We know you were beating these games, but have you stopped to look at the stages?
When Street Fighter II first came out into the world in 1991, fighting games gained an unprecedented proportion. In addition to the gameplay (which at first drove some players away due to new mechanics), the production of the game featured high-quality professionals.
Each character was unique, not only for his fighting style, but also for this exquisite artistic direction. The fighters had their stage and a soundtrack that was immortalized in our ears by the work of the composer Yoko Shimomura.
Talking about a character and not directly linking it to its theme and setting is impossible. With the success of this sequence (few played the first Street Fighter) it was evident that other titles appeared on the market to catch (or prove) the success of Capcom's devastating block. Some were forgotten, others competed as equals. It was quite a struggle.
From this fight I select what he left most beautiful: his settings. It was not easy to reach these 15 scenarios that were the scene of unimaginable confrontations. Capcom and SNK were in their best creative stages dictating the rules of face-to-face confrontation in the 1990s.
Let's leave the dialogue aside and visualize the beauty of some of these fantastic works produced with the old pixel. I would say that some can be framed in silence to be seen on the wall of our houses, but I simply give the idea. You decide whether to hang it or not. ;)
The list does not follow an order of preference. Enjoy without moderation.
Marvel Super Heroes
Company: Capcom
Year: 1995
Stage: Wolverine
Before the success of Marvel Studios in the cinema with its saga of infinity gems, in 1995 Capcom, in association with the house of ideas, made a great combat room after the good reception of X-Men Children of the Atom.
The highlight of the gameplay is the use of infinity gems. Each jewel grants a specific ability to each character. Beautiful visual with sprites and scenarios that they jumped from the pages of headquarters to the arcade screen. The Wolverine stage is a beautiful example where the simple is sometimes more. Beauty without exaggeration.
Street Fighter II
Company: Capcom
Year: 1991
Internship: China
This stage is a toast to the soundtrack of the strongest woman in the world. It is impossible not to associate the image with the theme as mentioned above. From bicycles to caged chickens, China's features have been well ported to the pixel world.
It has its clichés, it is true, but this contributes even more to the eccentricity of this stage, which is one of the most charismatic of the franchise.
Samurai Shodown II
Company: SNK
Year: 1994
Internship: Versailles
But this SNK was pretty bad even in the 90s, right? I dare say that Samurai Shodown II is not only the best game in the franchise, but one of the best fighting games of all time. Unfortunately it has some relief issues, but close to the artistic style, I stand out. Graphics, soundtrack, characters, history ... Everything well done and in its place.
The King of Fighters 96
Company: SNK
Year: 1996
Internship: Chizuru Kagura
It's not my favorite version of the franchise, I confess. But it's one of the best SNK jobs in terms of soundtrack (the arranged version is amazing) and art direction.
All the scenarios convey a feeling of tournament, something I did not feel in previous versions. And the highlight for both the track and the stage is the character Chizuru Kagura. The Fairies theme and setting are stupidly brilliant, worthy of a grand tournament final. Too bad the tournament ... well, you know, right? KOF always has a zica at the end of the championship. Hahaha
The list is far from fully representing the various stages of fighting games.
This list was just a short overview to show a little of what I experienced in these life boutiques. I bet you also have memories of other 2D fighting game stages to share with us.
Feel free to leave it in the comments! Thank you very much for stopping by in this post.
