is definitely the one
to look into first.
- Michael Palisano
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