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[VGEsoterica]

If you read contemporary reviews of the game from its release period you’d think it was an absolutely disaster. Reviewers tore it apart, said the graphics were hot garbage, and overall gave the game poor reviews across the board.

I for one call BS! Sure the graphics aren’t the best for 1997, but the reviews lean so heavily on the graphical issues they kind of miss the gameplay itself. It’s a super solid fighter from SNK with some decent depth, a solid soundtrack, and some absolutely incredible 2D backgrounds on certain stages.

apparently there are still tournaments held for it in Japan where it got more love. I had someone ask me if I’d be interested in bringing some of my arcade games to some expos next year so maybe one day I can get an actual to

I don’t think the PS1 port helped matters, as that’s a far cry from the Hyper Neo Geo original. Still odd SNK ported it to the PS1 vs the N64, considering both the 64 and the Hyper shared the same NEC CPU.

anyone else ever play if? I can’t be the only one out there with some love for Wild Ambition? Me talking about the Hyper in general and it’s games has gotten a lot of feedback and seems like more people remember and enjoyed the games than I’d have ever guessed! Which is awesome

 

[VGEsoterica]

So you can see what I’m talking about. Yes it’s my video before anyone asks lol. No I’m not doing it for self promotion. I just love talking about, showcasing, and releasing prototypes for rare and obscure stuff I paid too much for lolol

 

[Dr.D00p]

The graphics are terrible though, it looks like a Sega Saturn fighter running in Hi-Res mode, which just wasn't good enough for a dedicated arcade game.

 

[_Ex_]

I enjoyed this one back in the PS1 days. I thought the graphics were competitive with other 3D fighters on the PS1, and especially the skeletal animations were well done. That said, a competent 3D fighter needed something extra to standout in a crowded genre on a saturated platform, and FF:WA didn't bring anything innovative or new to the table. So it was quickly forgotten.

 

[VGEsoterica]

The graphics are terrible though, it looks like a Sega Saturn fighter running in Hi-Res mode, which just wasn't good enough for a dedicated arcade game.

but that’s my point. The admittedly bad visuals made people think it was a bad game, but really it’s just a “sort of” ugly game that’s pretty awesome to play

 

[Jill Valentine]

So you can see what I’m talking about. Yes it’s my video before anyone asks lol. No I’m not doing it for self promotion. I just love talking about, showcasing, and releasing prototypes for rare and obscure stuff I paid too much for lolol

Looks smooth and clean. I like it.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I enjoyed this one back in the PS1 days. I thought the graphics were competitive with other 3D fighters on the PS1, and especially the skeletal animations were well done. That said, a competent 3D fighter needed something extra to standout in a crowded genre on a saturated platform, and FF:WA didn't bring anything innovative or new to the table. So it was quickly forgotten.

yes it was definitely just “standard” Fatal Fury but one 3D. So there was no huge progression gameplay wise

 

[VGEsoterica]

I need to dig the art kit / posters out, as I store them separately. I still swear the company that manufactured the carts must also make military armor or something

 

[kunonabi]

Yeah, the carts are really something else. Man, now I feel like listening to the Wild Ambition OST.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Yeah, the carts are really something else. Man, now I feel like listening to the Wild Ambition OST.

I am fairly confident the cart could stop a bullet lol. The soundtrack is super legit

 

[Azelover]

I was just looking at the specs of the Hyper NG64 on Wiki, for curiosity. And, excuse me for the lack of in depth knowledge but.. did I read the amount of RAM right? Something must be wrong.

It's wikipedia, so I guess it might be incorrect.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I was just looking at the specs of the Hyper NG64 on Wiki, for curiosity. And, excuse me for the lack of in depth knowledge but.. did I read the amount of RAM right? Something must be wrong.

It's wikipedia, so I guess it might be incorrect.

It's not correct. It has 4MB RAM, and the rest of the program / 2D / 3D is listed as "memory", then the correct acronym shoud be "ROM"

It sounds like it has well over 200 megs of RAM, when in reality its 4MB

 

[McCheese]

"Mai is my go-to"



It's easy to dismiss these old games, but that fancy seamless transition from the character select straight into the match reminds me why I never really got into more modern fighting titles, Samurai Shodown takes like 30 seconds just to go between matches, I can hook a MiSTer up in less time than that!

It's a shame Waku Waku 8 got canned for the '64, would love to see how they pulled some of those wacky designs off on the system.

 

[VGEsoterica]

"Mai is my go-to"



It's easy to dismiss these old games, but that fancy seamless transition from the character select straight into the match reminds me why I never really got into more modern fighting titles, Samurai Shodown takes like 30 seconds just to go between matches, I can hook a MiSTer up in less time than that!

It's a shame Waku Waku 8 got canned for the '64, would love to see how they pulled some of those wacky designs off on the system.

lolol those eyebrows. Way to leave me hanging on your trivia question in PM's btw

Waku Waku 7 sequel you say?! Never heard of such things. Man I'd love that game on AES but I am not paying for it haha

But yes, the instant load times of cartridge for fighters is awesome. Really keeps the flow going vs waiting on loading. Sometimes the matches are about as long as the load times on older consoles

 

[VGEsoterica]

 

[kingbean]

I only played the PS1 version and it was paralytically slow.

 

[VGEsoterica]

It definitely chugs when it comes to the frame rate. Hyper is locked 60. PS1 dips well below 30 on the regular

 

[VGEsoterica]

Having spent a few hours with the PS1 version yesterday / this morning...I see why a lot of the perception of FF : WA is poor. If that's the only experience you had with the game I'd say it was pretty bad too

 

[Hoya Destroyer]

I loved SFEX+A on the PS1, though even at the time I thought the game had poor character models, it still had lots of visual charm (I really liked Kens forest stage and fighting in the rain on the beach on Ryu/Akumas stage). I've never played this FF game, but it looks to be of a similar graphic quality.
If the gameplay was decent like SFEX's was, I could see myself enjoying it back then.

 

[deriks]

I only played the PS1 version and it was paralytically slow.

and ugly

But still is fun

 

[kunonabi]

I still love that Wild Ambition logo.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I loved SFEX+A on the PS1, though even at the time I thought the game had poor character models, it still had lots of visual charm (I really liked Kens forest stage and fighting in the rain on the beach on Ryu/Akumas stage). I've never played this FF game, but it looks to be of a similar graphic quality.
If the gameplay was decent like SFEX's was, I could see myself enjoying it back then.

I think if you grew up with the blocky polygon style character models you find them charming vs "ugly" for sure

 

[D.Final]

I enjoyed this one back in the PS1 days. I thought the graphics were competitive with other 3D fighters on the PS1, and especially the skeletal animations were well done. That said, a competent 3D fighter needed something extra to standout in a crowded genre on a saturated platform, and FF:WA didn't bring anything innovative or new to the table. So it was quickly forgotten.

I agree