Battle Arena Toshinden

Short description: 1995 video game

For the anime, see Battle Arena Toshinden (anime).

Battle Arena Toshinden

North American PlayStation box art featuring characters Eiji and Mondo

Developer(s)|

Tamsoft

* Digital Dialect (MS-DOS)

Publisher(s)|

Takara

*     * JP: Takara
* WW: Sony Computer Entertainment (PS)
* WW: Sega (Saturn)
* NA: Nintendo of America (Game Boy)
* NA: Playmates Interactive Entertainment (MS-DOS)
* EU: Funsoft (MS-DOS)

Director(s)| Shintarō Nakaoka
Producer(s)| Takayuki Nakano
Programmer(s)| Hiroaki Furukawa
Composer(s)| Yasuhiro Nakano, Makoto Mukai, Fumio Tanabe
Series| Battle Arena Toshinden
Engine| Hyper Solid
Platform(s)| PlayStation, Saturn, MS-DOS, Game Boy
Release|

January 1, 1995

* PlayStation

* JP: January 1, 1995
* NA: September 9, 1995
* EU: September 29, 1995

Saturn (Remix)

* JP: November 24, 1995
* NA: March 27, 1996
* EU: March 29, 1996[1]

Game Boy

* JP: March 22, 1996
* NA: November 1996
* EU: 1996

DOS

* NA: April 22, 1996
* EU: 1996

PS3/PS Vita/PSP

* JP: November 22, 2016

Genre(s)| Fighting
Mode(s)| Single-player, multiplayer

Battle Arena Toshinden, released as Script error: The function "nihongo_foot" does not exist.[lower-alpha 1][2] in Japan, is a 1995 fighting video game developed by Tamsoft and published by Takara for the PlayStation.[3] It was one of the first fighting games, after Virtua Fighter on arcade and console, to boast polygonal characters in a 3D environment, and features a sidestep maneuver which is credited for taking the genre into "true 3D."[4]

Toy giant Takara produced the game during a six month period in 1994 as their first original video game, together with new developer Tamsoft, both of whom had worked on porting Samurai Showdown and other SNK fighters to consoles. Initially made to be a PlayStation exclusive,[5][6] the game was released in Japan a few weeks after the console's debut, and released internationally by Sony Computer Entertainment as a launch title. Its American division had promoted it as a "Saturn killer" (against Sega's Virtua Fighter),[7] but ironically a Saturn port published by Sega, titled Battle Arena Toshinden Remix and with additional features, was released less than a year later.[8] A 2D version was developed and released for the Game Boy in 1996, published internationally by Nintendo, making it the only game to have been published by all of the largest console manufacturers of its time. A version for MS-DOS was also released.

A weapons-based fighter, Toh Shin Den features eight anime-style characters — the work of Tsukasa Kotobuki — and has gameplay mechanics such as special and projectile attacks akin to 2D fighters like the Street Fighter series.[9][4] Critically acclaimed[10] for graphical innovations like gouraud shading and transparent effects,[11] Toh Shin Den was a popular early title on the PlayStation[2] and it spawned sequels starting with Battle Arena Toshinden 2, as well as manga and anime adaptations.[12] However, a lackluster reception to its sequels meant that it was overshadowed by Namco's Tekken series, especially with Tekken 2, and it fell in popularity.[13][14] The weapons concept was then further popularized by Soul Edge.[15]

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Plot and characters
* 3 Development and release
* 3.1 Toshinden Remix on Saturn
* 3.2 PC and handheld ports
* 3.3 Cover art
* 3.4 Soundtrack
* 4 Reception
* 4.1 Sales
* 4.2 Contemporary reviews
* 4.3 Ports and retrospective reviews
* 5 Adaptations and sequels
* 5.1 Series
* 5.1.1 Other games
* 6 Notes
* 7 References
* 8 External links
* 9 Features
* 10 History
* 11 See also
* 12 References
* 13 External links

## Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot on PlayStation (Sofia vs. Ellis)

Each character has their own unique set of basic moves, special attacks, and a desperation attack that can only be used when the player has low energy (around 10% or less). The player can move around the arenas using the L/R shoulder buttons, which can be used to dodge projectile attacks or get away from a dangerous spot.

Players move using the directional pad. Holding the backward directional button allows the player to block basic attacks and reduces most of the damage from opponents' special moves. Players can also run by quickly tapping the forward directional button.

As with other games of the genre, the player wins by depleting the opposing players health, having more health than their opponent if the time runs out, or knocking their opponent out of the non-walled arena. Unlike many fighting games of the time, it was possible for a player character to accidentally fall off the arena with a miss-timed run or special move, resulting in some unique tactics.

The main single-player mode only consists of battles against all characters followed by the boss, while the other mode is for a single battle against an opponent chosen by the player. However the enhanced Remix version on Sega Saturn does have a story mode.[16]

## Plot and characters

Throughout the criminal underworld, announcements of a famed underworld tournament reemerging after a long hiatus has made word throughout the globe. Known as the Battle Arena Toshinden, this underworld tournament is a weapons fighting tournament broadcast as bloodsport entertainment for an elite and interested audience. Hosted by a mysterious organization known only as the Secret Society, believed to be related to a world leading multinational megaconglomerate, the Gerard Foundation, the Secret Society has picked eight worthy challengers from around the world to pit against each other for the chance at a prize for fortune, fame, and glory.

Initial playable characters are:

* Eiji Shinjo (エイジ・シンジョウ) \- The main protagonist of the series. A young Japanese traveling swordsman/adventurer who seeks to find his long-lost older brother, Sho. Eiji progresses through the tournament and ultimately comes face-to-face with the tournament's sponsor, the mysterious Gaia
* Kayin Amoh (カイン・アモウ) \- A Scottish (later retconned as English) swordsman/bounty hunter, a friend and rival of Eiji. He seeks to avenge the death of his foster father, who was killed by the previous tournament's champion from last year.
* Sofia (ソフィア) \- A whip-wielding blonde Russian woman who works as a private detective. She seeks to find and recover her long-lost memories.
* Run-go Iron (ラングー・アイアン) \- A strong yet kind-hearted American miner who seeks to rescue his wife Lila and his son Christopher from the Secret Society.
* Fo Fai (ホー・ファイ) \- An elderly Chinese magician who is secretly a cold-hearted serial killer. Fo Fai enters the tournament to satisfy his bloodlust.
* Mondo (門土; モンド) \- An emotionless Japanese ninja warrior who infiltrates the tournament under the orders from a rival group of the Secret Society.
* Duke B. Rambert (デューク・バルテルミ・ランバート) \- An arrogant French knight who seeks to find and defeat Eiji to avenge a past loss to him.
* Ellis (エリス) \- A cheerful and kind-hearted Turkish orphaned dancer of a traveling theater troupe who seeks to discover whether or not her long-lost missing father is still alive.

Unlockable characters:

* Gaia (ガイア) \- The sponsor of the tournament, boss of the game, and main antagonist. His reasons for holding the tournament in the first place are shrouded in mystery. He is later revealed to be the father of Ellis.
* Sho Shinjo (ショウ) \- The secret final boss of the game, reached by clearing the game without continues. The champion from last year's previous tournament and Eiji's older brother, he is a merciless swordsman who holds nothing back from within the fights that he participates in.
* Cupido (Sega Saturn version) - A mysterious woman who speaks with cryptic riddles and messages. Her past is shrouded in mystery, and not much is known about her. She is the "true" final boss in this version.
* Uranus (Game Boy version) - The final boss in this version. Of unknown origin, she is the second-in-command of the Himitsu Kessha, a criminal organization.
* Earthworm Jim (PC version, rendered in Japanese as "ジム") - A guest character. His attacks are identical to those of Rungo Iron.

## Development and release

Battle Arena Toshinden was developed by Tamsoft, an in-house developer part of the Takara toy company and their first original game. Takara had been concepting Toshinden on a different platform before Sony's announcement in late 1993 of releasing a new hardware system, after which Takara decided to develop the game specifically on Sony's PlayStation platform.[17] Development took under six months.[18] Programming began at the end of May 1994 and there were 25 people working on it by the end of development.[17]

According to Takara executives, about 1,000 polygons were used for each character. The inspiration of some of the characters came from the Japanese tradition of bushido;[17] Takara had already published SNK titles including Samurai Showdown based on similar themes. Toshinden's 3D environment naturally drew comparisons with Virtua Fighter. In an interview, Takara boasted that the game had more realistic three-dimensionality:[17]

> Virtua Fighter uses 3D characters, but the fights and attacks take place on one plane, in the same direct line. In contrast, Toh Shin Den uses all the dimensions of the screen (X, Y, and Z), and attacks can be made to the side or behind the enemy. It is also possible to circle the opponent.

The November 1994 issue of Japanese magazine Game Blast noted that the game was 30% completed,[5] although the game was completed shortly before the console's domestic debut on December 3, 1994 with a release on January 1, 1995. Magazines just before the time of its release also named it Hyper Solid Toshinden.[19][20][21][22] In September 1995 the game was released in North American and PAL regions as a launch title. This version has slightly altered music and re-done the English voices, with the character Sofia sounding less suggestive and Ellis sounding older than in the original Japanese version.[23]

### Toshinden Remix on Saturn

At E3 1995 before the American PlayStation release, Battle Arena Toshinden was promoted as a "Saturn killer" to be a rival to the Sega Saturn. After Polygon Man was dropped, Sony Computer Entertainment America used the Toshinden character Sofia as a mascot.[24] Despite this, Takara later announced that the game is to be ported by Nextech/Sega to the Sega Saturn as Toh Shin Den S in Japan and as Battle Arena Toshinden Remix internationally. A few new features were added, including an exclusive new character named Cupido and a story mode with dialog and voice acting (also dubbed in English), which enables the player to learn a few details about the characters' story backgrounds and the reasons of why they had entered into the tournament. The character select screen depicts original anime art by Tsukasa Kotobuki instead of rendered models and these also appear in the story mode.[25] Work on the Saturn port reportedly began while the PlayStation original was still in development.[18]

### PC and handheld ports

California-based Digital Dialect[26] reprogrammed the game for DOS, and this version was released in 1996 published by Playmates Interactive. This version plays and looks differently. Earthworm Jim, which was the property of Playmates, was added as an exclusive guest character, with his unique arena music, but he only uses the moves of Rungo Iron. It uses the Japanese PlayStation version's voices and music in all regions, albeit at lower sound quality.[27] The DOS version also supports resolutions up to 640x480 and network multiplayer using IPX/SPX or NetBIOS.[28]

The game was ported to the Game Boy by Takara/Nintendo in 1996, titled Nettou Toshinden (熱闘闘神伝) in Japan. It was the fourth of Takara's 'Nettou' (Dead Heat Fighters) series of games with deformed characters ported to the Game Boy, following World Heroes 2 Jet.[29][30] The game is based mostly on the original PlayStation version, but it includes a slightly altered story mode and two appearances from Battle Arena Toshinden 2: the characters Uranus and Gaia (without his armor).

An emulated version for the PlayStation Network was released as a downloadable PlayStation game on November 22, 2016 in Japan.[31] The game was also re-released in 2018 on the PlayStation Classic. Specifically it is the PAL version which runs slower at 50hz.[32]

### Cover art

The game had different and distinct box art for every release and region. The original release in Japan came with an outer paper box depicting many of the characters in anime, illustrated by Tsukasa Kotobuki who also did the Toshinden manga art.[15] The base cover itself had the Toshinden logo against a blue background with text in English boasting its "90,000 polygons per second".[33] On the other hand, the American cover featured Eiji and Mondo in battle, albeit looking significantly different than their actual looks. The PAL version box art was drawn by Paul Kidby and depicts a shield-like symbol with a sword and dragon; Kidby had stated that he was not provided with any screenshots of the actual game.[34] Meanwhile the DOS release depicts Sofia and Duke with their weapons against a dusk city background,[35] and the Game Boy release in all regions is a colorful depiction of all characters deformed and closer to their anime drawings.[36] The Saturn releases (Toshinden Remix and Toshinden S) also had their own box arts: a large depiction of Eiji above anime figures of other characters in the Japanese release;[37] a sword and burning fire in the North American release;[38] and Eiri, Duke, Rungo and Fo on the PAL cover.[39]

### Soundtrack

Background music was composed by Yasuhiro Nakano and Makoto Mukai. A soundtrack CD featuring arranged versions by the original composers, Toh Shin Den Retake & Remix, was released by Sony Records in April 1995.[40] Bach is credited on Sho's theme track as it contains a segment from Toccata and Fugue in D minor.[40] The original game's music was also re-arranged for the game's global PlayStation release in September 1995.[23]

## Reception

Contemporary reception (PlayStation)

| Review scores

Publication| Score
Dragon| [41]
EGM| 8.5/10, 7.5/10, 8/10, 8.5/10[42]
Famitsu| 7/10, 8/10, 8/10, 7/10[43]
Game Informer| 8.5/10[46]
GamePro| 18/20[44]
17/20[45]
GamesMaster| 88%[47]
Hyper| 92%[48]
Next Generation| [49]
Game Players| 98%[50]
Maximum| [11]
Game Amusement Pleasure| 94%[52]
| Award

Publication| Award
Electronic Gaming Monthly| Best Fighting Game of 1995[51]

### Sales

In Japan, Battle Arena Toshinden sold 696,851 units for the PlayStation.[53] Upon the PlayStation's launch in the United States, Toshinden sold out in its first week on sale.[54] The game, as well as Ridge Racer, sold at a nearly one-to-one ratio per hardware system in the United States by the end of 1995.[55] The game went on to sell 532,724 units for the PlayStation in the United States, including 327,412 standalone copies and 205,312 bundled copies.[56] Battle Arena Toshinden was included in the Greatest Hits range for having sold more than 150,000 units in the United States.[57] The PlayStation version sold a total of 1,229,575 units in Japan and the United States.

According to Next Generation, the Saturn release had "disappointing sales" in Japan, which they attributed to the strong association of the game with the PlayStation (due to the use of the character Ellis in Japanese ads for the PlayStation) and its weak use of the Saturn hardware when compared to Virtua Fighter 2.[8] Battle Arena Toshinden Remix for the Saturn sold 84,231 units in Japan,[53] bringing combined sales of the PlayStation and Saturn versions to at least 1,313,806 units sold in Japan and the United States.

### Contemporary reviews

Battle Arena Toshinden was critically acclaimed when released. Electric Playground gave the game a perfect score of 10 out of 10 in 1995.[10] In an early 1995 interview, when asked which PlayStation game he was most impressed with so far, Ken Kutaragi answered Battle Arena Toshinden.[58] There was also a positive reception to the game's characters and their weapons; in particular, the young character Ellis with her outfit and see-through parts.[15]

GamePro reviewed the Japanese version of the game in early 1995 (prior to the PlayStation's launch in the U.S.). They remarked that the game is very impressive, and superior to Virtua Fighter in some aspects, but also flawed in several respects. They particularly praised the texture-mapped polygon graphics, original fighters, myriad moves, unique style of play, and the sidestep move, commenting that "the only problem with this slick defensive move is that from some viewing angles, the fighters obstruct the front of the screen, making it impossible to see where a move is coming from".[44] Their review of the later U.S. release was also generally positive; they praised the graphics, stage design, playability, and dynamic camera, but criticized the game for being simplistic and easy, remarking that "this game relies more on flash than fighting". They summarized the game as "an enjoyable fight".[59] Next Generation also reviewed the game prior to the PlayStation's U.S. launch. They commented that while the gameplay lacks originality and good reaction speed, the 3D aesthetics and graphics make it a much more powerful experience to play than a typical 2D fighter. However, they concluded that the game loses "by a hair" when compared to its rival, Virtua Fighter.[49] On the other hand, Hyper magazine rated Toshinden higher than Virtua Fighter.[48]

The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game a positive review, chiefly praising the character design, graphics, and special moves.[42] Battle Arena Toshinden was awarded Best Fighting Game of 1995 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[51]

Maximum made note of the graphical and gameplay innovations such as gouraud shading, rotational backgrounds, dramatic camera angles, and the sidestep. They however remarked that the poor quality directional pad on the original PlayStation controller "just isn't built for taking diagonals and quarter circle rolls", making it irritatingly difficult to pull off special moves. Though they assessed the game as good overall, they advised gamers to instead hold out for the PlayStation port of Tekken, which they felt to be far superior in every respect.[11] Dragon gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.[41]

### Ports and retrospective reviews

Ports and retrospective reviews

| Review scores

Publication| Score
PC| PS| Saturn
EGM| | | 21/40[62]
GameSpot| 6/10[63]| |
IGN| | 7/10[4]|
Next Generation| | | [64]
Maximum| | | [65]
Sega Saturn Magazine| | | 80%[66]
Game Players| | | 81%[67]
Aggregate scores
GameRankings| 68%[60] (5 reviews)| |
Metacritic| | 69/100[61] (4 reviews)|

Later reviews from 1996 onwards, for later ports as well as retrospective reviews of the PlayStation version, have been generally mixed. In 1996, IGN gave the game a score of 7 out of 10, by which time it was seen as slow and "not as impressive" as the more recent Tekken 2, though they praised Toshinden for important innovations to the fighting game genre, such as taking "the fighter into true 3-D" and "one little move" that "changed the fighter forever" with the introduction of sidestep movement.[4]

The Sega Saturn version was not as well-received as the PlayStation original. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly complained of the fact that the graphics were not improved from the PlayStation version, and felt that the game was overshadowed by the recent release of Battle Arena Toshinden 2.[62] While Rob Allsetter of Sega Saturn Magazine greatly praised the visuals of the game and judged the button configuration to be superior to that of the PlayStation version, he criticized the "slow" gameplay and the limited variety of moves, concluding that Battle Arena Toshinden is "still decent enough, but ... lacks the speed and depth of its more illustrious successors".[66] A reviewer for Next Generation said that the visuals of the Japanese release were not up to par with those of the PlayStation version, and advised Saturn owners to wait for the U.S. release in hopes that Sega of America would fix the graphical shortcomings.[64] GamePro's Tommy Glide commented that there is not enough additional content in the Saturn version and the graphics do not look as smooth as the PlayStation version's, assessing it as overall "a poor conversion".[68] Maximum's Rich Leadbetter stated that it fails to recreate the graphical effects of the PlayStation original, which he opined were the only saving grace of an extremely dull game. He held the additional character and the PAL conversion's lack of borders to be its only advantages over the PlayStation version.[65]

During the 200th issue leadup of Electronic Gaming Monthly in 2005, they ranked Battle Arena Toshinden as their single most overrated game. They explained that it "was 3D, it was flashy--Battle Arena Toshinden was exciting and new. But later Namco showed us what really could be done with 3D fighting on the PlayStation (Tekken, Soul Blade). (...) But is it actually good? Oh God, no".[69] Following the game's release on PlayStation Classic in 2018, Jamie O'Neill was critical of "slow, unresponsive controls for moves like Special Attacks" and the lack of any story mode, but praised the "energetic" soundtrack and the innovative ability of circling opponents.[32]

## Adaptations and sequels

Cover of the Toh Shin Den anthology published by Hobby Japan, released June 1995

From the beginning there was a manga tie-in with characters drawn by Tsukasa Kotobuki, alongside a number of other anthology comics in Japan, including from Hobby Japan, a monthly series by Takeshi Takibayashi on Monthly Shōnen Ace (with elements from Toshinden 2),[12] another comic published by Softbank Creative,[70] and one by Kozumi Shiita published by Enix.

Drama CDs serving as sequels to the game were released named Before Stage, the first volume of which was released in March 1996,[71] using the original Japanese voice cast.[72] This would be followed by an anime OVA adaptation of the same title, released in 1996 and also dubbed in English.[73]

Additionally, shortly after the game release came an official strategy guide published by Tokuma Shoten named Perfect Fighting Book. This included a bonus disc for PlayStation, Toshinden Otanoshimi-Ban (meaning Toshinden "fun edition"), to watch a round of CPU vs CPU combat and another mode featuring Eiji and Ellis with big heads or in black outfits. The disc can be swapped with the full game to enable the use of them.[74][75]

### Series

Following the success of Battle Arena Toshinden, Takara produced a number of follow-ups (and spin-offs, such as the chibi fighter Nitoshinden[76]) although with limited success. Later in 1995, Battle Arena Toshinden 2 was released. Unlike the original, this sequel was originally released on arcades, by Capcom, before consoles,[14] and again had a Sega Saturn specific version, subtitled U.R.A. It builds on the original and is often considered to be the series's best.[15] This was later followed by Battle Arena Toshinden 3 in 1996, and Toshinden 4 (Subaru) in 1999 which never had an American release.

Table of Battle Arena Toshinden games  | Japanese name  | System  | Developer  | Original

release

|
|
|
|

Battle Arena Toshinden | Tōushinden (闘神伝) | PlayStation
DOS  | Tamsoft[lower-alpha 2] | 01/1995
Battle Arena Toshinden Remix | Tōushinden S (闘神伝S) | Sega Saturn  | Tamsoft[lower-alpha 3] | 11/1995
Battle Arena Toshinden 2 | Tōushinden 2 (闘神伝2) | Arcade
PlayStation
DOS  | Tamsoft[lower-alpha 4] | 12/1995
Battle Arena Toshinden | Nettōu tōushinden (熱闘闘神伝) | Game Boy  | Takara  | 03/1996
Battle Arena Toshinden 2 Plus | Tōushinden 2 purasu (闘神伝2プラス) | PlayStation  | Tamsoft  | 08/1996
Battle Arena Toshinden U.R.A | Tōushinden U.R.A (闘神伝URA) | Sega Saturn  | Tamsoft[lower-alpha 5] | 09/1996
Battle Arena Toshinden 3 | Tōushinden 3 (闘神伝3) | PlayStation  | Tamsoft  | 12/1996
Toshinden 4 | Tōushinden Subaru (闘神伝 昴) | PlayStation  | Tamsoft  | 08/1999
Other titles
Battle Arena Nitoshinden | Nitoshinden (にとうしんでん) | PlayStation  | Japan Vistec  | 09/1996
Battle Arena Toshinden | \-  | R-Zone[77] | Tiger Electronics  | ??/1996
Puzzle Arena Toshinden | Pazuru arīna tōushinden (パズルアリーナ闘神伝) | PlayStation  | Takara  | 06/1997
Toshinden Card Quest | Tōushinden kādo kuesuto (闘神伝カードクエスト) | PlayStation  | Guybrain  | 04/1998

#### Other games

An intended prequel named Toshinden Next was given anticipatory promotion in a 1997 issue of the Japanese video game magazine Dengeki PlayStation.[78] This game however was not released.

In 1997, Takara released the weapons-based Sega Saturn fighter D-Xhird. Battle Arena Toshinden's protagonist Eiji appears as a secret guest character in this game. In 1998, Takara released the Tamsoft-developed AbalaBurn which combined fighting with role-playing adventure.[79]

Later in 2008, a new Toshinden action game with eight new characters was unveiled by Takara Tomy in Weekly Famitsu. It was developed by DreamFactory[80] for the Wii but has no connection to the previous games' storyline and discards the mainly weapons-based combat found in earlier Toshinden games, featuring hand-to-hand combat alongside weapons-based battles.[81][82] The game was released in Japan on December 10, 2009.

## Notes

1. ↑ Originally romanized as Toh Shin Den before its Western localization had it changed to the Toshinden spelling. Some material (such as the manga) were inconsistently romanized as Toushinden and Tohshinden. Abbreviated as either BAT or TSD.
2. ↑ Ported by Digital Dialect to MS-DOS
3. ↑ Ported by Nextech and Sega
4. ↑ Ported by Kinesoft to Windows
5. ↑ Ported by Nextech and Sega

## References

1. ↑ Lomas, Ed (May 1996). "Checkpoint - The Month's Events and Software Releases". Computer and Video Games (Future Publishing) (174): 64. https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:CVG_UK_174.pdf&page=64.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Overseas Prospects". GamePro (73): 114. 1996. August 1996. https://archive.org/details/GameOnMagazine/Game On! 02 (1996) Virtual Combat/page/n5/.
3. ↑ "1995年の元日、プレステを救ったソフト『闘神伝』 激しいハード戦争中に登場" (in ja). https://magmix.jp/post/21457.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Battle Arena Toshinden takes the fighter into true 3-D, but is it enough?". November 21, 1996. http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/150/150716p1.html.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "【1994年】【11月号】GAME BLAST 1994.11 創刊号". https://retoge-mag.websa.jp/old/viewpage/entry/2020/07/11/232431.html.
6. ↑ "Toh Shin Den". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (2): 14. December 1995.
7. ↑ "Hardcore Gaming 101: Virtua Fighter". http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/virtuafighter/virtuafighter.htm.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "NG Alphas: Toshinden URA". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (23): 90. November 1996.
9. ↑ jeremy1456 (2016-05-08). "Battle Arena Toshinden Review (Sony PlayStation, 1995)" (in en-US). https://infinityretro.com/battle-arena-toshinden-review/.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Battle Arena Toshinden for PlayStation". GameRankings. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/572396-battle-arena-toshinden/index.html.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Battle Arena Toshinden". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (Emap International Limited) (1): 152. October 1995.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Virtual Combat". Game On! USA (Viz Media) (2): 7. 1996. https://archive.org/details/GameOnMagazine/Game On! 02 (1996) Virtual Combat/page/n5/.
13. ↑ "Play Test: Battle Arena Toshinden". Official UK PlayStation Magazine (Future Publishing) (Platinum Special). 1999. https://archive.org/details/Official_UK_Playstation_Magazine_1999_Future_Publishing_GB_platinum_special/page/n67.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Toshinden 3". Next Generation 2 (24): 204. 1996. December 1996. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_24/page/n205/.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "『闘神伝』が発売された日。PS世代なら誰もが知っている3D格闘、かわいいエリスに恋をしたユーザーも多い（はず）【今日は何の日？】 | ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com" (in ja). 2024-01-01. https://www.famitsu.com/news/202401/01329430.html.
16. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (Game)" (in en). https://www.giantbomb.com/battle-arena-toshinden-remix/3030-1513/.
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 di Costanzo, Nicolas (March 1995). "Speciale: I Combattenti Virtuali del Sol Levante". Game Power (37): 44–45. https://archive.org/details/game-power-n-37-marzo-1995_new/page/44.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Is War Hell for Sega?". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (13): 8. January 1996. "Toshinden is almost a year old and ... Takara has been working on the Saturn version for more than a year.".
19. ↑ "Special Feature!: PlayStation". EGM2 (6): 184. 1994. December 1994. https://www.retromags.com/magazines/usa/egm2/egm2-issue-6/.
20. ↑ "ＭＥＧＵ１９９５". http://outsite.cool.coocan.jp/megu1995.html.
21. ↑ "【1995年】【1月】電撃PlayStation 1995.Vol.1". Dengeki PlayStation (1). https://retoge-mag.websa.jp/old/viewpage/entry/2020/07/19/191245.html.
22. ↑ "Sony makes their move and a new platform is born". GameFan 3 (1): 130. January 1995. https://archive.org/details/GamefanVolume3Issue01January1995/page/n129.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Battle Arena Toshinden Details - LaunchBox Games Database". https://gamesdb.launchbox-app.com/games/details/10542-battle-arena-toshinden.
24. ↑ "NG Special". Next Generation 2 (24): 49. 1996. December 1996. https://archive.org/details/GameOnMagazine/Game On! 02 (1996) Virtual Combat/page/n5/.
25. ↑ "Next Wave: Toh Shin Den S". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (79): 88–89. February 1996.
26. ↑ "Digital Dialect's Home Page". 1996-12-27. http://digitald.com/.
27. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden (1995)" (in en). https://www.mobygames.com/game/6238/battle-arena-toshinden/.
28. ↑ "Toshinden". https://server.manoel.dev/extra_games/dos/DOSGAMES/VirtualHD/Battle Arena Toshinden/readme.txt.
29. ↑ "熱闘 闘神伝 DEAD HEAT FIGHTERS TOSHINDEN". http://kakuge.info/d/t/gb_toushinden.htm.
30. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden (1996)" (in en). https://www.mobygames.com/game/42583/battle-arena-toshinden/.
31. ↑ 電撃オンライン. "『闘神伝』シリーズ『1』～『3』がPS3、PSP、PS Vitaで遊べるように。ゲームアーカイブスで配信開始" (in ja). https://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/417/1417585/.
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Square, Push (2018-12-01). "Review: Battle Arena Toshinden - Significant But Not Special" (in en-GB). https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps1/battle-arena-toshinden.
33. ↑ "BATTLE ARENA TOSHINDEN (NTSC-J) - FRONT". https://psxdatacenter.com/images/hires/J/B/SLPS-00025/SLPS-00025-F-ALL.html.
34. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden Sony PlayStation PAL Europe Box Art" (in en-US). 2023-10-29. https://www.originalvideogameart.com/home/battle-arena-toshinden-sony-playstation-pal-europe-box-art-r533/.
35. ↑ "Cover art or packaging material from Battle Arena Toshinden (1995)" (in en). https://www.mobygames.com/game/6238/battle-arena-toshinden/cover/group-22808/cover-57055/.
36. ↑ "view". https://www.thecoverproject.net/view.php?cover_id=23311.
37. ↑ "Toushinden S" (in en). https://www.satakore.com/sega-saturn-game,,GS-9078,,Toushinden-S-JPN.html.
38. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden Remix" (in en). https://www.satakore.com/sega-saturn-game,,81029,,Battle-Arena-Toshinden-Remix-USA.html.
39. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden Remix" (in en). https://www.satakore.com/sega-saturn-game,,MK81029-50,,Battle-Arena-Toshinden-Remix-EUR.html.
40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 "SRCL-3194 | Toshinden Retake & Remix - VGMdb" (in en). https://vgmdb.net/album/1986.
41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 Jay & Dee (September 1995). "Eye of the Monitor". Dragon (221): 115–118.
42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Carpenter, Danyon; Manuel, Al; Baran, Andrew; Sushi-X (September 1995). "Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Sendai Publishing) (74): 38. ISSN 1058-918X. https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/751be5af-e4ad-4597-866f-bdab60a6b1c2.
43. ↑ "Playstation Cross Review" (in Japanese). Weekly Famicom Tsūshin (333). 5 May 1995.
44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 "Overseas ProSpects: Toh Shin Den". GamePro (IDG) (69): 144. April 1995.
45. ↑ GamePro, issue 74, September 1995, page 42
46. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden - PlayStation". Game Informer. http://www.gameinformer.com/sep95/tohshin.html. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
47. ↑ GamesMaster, episode 81 (series 5, episode 1 ), September 21, 1995
48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Bures, Julian; Serda, Jason (May 1995). "Virtua Fighter vs Toshinden". Hyper (18): 32–5. https://archive.org/details/hyper-018/page/n31/mode/2up.
49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 "Toh Shin Den". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (4): 86–87. April 1995.
50. ↑ "PlayStation review: Battle Arena Toshinden". Game Players 8 (8): 44–5. August 1995. https://archive.org/details/Game_Players_Issue_55_August_1995/page/n45.
51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide. 1996.
52. ↑ Game Amusement Pleasure (1995). File:GameAmusementPleasure UK 04.PDF - Retro CDN. https://retrocdn.net/File:GameAmusementPleasure_UK_04.pdf.
53. ↑ 53.0 53.1 "Game Search". Famitsu. https://sites.google.com/site/gamedatalibrary/game-search.
54. ↑ "Sony Sells Out!". Game Players 8 (12): 21. December 1995. https://archive.org/details/Game_Players_Issue_59_December_1995/page/n19.
55. ↑ "By the numbers". Game Players: 21. 1996. January 1996. https://archive.org/details/UneditedGPScans/GP80u/page/n21/mode/2up.
56. ↑ "PlayStation US Sales from 1995-2003". NPD Group. http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/Ps1ussales.htm.
57. ↑ "PlayStation Leads Videogame Industry with Aggressive New Price Structure; PlayStation Game Console to Retail for $149 and PlayStation Software to be Targeted at a MSRP of $49.99 or Less". Business Wire. March 3, 1997. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1997_March_3/ai_19173261.
58. ↑ "An Interview with Ken Kutaragi". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (6): 53. June 1995.
59. ↑ "ProReview: Battle Arena Toshinden". GamePro (IDG) (74): 40–41. September 1995.
60. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden for PC". GameRankings. https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/196715-battle-arena-toshinden/index.html.
61. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden for PlayStation Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/battle-arena-toshinden/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation.
62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 "Review Crew: Toshinden Remix". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (83): 28. June 1996.
63. ↑ Leo, John. "Battle Arena Toshinden Review". http://uk.gamespot.com/battle-arena-toshinden/reviews/battle-arena-toshinden-review-2535126/.
64. ↑ 64.0 64.1 "Second Best". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (15): 82. March 1996.
65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 Leadbetter, Rich (May 1996). "Maximum Reviews: Toshinden Remix". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (Emap International Limited) (6): 127.
66. ↑ 66.0 66.1 Allsetter, Rob (February 1996). "Review: Toh Shin Den". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (4): 76–77.
67. ↑ "Unedited Game Players Scans". Game Players (56). 1996. https://archive.org/details/UneditedGPScans/GP85u/page/n55.
68. ↑ "ProReview: Battle Arena Toshinden Remix". GamePro (IDG) (93): 66. June 1996.
69. ↑ "10 Most Overrated Games". Electronic Gaming Monthly (200). 2005-04-04. http://my.1up.com/features/10-overrated-games. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
70. ↑ 東京都古書籍商業協同組合 (in ja). 「闘神伝アンソロジーコミック ＜Softbank comics Super game comic anthology series vol.1＞」 / 日本の古本屋. https://www.kosho.or.jp/products/catalog_detail.php?nh_id=2304628.
71. ↑ "BVCH-631 | Toshinden -Before Stage- Vol.1 - VGMdb" (in en). https://vgmdb.net/album/6657.
72. ↑ "Virtual Combat". Game On! USA (Viz Media) (2): 9. 1996. https://archive.org/details/GameOnMagazine/Game On! 02 (1996) Virtual Combat/page/n5/.
73. ↑ "Battle Arena Toshinden" (in en). EW.com. https://ew.com/article/1997/04/25/battle-arena-toshinden/.
74. ↑ "闘神伝 | Bangumi 番组计划". https://bgm.tv/subject/300733.
75. ↑ "闘神伝 お楽しみ版 CD-ROM". http://kakuge.info/d/t/toushinden_sample.htm.
76. ↑ "The Best of the Rest...". Play UK (12). 1996.
77. ↑ "Rzone Games" (in en). https://www.ign.com/games/platform/rzone.
78. ↑ "ジェラード財団音楽院【メトロノーム】～年表～". https://www5.big.or.jp/~miuya/Gerard/misc/chronol.html.
79. ↑ "ABALABURN - (NTSC-J)". https://psxdatacenter.com/games/J/A/SLPS-01280.html.
80. ↑ Spencer (June 26, 2009). "Ehrgeiz Developers Working On Toshinden Revival". Siliconera.com. http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/26/ehrgeiz-developers-working-on-toshinden-revival/.
81. ↑ [1]
82. ↑ "Make Your Own (Simple) Combos In Toshinden". Siliconera. 21 October 2008. http://www.siliconera.com/2008/10/21/make-your-own-simple-combos-in-toshinden/.

## External links

* Tamsoft page: BAT
* Playmates Interactive Entertainment, Inc. page
* Digital Dialect page
* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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Subsidiaries and
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