[ongoing project] Playing all versus fighters - chronologically!

[J0e Musashi]

Golden Fighter (SNES)

What a strange game!

We expected some standard versus matches, but instead we go enigmatic Japanese menus and game modes that seem to be …different, I don’t know. Not once we had the feeling of playing a normale versus match….there’s always some irritating factor around. There seem to be character stats or RPG elements, and during the match we have absolutely no idea what we’re doing.

It looks okay, and I like it when martial arts matches take place in boxing rings. Well, if that makes up one stage of several, that is. In „Golden Fighter“, this seems to make up all the versus backgrounds.

So I was about to say this is the first game I’m considering kicking out of the collection, but then I saw the single player mode….and guys, this is a full-fletched side scrolling beat’em up!!! Who knew!

I sure didn’t, and I will have to take a closer look at that part of the game. But for versus play, this one’s a dud. ^^

[MENTION=2725]Baseley09[/MENTION].

[J0e Musashi]

It took Capcom a lot longer to make the shotokan fighters feel distinct.

No it didn't. By Champion Edition, they were different.

[Leon Retro]

What a strange game!

A strange 'bargain bin' sort of game. I remember being amazed by how clunky and unpolished it felt when I first played it. It looks quite promising in screenshots - but then you realise it's a poor game in all areas when you play it. You can sort of see some potential in the design, but the developer just didn't have the skills to create a polished product.

[Samuray]

A strange 'bargain bin' sort of game. I remember being amazed by how clunky and unpolished it felt when I first played it. It looks quite promising in screenshots - but then you realise it's a poor game in all areas when you play it. You can sort of see some potential in the design, but the developer just didn't have the skills to create a polished product.

That summarizes it pretty well. Although the single player mode IS interesting.

When I bought this I had no idea what I was getting into and was going off screenshots alone. Since it cost next to nothing (bargain bin indeed) I figured I would take the risk and get this one for our project....had to pay shipping anyway since that fellow was sending me another Super Famicom game (to be discussed in here soon!)

But no regrets.....bad and mediocre games make the great ones shine even more!

[Leon Retro]

But no regrets.....bad and mediocre games make the great ones shine even more!

Baseley has always said he likes it, so some people can get something out of it. It just annoys me how poor it is.

Bad games for any system can really put into perspective how special the best games are. It gives you even more respect for talented developers.

[Asura]

But no regrets.....bad and mediocre games make the great ones shine even more!

Yeah, maybe it's just to do with how I like to know about how games work, but I find bad games can be very entertaining - especially bad games which try a load of stuff, even if they fail.

I loved Fighter's Destiny on the N64, for example. Objectively quite a poor game but it was packed with inventive ideas.

[Leon Retro]

Yeah, maybe it's just to do with how I like to know about how games work, but I find bad games can be very entertaining - especially bad games which try a load of stuff, even if they fail.

There are bad games with interesting elements that can give them a bit of playability and charm. And there are bad games that have no redeeming features, so you feel disgust that a publisher would actually release such a poor product.

[Baseley09]

[MENTION=2725]Baseley09[/MENTION].

Classic of the SFC era, looks great in still shots and sounds awesome. Absolute personal fave.

[BigDeadFreak]

No it didn't. By Champion Edition, they were different.

Yes but I'm not just talking about one or two frames here and there. The kyokugen characters in AoF2 feel really individual in multiple ways. Much like comparing Hoddle and Waddle as opposed to Messi and Tony Adams.

[Escape-To-88]

Remember reading the Golden Fighter review in Mean Machines many, many moons ago. They said it was pap, but to my young eyes it looked great. Still never played it to this day.

[Leon Retro]

Classic of the SFC era, looks great in still shots and sounds awesome. Absolute personal fave.

Yeah, sounds awesome in the screenshots.

I know you have a fondness for lots Super Famicom games that are generally seen as pretty poor. I used to think you were just joking around. To me, Golden Fighter is game that looked promising in screenshots, but turned out be rough looking with clunky gameplay. I guess it's just like some people enjoying really low budget B-movies, and some people thinking they are terrible.

[Baseley09]

Yeah I think that's fair, for me something has to have a redeeming quality and at least GF looks cool and the soundtrack is neat.

[Leon Retro]

Yeah I think that's fair, for me something has to have a redeeming quality and at least GF looks cool and the soundtrack is neat.

You've actually made me feel like playing it again. I'll boot it up on my Everdrive. Although, I don't think I'll end up buying a Golden Fighter T-shirt, or anything like that.

[Samuray]

Bad games for any system can really put into perspective how special the best games are. It gives you even more respect for talented developers.

That even goes for just mediocre games. I distinctly remember that when I was a kid, I deliberately played so-so games just to create a contrast to the amazing ones. Actually, I still do this, now that I think about it.

Anyway, this is also one of the reasons why I would like to play the MD or SNES versions of the early SNK fighters so much....to get a new perspective on the Neo Geo versions.

I loved Fighter's Destiny on the N64, for example. Objectively quite a poor game but it was packed with inventive ideas.

Interesting! FD is on our list of games to come. Still need to purchase it. Do I need the JPN version fo censorship reasons or something like that or can I go US-NTSC? (don't have a PAL machine)

There are bad games with interesting elements that can give them a bit of playability and charm. And there are bad games that have no redeeming features, so you feel disgust that a publisher would actually release such a poor product.

Haha, yeah, some titles leave a lot to be desired.

BUT I am finding myself coming back to "Fight Fever" every now and then, although this would clearly qualify as a game with very few redeeming features.

Classic of the SFC era, looks great in still shots and sounds awesome. Absolute personal fave.

I love it when people have a strong opinion that's totally different from the mainstream, or my own even. I'm sure several in our group would look at "Golden Fighter" with different eyes if you were part of an evening and played it with us. Sometimes one enthusiastic individual can really change the vibe.

Remember reading the Golden Fighter review in Mean Machines many, many moons ago. They said it was pap, but to my young eyes it looked great. Still never played it to this day.

You could easily get a copy....still cheap as chips, I think.

I love those old reviews!

I know you have a fondness for lots Super Famicom games that are generally seen as pretty poor. I used to think you were just joking around. To me, Golden Fighter is game that looked promising in screenshots, but turned out be rough looking with clunky gameplay. I guess it's just like some people enjoying really low budget B-movies, and some people thinking they are terrible.

Yeah, I also think that playing low-tier games like this one or "Tuff E Nuff / Dead Dance" really add something valuable, in a way!

You've actually made me feel like playing it again. I'll boot it up on my Everdrive. Although, I don't think I'll end up buying a Golden Fighter T-shirt, or anything like that.

This is so awesome!!!! Love it when something like this happens in this thread! If you really play it, please report back with impressions!

[Asura]

Interesting! FD is on our list of games to come. Still need to purchase it. Do I need the JPN version fo censorship reasons or something like that or can I go US-NTSC? (don't have a PAL machine)

I don't recall there being any discussions about censorship at the time.

Fighters Destiny will be an interesting one for you guys, because it's a very unusual game. You win by being first to reach a set number of points, but the number varies a great deal depending on what you did to get them; e.g. ring-outs and time-outs only yield a small number, but powerful knockdowns yield more.

It also had some cool ideas. When you countered someone, a little bar would appear onscreen, and the other person had until the bar ran out to counter-the-counter. Then, the bar would appear again, but it would drain faster, which would go on until one of you failed. It was pretty clever.

Overall the game isn't great, it's just novel.