Darkstalkers - Fighting Game Retrospective

[@ThorgisArcade]

Hey everybody! Glad everyone is enjoying the video but one major thing I need to clear up. I have come to find out that I was wrong about the Felicia Elena connection. Everything else in the video is correct and I've double checked all of it, but yeah the Elena and Felicia thing was just me not knowing back then how to correctly check my sources.

[@tracyndiyob162]

happy 30th anniversary darkstalkers!!!(tbh there was so much overlap with capcom's series & elena's basically a human version of felicia just replace turning into a cat with using your energy to heal you/tiffany from rival schools almost debuted in 3 and a baoh character almost was wholesale used there could see somewhere it planned.:3) absolutely love this series as my favorite in capcom with the fast satisfying gameplay(would take the few games we technically have over the entirety of street fighter as a fighter/being 2nd to another dear to my heart series.) especially in 3 with it's,deliciously yummy cocktail mix of different tones for the stages/characters(feels like shonen jump going from one wild setting to another but welded so well being sexy,goofy,scary,heartwarming & so full of life in it's idle animations.),development having such HUGE respect for horror referencing it from concept to their names. how it worked in unique rival fights/secret characters,it's different versions(find cool they had the story continue in it/the vs. games where it shows morrigan after she fused with lilith being queen of makai.),it's crossovers(actually liked cross edge for while the main character sucked having morrigan with etna from disgaea as that series having a proper crossover with darkstalkers would be wonderful.:3) alongside other media like the ova's(love a sequel to it & street fighter the animated movie so much.:3)/manga/comics(alongside sota toys originally making figurines for the characters even dee would've liked to have seen the hd remix of darkstalkers as outside morrigan/lilith being evil for no reason love these comics & how they easily integrated it/other capcom series into street fighter's world that i'm glad the games are following up on.) and while not good find the cartoon enjoyably campy as i'd take it over street fighter(megaman i'd say was the best one as it still carried the spirit and like the trouble man main theme was included.). and personality in all the characters with the best story(lord raptor,sasquatch,victor,q-bee,b.b hood,jon talbain,anarkaris,jedah,anita & especially morrigan/lilith being my favorites not being too hard to get while being enjoyable.:3) in fighting games which capcom is very underrated for and this series deserves to fully return with a new game(wish that 4 teaser happened that actually was for a new game before inafune screwed it as it feels like mighty no. 9 was karma for that sadly canned/letting dmc reboot be greenlit.) with the passion the new heads have putting more to a series returning instead of only numbers(especially expecting huge numbers from a digital release that weren't going to meet that ridiculous number/a series that already got re-released on the same consoles.) as they have the dedication to show darkstalkers definitely especially ABSOLUTELY 100% aren't dead.

[@tomstreethello]

Nope. There is so much nonsense in this video that it becomes unhelpful; as much as I like the effort and focus on this game. Your video attempts to suggest on multiple occasions that this was effectively a combined Japanese and US effort. That is completely wrong. If you think that please demonstrate your credible sources. This was 100% designed and developed in Japan. Capcom USA were distributors only at the time and had no involvement in any stage of development of this title.

[@apex2000]

Shame. Oh well.

[@JOTAROOT]

Funny considering we had yet another re-release but this time it had Red-Earth in it so it's ok, lol. But since SF6 and the new heads are had fighter game love-magic in them (see Akira, Terry, Mai in Street Fighter) this makes me hopefully for a future Darkstalkers. I also love SF6 art direction (realistic with SF2 cover art charm) I feel like art direction for a possible new Darkstalkers would be swell.

[@TheBwing]

Got to disagree with you there.

[@Bladewielder10]

I actually booted up Dark Stalkers Resurrection at a Halloween party this year and everyone who tried it thought it was a fun game. The series definitely deserves another shot.

[@brandonwilliams6119]

You did God’s work showing off and spreading awareness of the series.

[@MrOrcshaman]

Fans were disappointed the resurrection wasn't a new game just the older game, but the originals are just so much fun it is worth replaying

[@BulletShaba]

If memory serves, Capcom renewed the copyright stuff for game rights last year so SOMETHING is in the works. speculative of course but still

[@Tezca-Coatl]

@@BulletShaba pretty sure they're just maintaining it, they're aware - but not to the point they believe in the franchise. capcom is notorious for being greedy..

[@BulletShaba]

@@Tezca-Coatl could be the case but is a bit ahead of the pattern for that. You are probably right but this could be different.

[@roger_towny_jr]

"Did we seriously make the evil Vampire who wants to kill all humanity our protagonist? People aren't going to cheer him on!" ...You'd be surprised.

[@spudsbuchlaw]

Just ask Tumblr

[@miguelaquiles2859]

Wryyyyyyy

[@RawrX32009]

​@@spudsbuchlawAs a Tumblr person, I can confirm

[@tsuneomccormick115]

Let me guess, Hellsing.

[@PepperPizzaPasta]

"Leading me to ask, *What does Japan have against Jon Talbain?"* I've been asking that question for years, they need to put respect on the dude's name, I miss him

[@JonathanWillow-zz7rb]

Looks a bit too much like Join Taliban.

[@nicholaslienandjaja1815]

For some reason, Jon Talbain is unpopular in Japan. I’m not sure why, since many wolf/werewolf characters are popular in Japan (just look at the anime movie Wolf Children and the many wolf-themed Rangers, villains, and monsters in Super Sentai).

[@ndjaelia]

I was a little girl wrapped up in the fighting game boom all in the arcade. God, what a time to be alive. I can honestly tell you there will never be another time like this ever.

[@captaincofthesky7157]

Imagine stumbling across a cool classic game when you're like 15 and absolutely loving it before finding out that the last game came out years before you were born. Its like finding a cool old house in the woods and falling in love with a corpse you found inside of it.

[@danielramsey6141]

That’s Dark…but totally in-line with how everyone feels about this series.

[@Chowder_T]

Grotesque... but oddly fitting imagery.

[@alargeshoe6298]

I played dark stalkers at an arcade at my friends house and got into the series, before i learnt it was made by capcom and lost all hope.

[@orlanzo2621]

I grew up playing it and had all of the games in the series. It’s a shame that after all of these years we STILL haven’t gotten a new game in the series yet SF has had release after release during that time frame.

[@lucas_lel917]

Relatable

[@karuiyagami7927]

"I got a really sneaky suspicion that it's gonna be another re-release" Oh boy, I got news for you.

[@jeremiegaming3034]

What news?

[@orangeslash1667]

@@jeremiegaming3034 Capcom Fighting Collection, has Darkstalker re-releases again.

[@omegastrike8812]

"Darkstalkers sold best in Japan and we wanted to have a huge impact globally" 50% of the rereleases and ports were Japan exclusive, and the fact the darkstalkers was like top 10 games each time they were in arcade doesnt really make sense to say that darkstalkers wasnt very popular outside of japan

[@blacklite911]

Yea. That was around the time when anime was more hard to get outside of Japan. So a lot of executive idiots kept looping in that self fulfilling prophecy mentality. I.E. They thought that the west wouldn’t like it so they just didn’t release it outside of Japan.

[@Stylez-13]

@@blacklite911 yes i had jo Jo's bizarre adventure for the Dreamcast and people say it was weeks anime like and fast forward to now anime is popular and Jo Jo is meme worthy and everyone knows it

[@headhazed7479]

@@Stylez-13 I think lost some braincells while reading this, I want reparations, mister.

[@Stylez-13]

@@headhazed7479 blame autocorrect 😂 will edit it eventually I'm lazy

[@jacobtietjen2099]

Welcome to Game CEOs, who make up shit that makes no sense to make less money

[@TBoneTony]

Japan: "We have made this design of a Female Vampire" America: "You already have a Vampire in your game, how about making her a Succubus?" Japan: "What's a Succubus" America: "It's a female demon that kills men by screwing them to death" Japan: "Hell yes lets do that." LOL

[@simplenlocal]

Average decision in japan

[@Izayoink_Saccuy]

Now you get 2

[@orangeslash1667]

@@Izayoink_Saccuy My problem with Darkstakers is that the sprite work is so over the top, that it might be too much work for Capcom to translate it into 3d. Since Street Fighter translates into 3d well already, Darkstakers has become less important to Capcom.

[@DemonicRemption]

@TBoneTony Now that I think about it, ever since DarkStalkers there's been quite a few Succubi in Japanese media like Kurumu Kurono and her mom in Rosario+Vampire, or the Succubi cafe in Konosuba, the teacher Raim in "Welcome To Demon School Iruma, Mayospell in Interspecies Reviewers. And that's just the anime I've seen and care to mention... My point is after Morrigan graced Japan with her existence, I don't think the numerous succubus to follow is a mere coincidence.

[@priscillam.t.6215]

@@simplenlocal Japan's least horny idea

[@ButIamAStick]

Human Brain: Sexy Sucubus Lady Monkey Brain: KUNG FU-WEREWOLF KUNG FU-WEREWOLF

[@johannesstephanusroos4969]

Return to monke

[@nyetloki]

Apes together strong

[@izenheimreborn6390]

How isn't this game back from that premise alone?! The concept of even ONE character is that good to someone who only learned this franchise today when I found this video and got curious. Everything about this game rocks and needs either a sequel or a modern collaboration or guest appearance such as Smash or Street Fighter 6 DLC

[@dnmstarsi]

​@@izenheimreborn6390 My guess is to Capcom, it doesn't make enough money compared to what's currently selling still and their definition of DLC.

[@izenheimreborn6390]

@@dnmstarsi I agree for the most part. There definitely is some room with just adding a character here, cosmetic there, or even a map or two just to test the waters, and capcom does have the bravery to take risks like a paid dlc of a dead franchise

[@Coramelimane]

"Victor literally attacks you with a big booty bump." Not just a big booty bump. Oh no. He has a three hit dial-a-combo based on LK -> MK -> HK which is a triple ass slap.

[@epicgamer-ny4fj]

You mean he's not only double cheeked up, he's TRIPLE cheeked up???

[@meguu_]

i love this comment

[@dragoredrox7493]

Victors grapple is the basis behind the hit hip hop song "Make it clap"

[@TonyEllen990]

"Triple ass slap". Priceless

[@GlitchanBlack]

@@epicgamer-ny4fj Victor, you can skip A leg day, holy shit.

[@pommybomber]

Sad thing about this? He was right about a rerelease happening, but not that we basically got TWO via Capcom Fighting Collection(which was 50% Darkstalkers) and season 2 of the Capcom Arcade which featured some more ports.

[@-cactus.raven-]

And the sad part? Probably sold like hotcakes, and still not even a glimmer of a new game

[@XanKreigor]

B.B. Hood was my favorite characters, simply because she perfectly represents humanity. Something supernatural and spooky out there that's a threat? Shoot it. It's still moving? THROW BOMBS AT IT. It's somehow STILL alive? MORE DAKKA! Even her backstory is pretty badass since she's described as being able to intimidate most darkstalkers just with her presence, even though she was a regular human.

[@ShibuNub3305]

Surprised she hasn’t pulled out a thermonuclear bomb tbh

[@DJAizakku]

To me, she’s a monster in her own right... which is extremely fitting in a game about monsters.

[@Shinmsl]

The concept of having Little Red riding hood and become a fucking psycho killer Hunter it's just genius 😅

[@driftingswordsmanzer]

B.B hood was my go too on MvC2 loved her dark nature and her combat. My favorite special was her drown in tears, I always thought that the grandma was an even more badass and vicious in her own right. I love Jon Talbain as well he was beast using martial arts to try to quell the beast within only to make him even more deadly. Darkstalkers needs to return!!!

[@Bubbble_Bear]

BB Hood is the one that stuck out to me ever since I was a kid, was it because I saw red riding hood clocking an uzi get landmines then have backup just shoot the crap out of whatever threat's out there? hell yeah she was awesome but as I grew up I guess I just appreciated her design choice more, also holy shit the sprites of these games are beautiful

[@StriderWolf]

John Talbain is like one of the best characters Capcom has ever made and they do literally nothing with him and seemingly hate him. It is so baffling to me that they could create a character so awesome and popular and just not want to do anything with him. Give us more Darkstalkers and Talbain Capcom.

[@pleaseshutup7053]

You speaking facts this video makes me want to play darkstalkers and use him

[@brookswilliams5239]

Right! He was my favorite character... Fei Long/Bruce Lee as a freaking WEREWOLF!???? HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE THAT IDEA!!!!????

[@sonictennyson2201]

When we getting the Jon Talabain Hack and Slash Spin-off game?

[@authorbat5562]

They hate him...??? They hate my boy?!? THEY HATE MY FLUFFY BOY?!?! WHAT??? EXPLAIN!!!

[@SceptileDude254]

@@authorbat5562 because he's not a big-tiddied anime waifu or.... Whatever japan sees in Hisen-Ko and... Anita. When the small emotionless child is more popular than her cool half-vampire Jojo character that really shows their ... Priorities. >_>

[@xLadyRaine]

“It would be another re-release” Capcom fighting collection XD

[@plasticbutler]

I feel like the concepts of Shadow and Marionette should've been flipped. Shadow should have been the mirror match. Like fighting your own shadow. And for Marionette, when you defeat an opponent, you take over and control their body like a puppet.

[@pious83]

Far more interesting ideas than Mokujin.

[@MIrfanPerdana]

@@pious83 I love Mokujin.... but you're right 😭

[@ikedatike2533]

@@pious83 heck I even consider combot more interesting especially his Tag 2 version

[@antwanefort]

And boy did you call it " If we get another Darkstalkers game , it will probably be a rerelease ." LOL With that being said. I am still getting Capcom Fighting Collection day one.

[@AceTrainerX3]

It's got the likes of Red Earth and Cyberbots to justify it this time, so I'm already on board.

[@Justin-be6be]

@@AceTrainerX3 I’d buy it just for darkstalkers collection tbh even though I can play on fightcade I need that switch version. And yea red earth and super puzzle fighter are gonna be lit

[@animezilla4486]

@@Justin-be6be that is definitely a buy for me as well

[@NoahDaArk]

@@animezilla4486 We have to make sure it’s a best seller if we want a new Darkstalkers game. The fate of the franchise is in our hands. We’ve got to make it count

[@toryficarola]

Same here and also for Gem Fighters & Red Earth

[@TheRealHoodedGeek]

This video is from a year ago since then, SF6 has exploded and EVO, a multi-game fighting game tournament, has become the single largest gaming event EVER THE BOOM IS BACK! ITS TIME TO BRING DARKSTALKERS BACK FROM THE DEAD, BABY!!

[@rockylopez7846]

Yeah, exactly!

[@MultiBoxingKid]

I mean, it’s Street Fighter. When it’s great, you know a new fighting game boom is coming.

[@thunderlord3747]

@@MultiBoxingKid Yea, followed up by MK1 and Tekken 8, this further proves that its possiblr,

[@idongesitusen5764]

Having seen Morrigan and Jeddah in M Vs. C- Infinite, I think it’s safe to assume a modernized Darkstalkers game would fatten Capcom’s wallets.

[@Cheezmonka]

19:53 Dude imagine John Talbain as a guest character in *Killer Instinct*. Getting to see JT and Sabrewulf in the same game would be incredible!

[@nicholaslienandjaja1815]

If they will make a Darkstalkers reboot, would like to see Killer Instinct characters as DLC guest fighters. My guess: Sabrewulf, Spinal, Riptor, Kan-Ra, or Hisako (note: Exclusive only to Xbox and Nintendo consoles). And speaking of Nintendo, my idea for another Nintendo-only DLC character: Raven Beak from Metroid Dread.

[@FieryAnubis]

I miss Darkstalkers so much. To be honest, I liked it better than Street Fighter back in the day, and I still do. I just love the idea of monsters fighting each other, and couple that with fun mechanics and really fun and fluid gameplay, and you have a winner in my eyes. I really hope the franchise makes as big, if not bigger comeback as Street Fighter did with SF4. Someday, somehow. I just want to see it happen in my lifetime.

[@Dragongeist]

Amen to that....looking down from the afterlife "dammit finally!*sob*"

[@pious83]

My only exposure to Darkstalkers is via crossover games. I'd love to see a collection someday. As in, a proper one. Maybe like Tekken 5 did with the previous entries. Although that would require a new game... :(

[@Lechgang]

Honestly I think most people who play both games prefer Darkstalkers

[@micmorgan84]

I saw the cabinet at a local pizzeria as a kid and it blew my mind

[@orangeslash1667]

@@pious83 My problem with Darkstakers is that the sprite work is so over the top, that it might be too much work for Capcom to translate it into 3d. Since Street Fighter translates into 3d well already, Darkstakers has become less important to Capcom.

[@masterxl97]

Darkstalkers might fit the “Stop! Stop! He’s already dead!” Meme more than any other video game franchise.

[@KomaJordan]

If Capcom doesn’t have faith in a series that always made me question “Why don’t you just sell them off if you don’t care about your IP” I bet Arc would work well with Darkstalkers

[@danielramsey6141]

Because they wouldn’t make money without that IP. If you ask me, we should do this like how Bloodstained did it’s own version of castlevania

[@iggydadawg9712]

Why would they sell a IP that they still profit from?

[@joshuafranklin5636]

Morrigan makes to much money for Capcom to let her go.

[@crapstirrer]

@@joshuafranklin5636 exactly. Morrigan is too deeply embedded in the various XYZ vs Capcom games for them to let go.

[@ButIamAStick]

I think they should let some other studio borrow the IP, they did that when they wanted to "westernize" so why not leave it in hands of people who have the reasurces?

[@Starwarsdude8221991]

“We made the evil vampire that wants to kill humanity the protagonist what where we thinking” Jokes on you I am into that shit!

[@gregvs.theworld451]

I can fix him.

[@animezilla4486]

My favorite character has to be Felicia not only because of her design because she also has a sweet personality and believes monsters and humans can get along with each other

[@geardog24]

Absolutely 😄

[@danielramsey6141]

No contest on the biggest Sexy/Sweet cinnamon roll of the Darkstalkers series :)

[@mirzapramudya1580]

She gives me big sister vibes and idk why

[@RoyalHustler09]

@@mirzapramudya1580 Well she did become a nun.

[@mirzapramudya1580]

@@RoyalHustler09 excuse me, *she wut*

[@Goblin_Hands]

I had "OmegaPyron" as my username for like 10 or so years, all in hope and anticipation for Darkstalkers 4. My uncle rented us Darkstalkers 3 from Hollywood Video and the game captivated me, but I didn't know what I witnessed being so young, I just had the sprites etched in my mind. Friends obtained copies over the years, adding to my desire to replaying it, but it wasn't until I got a job and PSP and noticed Chronicles existed that I finally owned my own copy. I did however, own the Episode 4 of the badass OVA and watched it religiously to the point of memorizing all of Pyron's quotes. I even made a website about him, haha.

[@deciduous_reaper]

guess Pyron was your favorite character then since for me ever since i used both Talbain and Morrigan for Talbain he was my original PSN avatar and Morrigan i had used her alongside with Spider-Man to represent my side of Marvel vs capcom and i even am getting a Bishojo figure of Morrigan soon

[@manniiac]

And not even a year later after the release of this video, the 6th re-release of this series comes in. You are a prophet.

[@dragonbornexpress5650]

Thankfully the re-release also included games like Red Earth, which never even left the arcade, but it's still kind of painful.

[@-cactus.raven-]

Ik,,,, JUST GIVE US A NEW GAME 😭

[@KagedStorm]

I play Resurrection through PS5s classics catalog and just bought the Capcom Collection on Steam. I'm just trying to do my part in seeing a new Darkstalkers lol

[@orangeslash1667]

@@-cactus.raven- My problem with Darkstakers is that the sprite work is so over the top, that it might be too much work for Capcom to translate it into 3d. Since Street Fighter translates into 3d well already, Darkstakers has become less important to Capcom.

[@-cactus.raven-]

@@orangeslash1667 logically yes, but also I want my hot fish man

[@Anko3342]

"Please, just don't put out a sixth re-release to test the waters." Well..Funny you're saying that...Because Capcom Fighting Collection is set to release June 24th, and lo and behold, it contains all 5 Darkstalkers games and it's very Darkstalkers oriented, even having its sister franchise on there, Red Earth. Oh boy ! (still glad since it tells they still care somewhat about Darkstalkers.)

[@ChapLagoon417]

Ah! I'm so excited for this. Darkstalkers is my all time favorite series. The most underrated, wasted potential piece of beauty in fighting game history. If I could, I'd buy it and make 300 games. Thanks, Aaron.

[@arbitrarynumbers18]

"Without Darkstalkers, we would not have Crab Fight" liked and subscribed instantly.

[@Lukz243]

I didn't expect they'd use Disney and Hanna-Barbera as references for animations, they feel like different animation schools of thought (the former being focused on full animation while the other is iimited animation). Anyways, the animation of the series is gold. I LOVE THEM

[@Kozoku]

I would've been fine with them making a "new" Darkstalkers game with the UMvC3 engine. It already has the fast paced mechanics that the series was known for plus the conversion to 3d characters worked so well with the Darkstalkers characters that were used in it.

[@SAPProd]

So looking forward to this! Your Build the Roster for Darkstalkers 4 led me to your channel, and knowing you’re as big a fan of the franchise as I am has kept me in anticipation of this video, especially after your fantastic Rival Schools Retrospective. Short of Capcom making a surprise announcement for a comprehensive collection & sequel in the future, this is the perfect way to finish Halloween this year!

[@Goblin_Hands]

@Audrion Irks How did he mess with Morrigan?

[@warrenbradford2597]

Same here.🙂

[@garuelx8627]

Listen to this man, Capcom. He is just one of billions of people including myself that want a true sequel to a game you've been rereleasing since 1997... Also stop giving Talbain/Gallon the shaft.

[@dheagle11]

Hell listen to this man capcom , the treatment that talbain got after darkstalkers was outright criminal

[@AllDayDavis]

"Billions" may be an exaggeration

[@dheagle11]

@@AllDayDavis but not by much tho

[@garuelx8627]

@@AllDayDavis Most likely since there's only around 8-9 billion people on the planet, lol

[@warrenbradford2597]

@@dheagle11 CRIMINAL!!!

[@raionbomber75]

I always heard of how important Darkstalkers added so much to fighting games as a whole, thanks for your video that easily explains it for me to understand.

[@imofage3947]

Considering how Japan is basically Earth's pervert uncle, I find it hard to believe that a room full of Japanese dudes had no idea what a succubus was. But the reaction is credible.

[@MIrfanPerdana]

I mean, succubuses don't exist in Japanese culture, and unlike vampires, werewolves, zombies, or mummies, there aren't a lot of media focusing on them, especially back in the mid '90s.

[@Hecatom]

Perhaps they didn't know the non japanese word.

[@VersaceJesus]

The origin of anime catgirls like Felicia is Japanese mythology about demonic bipedal cats that would take the form of prostitutes and seduce men. So Felicia was the obvious "succubus" archetype to the Japanese developers. When she switched personalities with Morrigan, it became more comedic that the big titty catgirl was a naive convent orphan.

[@nopeclass6]

i can't unsee it now, r/TIHI

[@imofage3947]

@@Hecatom Surely they have some roughly equivalent monster.

[@sasha1mama]

Huitzilapochtli is pronounced like "Weetzla poked Lee", since you asked. 👍 The Mórrigan is actually the celtic goddess of death and battlefields; often depicted as a huge crow with red eyes, she is Chooser of the Slain, selecting whose soul among dead warriors is fit to pass on to an afterlife in the fields of Tír na Nog. Shares a lot of parallels with Odin's valkyrir in Norse mythology, due to a shared cultural origin between the Celts and the Norse on the European mainland thousands of years ago.

[@SandwitchZebra]

There’s a bit of a hope spot here. All five of the arcade Darkstalkers games got to be in the Capcom Fighting Collection from 2022 which advertised them as its main selling point, plus some of them got to be in other countries for the first time. Probably didn’t sell enough to justify a new game right now, but it does show Capcom hasn’t forgotten about the games yet. With SF6’s massive success, perhaps we haven’t seen the last of the Darkstalkers…

[@WilfredCthulu]

I like to see the story connection between the first two games as like Dimitri was originally gonna do some shit but then Pyron who was a much greater threat came right as he was starting up so he was like "Ah dammit I guess we all have to take care of this."

[@owensreviews625]

What better way to wrap up Thorgiween than to once again bring attention to a franchise that Capcom has barely acknowledged.

[@derrickhaggard]

Besides this series and Dino Crisis I wish Capcom would bring back Onimusha I mean the PS4 rerelease of the first game actually did well proving that there we are still fans of Onimusha and would happily buy a new installment or at the least updated rereleases of 2: Samurai's Destiny, 3: Demon Siege, and Dawn of Dreams. Heck the story of the making of the first game is an interesting one as Onimusha: Warlords started out as the original concept of Resident Evil 0 no am I not making that up when Capcom Japan had Shinji Mikami and his team get ready to start production of RE3: Nemesis, Shinji and his team came up with ideas for several spinoff titles that would've been released on the PS1 including a game starring Hunk, a game set on a cruise ship that would years later become RE: Dead Aim for the PS2, and canonical prequel game set in Feudal Japan whose plot was a male Samurai, and his Kunoichi partner were tasked by a feudal lord to investigate a mysterious manor infested with zombies and other various monsters however the proposed RE prequel game would be delayed into missing being one of the final releases on the being phased-out PS1, and instead released as a launch title for the upcoming PS2 and further developments for the PS2 would see the game have it's original plot concept along with most elements connecting it to the RE franchise be removed and reworked into the survival-horror/action classic released at launch for the PS2 as Onimusha: Warlords.

[@Ken-zg3ze]

Finding this channel literally made my day. The inflection in your speech is perfect for narration.

[@DippedInInk]

Amazing documentary of a timeless unappreciated classic. I miss playing this. Very unique game that was brilliantly done.

[@pleaseshutup7053]

Very unique indeed

[@Pinko-Diamond]

Darkstalker 3 still has a pretty decent tournament scene. For poverty pizes. At least pre covid. And I see people on fightcade playing it.

[@bulb9970]

So Capcom wanted to have Street Fighter 4, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Street Fighter X Tekken and Darkstalkers 4 all going on at the same time in 2011, effectively dividing their fighting game sales by 5? Sometimes I wonder how this company is still alive.

[@chrisc5461]

The Saturn release of Vampire Savior deserves a mention as it was far closer to arcade quality than the PS1 version, but also the first console release to be exclusive to Japan.

[@SuperKokuJin916]

As someone who owned both consoles (PS1 first btw) I can concur that the Saturn conversions Capcom made were better than their PS1 versions. Then it was perfected with the 4MB RAM expansion cart. Saturn Vampire Savior was even superior to the arcade version by combining the rosters of Savior 1&2 (ditto with Alpha 3)! Funny thing is, I had friends at the time that still tried to make excuses for the PS1 version of XvSF after playing the Saturn version. 🤣

[@Leynx-Et-Fenrir]

A Japanese Saturn, the 4MB card and Darkstalkers: VS...Ultimate bliss

[@SacredSoundTherapy-p8c]

B.B. Hood was my favorite characters, simply because she perfectly represents humanity. Something supernatural and spooky out there that's a threat? Shoot it. It's still moving? THROW BOMBS AT IT. It's somehow STILL alive? MORE DAKKA!

[@spudsbuchlaw]

Why is this comment copied?

[@Jsslade]

​@@spudsbuchlawthe world may never know

[@TidalVex]

Yeah I don't get why Talbain doesn't get as much respect rom Capcom. He's clearly popular (especially in the west) and if you think about it he's one of the most heroic/good guy characters of the series, so he'd be perfect as protagonist of a new installment, maybe just behind Felicia because she's the second most popular character behind Morrigan. Also I love the thumbnail of this video, it perfectly captures the dynamic that Talbain and Felicia have.

[@akilcharles3473]

Honestly I always thought Talbain was more if the protagonist of Darkstalkers cause like Donovan he is trying to fight the monster inside. Also I always often thought him and Felicia make a cute couple(even though ones a cat and the other a dog).

[@TrollAppears2nd]

@@akilcharles3473 Jon and Felicia never interacted with each other in canon. Then again most people asking for DS or watching this video never played DS to begin with...

[@akilcharles3473]

@@TrollAppears2nd I mean not in game but I've seen them interact in comics and that one anime (but just as friends).

[@Neogears1312]

It’s because Japan hates him. While I don’t know overall why I know a big reason is he’s kind of a complete bitch to fight. He’s top 3 in all games in the series. Any other reasons I’ve never heard an explanation on.

[@blacklite911]

@@Neogears1312 he’s the most unga bunga character in an unga bunga game. I usually don’t even like those characters but everything about his design felt so right.

[@rylkalthewolf4825]

Now with the Capcom Fighting Game Collection coming out this summer, I now want a response video of this to happen. Not only we're getting all 5 Darkstalkers titles, going to get Pocket Fighter, Red Earth, and so on. Despite the controversy, this is the only time and chance to get a possible physical copy of these games, and best time to play these games online as well. It's a longtime coming, but this could be Darkstalkers' last chance for a possible sequel. As there might be a chance we might see Red Earth characters jump in to join the character roster for Darkstalkers.

[@kuhtheakumin]

BB Hoods lore is so cool, it feels like it takes inspiration from half upon a time but then again everyone atleast once imagines fairy tale protags as bad guys

[@wookie1123ify]

It’s 2024 and I’m 24 yrs old. I e seen these characters here and there and I grew up playing fighting games. My first was killer instinct gold on N64. I just found out about this game and I’m hooked. Lately I’ve been playing MVC3 but I enjoy Vampire1.

[@alejandrotti10]

“You know? I’ve been there too, and I looked down to my own grave. I was sure my days were gone, and I accepted my fate with a lot of frustration. It was lone and harsh. But then, I’ve met a friend. She told me something like this: “Why so sad, little one? Look up and see what you’ve become. Fans adore you not just because you’re the trend of the year. You inspired them, you’ve formed a legacy, and you’ve formed a world people want to get into once more. So don’t just lay in there crying for your death; stand up, always, for your people. Even if you feel you don't deserve it. Isn’t that what inspired them in the first place?” Suddenly, I had the right call. You were right; my story wasn’t over. I had more to fight, and so you do. So, Morrigan… Stand up.” -Megaman, probably.

[@Diwasho]

26:15 In an interview with Guilty Gear creators they said they made GG so flashy and fast like that because at the time all the fightings on the market were slow, samey and grounded so they wanted something different that wasn't done before. I did wonder "what about DarkStalkers" but assumed that DS didn't yet release at the time of GG's start of development. However, now that I'm reminded just how early in the 90's DS actually came out, yeah, it's weird that GG's makers didn't acknowledge it as an influence.

[@kogazor]

38:30 the "big spiralling circle" is a Moebius strip, a non-orientable surface with only a single side. A mathematical and geometric oddity, and a metaphysical and alchemical symbol showing that everything is in everything.

[@pap64]

Everybody ready to buy all three games again in another Capcom Collection on the Switch, PS4, XBOX and Steam???? BECAUSE I SURE AM!!! WE MAY BE EATING RE-HEATED MEALS BUT WE EATING! BRING THE DARKSTALKERS ON!!

[@tekgeekster]

I love the over the top expressions in dark stalkers. The eye bulge really sells the feeling of sudden surprise pain of getting the wind knocked out of you after a heavy hit, or getting kicked in the dick basically. It's attention to detail like that I wish more fighting games did.

[@SkinkFly]

Capcom announces Capcom fighting collection and all I can think is back to this 1:23:08

[@Anonymous-73]

This is probably the only fighting game I’ve ever seen where every single character is really interesting and unironically kinda cool

[@MrStrikecentral]

It's things like this that really piss me off. I'm not big into fighting games, but I would KILL to have another Darkstalkers made! There's a whole slew of creatures they could still add to the roster: they could make a lich, skeleton, a goblinoid character, dryad, satyr, dragon, slime, harpy, lamia, centaur, arachnid, dinosaur, genie, poltergeist, sphynx, fungus, unicorn, on and on and on...

[@dragonlord6484]

@ThorgisArcade I really hope you see this comment. This year, 2024, is the 30th Anniversary of Darkstalkers. You have a series called "Let's Make a Sequel". This July or this October, it is time for you to do "Let's Make a Sequel for Darkstalkers 4" you already made the roster on "Build the Roster" so you can carry that over. Then commission artists to make brand new Darkstalkers characters to add to the roster and finally, craft the story, arcade endings alternate costumes, DLC, stages, and everything for a possible Darkstalkers 4! Make it your biggest and least realistic Darkstalkers video ever!!! Please, I am begging you! Capcom probably won't do anything so for the 30th anniversary all of us Darkstalkers fans are relying on you to give us the best possible Darkstalkers content that you can make for the 30th anniversary! The anniversary is on July 12th.

[@caseyogden9268]

is the lord of dragons pleased with his thorgships new video?

[@dragonlord6484]

@caseyogden9268 yes! He did not disappoint!

[@melasnexperience]

Man, I miss this series. My happiest arcade memory was when I was playing Darkstalkers 3 in a mall arcade that was mostly empty. I tried BB Hood in a "what can this kid do" way, and after I burst out laughing when she pulled out a machine gun, the attendant gave me free play tokens cuz he was happy someone was enjoying themselves. I do wish that they'd kept Lilith's original fallen half-angel background. She could still serve Jedah. Also, I'll give the Western cartoon one credit - they gave Morrigan a Scottish accent, which was more than the anime dub tried.

[@canyontheman]

23:19 i can confirm this. i hated horror/halloween related stuff before i found darkstalkers, and now i love it

[@ladynikkie]

I remember in one video Maximilian Dood quoted something that was true about darkstalkers "the characters pretty much overshadowed their own game." Honestly I felt a new darkstalkers game would have been released at the time Street fighter 4 came out if they gave it the same treatment like that giving it a more horror element have a few guest characters like Dante or Nemesis, I think it would have worked.

[@Ali-fs7ze]

Here after the Fighting Game Collection was announced. Guess what they're re-releasing AGAIN. And I'm gonna buy it, cause I still haven't given up hope, Damn it.

[@basurama555]

Gonna buy it just for Red Earth alone.

[@VxnnxeThaRapper]

I just recently got into the story and games and this will be my first time buying it in hopes of a new Dark Stalkers

[@nikboyd8636]

Will that have online?

[@Ali-fs7ze]

@@nikboyd8636 Yes with rollback

[@Blank-ho7di]

I'm buying since it will be my first time with darkstalkers and all the other games

[@finaljustice3848]

Darkstalkers is easily one of the most memorable Capcom games I owend growing up. It has so much personality and character and it was fun to play. I neve realized there was so much lore and backstory to each character. Its amazing so much creativity went behind the creation of this game I think it was ahead of its time. I wish Capcom would create engaging and culturally rich games again.

[@Gep_05]

GODDAMN IT CAPCOM JUST GIVE US A NEW DARKSTALKERS

[@GladDestronger]

well darkstalkers ressurection was set up fail from the start. it was hardly advertized (only saw 1 small article in game informer/plus youtube promos/that was it), overpriced, for an arcade based port thats pretty much what i own my PSP (released back in 2007).

[@Diwasho]

Even yet another re-release would be welcome at this point. As much as they did oversaturate the re-releases throughout the 00's we haven't had one in a decade by now. Don't know if you can play Resurrection on PS5 but I'm pretty sure the X360 release of it is not playable on Series X/S anymore.

[@rylkalthewolf4825]

Well, we got the Capcom Fighting Classics Collection coming out in late June of this year. Which includes all 5 Darkstalkers releases. Along with Red Earth, Pocket Fighter, Puzzle Fighter 2, and so on. Clearly they're noting on giving the franchise one last chance. And will be sold on all current platforms. Including PC. So for the summer drought of game releases, this might fill the void for anyone who had interest on playing the franchise, and perhaps seal the fate of IPs in the collection.

[@victorteste5325]

Did you say "another re-release"?

[@abdelali9279]

44:16 everyone wondering why Demitri used Midnight Bliss to turn BB Hood from jailbait to legal Demitri: Because professionals have standards. BTW, without Midnight Bliss we wouldn't have female Terry Bogard on SNK Heroines, let that sink in.

[@lissaquon607]

But he turns hseninko into two girls who are even younger. So...yea nah boy don't got standards.

[@PsyrenXY]

​@@lissaquon607hsien-ko is a fusion that he undoes during MB

[@opadrip]

He just turns people into whatever kink he's feeling that day. Demitri is just freaky like that.

[@Alfred_the_doodler]

Dude appreciate the whole video. I literally just watched this because of capcom releasing that new collection with all the darkstalkers on it. Now that I watched this. This collection is really the 6th re-release….. god damn. A new darkstalkers seems so far away now, will always love this series tho

[@warrenbradford2597]

9:12-10:14 The fact that the characters of Darkstalkers gives off this feeling is incredibly appropriate. This video game series is listed in TV tropes as a prime and perfect example of the Monster Mash trope. The "Monster Mash" trope itself is listed as a sub-trope in the crossover index the website have. This makes sense, because each monster archetype represented in this trope originally conceptualized by different artists with different influences of their own. Each monster coming from different horror stories unrelated to one another. This is not to say Darkstalkers is a crossover in of itself, it just means that the feeling the series gives off helps makes it more diverse than it otherwise would. It helps each playable character be more unique than they otherwise would be. Darkstalkers is kind of like a crossover. It is almost like Capcom have already created their own crossover before they have done any actual crossovers the Darkstalkers later appeared in. Heck, I became aware of the Darkstalkers series when I did research on where the playable characters of Marvel VS. Capcom 3 come from. This may still be just a coincidence, but this is what I love most about Darkstalkers. I am a fan of crossovers myself. If I want to create a work of fiction that give off this crossover feeling, then I need the influence of other artists to achieve that. And I got to make sure the origin stories are made by different writers as well.

[@rodrigomorales563]

Jon and Felicia do be gaming though.

[@orlanzo2621]

Outstanding retrospective man! Darkstalkers never got the recognition and respect it really deserved, it was always in the shadow of SF. It's a shame that we haven't gotten a new game since the late 90's, it's absolutely criminal.

[@Cam10_84]

Achivements numbers on fighting game are pretty low in general for offline and online. Strive has a achievement for beating a cpu in versus and only has 32%. Almost every SFV achievement has lower than 30% except completing the tutorial at 92%.

[@captainmalice]

That's weird.

[@SireForseti]

@@captainmalice probably because everyone just instantly hop into ranked / online

[@Guitar-Dog]

Tekken has well has low achievement percents. Stuff like do your Rage Art (super) 10 times. Or stage interactions like wall break or floor break, will only have 40% or less completion

[@javierortiz82]

It's weird, I play on steam and I have quite a few games in which the only achievements I lack are the online ones, but it's because simply isn't people there to play to begin with.

[@irontrids]

30% is already pretty high, ngl

[@RichJake391]

Anyone coming to this after the announcement of the Capcom Fighting Collection? I'm so hyped to try out the Darkstalkers franchise now.

[@derpingflamingo]

I'm hyped as well so I got a head start playing the game on fightcade lol

[@Anonymous-73]

Poggers

[@ZappBranniglenn]

The next Darkstalkers should have Lady Dimitrescu as a guest character. Hey, Resident Evil already had a Viktor cameo, it's time to return the nod.

[@brookswilliams5239]

Really? In what game did they have a Viktor cameo? I never played the RE series

[@ZappBranniglenn]

@@brookswilliams5239 In the multiplayer game REsistance there's an abandoned horror amusement park stage with a room vaguely alluding to frankenstein. Only the statue of Frankenstein is Viktor. Here's a video showing it off. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqPGiomvYsmFiqM

[@brookswilliams5239]

@@ZappBranniglenn cool thanks for the info!

[@bondfall0072]

7:55 havent completed the video yet but the mental image of a boardroom full of japanese salarymen discovering what a succubus and exploding with approval is hilarious

[@Ciretwo]

I will always hold out hope for a new one. I was there when that beautiful trailer was released. The guy that has replaced Ono has stated in bringing back older franchises in one form or another.

[@opadrip]

Can you imagine if the Universal deal went through? And characters like Morrigan didn't exist, so we ended up with Dracula and Frankenstein in Marvel vs Capcom 3?

[@picilifedeath]

I have a theory that a new Darkstalkers game was being made but when Bandai Namco agreed for the crossover all production stop and some of the resource ended on Street Fighther x Tekken. Such as: Chain Combos Jin having a Jedah style projectile

[@gregvs.theworld451]

As someone who doesn't know anything about Darkstalkers, I'm excited to watch this retrospective. I love the ones you've done on other series. I learned so much from your recent Alpha retrospective. I feel bad for Darkstalkers fans that Capcom has seemingly abandoned this series. I forget who, but I heard someone say of Rival Schools that if Capcom won't make more of them, at least let more Rival School characters join Street Fighter. I wonder if Darkstalkers could get the same treatment. I mean, SF already has an Indian rubber man and a green Brazilian beast man, so monsters aren't that crazy to imagine in the SF universe. Maybe Capcom should let some DS characters cameo in SF6 as playable DLC if they aren't going to make a new DS game any time soon.

[@bbbeamuhhh]

I just love seeing the thumbnail whenever this shows up in the recommended videos

[@SpaceLandslip]

watching this is really funny after the release of the Capcom Fighting Collection, which was basically a Dalkstarlkers collection with a few bonus games that they didn't want to call a Darkstalkers collection

[@LowellLucasJr.]

Special fun fact: Morrigan's completed design was inspired from Devil Lady and Vampirella, which helped accentuates her lovely, yet seductive, personality! ❤ 😈

[@IThinkIStoleYourSandwich]

This channel is absolutely goated, the passion and effort out into these videos is top tier and videos like these make me go out of my way to find as many fighting games as I can. I may be trash, and won't likely get many online achievements, but I still always have a blast. Channels like this have reminded me not only that fighting games are an old favorite of mine but also why. I'm mostly into RPGs these days but I've been loving going back through fighting game history

[@wildercerrate7295]

What’s crazy is how marketable darkstalkers is for modern audiences. People fucking love dark stuff mixed with silly/cute stuff and darkstalkers is filled with that. I’m surprised Sasquatch isn’t a marketable plushy found in every toy store at this point. Look at five nights at Freddy’s and all the other horror franchising making the big bucks right now. I mean we live in a post “Wednesday” world

[@Juju2927]

True. With how the new "Horror hype" on the Internet happened, I'm surprised we don't have a new Darkstalkers were some characters are an Animatronic, a giant toy or even a Slender man rip off.

[@vermillion8776]

If they make a new Darkstalkers game, Jon would make a solid protagonist. Justice for my boy WereBruce Lee

[@MHSchonberg]

This is a great video, a deep dive into one of my favorite fighting game franchises with some details I’d actually not even heard before like the Felicia/Elena connection! Unfortunately, it didn’t reach 7 million views in the first day of its release so you should never make another Fighting Game Retrospective. At least, that’s what Capcom would say.

[@ManDudeMcHumanGuy]

As someone who doesn't play Darkstalkers, I've always thought of, after maybe Morrigan or Felicia, Jon Talbain as one of the most iconic characters from the series. I'm surprised he never shows up in any crossover games. Edit: well, I definitely wrote this a couple minutes into the video, about 20 minutes before he literally says the same thing.

[@Raijinshou1954]

Demitri, Morrigan, Hsien-Ko, Felicia, Bulleta, Q-Bee, Lord Raptor and Pyron were in the Project X Zone series

[@DanielSanGMR]

That was really informative, and sad... Hope someday we get a new Darkstalkers game. Thanks for all the effort making this video

[@Michafrar]

When the quality of the video has the same love and care put into it as the old capcom team did with darkstalkers

[@P0tluck]

I've grown to love the style of the Darkstalkers series. I never got into traditional fighting games hardcore, but Darkstalkers 3 got me into pursuing fighting games on a level more than a casual, and it has been a great gaming experience since, and unlocked a whole genre to me that I felt was impenetrable before

[@hermit6123]

1:14:53 It's not speculation. There was a new Darkstalkers in the works at the time. F.A.N.G. from Street Fighter V was originally one of the new characters to appear in that game; but since the character was liked by the artists and developers so much; he was reused for SFV.

[@Clownbelt-u2s]

Wonder what kind of horror creature he was supposed to play?

[@ratedr7845]

That's why he looks so different from everyone else in SFV, he was made for a different game

[@tableprinterdoor]

18:33 Kazuya Mishima is also a good example of a villain protag

[@p6mkq]

Felicia and Morrigan rock even today. I loved sketching Felicia when I was a kid. She has divine curves, a tender heart and a very gentle, admirable personality. Loved this game - Chronicles of the Shadow Tower - on my psp.

[@wonderlandzer0]

So, story time for me. When the Capcom Fighting Collection came out, that was my first time ever playing a Darkstalkers game and I loved every second of it. I knew of Morrigan, Felicia, and BB Hood through Marvel vs Capcom 2 as they were my team when I played from as a child to adulthood. I had no idea who they were, I just knew I loved all of them. When my dad told me they were from their own game I wanted to play it as soon as I could. However, for one reason or another we didn't have a PS3 so never picked up Resurrection, therefore, I forgot about the dream of wanting to play (we were mostly a Nintendo household anyway). Fast forward to now, and after playing it for the first time, I am just saddened at the fact the series never got anything else. Everything is there: the characters, story, infinite possibilities for new monsters, a fandom, and much more. There's so much love for this game and its insane to think Cap com l refuses to do anything for it (desire putting Morrigan in literally everything they can). I do wonder if they care about the franchise at all at this point. It feels like they simply just don't want to do it even if there is a demand for it. I bought the Fighting Collection for Darkstalkers and bought all 3 of the Bishoujo figures recently released. I wonder if one day Capcom will take the chance and actually put effort into a series that paved the way for a lot of fighting games.

[@FamousTattoosMA]

This video was packed full of knowledge. Absolutely epic! Thank you for all your hard work on this, and fingers crossed for a new game some day.

[@Thedesertguy75]

Love these older games. And darkstalkers was always a blast! I love this type of character design and animation better than modern. It just looks more alive. The animation is so fluid... And creative!

[@A-1-Sawce]

Just pre ordered a physical copy of that Capcom Fighting Collection. Cannot wait to get back down on some Dark Stalkers, eagerly looking forward to it.

[@yokaiwatcher8500]

Strangely attractive for a fish man is what broke me, I could follow everything in the lore of this series, up to strangely attractive for a fish man

[@Jay-hb2mu]

Holy shit there should be a darkstalkers anime made by trigger.

[@nyetloki]

NO! they would leave a cliff hanger then cancel the series!

[@PhenomsServant4]

@@nyetloki Thats Gainax. Trigger will only make one season and end the series in space.

[@Balmungxcx]

Can't wait for the return in 4 months with the Capcom Fighting Collection! Roll-Back Netcode and Ranked across all the games!

[@1100jared]

Perhaps this is the beginning of a new era. Maybe… *Darkstalkers are not dead*

[@Buraunia]

Came to re-watch this video now that they released a trailer for that new fighting game collection.