FX Fighter
{{Short description|1995 video game}}
{{use mdy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = FX Fighter
| image = FX Fighter cover.png
| developer = Argonaut Software
| publisher = GTE Entertainment
| released = June 16, 1995{{Cite web |date=June 27, 1995 |title=FX Fighter Pulls Early Retailer Demand With Initial Channel Sell-in of 200,000 Units; Shipment Underway to 18,000 Retail Outlets |url=http://www.im.gte.com/gte/gthpfxf.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607201123/http://www.im.gte.com/gte/gthpfxf.html |archive-date=June 7, 1997 |access-date=April 7, 2024 |website=GTE Entertainment}}{{Cite news |date=June 16, 1995 |title=Upgrades on the Spot |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/373547136 |access-date=April 7, 2024 |work=The Baltimore Sun |pages=121 |quote=NEW!//FX Fighter//CD-ROM//The ultimate PC fighting game.//}}
| genre = Fighting
| engine = BRender{{cite journal|title=3D Realms|journal=Next Generation|issue=10|publisher=Imagine Media|date=October 1995|page=99}}
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
| platforms = MS-DOS
| composer = Martin Gwynn Jones, Justin Scharvona
| producer = Jerry Albright, Nick Halstead
| programmer = Simon Hargrave, Steve Thompson
| designer = Jaid Mindang, Gary O'Connell
}}
FX Fighter is a 3D fighting game for MS-DOS. It was developed by Argonaut Software and published by GTE Entertainment in June 1995. It is an early realtime 3D fighter, originally meant for Super NES using the Super FX chip, on which Argonaut was collaborating together with Nintendo. OEM versions have support for 3D acceleration, bundled with 3D graphics accelerator cards such as the Diamond Monster 3D.{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Oct_31/ai_18812765|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060714072846/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Oct_31/ai_18812765|archive-date=July 14, 2006| url-status=dead | title=Diamond Announces Retail Monster 3D Gaming Accelerator Bundled with 10 Hot Titles This Halloween|publisher=Business Wire|date=October 31, 1996}} A sequel, FX Fighter Turbo, was released in 1996.
This game has no relation to Hudson Soft's cancelled FX Fighter for PC-FX which was conceived around the same time.{{Cite web |date=2015-05-09 |title=What NEC And Hudson Did Next: The Disasterous [sic] Story Of The PC-FX |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/05/feature_what_nec_and_hudson_did_next_the_disasterous_story_of_the_pc-fx |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}}
Gameplay
The game features 8 different characters, 8 different arenas, movie cutscenes, and 40 attacks per fighter. The player selects a character to face against 8 of the best fighters in the universe, with the prize being the most powerful weapon in the universe.{{Cite web|title=FX Fighter (Game)|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/fx-fighter/3030-11081/|access-date=2020-11-14|website=Giant Bomb|language=en}}
Characters
- Magnon, from Inferno - A primeval volcanic wasteland.
- Sheba, from Rhomb - A world of vast savannahs ruled by the highly respected feran monarchy.
- Venam, from Peres - A planet dominated by tropical forests and caves.
- Jake, from Sentral - Massively overpopulated and polluted industrialized world.
- Kiko, from Lusk - Mountainous planet with low technology but a developed culture.
- Siren, from Ursae - A water world completely covered by a single ocean.
- Ashraf, from Karlak - Temperate planet with an ancient culture.
- Syben, from Axone - A world rich in mineral deposits but with no atmosphere.
- Rygil, from Anarchis - A high gravity world owned by the cadre.
Cancelled SNES version
FX Fighter was originally conceived as a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) game and originally titled Fighting Polygon. It was first shown in November 1994 at Nintendo's Shoshinkai Software Exhibition in Japan, based on the Super FX 2 chip to deliver polygon graphics, otherwise unattainable on the SNES. At the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in January 1995, GTE Entertainment and Nintendo announced that they would be jointly developing and publishing the game.{{cite magazine|date=March 1995|title=GTE and Nintendo Enter into FX Fighter Partnership Agreement|url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_68/page/n55/mode/2up|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Sendai Publishing|issue=68|page=57}}{{cite magazine|last=Bateman|first=Selby|date=April 1995|title=Movers & Shakers|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-004/page/n27/mode/2up|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=4|page=27}}
The game was previewed in GamePro{{cite magazine |date=January 1995 |title=FX Fighter |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/5/5d/GamePro_US_066.pdf |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG |page=195 |issue=76}} and Nintendo Power.{{cite magazine |title=Powered up: The Super Fox Team |url=https://archive.org/details/NintendoPower1988-2004/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20069%20%28February%201995%29/page/n67/mode/2up |magazine=Nintendo Power |publisher=Nintendo |pages=68 |publication-date=February 1995 |issue=69}} It was compared to Sega's Virtua Fighter. Although the approximately 500 polygons per character was tame compared to Virtua Fighter and Tekken on 32-bit hardware, FX Fighter
However, after Nintendo decided to port Killer Instinct to the SNES, the SNES version of FX Fighter was canceled by Nintendo to avoid competition between the two games.{{cite magazine|date=August 1995|title=GTE Interactive Takes FX Fighter to the PC|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_073_August_1995_U/page/n27/mode/2up|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Sendai Publishing|issue=73|page=28}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| rev1 = CD Player
| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev2Score = A−{{cite magazine|last=Strauss|first=Bob|title=FX Fighter|magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/08/18/fx-fighter/|access-date=September 14, 2018}}
| NGen = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|date=September 1995|title=Finals|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-009/page/n97/mode/2up|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=9|page=97}}
| rev3 = Computer Game Review
| rev3Score = 259/300{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221185011/http://www.nuke.com/compent/reviews/augarc/fx/fx.htm | url=http://www.nuke.com/compent/reviews/augarc/fx/fx.htm | title=Let's Get Ready to Rumble | date=August 1995 | author1=Snyder, Frank | author2=Chapman, Ted | author3=Kaiafas, Tasos | work=Computer Game Review | archive-date=December 21, 1996 | url-status=dead }}
}}
For the launch of FX Fighter, GTE Entertainment shipped 200,000 units to stores and dedicated more than $2 million to its promotional campaign.{{Cite press release |url=http://www.im.gte.com/gte/gthpfxf.html |title=FX FIGHTER PULLS EARLY RETAILER DEMAND WITH INITIAL CHANNEL SELL-IN OF 200,000 UNITS; SHIPMENT UNDERWAY TO 18,000 RETAIL OUTLETS |access-date=September 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970607201123/http://www.im.gte.com/gte/gthpfxf.html |archive-date=June 7, 1997 |url-status=dead }}
Entertainment Weekly gave the PC version an A− and wrote that the game was as good as any that was offered on home consoles, but remarked that playing games on a television screen was better than a computer screen.
Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "Even without the spectacular visuals, FX Fighter would be better than Mortal Kombat II - and that's saying a lot."{{cite magazine|date=September 1995|title=Finals|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-009/page/n97/mode/2up|magazine=Next Generation|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=9|page=97}}
Frank Snyder of Computer Game Review was largely positive toward the game, calling it "definitely worth checking out".{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961221185011/http://www.nuke.com/compent/reviews/augarc/fx/fx.htm | url=http://www.nuke.com/compent/reviews/augarc/fx/fx.htm | title=Let's Get Ready to Rumble | date=August 1995 | author1=Snyder, Frank | author2=Chapman, Ted | author3=Kaiafas, Tasos | work=Computer Game Review | archive-date=December 21, 1996 | url-status=dead }}
In other media
A comic based on the video game was created by Jim Lee of Wildstorm Productions, which was hosted by GTE Interactive Media's web site.{{Cite web |url=http://www.im.gte.com/FXF/fxfman01.html |title=The FX Fighter Comic Book |access-date=December 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970626201714/http://www.im.gte.com/FXF/fxfman01.html |archive-date=June 26, 1997 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
''FX Fighter Turbo''
{{Infobox video game
|title=FX Fighter Turbo
|image=
|image_size=
|developer=Argonaut Software
|publisher=GTE Entertainment
|released=November 5, 1996
|genre=Fighting game
|engine=BRender{{cite magazine|title=3D Realms|magazine=Next Generation|issue=10|publisher=Imagine Media|date=October 1995|page=99}}
|modes=Single player, multiplayer
|platforms = Microsoft Windows 95
}}
FX Fighter Turbo is a sequel released for the PC in 1996 with new characters, moves, environments, costumes, special effects, network play, and support for Microsoft Windows and the S3 Graphics chipset. As are many other fighting games at the time, this game is influenced by Mortal Kombat in the form of fatalities, a feature not in the previous game. All the previous characters return, plus the new Linna and Kwondo.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Argonaut Games pages: [https://web.archive.org/web/19970524152109/http://www.argonaut.com/html/body_fxf.htm FXF], [https://web.archive.org/web/19980512211258/http://www.argonaut.com/html/body_fx_fighter_turbo.htm FXFT]
- GTE Vantage Incorporated pages: [https://web.archive.org/web/19970626191851/http://www.im.gte.com/FXF/fxfhome.html FXF], [https://web.archive.org/web/19970626191808/http://www.im.gte.com/FXF/ FXFT]
- {{moby game|id=/fx-fighter}}
- {{moby game|id=/fx-fighter-turbo|name=FX Fighter Turbo}}
{{Argonaut Games}}
{{GTE Interactive Media}}
{{Blazing Renderer games}}
Category:Blazing Renderer games
Category:Cancelled Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Category:GTE Interactive Media games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games