Software:Virtua Fighter Kids

From HandWiki
Short description: 1996 video game
Virtua Fighter Kids
North American Saturn cover art
Developer(s)Sega AM2
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Makoto Osaki
Producer(s)Yu Suzuki
Programmer(s)Takayuki Yamaguchi
Artist(s)Masataka Aochi
Composer(s)Kazuhiko Kouchi
SeriesVirtua Fighter
Platform(s)Arcade, Sega Saturn
ReleaseArcade
  • WW: March 1996[1]
Saturn
  • JP: July 26, 1996[3]
  • NA: September 3, 1996[2]
  • EU: September 26, 1996
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer
Arcade systemST-V

Virtua Fighter Kids[lower-alpha 1] is a 1996 installment in the Virtua Fighter fighting video game series, and a super deformed version of Virtua Fighter 2.[4] It was developed by Sega AM2 on the ST-V arcade board, unlike Virtua Fighter 2's hardware;[5] it was also ported to the Sega Saturn.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot

All the characters have big heads, and the music is at a faster pace. The gameplay itself is slightly tweaked from Virtua Fighter 2. The Saturn version includes some new FMVs and programmable button sequences to allow players to test and use pre-made combos.[6] Despite being children, some of the fighters retain the adult characteristics of their Virtua Fighter 2 counterparts, such as facial hair, muscles and breasts.[7][8]

Release

Merchandise for the game in Japan included a line of stuffed toys which sold very well even before development on the game was finished.[9]

In Japan, Virtua Fighter Kids was released on the Saturn as a promotional item in co-operation with drink brands "Java Tea" and "Energen" under the title Virtua Fighter Kids: Java Tea Original Edition. It was later released commercially without any mention of "Java Tea" on the cover. All Java Tea product placement was removed from the western versions of the game,[10] but is present in all Japanese versions (arcade,[11] regular and Java Edition).

Appearances in other games

Although no official sequels to Virtua Fighter Kids were ever made (other than the VF Kids versions of the CG Portrait Series in Japan called the Game Gear Portrait Series), the child versions of Akira Yuki and Sarah Bryant reappear as playable characters in Fighters Megamix,[12] and some of their fellow playable characters appear in the game's ending movie as well. The Kid styles of Akira Yuki and Sarah Bryant were made into figures in the Sega Dreamcast game Shenmue.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings73% (6 reviews)[16]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarStar (SAT)[17]
EGM6.25/10 (SAT)[7]
GameSpot6.6/10 (SAT)[13]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar (SAT)[8]
Sega Saturn Magazine (UK)91% (SAT)[14]
MAN!AC88/100 (SAT)[15]

In Japan, Game Machine listed Virtua Fighter Kids as the third most successful arcade game of April 1996.[18]

Virtua Fighter Kids divided reviewers to an extent. GameSpot, Scary Larry of GamePro and Dan Hsu, Crispin Boyer and Sushi-X of Electronic Gaming Monthly said that, while Virtua Fighter Kids would have made an amusing bonus mode in Virtua Fighter 2, it was not worthwhile as a full-price standalone release.[7][13][19] On the other side, Next Generation, Rich Leadbetter of Sega Saturn Magazine and Shawn Smith of Electronic Gaming Monthly argued that features such as the funny cinemas, the new facial expressions on the characters and the new kid-themed scenery make the game more than a money-making gimmick, though they also said that it is not as good as the original version of Virtua Fighter 2.[7][8][14] Most reviewers criticized the short reach of the kid characters.[7][8][13][19] In a retrospect review, Colin of Allgame found the game the same as its predecessors, with faster gameplay and easier for younger players. He concluded that "While Virtua Fighter Kids doesn't necessarily offer anything spectacular, it's definitely a must-buy for the Virtua Fighter fan who needs everything or anyone who is interested in those big-headed Japanese cartoon characters."[20] In 1998, Saturn Power ranked the game 86th on their list of the "Top 100 Sega Saturn Games", summarizing: "VF Kids is a pointless addition to the fold and offers very little new of any interest".[21]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: バーチャファイター キッズ Bācha Faitā Kizzu

References

  1. ↑ "アーケードTvゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005)". 2005. https://archive.org/stream/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/2005%20Arcade%20List%2072-05_djvu.txt. 
  2. ↑ "Press release: 1996-09-03: Virtua Fighter Kids: New Sega Saturn game is way "a-head" of its time" (in en). 2023-11-27. https://segaretro.org/Press_release:_1996-09-03:_Virtua_Fighter_Kids:_New_Sega_Saturn_game_is_way_%22a-head%22_of_its_time. 
  3. ↑ "Software List (Released by Sega)" (in ja). Sega. https://sega.jp/history/hard/segasaturn/software.html. 
  4. ↑ "Virtua Fighter Kids Set For an Arcade Release!". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (5): 7. March 1996. 
  5. ↑ "Virtua Fighter Kids Makes Progress". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (6): 17. April 1996. 
  6. ↑ Guise, Tom (August 1996). "Kindergarten Kung-Fu!". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (10): 48–53. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Review Crew: VF Kids". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (88): 76. November 1996. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "The Kids Are All Right". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (23): 272. November 1996. 
  9. ↑ "The Fighting Game Action from Sega Hits Fever Pitch!". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (Emap International Limited) (5): 118. April 1996. 
  10. ↑ Leadbetter, Rich (September 1996). "A Word from Our Sponsors". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (11): 63. 
  11. ↑ "Model 3: Sega Affirms Arcade Supremacy". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (17): 12–18. May 1996. 
  12. ↑ "Fighters Megamix - Saturn". Game Informer. http://www.gameinformer.com/may97/megamix.html. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Virtua Fighter Kids Review". December 1, 1996. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/virtua-fighter-kids-review/1900-2534156/. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Leadbetter, Rich (September 1996). "Review: Virtua Fighter Kids". Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) (Emap International Limited) (11): 62–63. 
  15. ↑ Andreas Knauf (2018-10-18). "Virtua Fighter Kids - im Klassik-Test (SAT)" (in de-DE). https://www.maniac.de/tests/virtua-fighter-kids-im-klassik-test-sat/. 
  16. ↑ "Virtua Fighter Kids for Saturn". http://www.gamerankings.com/saturn/199202-virtua-fighter-kids/index.html. 
  17. ↑ Colin Williamson. "Virtua Fighter Kids Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1983&tab=review. 
  18. ↑ "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - TVゲーム機ーソフトウェア (Video Game Software)". Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc.) (517): 25. 1 May 1996. 
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "ProReview: VF Kids". GamePro (IDG) (99): 146. December 1996. 
  20. ↑ Colin Williamson. "Virtua Fighter Kids Review". http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=1983&tab=review. 
  21. ↑ "Top 100 Sega Saturn Games". Saturn Power (9): 95. January 1998. https://retrocdn.net/images/7/70/SaturnPower_UK_09.pdf. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari





Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Virtua_Fighter_Kids&oldid=3953624"