Big Mech Energy! Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram! The Model 3 Game that went to Dreamcast

[@Zionfarm]

I won’t lie I love the hell out of the first version on Saturn. Later as an adult I picked up a full in box Saturn twin stick from eBay in the early 2010’s. Game is so fun.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s so much better with the twin sticks too

[@METR0lD]

I love that this is basically a 3D fighting game. Even some FGC tournaments have Virtua On side tournaments!

[@samhein321]

another good 3D mecha fighting game is Armored core 4 for answer, people still PVP it online thru emulation

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Not surprising coming from Sega

[@ImmortalGodEmperor]

I'm a big Virtual On fan actually lol. I love the little detail of Saturns in the virtuaroids (which I believe are Dreamcasts in the port). I played the original game a lot as a kid in Kennywood (Pennsylvania theme park with an arcade section). I'm curious if you ever actually saw or played the arcade version of Oratorio Tangram, as last I heard there was only 1 or 2 cabinets in all of North America. I first played Oratorio Tangram on the 360 port, which has an incredible dual stick controller from Hori if you can find them! That, afaik, is the best port with improved lighting as well as a lot of your other points about widescreen, 3 more virtuaroids (plus things like online play until 2017). I believe it was also on Naomi, which is why it had all the graphical improvements! This game has a ton of mechanical depth imo, not necessarily in the moves you can perform and their interplay like most fighting games, but you have to master dash vectoring, v armor, dash cancelling, tsubame gaeshi, just so much stuff, it easily rivals the best fighters! We need another Virtual On Sega (that preferably isn't a crossover with a light novel series or anything like Marz ugh)

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Game has a ton of depth. Some of which I don’t even know

[@ImmortalGodEmperor]

@@VideoGameEsoterica Hell yeah brother. But curious, did you actually play it in arcades here in the states? My understanding was there was only 1 or 2 machines for Oratorio Tangram imported to the US ever

[@chriswaters834]

I actually always found that it played fine with the Dreamcast controller.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It does but it plays even better with twin sticks IMO

[@llIZeroIIl]

Ah Gundam vs Gundam’s spiritual predecessor. I loved this game as a kid and I love GvG.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

We did get some fun Gundam games though

[@llIZeroIIl]

@@VideoGameEsoterica That we did! :)

[@davitron86]

Put so many hours into the version on Saturn. The music, the graphics, the design and the gameplay all just so good. I would love a longer single player version of this game.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

We need a new Virtual On. Sega are you listening?

[@ГригорийБуров-м1ъ]

Double joystick control was awesome on this one.remember playing it in cinema waiting for my movie (it was either reimi's spider-man or attack of clones)

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Game was def better than either of those movies lol

[@ГригорийБуров-м1ъ]

@@VideoGameEsoterica ouch!

[@Charlie-Cat.]

Now here's the series that help introduced me to the Gundam series growing up. What a fantastic game is it and made me want to build there model kits soon after as well. Thank you for sharing this with us VGE. It made my day. 8^) Anthony..

[@ajdothack]

Epic! One of the best sega figthers!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s def up there on the list

[@beingsupersonic7499]

Was going to say, I remember them messing up the controls on a Dreamcast controller yet they nailed it on the Saturn. Must revisit the Virtual On games soon! So cool. Also, I’ve always got the impression these games are more popular in Japan.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Always worth a revisit!

[@vitaAutLetum]

Really love seeing all these awesome Sega arcade games I've never seen before. Is it fair to say Sega was the king of arcades?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I think it’s safe to say it haha

[@GuntanksInSpace]

I'm lucky to have played this and the 5.66 version later on (though via Emulation, don't think we got the updated version on our arcades). Love the hell out of VOOT a lot (and the one way before, Operation Moongate). Hectic 2 player versus, tense cat-and-mouse of catching the other moving wrong. And for 1P, I've lucked out and 1 credit cleared this several times. Fun stuff! I have many, many notes on playing this. On the note of Bradtos the boss, you already get it that you just sidestep the initial volley of projectiles, then unload when the crystal is out and just dodge left/right. Don't even need to hit it with Melee, just tag it with right trigger weapon and it goes down within 2 cycles or less.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s def hectic and I love that about it

[@DehnusNorder]

I should have mentioned this earlier: That intro music! Love it! It just screams arcade and SEGA :P . This game always made me wish the Dreamcast controller had a second analog stick, as it makes it so much more enjoyable. :P .

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Sega nailed the music here for sure

[@mbe102]

0:18 today I learned that Mecha has a Sega Saturn embedded in it lmao, wow.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Extra powerful haha

[@StrawberryNUKE]

We need more like this

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Maybe Sega will remember this franchise exists

[@giovannimichelangelo6724]

Love this series

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

We could really use a new one soon

[@steezybeatz]

This game definitely deserves more love. A game from a bygone era. VO was built for twin sticks so trying to play it any other way will handicap you and make it tougher than it already is. The mechanics are deceptively deep, don’t let the simplistic premise fool you. You’ll get wrecked trying to run and gun in this game. There’s a poking/footsie fighter element to it where you have to find vulnerable times to punish the opponents movement and weaponize your own. You can jump cancel and turbo cancel to manipulate faster movement. Certain characters also get damage buffs at low health like K-groove in Capcom vs. SNK 2(this game did it first). I remember playing the original arcade cabinet once in the 90s and I never saw it again. The few people I’ve seen online who still own VO cabs in America seemingly preserve them in private collections or parade them at gaming conventions. The reasons I think this franchise fell off in America are because of game difficulty deterring newcomers, death of US arcades and Virtual On cabs had proprietary twin stick parts they don’t make replacements for. Once cabinets fell apart, US arcade owners started throwing them out and stripping them for parts. As a result Virtual On is gaming’s best kept secret. The game rereleased on Xbox 360 and PS4(Japan exclusive). You can also play it in the arcade in a Yakuza game.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

We need a new Virtual On one day. Maybe in VR. Sega are you reading this? Do it

[@steezybeatz]

@@VideoGameEsotericaThey announced they’re rebooting old franchises like Jet Grind Radio and Crazy Taxi. There’s a chance!

[@madson-web]

Virtua On was pretty loved in Asia. Not sure how is the state now though.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I rarely hear people mention it

[@madson-web]

@@VideoGameEsoterica This game deserves a lot more recognition. Such a classic!

[@mmmmigs]

awesome game, didn't know about Supermodel. looks like an impressive emulator! will check it out. another note, discord invite link seems broken for me.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Some invites are expired : discord.gg/skW5pYNn

[@IndubitablyRetro]

Did we just become best friends?! lol I love Virtual On!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Haha dunno. Do you also love High Life?

[@IndubitablyRetro]

@@VideoGameEsoterica I love that game!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I mean the beer lol

[@IndubitablyRetro]

@@VideoGameEsoterica you’re a Miller guy?! I would totally crack open a few with you haha.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

@IndubitablyRetro high life for life

[@Gorilla_Jones]

Love this game! Have it on Saturn and Xbox.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s a classic and a franchise Sega totally needs to give us a new game in. Preferably in VR

[@starlightrevenant]

This game (also called Oratan) is one of my favorite games to play on my Supermodel emulator, however when I use the new 3D engine it crashes, so I use the legacy graphics mode.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s def one of the most unique on the system

[@Dirk1Steele]

The game that demonstrated incredibly close Model 3 conversions to Dreamcast were possible. Amazing what happens when you don’t rush a game to meet console launch /farm it out to external developers….

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes we got some bad Model 3 ports just due to the fact they were rushed out the door to meet certain dates

[@sppspharmdude]

I love the idea of this game but I never feel I complete control due to the unique control input.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Gotta have twin sticks

[@PouchPotato]

I was so close to buying the dual sticks for this game! Crazy price though. Do you know if DualShock controller acts well as twin sticks? Fun-fact: The visual novel muv-luv has a dead ringer for virtual-on that features prominently and you even “play” it.

[@PouchPotato]

While we’re on the subject of mech games, how do you feel about Zone of the Enders? That’s a game that impressed me so much back in the day, and is still a great play.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Yes sadly they aren’t cheap these days but what is

[@warpedpolygon]

That boss is a space invader

[@Fredo63200]

VO:OT is Sega's best fighting game ever.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s def at least the best game called VO: OT lol

[@pablosantiago5711]

This could have been a perfect Gundam game

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Instead it’s a perfect Virtual On game haha

[@c2ironfist]

I never knew this was a Model 3 game Always thought it was a NAOMI and Dreamcast game Graphically I can't tell the difference between the Model 3 and the Dreamcast version They look identical Virtua Fighter 3 is probably my favorite Model 3 game seeing how it was the only Model 3 game I've ever played in arcades I do like Fighting Vipers 2 a lot but have only played that on the Dreamcast and not on Model 3 original hardware

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It translated well graphically as the art style lends itself to looking good on Dreamcast

[@c2ironfist]

@@VideoGameEsoterica one of the best looking Dreamcast game in my opinion I wonder now what the 360 port was based off of?

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

I’m not sure what code it’s based off of. Good question

[@vitriumGTS]

Ported from the Naomi 5.66 version since there's color customization (originally via VMU) in the arcade unit and 3 new virtuaroid units

[@vysethebold]

Ontario Targum

[@PopeTheRevXXVIII]

I suck at this game but I love it That's the franchise in general. The Dreamcast version is one of the better Model 3 conversions too

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

It’s funny when you suck at a game but that doesn’t mean you don’t love it

[@PopeTheRevXXVIII]

I have almost every entry too just missing Marz and games for consoles I no longer have.

[@rockhyde7775]

Fortunately though the game is on the PS4 but sadly only in Japanese. It’s also a digital-only title but I’m not bitching about that since it doesn’t have a monstrous file size or large price tag like some other big name games have. Yeah, some people are clamouring for a physical release of it and an English release. So worth the 15 bucks (about 2,000円) when it was on sale I bought along with Blade Arcus Rebellion which I had already physically (limited edition btw) on my Switch for the sake of travelling. It’s the reason why I made a JP PSN account in the first place, also to buy Japanese PS1 games digitally on my PS3. Wish they’d come to PS5 already. I’d die for Asuka Special, Gaia Seed and Little Ralph to be playable on the PS5 complete with online multiplayer, save states, rewind and trophy support. I also wish more classic Sega arcade titles were available to download on the PS5 and Series X besides Yakuza. All I need now is to buy a Twin Stick controller to use on my PS5 but I feel the controls of this release on a regular pad are much improved compared to the original release.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

People love physical games. Me included

[@soulezwan266]

Nah screw that I take all the risks 😂

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Haha also a fair strat

[@Ragesauce]

FIRST!

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

First to the mech dance

[@Tacos-oz6vx]

I bought the twin stick for my DC from Japan just to play this.

[@VideoGameEsoterica]

Wise investment. Really needs it