PixlBit

Fighting games can be complicated beats to understand. When learning one you don’t just have to understand the systems and rules presented in the game, but also the systems and rules developed by the players that exist outside of the boundaries of the game (the “meta-game” as its also called).  The balancing act of juggling these systems can be madding and is one of leading deterrents from people getting into fighting games. So there are reasons why games like Virtua Fighter are so important to the scene. Virtua Fighter isn’t a simple series but its one that’s simplistic nature has helped shaped the series through out its 20+ years. No better game in that series upholds this exemplar than Virtua Fighter 4.

Virtua Fighter 4 came about in a real awkward period when it originally released for arcades in 2001. It came during the “Dark Ages” of fighting games as fighting games were losing popularity both at home and in the slowly dwindling arcade market. More importantly, VF4 came about during the tumultuous transitional period in Sega’s history as it switched from a first to second party developer.  Ironically VF4 would find a home on the same console that helped largely kill the Dreamcast, the PS2. Yet VF4 flourished on PS2 becoming a million seller. Even though I played VF in arcades since the first game, VF4 was the first one I owned and played extensively seeing as I bought the game just as I got my PS2. Before I even played the game, I was hooked on VF4 through various interviews, games, and even G4’s Icons over Yu Suzuki (well at least a year later when it was shown on TV).  VF4 would be a game I would revisit over and over, even though my skills in it were crap. However there was always something that would pull me back into VF4. Years later I still do pick up VF4 and fool around with it.

Today I can finally understand why I usually visit. VF4’s combat is just a marvel of simple systems complimenting each other which is the core at what keeps the game fun to play today. There’s no ground bounce, no rage, no multi-level stages. So much of VF4’s focus goes right down to its fighting system, it doesn’t really need that stuff to be flashy. It takes time and effort to get good with VF4 but that time and effort is rewarded both in skill and in goofy customization items in Kumite. Nothing felt so good like finally beating a hard opponent in Kumite and getting something out of it. VF4 had many of those little victories to me that made the game feel good.

This year VF4 turns 15 along with other Sega AM2 fighting games such as Fighters Megamix, Virtua Fighter 3 and Sonic The Fighters. VF4 may not have anthropomorphic cars fighting, anthropomorphic hedgehogs, or poorly dressed ninjas in chrome pants. What it does have is a simple yet hard hitting fighting. In today fighting games, chock full of systems for the sake of nothing, VF4 is a good reminder of that methodology doesn’t always work. Sometimes its the simple stuff that can make a fighting game never be a 100 years (or 15) late.

BTW, if you want to watch a place that frequently streams high level VF action,
I recommend NYC VF on Twitch