Tobal 2 1997

Is it still worth playing?

Fighters move freely around 3D rings, with high, medium and low attacks, grapples and blocks, in this 1997 fighting game for the PlayStation that was never released outside Japan. Each character has an unblockable projectile that costs health and can be charged, and timing specific moves extend chains and combos. All throws can be escaped. The Quest Mode takes you through dungeons of monsters, with a town to explore where you eat, sleep and shop, and it plays like a roguelike of six to ten hours. Defeated monsters can be captured and used as fighters, which gave the game a roster of over 200. It was the first game that worked with Sony's Dual Analog Controller. The backgrounds are pre rendered images that clash with the 3D rings. A Quest Mode with dungeons and a town, and a roster that grows with captured monsters, still gives it more to do than the ring fights.