Virtua Fighter Kids
| Virtua Fighter Kids | |
|---|---|
|
North American Saturn cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Sega AM2 |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Director(s) | Makoto Osaki |
| Producer(s) | Yu Suzuki |
| Programmer(s) | Takayuki Yamaguchi |
| Composer(s) | Kazuhiko Kouchi |
| Series | Virtua Fighter |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Saturn |
| Release date(s) |
Arcade
|
| Genre(s) | Versus Fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
Virtua Fighter Kids is an installment in the Sega AM2 Virtua Fighter fighting game series. A super deformed version of Virtua Fighter 2,[1] it was released in the arcade and on the Sega Saturn in 1996. Unlike Virtua Fighter 2, it was developed on the ST-V board.[2]
All the characters have big heads, and the music is a faster pace. The gameplay itself is slightly tweaked from Virtua Fighter 2. The Saturn version includes some new FMVs and programmable button sequences to allow players to test and use pre-made combos.
One of the variations of the boss character, Dural, features her with a fishbowl for a head, complete with a fish swimming inside.
Release
Merchandise for the game in Japan included a line of stuffed toys which sold very well even before development on the game was finished.[3]
In Japan, Virtua Fighter Kids was released on the Saturn as a promotional item in co-operation with drink brands "Java Tea" and "Energen" under the title "Virtua Fighter Kids: Java Tea Original Edition". It was later released commercially without any mention of "Java Tea" on the cover. All Java Tea product placement was removed from the western versions of the game, but is present in all Japanese versions (Arcade, Regular and Java Edition).
Appearances in other games
Although no official sequels to Virtua Fighter Kids were ever made (other than the VF Kids versions of the CG Portrait Series in Japan called the Game Gear Portrait Series), the child version of Akira Yuki and Sarah Bryant reappear as playable characters in Fighters Megamix, and some of their fellow playable characters appear in the game's ending movie as well. The Kid styles of Akira Yuki and Sarah Bryant were made into figures in the Sega Dreamcast game Shenmue.
References
- ↑ "Virtua Fighter Kids Set For an Arcade Release!". Sega Saturn Magazine (5). Emap International Limited. March 1996. p. 7.
- ↑ "Virtua Fighter Kids Makes Progress". Sega Saturn Magazine (6). Emap International Limited. April 1996. p. 17.
- ↑ "The Fighting Game Action from Sega Hits Fever Pitch!". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. Emap International Limited (5): 118. April 1996.