Fighting Vipers

From Sega Retro

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Fighting Vipers Title.png

Fighting Vipers
System(s): Sega Model 2B CRX, Sega Saturn, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Distributor:
Arcade
Deith Leisure (UK)[1]
Sound driver:
Sega Saturn
SCSP/CD-DA (18 tracks)
Genre: Fighting

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP 		¥6,8006,800 GS-9101
Sega Saturn
US 		$49.9949.99 81041
Sega Saturn
EU 		MK81041-50
Sega Saturn
BR 		191x13
Sega Saturn
KR 		MK-81041-08
CERO
Missing Parameter!

Fighting Vipers (ファイティングバイパーズ) is a 3D fighting game developed by Sega AM2 for the Sega Model 2B CRX in 1995. It was ported the same year to the Sega Saturn with significantly reduced graphics. A version of the game was released for the PlayStation 2 as part of the Sega Ages series in Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers.

Story

Hyper-adrenal combatants in full-body armour, battling night and day in back-alley rings - only such young gurba warriors have earned the right to be called VIPERS...

Now in Armstone City, the mayor has formally announced a fighting tournament on a grand scale, with the final bout to be held atop the staggering City Tower in the centre of town.

With City Tower as their ultimate goal, eight young VIPERS start down the path to victory, a path which only one will see the end...

Gameplay

Fighting Vipers features a similar style of gameplay to Sega AM2's more renowned Virtua Fighter series, specifically Virtua Fighter 2, using a simply Guard, Punch and Kick attack buttons with a focus on combo moves (the Saturn version using its three extra buttons for three smaller combos).

The game is set apart with two unique features. Most notably, each of the 9 characters featured in the game sports armor of some kind or another, this armor can be broken off by opponents leaving characters much more vulnerable and able to take much more damage, a human shaped meter in the top corners of the screen monitors the damage to your armor. Secondly walls surround each arena, caging the combatants in, allowing for attacks in conjunction with them (bouncing off etc), if the correct combination is hit at the round's finale, characters can punch their opponent straight through the walls.

Characters

FightingVipers Grace portrait.png Grace
Grace is a 19 year old African-American born in Armstone City whose armor is themed after the protective gear for In-Line Skating, including the skates themselves. Grace is making her living as a fashion model, though she once dreamed of becoming a professional figure skater, though her lover and coach betrayed her, leaving her disillusioned.
FightingVipers Bahn portrait.png Bahn
Despite only being a 17 year old High School Student from Nishino Machi, Bahn is a powerful and imposing fighter in a long coat and hat, who has come overseas to find and fight his father, whom he has never met and abandoned him and his mother when they were small, he has declared himself 'Gengis Bahn III'.
FightingVipers Raxel portrait.png Raxel
The narcissistic lead singer and guitarist for a hair metal band called 'Death Crunch' with KISS-styled armour (pretty much looking like Ace Frehley's outfit) and carrying a red Gibson Flying-V electric guitar, Raxel is the son of an Armstone City councilman, a drop out who left home after a fight with said father, Raxel has simply entered the tournament to heighten his own profile and become further famous.

Note: Raxel's name is strikingly similar to Guns N' Roses' frontman Axl Rose. There is no official confirmation however that he is in any way based on him, as he doesn't really look like Rose, but more like ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach or Poison's vocalist Bret Michaels.

FightingVipers Tokio portrait.png Tokio
A 16 year old pretty boy rebelling against a strict kabuki actor's household, Tokio is a former leader of a street gang called 'Black Thunder' but left after feeling responsible for another gangmember's death. He has entered the tournament for a challenge and for thrills.
FightingVipers Sanman portrait.png Sanman
A mysterious fat oriental-looking man about whom nothing is known, other than his birthday (3rd of March) and an obsession with the number 3, hence the name for which he goes (san in the Japanese for "three"). Sanman drives a large customised scooter.
FightingVipers Jane portrait.png Jane
A butch and muscled 18 year old part-time construction worker, Jane trained her whole life to join the Navy, but did not make it past training. She was discharged after repeatedly losing control of herself during fights and injuring fellow seamen. Jane now wants to test just how tough she is, hence entering the Fighting Vipers tournament.
FightingVipers Honey portrait.png Candy/Honey
A petite 16 year old Fashion Student with a pleasant nature, Candy designed her trademark plastic fairy suit herself, and has entered the tournament to promote her original fashion line. Candy became, by far, the most popular of the characters, and remains so, particularly in Japan.
FightingVipers Picky portrait.png Picky
A 14 year old stereotypical skateboarder, Picky's armour is styled after protective gear for skateboarders, he carries his skateboard on his back, and hits opponents with it. Picky began skateboarding to impress his first love, but later on he left her for Candy.
Mahler
The ninth character, not selectable, and unlockable in the Sega Saturn port, Mahler is a 20 year old mystery with a grudge against the Mayor of Armstone City [who has organised the tournament] wearing poisonous armour resembling a snake. He isn't officially registered as a member of the tournament.
FightingVipers BM portrait.png B.M.
B.M. is boss of the game and is a powered up version of Mahler.
FightingVipers SS Kuma portrait.png KumaChan
Background Character on Sanman stage. He playable in the Sega Saturn port by playing 50 games. 2 Player character is Pandachan.
FightingVipers SS Pepsi portrait.png Pepsiman
Pepsiman is the mascot for Pepsi and Pepsi related products in Japan. He rescues those in need of thirst by delivering Pepsi, and often gets inflicted with pain from unforeseen consequences. He is only available in the Japanese version of the Sega Saturn version. To face him, you start the game in Arcade mode, and allow the CPU to attack you without fighting back. Before your HP reaches 0, the game will issue a "New Challenger" to which the game will return to the character select screen and slowly scroll to Pepsiman's position, while playing his theme song. Defeating Pepsiman allows you to play as him through the regular game. A new Option menu item will appear upon unlocking the character that allows you to revert the secret, causing the player to have to unlock him again.

The game also features the Pepsi logo in the background and on certain characters (such as Picky's skateboard).

History

Development

Release

The Sega Saturn version was recalled a few weeks after its Japanese launch due to a bug which could potentially wipe all game saves[6]. Later releases of the game (including Western versions) were fixed.

Honey (or Candy as she became known) presented a problem for US retailers, as one of the rewards for finishing the game as her is a render of the character in a suggestive pose. Given that the character is only 16 years of age, Sega of America took steps to censor the more risqué content from the game, also removing her schoolgirl outfit due to fears retailers would not stock the title. The PAL version remains uncensored[7].

Versions

Fighting Vipers continues the steady progression of first-party Sega Saturn fighting games become more like their arcade counterparts, this time using version 2.1 of the Sega Graphics Library[8]. By rendering the the 3D cage (or walls) surrounding the playfield, it was one of the first games of its type to technically render 3D backgrounds (although these walls are promptly removed when showing the character's finishing pose).

The Saturn Fighting Vipers took roughly eight months to produce[9], with roughly half of the development time used to perfect the rendering system[10]. Much of the core engine was carried over from the Saturn Virtua Fighter 2[10], though collision detection routines were re-worked[9].

The high resolution of Virtua Fighter 2 was dropped in favour of mimicking the arcade version's lighting system (the Saturn version of Virtua Fighter 2 has no lighting, though most of the game takes place in direct sunlight anyway). This was not always the case, however - early screenshots of Fighting Vipers prior to the '96 Tokyo Toy Show opted for a similar look to Virtua Fighter 2. Also in play is gouraurd shading, absent in the arcade version but possible on the Saturn due to the lower number of polygons.

The Saturn Fighting Vipers offers versus, playback and training modes. Players can save their matches and play them again in playback Mode, while in training mode the player is talked though the moves of each character one-by-one. The Saturn version also includes a full motion video introduction, similar to its port of Virtua Fighter 2.

As with all Sega's Model 2-to-Saturn fighting game ports, backgrounds once rendered as (simple) 3D objects in the arcade are replaced with large, 2D backdrops on the Saturn. While every stage takes a hit, Tokio's is perhaps the most notable, as it is missing the plane taking off on the runway the characters are fighting on. That being said, unlike Virtua Fighter 2, the floor surrounding the arena is modelled in 3D, reducing some of the problems caused by these clashing perspectives.

In Japan Fighting Vipers is sponsored by Pepsi Cola and has several billboards, Picky's skateboard (and playable Pepsiman) advertising the product. All of this content was removed from international releases.

Production credits

Arcade version

Saturn version

Source:
In-game credits[11]
US Staff
  • Producer: Steve Hutchins
  • Product Manager: Seth Gerson
  • Assistant Localization Producer: Osamu Shibamiya
  • Marketing Manager: Anne Moellering
  • Production Manager: Eileen Sacman
  • Art Director: Eric Smith
  • Art Designers: Scott Allen, Masud Husain
  • Special Thanks to: Arvin Carlson, Matt Dunbar, Manny Granillo, Mike Needham, John Orantes, Undyne Stafford, Andrew Stein, Mark Subotnick, The SEEDY Crew
  • Lead Tester: Jeff B. Junio
  • Assistant Leads: Lorne Asuncion, Rick Greer, Peter Young
  • Testers: Rey Alferez, Jason Bartholomew, Stephen Bourdet, Michael Dobbins, Essie Hamadani, Len Jung, Cesar Lemus, B. Lee, Dennis Lee, Christopher Lucich, Tony Lynch, Mark McCunney, Abraham Navarro, Sean Potter, Fred Selker, Timothy Spengler, Steve Thompson
Source:
Other credits

Track list

1. [data track]  
2. Fallen (An' I Can't Get Up) (02:29) 
From: Training
Composed by: David Leytze
3. Let it Ride/All Bets Off (00:22) 
From: Continue
Composed by: David Leytze
4. Game Over (00:06) 
From: Game Over
Composed by: David Leytze
5. Choose Your Weapon (00:47) 
From: Character select
Composed by: David Leytze
6. Pepsiman (00:22) 
From: Pepsiman
Composed by: James Shimoji
7. Pepsiman Win (00:06) 
From: Pepsiman Win
Composed by: James Shimoji
8. To Tell the Truth (01:31) 
From: Name Entry
Composed by: David Leytze
9. Sundance Kids (02:22) 
From: Bahn Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
10. The City by Night (02:57) 
From: Grace Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
11. Occam's Razor (02:37) 
From: Picky Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
12. Look to the Skies (02:50) 
From: Tokio Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
13. Thirty-30 (02:22) 
From: Sanman Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
14. Bay Side Blues (01:58) 
From: Honey Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
15. The Trouble with Raxel (02:09) 
From: Raxel Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
16. Look Out Below (02:29) 
From: Jane Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
17. King of the Mountain (02:22) 
From: B.M. Stage
Composed by: David Leytze
18. Viper Venom (01:22) 
From: Opening
Composed by: David Leytze
19. Hills Like the Snake (01:25) 
From: Ending
Composed by: David Leytze
► Running time: 30:36

Magazine articles

Main article: Fighting Vipers/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

  • Saturn JP flyer

  • Saturn UK television advert

  • Arcade AU print advert

  • 1996 11 - Fighting Vipers.jpg

    Saturn ES print advert

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Saturn print advert in EGM² (US) #29: "November 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
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Saturn print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #89: "December 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
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Saturn print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-15: "1996-15 (1996-09-13)" (1996-08-23)
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Saturn print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) #1996-16: "1996-16 (1996-09-27)" (1996-09-13)
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Saturn print advert in Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) #14: "December 1996" (1996-11-14)
also published in:
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Print advert in Mega Force (FR) #54: "Novembre/Décembre 1996" (1996-1x-xx)
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Print advert in Hyper (AU) #39: "January 1997" (199x-xx-xx)
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Physical scans

Model 2 version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
100 №172, p74-77[13]
Arcade
 100
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Arcade
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

Fighting Vipers

Model 2, US
Model 2, JP

Saturn version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
100 №180, p52-55[3]
80 №38, p60/61[14]
93 №403, p30
96 Vol 4, №11, p18
95
94
85 №99, p140/141
81 №48, p42/43
88 №99
90
80 №57, p68/69[15]
87
88 №1996/10, p40/41[16]
95 №49, p58/59[17]
82 №69, p104/105
84 №85, p42/43/44/45
94 №12, p66/67[18]
90 №1996-15, p238[19]
88 №, p9[20]
95 №94, p10
Sega Saturn
 89
Based on
20 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
576 KByte (HU)
89
[21]
CD Consoles (FR) PAL
100
[22]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
100
[3]
Edge (UK) NTSC-J
80
[14]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
66
[23]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
93
[24]
Freak (IL)
94
[25]
Fun Generation (DE) NTSC-J
90
[26]
Gambler (PL)
93
[27]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
95
[28]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
85
[29]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
75
[30]
Gry Komputerowe (PL)
95
[31]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
90
[32]
Intelligent Gamer (US) NTSC-U
91
[33]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
80
[15]
Joypad (FR)
91
[34]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
87
[35]
Mega Force (FR) PAL
90
[36]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
88
[16]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
95
[17]
Next Generation (US)
100
[37]
Player One (FR)
82
[38]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
81
[39]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
81
[40]
Saturn+ (UK) PAL
90
[41]
Secret Service (PL)
90
[42]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
84
[43]
Świat Gier Komputerowych (PL)
100
[44]
Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) PAL
94
[45]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
90
[46]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
88
[20]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
95
[47]
Strana Igr (RU)
100
[48]
Total Saturn (UK) PAL
93
[49]
Total Saturn (UK) PAL
93
[50]
Ultra Game Players (US) NTSC-U
94
[51]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-J
82
[52]
Sega Saturn
 90
Based on
38 reviews

Fighting Vipers

Saturn, US
FightingVipers Saturn US Box Back.jpgFightingvipers sat us frontcover.jpg
Cover
FightingVipers Saturn US Disc.jpg
Disc
Fightingvipers sat us manual.pdf
Manual
Saturn, EU
Fightingvipers sat eu cover.jpg
Cover
Fightingvipers sat eu disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, JP
Fightingvipers sat jp backcover.jpgFightingvipers sat jp frontcover.jpg
Cover
FightingVipers Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
Fightingvipers sat jp disc.jpg
Disc
Fighting Vipers Sega Saturn Japan Manual.pdf
Manual
FightingVipers Saturn JP Box Inlay.jpg
Inlay
Saturn, BR
FightingVipers Saturn BR Box Front.jpg
Cover
Saturn, KR
FightingVipers Saturn KR Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngFightingVipers Saturn KR Box Front.jpg
Cover

XBLA version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 March 2013, p85
Xbox Live Arcade
 80
Based on
1 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Xbox Live Arcade
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

Fighting Vipers

XBLA, World

External links

  • Fighting Vipers on Xbox Marketplace: UK, US, JP

References

  1. ↑ File:CVG UK 169.pdf, page 72
  2. ↑ File:CVG UK 180.pdf, page 49
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 File:CVG UK 180.pdf, page 52 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 180.pdf_p52" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ http://www.jp.playstation.com/software/title/jp0177npjb00252_00fightingvipers00.html
  5. ↑ http://mamedb.com/game/fvipers
  6. ↑ File:MeanMachinesSega49UK.pdf, page 11
  7. ↑ File:MeanMachinesSega50UK.pdf, page 12
  8. ↑ File:SSM UK 11.pdf, page 33
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:SSM UK 13.pdf, page 59
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 File:SSM UK 13.pdf, page 58
  11. ↑ File:FightingV_Saturn_JP_SSEnding.pdf
  12. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "January 1997" (UK; 1996-12-17), page 100
  13. ↑ File:CVG UK 172.pdf, page 74
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 File:Edge UK 038.pdf, page 60 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Edge UK 038.pdf_p60" defined multiple times with different content
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 File:Joypad FR 057.pdf, page 68 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 057.pdf_p68" defined multiple times with different content
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 File:MegaFun DE 1996-10.pdf, page 40 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaFun DE 1996-10.pdf_p40" defined multiple times with different content
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 File:MeanMachinesSega49UK.pdf, page 58 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega49UK.pdf_p58" defined multiple times with different content
  18. ↑ File:SSM_UK_12.pdf, page 66
  19. ↑ File:SSM_JP_19960913_1996-15.pdf, page 240
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Saturn no Game wa Sekai Ichi~i~i~i!: Satamaga Dokusha Race Zen Kiroku, SoftBank Publishing, page 11 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf_p11" defined multiple times with different content
  21. ↑ 576 KByte, "December 1996" (HU; 1996-xx-xx), page 11
  22. ↑ CD Consoles, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 102
  23. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 76
  24. ↑ Famitsu, "1996-09-06" (JP; 1996-08-23), page 1
  25. ↑ Freak, "10/96" (IL; 1996-xx-xx), page 1
  26. ↑ Fun Generation, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 76
  27. ↑ Gambler, "2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
  28. ↑ GameFan, "Volume 4, Issue 11: November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 20
  29. ↑ GamePro, "December 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 142
  30. ↑ Game Informer, "November 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 46
  31. ↑ Gry Komputerowe, "1-2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
  32. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Diciembre 1996" (ES; 199x-xx-xx), page 60
  33. ↑ Intelligent Gamer, "November 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 98
  34. ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 96
  35. ↑ MAN!AC, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 78
  36. ↑ Mega Force, "Novembre/Décembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 72
  37. ↑ Next Generation, "December 1996" (US; 1996-11-19), page 266
  38. ↑ Player One, "Novembre 1996" (FR; 1996-xx-xx), page 104
  39. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1996 No. 18" (JP; 1996-08-23), page 189
  40. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1996 No. 21" (JP; 1996-10-04), page 62
  41. ↑ Saturn+, "Issue 4" (UK; 1996-10-24), page 12
  42. ↑ Secret Service, "Styczeń 1997" (PL; 1997-01-01), page 18
  43. ↑ Sega Power, "November 1996" (UK; 1996-09-26), page 42
  44. ↑ Świat Gier Komputerowych, "1/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
  45. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "October 1996" (UK; 1996-09-18), page 66
  46. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1996-15 (1996-09-13)" (JP; 1996-08-23), page 240
  47. ↑ Sonic the Comic, "6 January 1997" (UK; 1996-12-24), page 10
  48. ↑ Strana Igr, "Iyul 1997 2/2" (RU; 1997-xx-xx), page 88
  49. ↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Three" (UK; 1996-11-29), page 53
  50. ↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 27
  51. ↑ Ultra Game Players, "December 1996" (US; 1996-11-05), page 96
  52. ↑ Video Games, "10/96" (DE; 1996-09-25), page 88



Games in the Fighting Vipers Series
Arcade
 Fighting Vipers (1995) | Fighting Vipers 2 (1998)
Sega Saturn
 Fighting Vipers (1996) | Fighters Megamix (1996)
Sega Dreamcast
 Fighting Vipers 2 (2001)
Sony PlayStation 2
 Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers (2005)
Xbox 360
Sony PlayStation 3
 Fighting Vipers (2012)
Fighting Vipers related media
Music
 Fighting Vipers Original Soundtrack (1996) | Fighting Vipers Sega Saturn Original Soundtrack (1996) | Fighting Vipers 2 The Sound Album (1998)
Book
 Fighting Vipers Technical Manual (1996) | Fighting Vipers: Crimson Angel (1996) | Fighting Vipers Sega Saturn Manual 2: Biting the Vipers (1996) | Fighting Vipers: My Sweet Honey (1996) | (1997) Fighting Vipers Perfect Guide (1997) | Fighters Mega Books Mix Ultimate Guide (1997) | Fighting Vipers 2 Official Guide (1998)
Film
 Sega Official Video Library Vol. 1: Fighting Vipers (199x)
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