Liquid Metal: A Virtua Fighter 3 Retrospective

A retrospective on what was once the most technologically advanced videogame on the planet, Virtua Fighter 3. All in-game footage captured from a real Sega Model 3 arcade PCB.
If you enjoyed this video, please take a look at my retro-infused sci-fi novels here:
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[@scarvello]

These youngsters will never know the golden days

[@ajmetz82]

This is the golden day - finally seeing in video what I only saw in still screenshots back in the day! =D. Remember drooling over all this in the Arcade news section of CVG mag in the day, =).

[@zeroXshinobi]

VF4 review in the future? Best video I’ve seen this year especially that intro. Brings me back to that era somehow….

[@Snowy265]

Seeing this game for the very first time in '96 blew my f*ckn mind. I couldn't believe it was real time graphics, it looked like the same quality as a cgi fmv, it really was a technical marvel at the time. I still really love this game, you really captured it well with this great retrospect.

[@FIGHTERSCHOICEArcade]

Your game retrospective videos are great bro! Keep it up! 😎

[@woods9290]

Here from Some Ordinary Gamer

[@nvidiaclips]

me too lmao

[@ilypo]

Did he make a video shouting this out? Can't seem to find anything

[@John-tk6wd]

Virtual fighter 3 graphics were so smooth and ahead of its time. Gone were the polygons. Loved the beach stage. Amazing. Used to play it in an arcade then got it for Dreamcast. Good times

[@Final_Fantasy_7]

All of that in real time with polygons....Sega truly was ahead of it's time

[@clowcell7559]

Love the video! I wish VF3 got more attention. I want to find more analysis about its systems and changes from old fighting game nerds. Nothing I find ever goes deeper than "janky stages". There's lots of fighting games I have this issue with, but VF3 feels like one of the most egregious ones. VF was so big back in the day and 3 is this weird break from tradition and whether the changes were good or bad, I want to know more about them!

[@retromuel]

Yeah a lot of the real hardcore players don't like the inconsistency of the stages, presumably because they can't predict what's going to happen as easily, it introduces a more random element to the game and P2 or P1 can have an advantage depending on the stage. It does have its fans though amongst the hardcore if you look at the forums at virtuafighter.com for example, and it's had a bit of a revival in Japanese arcades in the past few years apparently! For me it's fast and flowing and I actually enjoy the slight unpredictability and having to adapt your style on the fly. The physics are very advanced for their day too. Thanks for watching.

[@thesch2867]

Most of the VF3tb content on the internet is Japanese, most of the english speaking people who took the game seriously just aren't the type of people who would make videos, they're just not around or are too old. If you want videos that talk about VF3's mechanics and early competitive history I'd recommend watching these 2 videos, turn on captions btw: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ineonJaEmK6fh7c kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp2oqGePYst2bsU This guy goes in depth with some of the biggest system changes, I personally think the changes VF3 made to gameplay made it better than 2. VF3 was the first VF that allows throw escaping directional throws, in VF2 you could only escape neutral throws. That alone makes 3 a much better game than 2.

[@Grandmastergav86]

@@retromuel I don't like VF3 because it feels like Tekken. Tekken is a series that always feels like it's wrangling control away from the player (in a very cheap way) and while I wouldn't say that's quite the case with VF3 (to the same extent), the game just doesn't feel finished (a bit like most Tekken titles). It was very graphically impressive for the time, the new sidestep mechanic was cool and it was a title that many gamers (myself included) looked at as the "next generation". When I came to playing it....I wasn't as impressed. There seemed to be greater input latency than VF2, I'm still not a fan of Taka-Arashi or Aoi, the latter cause I'm painfully average at the game (despite loving the series) and the former cause the character just isn't that interesting for me.

[@JEY74]

At that time i dreamed of watching virtua fighter 4 on the Dreamcast...

[@ReivaxU]

You and I ...many of Us!

[@GAZZ707]

Virtua Fighter 4 was originally on the NAOMI 2 hardware so that's something 🙂👍

[@kwizzeh]

Plenty of sacrifices would need to be made but there's no doubt in my mind that Dreamcast probably could run VF4.

[@VirtuaBros]

Excellent video once again. Your work is always such high quality. I've come around on vf3. It's got an experimental charm to it that has made it all the more endearing over the years.

[@alexdominguezleiva2102]

Cuando ví por primera vez la secuencia de Dural no podía creerlo, era hermoso! Por este juego me compré una Dreamcast...

[@TheBeird]

I had 3tb on the Dreamcast, and I didn't take to it. I think that was more a me problem tho, because I got it towards the end of the Dreamcast life which meant I'd been playing Soul Calibur for years. Not the same obviously, but that game captured my imagination and soaked up all my time in a way 3tb was never going to match. Good game tho, and I always liked the uneven surfaces

[@AdamDoree]

I’m totally with you - VF3 was a star of the series, not the black sheep. Nothing had the same awe factor for its time before it - or ever since.

[@majortom331]

The birth of Jacky's iconic *YEAH* You've got a great retrospective going. Love what you've done so far. VF3 is a marvel to look at even to this day. (Ps. Elevated terrains ftw)

[@bryanassissilva3674]

Vitua Fighter 3 a great masterpiece from Sega. I'm playing a lot this game. Great video Bro.

[@Vectorman2X]

Virtua fighter 3 the biggest leap ever happened in graphics along with motion collision weight physics uneven terrain , the escape system was years ahead of its time the pace could have look slower in regard to vf2 but the fights was more realistic, the problem was the cost for the vendors.The only downside i can spot in this gem is the music nothing else. .Not gimmics but true leaps in tech and power.Dreamcast version was another miracle by sega , to pull such a demanding game and make it 99% accurate in comparison to arcade for a console who cost 299$ was nothing short of amazing.sega will remain forever the most technical advanced and innovative company ever existed in 90s.

[@retromuel]

Yeah I think I forgot to mention it in the video but the music is definitely the weakest of the original 3. Everything else is gold though. Thanks for watching.

[@Tippotipo]

Dreamcast version was ported by the late Genki team considering the difference of architecture. Aside the RAM, Dreamcast was more powerful than the Model 3 so the port was not the issue (Virtual On Oratorio Tangram is a proof as Naomi version was made later.). Time management was the issue on SEGA part as AM2 was focusing on Shenmue or other games like Ferrari F355 Challenge.

[@CDages]

Kind of ironic how VF3 was made to "Look" rather dated and obsolete by SEGAs most fierce competitor (Namco) on the former's very own platform no less. SC1 was truly deserving of all its accolades as Namco went above and beyond to deliver a port that was miles ahead of the System12 original or anything remotely available in the market for that matter. Meanwhile SEGA couldn't bother to keep VF3 in-house and instead outsourced it to Genki to port it. Genki's a great studio don't get me wrong, but they have little experience in the genre, let alone resources to port such an IP on a new hardware platform. I hope you continue to do these videos on Virtua Fighter franchise, leading all the way up towards its most current iteration. Great content.

[@retromuel]

Yeah Soul Calibur was stunning. Namco really went to town on it. Thanks for watching.

[@orlanzo2621]

You’re comparing a (bad) port of a game that originally came out in 1996, to a game that came out in 1998. VF3 for it’s time was completely unmatched graphically, it was a sight to behold.

[@CDages]

@@orlanzo2621 Yes. YES I am. SEGA had just as much an opportunity to update the games visuals as Namco did with Soul Calibur (And in just 6 months time on tech that wasn't even in-house). So there is no excuse, Especially when you consider System 12 Soul Calibur looked inferior to Model 3 VF3. Im just saying SEGA could've at least bothered to handle the port to one of their biggest IP in-house.

[@thirdworldrenegade]

​@@CDages I'm in agreement. It would've been great if Sega handled the port themselves, but Model 3 was more powerful than a Dreamcast. Whereas, System 12 wasn't. Namco probably knew there was room for improvement from a visual standpoint. Sega may have thought otherwise. Just spitballing here.

[@RECHOOSENONE]

Soul calibur and soul edge. Best namco games, much better then tekken. And soul edge more close to vf, then tekk3n

[@edreamcast]

Just got out of work and once again, your channel is always a pleasure to watch after a year of following: this is going to be the first thing I’ll see in the morning, cheers !

[@4TheWinQuinn]

This video was really great, a perfect look back at a golden gem of a game. Also can I just say, the style and pacing is COOL. You nailed the cinematic moments with just cuts to gameplay or panning magazine shot, especially with that awesome music, it was great!!

[@CinefreekProductions]

It's a shame that VF3 is often forgotten by western players, because not only was it ahead of it's time, but still holds up today. According to Sega, VF3 was so popular in Japan that it, alongside VF4, saved Sega from bankruptcy after the financial failure of Shenmue for the Dreamcast.

[@85bitsdeveloper]

It will playable on Like a Dragon: Infinity Wealth

[@retromuel]

Yeah looking forward to that.

[@MikeyJ1572]

THOSE LEAF PHYSICS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kid--presentable]

The guy in the thumbnail is the origins of lan di from shenmue

[@drunkensailor112]

Lau

[@kid--presentable]

@@drunkensailor112 oi ren

[@ReivaxU]

Do a search for: Teo González! 😅

[@djramshead]

Since Shenmue was originally conceptualized as a Virtual Fighter rpg, this is very likely!

[@rogueshinobislash]

love it! a big VF fan myself. this is giving much deserved respect to THE fighting game.

[@BeatemupMaster]

Good to know, that is now in the Arcade again with Online! 😎🍻💸💯

[@EmmanuelLopez-ij7sf]

Talk about a game that pushed things forward and took risks. My only real complain of the game is that I thought some characters just looked to pale and I didn't like some of the voices. Everything else about this game was brilliant.

[@retromuel]

The soundtrack is probably the weakest element of VF3 for me. I don't think it quite measures up to the first two games. Thanks for watching.

[@EmmanuelLopez-ij7sf]

@@retromuel I'm also incredibly biased towards VF2s soundtrack

[@RARufus]

I e been playing VF3 again in the Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth game and loving it all over again. Back in 1996, the only arcade that had VF3 was an hour away, so when I went I would spend the day playing VF3 and Gunblade NY (deluxe cabinet). The gameplay held over somewhat from VF2, so I could hold my own, but I got smacked by a few guys there that spent way more time with VF3 than I did. It really was like entering the future again p, playing VF3. At the time VF2 still had yet to be matched, graphics wise and VF3 was on another level. I’m also not a high level VF3 player, but it’s always fun. You’re also right, that the AI was far better in VF3 than VF2. There are still some behavior exploits, but much less. Edit: I also got a Dreamcast and played VF3 on it, but was disappointed in it compared to the incredible Soul Caliber. Kudos to Namco for giving SC such a great build on the Dreamcast. I could just sit and watch the character katas at the time. They were so good!

[@thessj4yamcha5150]

mutahar sent me here.. glad he did!! keep it up man!

[@shaideyfresh1]

Great content bro!!! I subbed 🤙

[@MagillanicaLouM]

As someone that wasn't around back then, VF3 is my least favorite one visually, aside from VF1 itself. That being said, even as someone that wasn't around back then, I can respect and can only imagine the sheer awe this game must've struck back when it first came out, like VF1 also did. You did a great job representing the feelings of someone witnessing this game in real time. And even as a relative young'un, i can at least still vouch it's pretty fun like Virtua Fighter tends to be

[@retromuel]

Yeah because of its relatively realistic "real time C.G" style I think it has dated a little less gracefully than the first two games. I actually love the way VF1 and Virtua Racing look because they're so abstract (out of necessity really). Despite that, VF3 was absolutely ludicrous for its day - I watched CG stuff like "ReBoot" on kid's TV at that time and this didn't look far away at all, and all in real time too! Thanks for watching.

[@drwang4884]

@@retromuel Tekken 3 was released a year later and I would not compare these two. Mind blowing this was out in ‘96. I remember seeing Gran Turismo for the first time and thinking it was the pinnacle of graphics but low and behold this guy already had it beat 😂

[@DenkyManner]

It still feels like the future. It might be the dreamlike abstraction mixed with technology. Practically nothing feels impressive tbese dayz

[@OsumiVF3tb]

Cool vid. where's the art at 2:35 from? I've never seen it before 😄is it custom made?

[@retromuel]

It's actually just a photo of the front cover of my Japanese VF3 official art/guide book. There are a few copies floating around on eBay. Thanks for watching.

[@OsumiVF3tb]

Oh that’s really cool

[@-0__________________________0-]

Good fucking shit, keep it up man.

[@GAZZ707]

wayyyyyyy back, god we are getting really old haha lol 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@ajmetz82]

I never picked up VF3tb - I heard the Dreamcast port was a rushed Genki port. Seems so weird that there's no AM2 port of a Virtual Fighter game on Dreamcast. VF4 would be PS2. So a Genki port is all the Dreamcast got. Unless...did AM2 do the Dreamcast version of Fighting Vipers 2 at all? I'll go check Wikipedia in a moment...

[@retromuel]

I'm pretty sure they did, yeah. They're both pretty good ports actually. A little bare bones though.

[@lasersauceretroarchives6544]

hey what issue of magazine is at 1:51?

[@retromuel]

It's Edge magazine from the UK. I've lost track of what exact issue it is sorry. Somewhere in 1996. Thanks for watching.

[@nvidiaclips]

no way bro is acc in the begginer grinding content to make it big phase on youtube dis is crazy bro finna have a million subs one day

[@RyuJoelPerez]

Virtua Joel Perez join virtua fighter 6

[@MartinhoRamos1990]

11:52 RICKSON GRACIE

[@halfling_barista]

Truth

[@Grandmastergav86]

I love VF but I honestly think this is one of the weaker entries, I love the soundtrack (despite many stating that it's poor) and the sidestep introduction is great but it just fell a little flat IMO. 4 was a step in the right direction and then 5 and Final Showdown...Wow. Final Showdown is a masterpiece, I really hope SEGA don't drop the ball with 6 (which I hear is on the verge of being revealed).