Battle Arena Toshinden (Toshinden in Japan) is a fighting game for the PlayStation. It was one of the first fighting games to boast polygonal characters in a 3D battle arena, rather than the traditional side-to-side fighting space that had been popular since Street Fighter II. The player could use the L/R trigger buttons to step "toward" or "away from" the camera to dodge attacks or get a better angle for an offensive strike. It was an early killer game for the PlayStation, and Sony promoted it eagerly. However, they soon left the series, which was published by Playmates Interactive. By that time, fighting games like Tekken started emerging and Battle Arena Toshinden quickly lost popularity and was completely forgotten by the public after spawning Battle Arena Toshinden 2, 3, and 4.

Battle Arena Toshinden was the first 3D weapons fighter, and was succeeded by Soul Edge and other games of that ilk.

Story

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A sinister Organization, the Himitsu Kessha, has organized a deadly tournament known as the Battle Arena Toshinden (Toshindaibukai in Japan), and eight of the world's most skilled and powerful fighting Weapon-Bearers have entered, whether it be for personal glory or for love. For the winners awaits the ultimate victory, and death to the losers. Who will prevail?

Other versions

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The game was ported to the Sega Saturn under the name Toshinden S in Japan and Battle Arena Toshinden Remix in the United States. The graphics and gameplay were virtually identical to the PlayStation version. A few details were added to the release including a longer startup movie, an enhanced story mode (that, for better or worse, contained voice acting for all of the game's characters), and an additional playable character named Cupido. A sequel game called Toshinden URA (URA standing for "Ultimate Revenge Attack") was also released for the Saturn which was more or less a remix of Toshinden 2 with two characters being substituted: bosses Uranus and Master were removed and replaced by newcomers RonRon and Repli (or Replicant). There was a port for the PC version published by Playmates Interactive, which only difference is the addition of Earthworm Jim as a unlockable character (though his fighting style is the same as Rungo). Takara also made a version of the first game for the Game Boy, which took advantage of the Super Game Boy borders. It was published by Nintendo overseas.

Characters

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Playable characters

• Eiji Shinjo
• Kayin Amoh
• Sofia
• Rungo Iron
• Fo Fai
• Mondo
• Duke B. Rambert
• Ellis

Hidden characters

• Gaia
• Sho Shinjo
• Earthworm Jim (PC version only)

1994 computer and video games | PlayStation games | Game Boy games | Sega Saturn games | DOS games | Windows games

Battle Arena Toshinden | 闘神伝