| Virtua Fighter 4 | |
 Virtua Fighter 4 European arcade flyer | |
| Information | |
| Developer | Sega AM2 |
| Arcade System | Sega NAOMI 2 |
| Platforms | Arcade, PlayStation 2 |
| Release Date | Arcade
PlayStation 2
|
Virtua Fighter 4 is the fourth game in the Virtua Fighter series. The game was first released in arcades on the NAOMI 2 board in 2001, and on the PlayStation 2 in 2002. An updated version named Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution was also released to arcades and PlayStation 2.
Characters
Returning Characters
- Akira Yuki
- Pai Chan
- Lau Chan
- Wolf Hawkfield
- Jeffry McWild
- Kage-Maru
- Sarah Bryant
- Jacky Bryant
- Dural
- Shun Di
- Lion Rafale
- Aoi Umenokoji
New Characters
Stages
- Harbor (Character: Vanessa Lewis; wall: high unbreakable; size: 10 x 10m)
- Great Wall (Character: Lau Chan; wall: no wall; size: 14 x 14m)
- Cave (Character: Shun Di; wall: high unbreakable; size: 12 x 12m)
- Castle (Character: Lion Rafale; wall: low unbreakable; size: 12 x 12m)
- Aquarium (Character: Pai Chan; wall: high unbreakable; size: 10 x 10m)
- Arena (Character: Wolf Hawkfield; wall: high unbreakable; size: 10 x 10m)
- Island (Character: Jeffry McWild; wall: no wall; size: 14 x 14m)
- City (Character: Jacky Bryant; wall: low unbreakable; size: 12 x 12m)
- Colosseum (Character: Sarah Bryant; wall: breakable; size: 12 x 12m)
- Garden (Character: Kage-Maru; wall: no wall; size: 14 x 14m)
- Gymnasium (Character: Akira Yuki; wall: breakable; size: 12 x 12m)
- Shrine (Character: Aoi Umenokouji; wall: no wall; size: 14 x 14m)
- Temple (Character: Lei Fei; wall: breakable; size: 12 x 12m)
- Conveyor Belt (Character: Dural; wall: no wall; size: 10 x 10m)
Game Features
Kumite Mode
Virtua Fighter 4's version of Quest Mode. Dural is unlocked by completing this mode along with Arcade Mode.
Training Mode
Virtua Fighter 4 introduced a comprehensive training mode. The mode consisted of an encyclopedia of fighting game terms, complete character command list walkthroughs, tips on all of the games mechanics, recommended character combos, alternative options for failed combos, detailed command input timings, slow motion for frame counting and timing, and other useful training tips.
VF4's training mode consists of three sections:
- Command Training - A complete run through each move, one-by-one. The command for the move is displayed and the player executes the command--moving to the next one. VF4 allows the option to skip the current command, view the move (computer controlled), or enable advice.
- Free Training
- Trial Mode
Changes from Virtua Fighter 3
Gameplay changes
Virtua Fighter 4 became much more streamlined and user-friendly than its predecessors, while expanding on old ideas and adding new techniques. The evasion system was revamped from Virtua Fighter 3, the evade button was removed, and evades were split into two types: successful and unsuccessful. When evades were not performed with the proper timing, they were unsuccessful, leaving the fighter vulnerable. The evade + throw escape option select, which was an advanced technique discovered in Virtua Fighter 3, was expanded upon. Virtua Fighter 4 allowed the player to escape as many throws as they could, and lengthened the window for performing a successful throw escape during an [unsuccessful] evade. A new move type called a Sabaki was added; an attack that also doubles as a reversal versus one or more move types.
The two new characters, Vanessa Lewis and Lei-Fei, had moves that employed these properties significantly more than the returning cast, and were quite experimental for Virtua Fighter characters. Vanessa Lewis is a Vale Tudo/Muay Thai kickboxer with two completely separate moves sets that can be switched between on the fly, and Lei-Fei, a Shaolin monk, employs many stances that flow into one another.
Roster Changes
Taka-Arashi, one of the new characters added to Virtua Fighter 3, was omitted, apparently due to the developers not being able to make him work properly with the Virtua Fighter 4 system mechanics.
Fighting Arena Changes
The fighting arenas reverted back to the old Virtua Fighter style of flat and square, as opposed to Virtua Fighter 3's wild and undulating stage designs. The reason behind this was to make the game less random, and more balanced and competitive in nature. Walls, however, were kept and expanded upon with a wall stagger/juggle system and several wall types including high + unbreakable, low + unbreakable, low + breakable, and low + unbreakable with open corners.
Updates
There were numerous updates to Virtua Fighter 4, most of which added balance tweaks and customization items. Listed here are the more notable ones.
Revision C
This was the version ported to PlayStation 2.
Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution
Evolution introduced two new characters and adjusted every other character as well. The two new characters were the Judoka-assassin, Goh Hinogami and the Muay Thai boxer Brad Burns. Evolution revision B was ported to PlayStation 2.
Virtua Fighter 4 Final Tuned
Final Tuned revision B was the last of the Virtua Fighter 4 series. There were no home ports.
Reception
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Trivia
- Virtua Fighter 4 is the first in the series to feature a logo that strays away from the colours orange and blue. In the arcades and Japanese PS2 version, the logo is blue and yellow, while western PS2 releases have a silver logo.
- Virtua Fighter 4 is the first in the series where a character from the previous installments has been removed. It was said that programming Taka-Arashi with the new mechanics was too difficult.
- Virtua Fighter 4 is the first in the series to not be released on a Sega console.
- A demo disc of Virtua Fighter 4 called 'Virtua Fighter 4: Passport' was packaged with the Japanese release of Shenmue 2, also by Sega AM2. Shenmue 2 also included an additional disc that would overview the history of Virtua Fighter. The Japanese release of Virtual Fighter 4 for the Dreamcast was cancelled due to the end of the console's production.
- Virtua Fighter 4 was the first video game to use normal mapping, an advanced form of bump mapping.
Gallery
Videos
External Links
- Official website (JP) (archive.org)
- Official website (EU)
| Virtua Fighter Series | |
| Main Series | Virtua Fighter (Remix) • 2 • 3 • 4 (Evolution, Final Tuned) • 5 (R, Final Showdown, Ultimate Showdown) |
| Related Games | Virtua Fighter Animation • Virtua Fighter Kids • Virtua Fighter CG Portrait Series • GG Portrait • Fighters Megamix • Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary • Virtua Quest |
| Characters | Akira Yuki • Pai Chan • Lau Chan • Wolf Hawkfield • Jeffry McWild • Kage-Maru • Sarah Bryant • Jacky Bryant • Dural • Siba • Shun Di • Lion Rafale • Aoi Umenokoji • Taka‑Arashi • Lei‑Fei • Vanessa Lewis • Brad Burns • Goh Hinogami • Eileen • El Blaze • Jean Kujo |
| Other Media | Virtua Fighter (comic book) • Virtua Fighter (anime) |