The Mega Drive Fighting engine is a system used by unlicensed game developers that was used in almost every unlicensed one-on-one fighting game that has been collected and documented so far. The only fighting game that uses a different system is Virtua Fighter 2 VS Tekken 2. The developer is unknown but appears to be connected to Gamtec and Chuanpu.
Engine specifics[]
Although there are changes done throughout the series of games that utilize this engine there are consistencies that are carried over into each iteration.
- Data East sound driver: All games use the same music sound driver, with later games sharing several music tracks (often with games of a different genre, such as Shui Hu Feng Yun Zhuan).
- Sample-heavy memory usage: Each game features several voice samples, all taken from different arcade sources. These samples are of a higher quality than most licensed fighting games.
- No throwing / Combo system: No games (except one) feature any grappling or throwing moves done by characters in close quarters. Additionally there is no “real” combo system in place, rather the ability to link attacks into the other inconsistently due to poor hit detection.
- Weird hitboxes: Moves do not hit consistently, often hitting when they shouldn’t or harmlessly passing through the sprite.
- Floaty jumps: Jumping takes too long for characters to rise and fall. Mid-air attacks are mostly rendered useless.
- Consistent button mapping: Early games used a three button layout: A was block, B was punch, & C was kick. The block button was dropped in later games.
- The “holding B bug”: A dead giveaway showing the lineage of the system, each game exhibits a control bug if the B button is held in on the pad. The player will often remain stationary until the B button is released. Details concerning it can be found in this thread.
Games using this engine[]
- Tekken 3 Special
- Soul Blade Super
- Samurai Spirits II
- Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Fighting Edition
- Soul Edge VS Samurai Spirits
- The King of Fighters '98
- The King of Fighters '99
- Top Fighter 2000 / Top Fighter 2005
- Chinese Fighter III / / Tenchi Wo Kurau 3
- The Lord of the Rings 3: Return of the King (hack of the above by Glorysun)
- Dragon Ball: Final Bout
- X-Men vs. Street Fighter