Fighting games are all the same and have been for some time. Two people stand across from one another on a 2-d plane and complex special moves are created by rolling the joystick and pressing a combination of buttons. It’s a formula that works and has worked for a very long time. Innovation isn’t a priority in fighting games, but that’s okay because the familiar ideas of the formula allow for fighting games to be accessible to players.
In my mind, there is no reason to continually supporting the fighting game genre if they refuse to promote innovation. Street Fight IV is a pretty game, and it is very well done, but it doesn’t change the formula that the SNES Street Fight II created years ago. Better graphics, different moves, but essentially the same game.
Destrega was a fighting game that took the old ideas of fighting games and threw them out the window. First off, the battleground allowed for 360 degree movement. Players could run anywhere on the battlefield and were incouraged to keep on the move. Off the top of my head, the only other game that is like this is Powerstone on the Dreamcast (and PSP) and let’s face it, Powerstone also rules.
The battle system is completely different as well. All attacks were long-ranged, so fights encouraged players to avoid one another and fire off attacks. Some melee was thrown in as well, but the crux of the game is gunning and running. Rather than rolling the joystick to create combos, Destrega established the combo system within the attack buttons themselves. Square was a speed attack, triangle was an area attack, and circle was a power attack. A power meter underneath the health bar kept players from spamming attacks by keeping their energy in check. So, three power attacks in a row would expend all your energy and it would take a moment for the power meter to recharge which forces the player to dodge the opponent’s own blasts. Combining speed attacks with power attacks lead to great medium blasts that are tough to dodge. Really, the combo system was logical and fun.
Super moves in fighting games are always a blast to pull off, but sometimes, they can be difficult. Destrega encourages the use of ultra-powerful moves by making them easy to pull off. Want to expand a massive amount of power? Press all three attack buttons when your power meter is full. You don’t even have to press them at the same time! Just casually press square, triangle and circle and suddenly, your super move has been unleashed!
The only downfall to this game is that the features are relatively limited. Story mode is fun even though the story doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, but after that, then there is little reason to return if you’re looking for a single player experience.
Destrega is a game that begs to be remade today. I can only imagine the trophies that could be generated from a game like this. The capability of the PS3 would make this game absolutely wonderful and since the 360 degree battleground has never really caught on, it would be a game that would stand out from all other fighters.
Until then, be sure to go to your local game store’s bargin bin, because I’m sure you’ll find this gem for a good price.
“Better graphics, different moves, but essentially the same game.”
I believe you described the problem with games from Japan. For most games, very little has changed since the SNES (in some cases, since the NES). We need to address that before we can start trying to fix specific problems.
Kinda sounds like somebody took the Xenogears system and made it 3-D. Oh Koei, how can one company do so many things different and so many things the same?
One really interesting fact is that there is a cheat code in Destrega where your characters can look like Dynasty Warriors characters.
Which further’s the theory that Koei doesn’t have a whole lot going on.
Fighting games are not the same if you dig deeper. While stripped down and more basic than recent fighting games, Street Fighter 4 isn’t exactly the same as Street Fighter 2, because the Focus Attack changes things up a bit.
That’s the trouble with making fighting games, you have to appeal to a casual audience while making the core of the game interesting and tactical for the fighting game community…unless your the Mortal Kombat team and don’t care about the latter.
McGodzilla – What I mean about fighting games being the same is that the basic format doesn’t change. Two fighters stand across from one another on a 2-d plane. Two buttons are for a fast punch and a strong punch, two more buttons are for fast kick and a strong kick. Combos are performed through a roll of the joystick and a few buttons mashed.
Destrega was a completely different beast all together, though. I’m not trying to take away from Street Fighter because it really has evolved in it’s own way, but Destrega is the absolute only game of its kind. There is NO other game like it.