Fighters' Impact (Game)

Fighters' Impact

GAME » on September 1996

Arcade (Platform)PlayStation (Platform)PlayStation Network (PS3) (Platform)PlayStation Network (PSP) (Platform)

A Japanese-exclusive 3D fighting game from Taito, with a unique free-from comboing system and a system for choosing alternate fighting styles.

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Overview

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Fighters' Impact is a 3D fighting game developed by Polygon Magic (Company) (along with Taito) and released by Taito for arcades (using their PS1-based FX System hardware) exclusively in Japan on September 1996.

With gameplay similar to both the Virtua Fighter (Franchise) and Tekken (Franchise) series, Fighters' Impact is a traditional 3D fighting game with real martial arts styles, and is known for its "Motion Slide Combo" system, where players can make a continuous free-form combo chain using precise timing and technique (as re-using the same attacks in the same combo have the possibility of leaving the fighter stunned). It is also known for including multiple stage layouts, different announcers and music choices based on whether it's single-player or multiplayer, and allowing most fighters to change their fighting style based on their chosen costume.

The game later received a home conversion for the Sony PlayStation on April 25, 1997, which later received a digital PlayStation Network (Concept) re-release for supported consoles on June 25, 2008. This version features a bonus unlockable auto-combo creation system, known as "Combo de Mambo". The arcade version also received an update on February 1997, titled Fighters' Impact A, that reworks the gameplay by removing the Motion Slide Combo system (in favor of traditional combo chains) and adding new techniques.

While the game was restricted to Japan, it was later used as the base for the THQ (Company)-released PS1 fighting game Vs. in North America.

Gameplay

The game is a three-button fighting game, with two attack buttons (Punch and Kick) and a utility button (Shift), which is used for multiple techniques:

Holding Shift is for guarding. Holding backward can also be used for guarding.
Forward + Shift is used for a special jumping attack.
Backward + Shift is used for backstepping, useful for dodging enemy attacks.
Upward/Downward + Shift is used for sidestepping, useful for repositioning. It can also be used as a counter-technique to reposition behind the opponent.
Certain fighting styles have special techniques making use of the Shift button, often with a combination with other attack buttons.

There are three stage types in the game: one with no barriers (similar to earlier Tekken (Franchise) games), one with a ring that can be knocked out of (similar to earlier Virtua Fighter (Franchise) games), and one with walls (similar to Fighting Vipers (Franchise)).

Motion Slide Combo

The original and PS1 versions of the game use a special combo system.

Characters

Base Roster

Seven of the eight characters in the game's base roster have both their signature fighting style and two alternate styles (based on other characters' styles) that are selectable via alternate costumes.

Shiroh Karasuba - A Japanese herbalist and a disciple of one of the world's leading kenpō artists, seeking to avenge his fallen master from fellow disciple Barazock. He fights with the Pi-Kua Chang form of striking-based kung fu, which includes a special stance for parrying. His alternate sub-styles are Karate and Street Fight.
Kaede Minamoto - A university student from Japan whose father, the head of her family's dojo, was abducted by Barazock's organization. She fights with her family's form of Aiki Jiujitsu, which includes special grappling counter-attacks. Her alternate sub-styles are Pi-Kua Chang and Taekwondo.
Mark Douglass - A rancher from the United States who partakes in street fighting for money, seeking to rescue an Indian woman he thought was being abducted by Barazock's organization. He mainly fights with unconventional brawling (known in-game as Street Fight). His alternate sub-styles are Pro Wrestling and Martial Arts.
Bernhard Sheler - A sadistic assassin from Germany (Location), dispatched to assassinate Barazock by a rival criminal organization. He fights using traditional Karate (Concept). His alternate sub-styles are Aiki Jiujitsu and Pi-Kua Chang. He is also the final boss for Barazock, where he dons a unique costume (resembling his true nature as a serial killer).
Hornet Grant - A champion professional wrestler from the United States, whose brother was abducted during a match against a mysterious Chinese wrestler. He fights with Pro Wrestling techniques. His alternate sub-styles are Taekwondo and Street Fight.
Selene Rambert - A secret agent from Poland (Location) codenamed "Medusa", whose friend went missing when investigating Barazock's criminal organization. She fights with military-style Martial Arts. Her alternate sub-styles are Pro Wrestling and Karate.
Sanson Victoria - A university student from Spain (Location) who survived a tragic killing of tournament combatants through sheer luck. He fights with Taekwondo (Concept), which include a special stance that activates after certain attacks. His alternate sub-styles are Martial Arts and Aiki Jiujitsu.
Yukiwo - A deformed beastman from Japan (Location) who was abandoned by Barazock's criminal organization. He fights with his own unusual and aggressive style (sometimes known as Beastly Attack).

Boss Characters

The game includes five boss characters, four of which are unlockable in the original and PS1 versions. All five of them are unlocked from the start in the Fighters' Impact A revision.

Hoihoi Rue - A Chinese member of Barazock's criminal organization, who sports the nickname "Fatty Glutton" and fights with a similar form of Pro Wrestling as Hornet. He serves as one of the game's mid-bosses.
Raoul Castellion - A French member of Barazock's criminal organization, who seeks to usurp Barazock and fights with a similar form of Karate as Bernhard. He serves as one of the game's mid-bosses.
Faraha Kahn - An Indian member of Barazock's criminal organization, who harbors deep feelings for Barazock and fights with the Ba Gua style of kung fu. She serves as one of the game's mid-bosses.
Dr. Wiz - A British member of Barazock's criminal organization whose unethical research into the human psyche made him a felon. He is the game's sub-boss, who uses technology to become a hallucination of his opponent (as the game's mirror match). He is only playable in the Fighters' Impact A version, and if both players select him, both change to random fighters.
Leon Barazock - The head of a criminal syndicate, seeking to defeat the man who killed his parents and blinded him. He is the game's final boss, who uses a form of mixed martial arts (known as Synthetic Skill) that combines techniques from Pa-Kui Chang, Aiki Jiujitsu, and Taekwondo and features a special "Steal Arts" counter-attack that copies the technique used to strike him for later use.

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