Virtua Fighter 5: The 3D Fighting Pioneer Refuses to Die
1While SEGA continues to advance a new version of Virtua Fighter based on the Yakuza engine, the fifth version of this game refuses to die.
Originally released for arcades in 2006, it has had at least two remakes for home systems with Final Showdown in 2010 and Ultimate Showdown for PS4. In 2021, the latter even debuted as a PlayStation Game of the Month to attract a wider audience to this version of the title focused on a better online experience.
This modern version has significant graphical and gameplay improvements, but still retains the DNA of the game that invented the 3D fighting genre.
What sets this game apart from others is its purity and commitment to an easy-to-understand combat experience with a great level of depth, leaving aside specials and powers and focusing solely on pure martial arts in scenarios that offer various advantages such as walls, bars, or even the option to lose by ring out.
The new Virtua Fighter 5 remake is due out in late October, but Ultimate Showdown remains one of the most original 3D fighting games, brimming with the personality Sega infuses into its creations.