TOH-TOH (version 1.01) - Arcade Mode (Chiffron)
7Download the game here: https://www.freem.ne.jp/win/game/33417
TOH-TOH is a rather interesting fighting game featuring an unique meter system, released by Kumotokage (lit. Spider Lizard) on February 2025.
TOH-TOH has several unique gameplay mechanics, including the Dodge Attack. This attack (as its name suggests) is invincible towards specific opponent attacks - Upper Dodge Attacks (press F) evade standing and jumping attacks, whereas Lower Dodge Attacks (4F) evades throws and low attacks. Furthermore, all counter-hit attacks in this game briefly stuns the opponent, which is useful for hit-confirming to lead to more powerful combos - light normals can be linked into heavy normals in this manner, as they cannot be linked and/or chained into otherwise.
Meanwhile, meter in this game increases by standard means (hitting opponents, getting hit by opponents, etc) but also increases from simply walking forward. You also gain bonus meter from getting hit by bursts (more on that later) and landing a counter-hit attack. Once you gain meter, you can use it for offensive applications, including EX special moves (stronger special moves that use up one bar of meter) super attacks (uses two bars), and the Attack Cancel (press C during an attack, uses two bars), a full-screen move-cancelling technique that's useful for both blockstrings for pressure and combos for damage (in the latter case launching the opponent upwwards on hit). In terms of defensive applications, you can burst out of an opponent's combo with the Damage Cancel (press C during hitstun, uses two bars) to prevent more damage from combos, blowing away the opponent while also giving you (and your opponent) meter upon successful hit. You also have the Guard Cancel (press C during blockstun, uses one bar), a slow and invincible guard cancel attack that's useful for stopping opponent pressure.
In addition to the super meter gauge, you also have the Furious Gauge (lit. Bachigire Gauge), which starts with five bars and is used up upon consumption of super meter. For example, using a super subtracts two bars). Once it reaches zero, you gain access to the Furious Special Move (C + F), a powerful super attack. The Furious Gauge will not deplete any further until you use the Furious Special Move, during which the meter is used up and resets back to five bars. While in theory filling up this meter may take a while, in practice you can realistically get away with using this at least once per match, because meter in the Furious Gauge carries over between rounds, and super meter gain is fairly quick anyways.
The game's story takes place in the titular Toh-Toh Cup, a fighting tournament hosted by organizer Chiru Sahori, a young woman being tested with a super strong, genetically modified body. This playthrough has Chiffron, a young man who was turned into a cyborg by his scientist grandfather in order to become a superhero, join said tournament for the fame. On his journey, he encounters (and defeats) Hansel and his robot partner Zella (his grandfather is a sworn enemy towards Chiffron's grandfather, apparently), in addition to Zapro (a friendly monster Chiffron accidentally mistook as being evil), before defeating Chiru in the tournament's final match.
Chiffron then accepts the prize money and from there on continues fighting the good fight against injustice, as depicted in his ending. "What new adventures will our young hero encounter?" I wonder, "...and will he ever overcome the strongest villain of all time, the nine-to-five grind? Find out next time, on TOH-TOH Z!" (/joke)