Virtua Fighter 2

If there was a single argument for buying a Saturn in the mid-nineties, it was called Virtua Fighter 2. Sega made its console famous as the king of home ports of arcade hits, and this very fighting game from Sega AM2 was shining proof — a technical gem that brought a slice of the arcade into the living room without any major compromises.

Virtua Fighter 2 was one of the flagships of 3D fighting games, and the Saturn managed to run it at a higher resolution and a smooth 60 frames per second, making the port one of the most impressive conversions of its generation. For players this meant they could experience the series' precise, timing- and movement-knowledge-based battles at home in top quality — and this very fidelity to the arcade was a matter of prestige for Sega.

The Virtua Fighter series is famous for its emphasis on realistic, technical combat — no fireballs or over-the-top magic, but honest martial arts where positioning, timing and reading your opponent decide the outcome. This depth made it a favourite of demanding players and one of the cornerstones of 3D fighting as a genre.

On top of that, a wilder legacy grew up around VF2 in the form of crossovers where the Virtua Fighter characters met other Sega fighters — proof of how strong a brand the series was and how much Sega loved to play with its fighting roster.

For fans of 3D fighting games, Virtua Fighter 2 remains a symbol of what the Saturn could be at its very best: a machine that brought the arcade into the living room in full glory.

Why play it: For technically clean 3D fighting in arcade quality and for the feel of one of the best ports the Saturn had to offer.