#toshinden series

[z2z-gaming-and-random-art-ai]

Console Fighting Games of 1996 Battle Arena Toshinden 2 Plus

Battle Arena Toshinden 2 Plus is a Japanese only re-release of Battle Arena Toshinden 2, this version of the game was released as a part of Japan's The Best range of games, the Japanese equivalent of Pal regions Platinum range and the US's Greatest Hits re-releases.

[theguywithaplan]

List of Games Turning Thirty (30) Years Old in 2025

Battle Arena Toshinden (this was the very first 3D fighting game, and paved the way for games like Tekken and SoulCalibur).

Castlevania: Dracula X (a re-release of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for the SNES).

Chrono Trigger (one of the best games ever made. with a dream team made up of Hironobu Sakaguchi [Final Fantasy], Yuji Horii [Dragon Quest], and Akira Toriyama [Dragon Ball]).

Comix Zone (a pretty fun side scrolling beat 'em up from Sega).

Command & Conquer (the first in the series).

Descent

Destruction Derby

The Dig (a really unique graphic adventure game from LucasArts).

Discworld (based on the setting made by Terry Pratchett).

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (the last game in the Zenethian trilogy, and the last one to only release in Japan).

Fade to Black (a sequel to Flashback, which is a pioneer in the platformer genre).

Front Mission (the very first one. didn't release in the West until 2007).

Full Throttle (another LucasArts graphic adventure game centered around biker culture.)

Hexen: Beyond Heretic

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

Jagged Alliance (another pioneer in the RTS genre)

Jumping Flash! (one of the very first 3D platformers, pre-dating Super Mario 64).

The King of Fighters '95

Kirby's Dream Land 2

Light Crusader (a really unique and interesting action-adventure fantasy game from the Sega Genesis).

Mario's Picross (is it pronounced "Pie-Cross" or Pih-Cross"?)

Marathon 2: Durandal (one of Bungie's earliest games)

Mega Man 7

Mortal Kombat 3

Panzer Dragoon

Phantasmagoria (yet another LucasArts graphic adventure game, this one centered on a haunted house. It had some pretty gnarly and gruesome death scenes. Look up at your own risk).

The PlayStation (the first one)

Rayman (RIP, Rayman. Ubisoft sucks too much to give you the support you deserve).

Ristar

Romancing SaGa 3

The Sega Saturn (it was supposed to launch in early September on a Saturday, dubbed "Saturnday". However, the PS1 was launching the same week and was $100 cheaper than the Saturn. So... Sega surprised launched the system at the very first E3).

Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in the Spinal Frontier (the last game in a pretty silly and humorous series of graphic adventure games from Sierra Entertainment).

Star Wars: Dark Forces

Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dream (also known as Street Fighter Zero. It was a prequel to Street Fighter II and featured younger versions of already existing characters).

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (do you consider this a Mario game or a Yoshi game)

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (the English version of this game wouldn't release until 1998. Three years after the original version).

Tales of Phantasia (the first game in the Tales of series from Namco).

Terranigma (an awesome RPG from Enix that never released in North America)

Twisted Metal

Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness

[suzakucastle]

3D Fighters

Bear in mind that the cultural climate is not the same as it was back in the day. For some of these, it may be next to impossible for a proper return.

~R

[gear-project]

Last time I played VF, all the characters were doing a Dead or Alive crossover. I remember playing the Polygon version of this game a few times in Arcades, but it was always besieged by long lines at Arcade venues, so I almost never got to play this game.

Of course, nowadays games like Fighting Vipers, Toshinden, Bloody Roar, Tekken, and Soul Calibur have made their names in the 3D arena fighting scene (among many other lesser known anime styled games)... but Virtua was the first of them.

Virtua Fighter was the alpha 3D fighting game, back when many 2D sprite games aspired to be 3D (and many failed).

Of course, games like Guilty Gear and Samurai Shodown (and even BlazBlue) tried their hands at 3D, though they never did perfect it the way a game like VF has.

I personally am more of a Soul Calibur fan, but at the same time, I still respect the history of this series.

[edgeyberzerker]

Choose Your Fighter Ellis (Toshinden series)  Taki (SoulCalibur series) Dee Jay (Street Fighter series)

[gonagaiworld]

Il gioco Bleach: Rebirth of Souls sarà sviluppato dallo studio che ha realizzato Battle Arena Toshinden e Senran Kagura Il lancio è previsto su PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 e Xbox Series X|S. Info:--> https://www.gonagaiworld.com/il-gioco-bleach-rebirth-of-souls-sara-sviluppato-dallo-studio-che-ha-realizzato-battle-arena-toshinden-e-senran-kagura/?feed_id=459301&_unique_id=668b6d9795c8a #BandaiNamcoEntertainment #BleachRebirthofSouls #PlayStation5

[thejustsimon]

Sho Shinjo and Cupido from retro fighting game series “Battle Arena Toshinden”, although Cupido had only one appearance in “Battle Arena Toshinden Remix”. I wrote my own interpretation (kinda) how they fell in love with each other, you can read it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44775979

[solradguy]

Dengeki PlayStation F2, April Special Issue, Volume 19 ( April 10, 1996)

Archive.org upload w/webview .PDF and .ZIP of the full resolution scans: archive.org/details/dengeki-play-station-f2-vol19

I bought this magazine for the Guilty Gear beta article (which I hope to translate soon), but it's absolutely loaded with interesting early fighting game reviews/previews as well as a decent Final Fantasy 7 preview article.

Translation of the table of contents with the English title in brackets (where applicable):

[LEFT COLUMN] Dengeki [electric shock/attack] PlayStation April Special Issue F2 SPECIAL REPORT - A volley of big titles! ● Exclusive screenshots of the hottest new wave of fighting games! GUILTY GEAR….8 ● The latest information on the PS version of the latest popular Neo-Geo title!

[SNK Special] The King of Fighters '95….13 Samurai Spirits: Zankoro Musouken [Samurai Shodown III]….14 Real Bout Garou Densetsu [Real Bout Fatal Fury]….15

● Super latest information on very big titles that we can't wait until December FFVII [Final Fantasy 7]….148 ● The latest RPG from the tag team of SCE and MediaVision Wild Arms….154 ● Simulation romance in which a vampire protagonist plays an active role in high school life BLOODY BRIDE ~Imadoki no Vampire~ [Today's Vampire: Bloody Bride]….158

Kiokusoshi [(computer) storage element] F2 Strategy and data of fighting games post-release Street Fighter Zero….74 Toushinden 2 [Battle Arena Toshinden 2]….84 Suikoden….90 Goukouji Clan 2….94 Fire Pro Wrestling: Iron Slam ‘96….98 Don't Lose! Magic Kendo 2 [Kendo Rage 2]….100 Sora Ninku….102 Champion Wrestler: Jikkyou Live….103 …and more―

[RIGHT COLUMN] Unrivaled Lightning Combat! The hottest hand-picked PlayStation fighters of today.

Tekken 2 Tekken 2 for PS is here, with numerous special modes and amazing high quality CG movies, far surpassing the arcade version! Really useful in-depth strategy, Part 1….18

● The PS version of "Tekken 2" has finally been released with a reputation as the best bishoujo fighting game! Advanced V.G. [Variable Geo]….34 ● The latest information on this title that all PS users have been waiting for! Vampire [Darkstalkers]….46 ● Easy controls and a variety of action! A very promising title in the bishoujo fighting genre!! Asuka 120% Special….56 Galaxy Fight….62 Mobile Suit Gundam Ver.2.0….66 Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Super S. [Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon SuperS: All Members!! Championship Contest]….68

Arcade Special: The arcade wave is sweeping over the PS… ● Report on the entertainment system trade show, which will occupy the entire game scene in the future. AOU Show Reported '96….116 ● A preview of the latest installment in the classic and very popular series. Street Fighter ZERO 2….122 ● The latest arcade fighter on the System 11 board. As expected, a PS port for… Soul Edge….124

[BROWN LOWER BOX] New software schedule….6 [Manga] Tekken 2: Hajimete Monogatari [The First Legend/Story]….106 [Patient Corner] F's Servants….110 Readers' Survey….114 Dengeki Soft Station….127 Software Maker Question Box F2….144 Dengeki News Station….146 Dengeki PS extra issue preview….160 Next issue preview + Game Index….161

[ryunumber]

Earthworm Jim?

Earthworm Jim has a Ryu Number of 2/3/does not have a Ryu Number.

(CORRECTION: Per @skapokon, the situation with ClayFighter is... much weirder than I initially gave it credit for.)

(explanation below)

Earthworm Jim strikes me as a thing that has more perceived cultural impact than actual cultural impact, but even then, I'm a little surprised to report that all potential links are dead ends, but in bizarre ways.

Besides the games themselves, which seem to be self-contained, Jim's made two appearances of note. The first appearance is as a guest fighter in both versions of ClayFighter 63⅓.

There's a couple other dead end crossovers in the ClayFighter series, but it comes real close to having a properly eligible crossover with Blizzard's The Lost Vikings. Olaf is mentioned in Helga's ending in the first game, and the other two show up as faces in Tiny's stage in 2.

The second appearance is as a guest fighter in the PC version of Battle Arena Toshinden.

You would think this is a clear dead end, but it turns out that Toshinden's Eiji Shinjo himself guested in the Japan-only Saturn fighting game D-Xhird, which itself features as mid-boss and final boss... Venus and Izanagi?

So they're both deities, which tracks, but according to some lore I ran through a machine translator, Venus is the true mother of the protagonist and took part in an experiment to create Izanagi?

If I had a better grasp on anything that's going on here, I'd maybe be able to come down one way or another on Venus. (Izanagi seems hard to justify either way.) Until then, I'm leaning toward that not being the Roman goddess. But if you can read Japanese, feel free to look through this playlist and weigh in.

[thedestinysunknown]

Battle Arena Toshinden 3 - Sofia:

"Oh look, my original main of this series. When I was a kid, I used to play Battle Arena Toshinden 1 and 3 a lot, and Sarah was always one of my favorite characters, and I can tell why. Not only she has the looks, but also a really good moveset. She has such simple but fun combos to do, and some iconic special attacks."

PS: the gameplay used for this gifset is not mine. The original video belongs to the user: Raivop, on Youtube.

[starbrightstars]

Toshinden URA Trivia:

Ron Ron was a brand new character introduced in Battle Arena Toshinden: Ultimate Revenge Attack, alongside Ripper, Replicant and Wolf. She was chief scientist for the “Toshinhei Project” which was being conducted by Interpol. 

What is Toshinden? A game similar to Virtua Fighter and Tekken. Toshinden died out because they released the games in unison. Soon later to be overshadowed by Tekken and Soul Edge. 

Sofia from Toshinden was once the short-lived mascot for PlayStation. 

Toshinden URA is the sequel to Toshinden S.

She created Replicant, a warrior for peace enforcement and anti-terrorist use. When Ron Ron finished creating the prototype, it was stolen by her superior Wolf.

She is Chinese, in battle she throws bombs, uses a stun gun which also seems to be a wand and hammer. When using her weapon to spark fire while shouting out Biri Biri Wand! She is weak and slow in battle, but is also strong if used correctly. Her “Pin Ball” spinning attack is powerful. She’ll jump in the air and throw multiple bombs.

She alongside Ripper was a “Sega Saturn” exclusive and did not appear in the PlayStation sequels. The only PlayStation game she appeared in was Toshinden Card Quest. 

In Toshinden URA she ratios the female playable characters. Ellis, Sofia, Tracy, making four. 

The Toshinden series is defunct. 

The best Toshinden game is the Sega Saturn release URA. Especially Ellis’ new model. Which was only created because the Sega Saturn could not handle her usual detailed costume. But the Sega Saturn costume suits her more, and also makes her match Sofia. 

Toshinden is forgotten today. Nobody remembers it. New gamers have no idea what it is. There will probably never be a remake or remaster. 

War Budokai a Toshinden remake with no connection to the original series was released for the Wii in 2009 and was a Japanese exclusive. The game was said to have flopped. 

The original characters were “elderly” by Toshinden 4, and most of them retired from battle. The only character to appear in Toshinden 4 was Eiji Shinjo.

[z2z-gaming-and-random-art-ai]

Console Fighting Games of 1996 - Battle Arena NiToshinden

Battle Arena NiToshinden is a spin off of the Toshinden fighting games series from the mid to late 90s. Unlike other entries in the series NiToshinden is set in a high school with several mainstay characters featuring as well as new characters joining the roster.

[pacdevil]

Characters named Leon Appreciation Post

Video Game Edition

Leon - Rune Factory 4

Leon - Brawl Stars

Leon D.S. Gehste - Star Ocean Series

Leon - Battle Arena Toshinden

Leon - Dead or Alive Series

Squall Leonhart - Final Fantasy 8 & Kingdom Hearts Series

Cervantes de Leon - Soul Caliber Series

Leon - Custom Robo Series

Chef Leon Vourain - Guild Wars 2

Leon - Guild Wars

Part 2/?

[videogamequeens]

Ooh, then I wanna ask, who are some of your favorite ladies on those classic systems? I was a total Nintendo kid myself, so I’m curious. 😯

Sorry for delayed answer I seldom get to check this 😔

There are SO MANY! Brace yourself

GENESIS/SNES

Hilda from Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy War, Dark Queen from Battletoads, Madam Woe from the Power Rangers fighting game, Blaze and Electra from Streets of Rage, Jetta and Shadow from Eternal Champions, Annet and Restiana from El Viento, the Vortex Queen from Ecco the dolphin (lol if she counts?), Mizuki from Samurai Shodown, Kitana and Sindel from MK2 and 3, Elizabeth Bartley from Castlevania…oooh almost forgot Dominique from Double Dragon and Bai Meiniang, Schirach and Undine from Romancing Saga series…

PS1

Pretty much all the Tekken gals (Nina, Anna, Michelle, Jun, Kunimitsu), Master, Shizuku, Cuiling, Miss Til and Zola from Toshinden series, Melissa from Parasite Eve, Helen and Jennifer from Clock Tower, Sarah, Leona, Viki, Lorelai, Hellion, Lotte and Eileen from Suikoden, Aeris, Jenova and Edea from FFVII and VIII(respectively), Rose, Pullum and Blaire from Street Fighter Alpha and EX Plus Alpha, Cecilia from Wild Arms.

SATURN

Cupido from Toshinden Remix, Dural and Pai from Virtua Fighter, Nagi from Last Bronx, Grace and Candy from Fighting Vipers, Poison from that Final Fight game.

N64

Pagan from War Gods, Black Orchid fromKiller Instinct

ARCADE

Freya from Dark Seal, Dora from Golden Axe, Chaos from Martial Champions.

I’m sure I’m forgetting tons more…🤗

[gear-project]

Annon-Guy: Any thoughts on these fighting games?

Tekken

DarkStalkers

Killer Instinct

Evil Zone

ClayFighter

Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi (Dragon Ball Z Sparking in Japan)

Arcana Heart

Akatsuki Bllitzkamof/EN-Eins Perfektewelt

Ehrgeiz: God Bless The Ring

Tobal No.1 and Tobal 2

Fighting Vipers (PEPSIMAN!)

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax

Omen of Sorrow

Nitroplus Blasterz Heroines Infinite Duel

I've played Tekken 3 and Tekken 7 and that's it, but I wouldn't say I'm any good at the games.

Darkstalkers I've played a bit of, though I wouldn't say I'm any good, though I still hold out hope for a proper sequel with a full roster compared to the split off offshoots that currently exist.

I own Killer Instinct (the modern game), though it has far too much pay-to-own DLC for my liking, in addition to very unbalanced quest games, so I lost a lot of interest in it (though I will still mess with the characters now and then, it's been a while).

People have told me Evil Zone is good, though I have yet to play it myself, though I'd compare it to Battle Arena Toshinden in terms of style (maybe even Battle Fantasia).

I never found ClayFighter especially appealing, since there was never a version of the game that didn't seem "stiff" in animation, though I suppose it was a poor man's Street Fighter clone.

My history with DBZ games goes all the way back to Super Butoden and Hyper Dimension, though I have separate opinions between "Budokai" and "Budokai Tenkaichi" (or just Tenkaichi). Budokai is more commonly known as Dragonball Z3 in Japan (or just Z3, though we call it Budokai 3 here in the West). Unlike Tenkaichi, the original Budokai games had a 2D combat perspective, though they still played a bit with 3D plane. It was the Tenkaichi games onwards that focused more on 3D combat. I'd say I'm not "as interested" in the 3D combat compared to how much I enjoyed Budokai 3.

Also, with regard to Dragonball FighterZ, I'd say it isn't nearly as complex as the Budokai games were in tranformations and such, or even Beam Battles and clash battles which it had.

I don't exactly find the Arcana Heart series especially appealing (and I've said as much in older posts), though I did appreciate Mori bringing it to BlazBlue Crosstag as a small offering.

The mechanics of the game ARE interesting, but the gameplay itself just doesn't appeal to me by and large (sprites were very small, animations were simple, and the all-female roster was off-putting to me, so it's not my cup of tea).

I've had friends tell me how great the Akatsuki games are, and I'd dare say it's easy to compare it to older PC Doujins like Big Bang Beats and Melty Blood, but I don't actually have much experience with the Akatsuki games...

The fact French Bread insisted on bringing Akatsuki in to Under-Night as a guest character is amazing, however... along with the fact the Blitztank was added to BBTAG.

Ehrgeiz... there's a lot I can say about Idea-Factory's hidden gem in the rough: but to me the game was too much like a Wresting game or Power-Stone Clone... and the fact they used Final Fantasy characters kinda distracted from the other characters far too much for my liking.

Certainly it predates games like Dissidia Final Fantasy, but I feel like if someone was gonna make a Final Fantasy fighting game, it would happen eventually.

Ehrgeiz itself shouldn't be lauded for Final Fantasy, it should be lauded for its own story and unique characters. The fact it had a Dungeon RPG mode though... that's something few Fighting Games can brag about, and something I think more fighting games SHOULD consider (especially a game like DNF Duel... a spinoff of Dungeon Fighters, so I mean... where's the DUNGEON???)

The endings were cheesy, but that was the era back then.

That goes DOUBLE for the Tobal games... Tobal itself was everything Dragonball Z fighting games probably would have been if they turned it in to a Virtua Fighter spinoff.

There are far too many ideas in Tobal to really discuss in a paragraph here, but suffice to say it has a very odd roster... very massive roster too... so I'd argue they overdid it in some capacity.

Fighting Vipers... I can't really say much, since I've never sat down to play the game, though I do find SOME of the characters appealing.

If Fighting Vipers ever did a Dead or Alive Crossover like Virtua Fighter did with Tekken, that'd be pretty interesting.

Dengeki Bunko/Nitroplus... hmm... I don't have fond memories of these games (don't get me wrong I have higher opinions of it now than I used to, but it's still not my favorite kind of fighting game).

If ARC System Works or French Bread were approached in to making a Dengeki game, I think I'd be more eager to play it... just something about it that screams "cheap doujin fighter" to me, and that doesn't bode well in my history of playing fighting games.

I feel like Omen of Sorrow wishes it was Mortal Kombat and Castlevania Judgement... the latter of which was done by 8ing, and I still sincerely think is a great game.

Unfortunately some fighting games are fated for obscurity, though it's up to you if you want to play them or not.

Once again, I find All-Female rosters to be somewhat unappealing to my taste, though on the flipside of that, Skullgirls doesn't enforce that rule as adamantly as Nitroplus and Arcana Heart seem to. SNK Heroines is also an odd duck in that regard.

If you don't agree with my opinions, that's fine... but just understand that I have a predilection for weapon-based fighting games... so games with tiny sprites and moe cutsie characters are just NOT appealing to me...

Anyways, right now, to me the peak is probably Soul Calibur 6 and Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising, though even if I say that, I'm still waiting for the "egg" that is Guilty Gear Strive to finally hatch itself.

[edgeyberzerker]

Choose Your Fighter Tam Tam (Samurai Shodown series) Subaru (Toshinden Subaru) Necro (Street Fighter series) Naoto (BlazBlue series)