"Virtua Fighter 3: Team Battle is strategic, like a game of chess..."

Virtua Fighter 3TB is not your average fighting game. It's not Tekken, definitely not Mortal Kombat, and no where near Dead or Alive. No, this game is not all about combos or continually pressing the same 3 buttons over and over. Even though VF3TB is not the best fighting game out, it's definitely a unique one.

Your first impression on VF3TB will be one of three things. The first will be a traditional ''Ugh'' impression. Most people will not find the slow, long, and strategic battles of Virtua Fighter 3TB amusing. They will find the graphics ugly and the enviroments boring. These are the casual fighters who play fighter's at friend's houses and get bored within an hour.
The second impression will be the ''Cool'' impression. These few will find it challenging, and a classic. These people are the regular fighting gamers who will be amused by almost any fighting game.
The last impression people have is the ''Amazing!'' impression. They will find the slower battles more fun than faster games. These gamers are the hardcore fighters, and there are not all too many of these.

The graphics in Virtua Fighter 3TB are dated, sure. In 1997 these graphics were amazing. The fighters were quite detailed, and the twisted faces looked great. Masks that fell off or hats that were blown away were some incredible things. The enviroments are not all to detailed, but you won't be paying much attention to them. I give the graphics a 10/10 4 years ago, and a 5/10 today.

The gameplay in this fighter is much different than most fighting games. The button ''X'' is used to punch, and ''Y'' is used to kick. ''B'' is used to evade, or move away. ''A'' is used to guard. When a battle starts, you may be overwhelmed by some of the combos. They are long, and using a lot of arrow commands. Beginners will find themselves constantly losing, because they are mashing the X and Y buttons all the time. The battles are more strategic like I said, guarding and evading are so important. Veterans maybe be bored in ''Easy'' and ''Normal'' modes, because the battles are basically this: Combo, guard, Combo, throw, guard. In harder modes, the game is more challenging and more fun. I give the gameplay a 8/10.

The sound of Virtua Fighter 3TB is excellent. You hear the grunts and sighs of opponents clearly. Every footstep is heard, and when a punch strikes, the sound is realistic. The music in VF is exceptional. It makes you feel like you are just on a casual little tournamont, on a peaceful island. There's not anymore to describe, I give the sound a 9/10.

There is very little in the place of replay. No unlockables, except the ending. There are no characters to unlock, no stages, and no modes. While I am on the mode subject, don't expect to try to play a lot of modes. There's only Normal, Team, Training, and Vs. Not anything to other games. I give the replay a 3/10.

If you are a fan of Virtua Fighter, or a hardcore fan of fighting games, this game is for you. For casual fighters, steer clear. Otherwise, some other similar choices would be Virtua Fighter 4, Tekken Tag, or Mortal Kombat.

9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/08/03, Updated 02/08/03