"Sega has Virtua Fighter, and we have Tobal!"

When I first saw Tobal No. 1, I thought, ''Oh goody! A decent 3D fighting game! No, make that a superb fighting game!'' The idea of anime-drawn characters, full 3D movement, and a Quest mode all sounded like something that only a great company could assemble. And that company is Squaresoft! Pity that Tobal 2 will never be seen over here!

For those of you who are uneducated, Tobal No. 1 was a 3D fighting game that came out back in 1996. It featured the ability to move freely as well as perform grappling moves and counterattacks. To top that off, there was even a quest mode where you could earn hidden characters. It was even packaged with a demo of Final Fantasy VII. Unfortunately, because Square made the fatal mistake of thinking that most sales generated from the demo, they cancelled Tobal 2 for good! Hey! Square! I bought it because it's a solid fighting game, not for the- Oops! Back to the review!


Graphics: 9/10
The backgrounds are well drawn, as well as the rings. Although there's very little effectwise for the ring outs (no splashing in the water, etc.) the rings are well drawn too. The characters are a little blocky (like Virtua Fighter,) but in return for giving up detail, we get a game that runs at a smooth frame rate! The only gripe is that, untill you enter a room in Quest mode, the monsters are just flames. Then they change once you enter (emerging from the flame, perhaps?)


Sounds: 9/10
The music is great, save for the Quest mode music, which is just a repeating drum beat. How good, you ask? I taped one of my favorite songs just so I could listen to it! The sound effects are well done. You hear thuds, crackling of force fields, and the clicking of switches. Coupled with boulders rolling, swords clanging, and monsters growling, you've got a great treat for the ears! My only downside is the fact that all the characters speak Japanese, and the announcer, although he speaks English, lacks any energy in his starting of the fights. Thankfully, the vocal effects are rather good.


Controls: 9/10
The big thing is that the shoulder buttons are used for blocking and jumping (yes, jumping!) Although you don't jump as high as in Virtua Fighter, it becomes second nature, and using it with other button combos allows you to pull off neat aerial attacks. Also, the button scheme is slightly different. You have a high, a middle, and a low attack, instead of punch and kick. Fortunately, fully customizable controls and a good training mode (along with a great manual) make the controls easy to learn.)


Replay: 9/10
Running through the dungeons dodging traps just to unlock hidden characters can seem a bit tedious (not to mention repetitive, since there's no save feature, and if you die, it's all over.) However, the depth of the dungeons will keep you coming back, along with the solid fighting system.


Overall: 9/10
It may not have been the Virtua Fighter sensation for PlayStation (maybe if Square would bring Tobal 2 out over here!!) but it's still a great game, considering the frame rate and unique fighting system!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/23/00, Updated 07/16/01