Fighting Vipers

Fighting Vipers is the energetic, slightly crazy cousin of Virtua Fighter — and that's exactly how the Sega AM2 studio intended it, the team that under Yu Suzuki's leadership defined 3D fighters. The 1995 arcade hit arrived on the Saturn in 1996 and, against VF's serious austerity, set a faster pace, more distinctive characters and one key idea: arenas bounded by walls.

Fighting in an enclosed cage changes the dynamics of the bouts — you can push an opponent into a wall, bounce them off it and launch aggressive attacks where there's nowhere to retreat. On top of that, the fighters wear armor that can be shattered by powerful hits, exposing the more vulnerable body beneath. All this gives Vipers a brisker, more action-packed charge compared with Virtua Fighter's chess-like rhythm.

Retro fans love Fighting Vipers precisely for that abandon: it shares AM2's technical foundation and precision, but isn't afraid to be more stylish and instantly fun. On the Saturn it's one of the pillars of the genre and remains a great choice for anyone who wants a 3D fighter with its own distinctive face.