Awesome fighters that never got the credit they deserved

[Spike Spiegel]

I have this tendency to get into fighters way too late. Then, I love the shit out of them, only to find very little info on them.

Examples of amazing games that really really should have been popular, but for whartever reason didn't take off in a big way:

Hokuto No Ken
Samurai Shodown 6
Ninja Master's
Martial Masters

Why in the HELL did these games not take off? Martial Masters was incredible. There's tons of depth there that has never really been explored. The game just came out, and nobody seemed to care. Try looking up info on it for moves... you won't find much.

Martial Masters is finally getting some love, but I can't help but think that if this was made by a Japanese manufacture, it may have gotten more attention.

Sam Sho 6. Okay, people bitched about no blood... fine. And let's be honest, the fatalities in Samurai Shodown 5 Special looked STUPID. Yet, for some reason, that's more than enough for people to ignore this awesome game. For me, it's easily the best Sam Sho made.

Hokuto No Ken/Fist of the North Star. Man... I can only imagine how awesome this game would have been with just a few more installments are tweaks. Add a few more characters, some better animation... you would have a top 5 fighter, easily.

Any games I'm missing? I hear Basara (somethign like that) is awesome?

Too bad, it seems if you slap the words "Street Fighter" on a game, and people play it. And yet, some games just go unnoticed, and it's a dirty shame. I'm still trying to look up moves and strats for Sam Sho 6, and can't find shit.

 

[90s]

The Killing Blade. I've only seen this game on youtube, but it looks sick. I love how the characters are amputees and eccentric. Wish it woulda got some sort of home release. Hell, its hard enough to find a cab. This game doesn't get any credit because few have played it.

 

[GohanX]

I wish Hakuto no Ken had received some kind of stateside release. A place near me put it in their Atomiswave cab and it was pretty sweet, even if I had no idea what I was doing.

Not exactly obscure, but the DOA series doesn't get any respect. I've always thought they weren't top tier, but they were pretty fun, and one of the few fighters that has several characters I enjoy playing as.

 

[Moon Jump]

Martial Masters from IGS. It's such a shame that this game came out in 2001 and was forgotten about because it's from a little Koran company. I was only able to find it twice but when I did I played the hell out of it and loved every minute of it. It looks really good, has a lot of cool characters and the Engrish in the game is priceless. It sucks that it never got a home release but Spectral Vs. Generation did. I played that once at 8 on The Break in New Jersey and needless to say the game didn't last more then a few weeks before they put in one of their other CPS2 games.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

When I first saw a video of Martial Masters, I about shit my pants. The animation blew my mind. If I had to complain about anything, it's that the names were a little uninspired. I played a really crappy emulation of it, and the gameplay didn't seem mega deep, but still very fun. Looked like Capcom (of old) quality for sure.

 

[Tacitus]

SS6 doesn't deserve credit. The lazy graphical crap is why. The system wasn't revolutionary, the game play was good. Play that on a high res monitor and you'll see exactly what I mean.

NM rules, it's one of my favorite fighters of all time. Wish that got a sequel.

Daraku Tenshi is probably #1 for me in the category. Amazing looking, great gameplay, slick system. It has everything you'd ever want.

SS4 doesn't get enough love, ever.

Hokuto No Ken is one of my favs of all time, also. It's a little broken, but the system is FUN, the graphics are GORGEOUS and the designs are great. I rock this in my AW cabs all the time.

 

[norton9478]

Last Bronx.

 

[Renmauzo]

Red Earth.

Capcom really should have done more with that IP.

 

[2D_mastur]

Last Bronx.

Seconded.

The whole game is suave as hell. One of the funnest weapons based fighters, IMO.

 

[RAZO]

I have this tendency to get into fighters way too late. Then, I love the shit out of them, only to find very little info on them.

Examples of amazing games that really really should have been popular, but for whartever reason didn't take off in a big way:

Hokuto No Ken
Samurai Shodown 6
Ninja Master's
Martial Masters

Why in the HELL did these games not take off? Martial Masters was incredible. There's tons of depth there that has never really been explored. The game just came out, and nobody seemed to care. Try looking up info on it for moves... you won't find much.

Martial Masters is finally getting some love, but I can't help but think that if this was made by a Japanese manufacture, it may have gotten more attention.

Sam Sho 6. Okay, people bitched about no blood... fine. And let's be honest, the fatalities in Samurai Shodown 5 Special looked STUPID. Yet, for some reason, that's more than enough for people to ignore this awesome game. For me, it's easily the best Sam Sho made.

Hokuto No Ken/Fist of the North Star. Man... I can only imagine how awesome this game would have been with just a few more installments are tweaks. Add a few more characters, some better animation... you would have a top 5 fighter, easily.

Any games I'm missing? I hear Basara (somethign like that) is awesome?

Too bad, it seems if you slap the words "Street Fighter" on a game, and people play it. And yet, some games just go unnoticed, and it's a dirty shame. I'm still trying to look up moves and strats for Sam Sho 6, and can't find shit.

All great fighting games on that list. Martial Masters is a game I was introduced to about two years ago. Looks great and plays awesome. Ninja Masters kind of feels and looks like SamSho III, very dark and serious. NM's intro is badass

I think the game your talking about is Sengoku Basara X which is another pretty fighter.

 

[RAZO]

Red Earth.

Capcom really should have done more with that IP.

I thought I was the only one who actually loved this fighter.

 

[Zero Satori]

It's such a shame that this... was forgotten about because it's from a little Koran company.

Well, just don't expect that from Libyan people nowadays.

 

[k'_127]

KOFXI, NGBC and Samurai Shodown Sen.

 

[cdamm]

 

[HDRchampion]

Martial Masters would get my vote, i just got it 2 weeks ago & game is just bad ass...Its like they blended two of my favorite genre into 1. Kung Fu films & fighting games...

Graphics are like SF3, gameplay is a mix between Alpha & KOF...The game seems legit, still need to play someone though besides the computer...The combo system is fun...

HNK - Was alright, needed more characters & take out a lot of broken shit. I have this in my AWSD cab just for the intro "You wa Shock!" Greatest anime ever!

Getting The KillingBlade soon & been trying to find Rumble Fish 2, i heard that was pretty good.

I need to put SSF2T HDR...Its the best fighting game ever. More balance then ST...Online xbox was legit. Too much bitching killed this game.

 

[Tron]

Darkstalkers only because it was more popular in japan then it was for the u.s.I still like to see a return to it,but maybe that's for the best given how capcom runs things these days.

Also i do have a soft spot for (double dragon) and (waku waku 7) on the neo-geo.

 

[k'_127]

Kudos for mentioning that. I used to love to ignore the fights and run around the fields lol.

 

[Marek]

For me, it's easily the best Sam Sho made.

Not saying you're wrong.

I just never hear anyone say that.

I never played SS6 and now I feel Im missing out.

 

[ForeverSublime]

Tobal 1 and 2

Unlike most other games mentioned in this thread, Tobal was for a major platform (psx), but the first didn't sell well enough to bring the sequel outside of Japan.

Then again, perhaps it would have helped to have an arcade version of the game - but you figure it would have had some clout being a 3d fighter from that time period that didn't suck.

 

[cdamm]

Tobal 1 and 2

Unlike most other games mentioned in this thread, Tobal was for a major platform (psx), but the first didn't sell well enough to bring the sequel outside of Japan.

Then again, perhaps it would have helped to have an arcade version of the game.

i enjoyed the hell out of tobal no. 1. the side adventures were a nice touch too.

 

[Splitt442]

Asura Blade

 

[Late]

Fully agreed on Ninja Master's and Bushido Blade, also SS3 is maligned for no good reason, feel the power, see the glory.

 

[HDRchampion]

I thought Bushido blade was pretty popular...

 

[complexz]

bushido blade was certainly popular in my circle of friends. Did tobal no.1 really sell badly? even with that final fantasy 7 demo?

 

[Neo Alec]

Martial Masters from IGS. It's such a shame that this game came out in 2001 and was forgotten about because it's from a little Koran company.

IGS is a Taiwanses game company that also prints Korans? That's an odd combination.

I don't have much to add to this thread, as most of the games on my list were already mentioned. I thought SS6 was just a cheap mashup of past games, but if there's more to it I haven't spent enough time on it to notice.

That, and I just remember playing a lot of Flash Hiders on the Duo back in the day.