History VideoGame / BattleArenaToshinden

[[caption-width-right:350:Welcome to the Battle Arena Toshinden]]

*** [[spoiler: Bayhou proves himself]] as the successor of Fo Fai's martial arts, but awaits for more to kill in the wilderness, taking Fo Fai's legacy into obscurity and infamy.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_1battle_arena_toshinden_2_4613.jpg]]

* GuestFighter: VideoGame/EarthwormJim in the PC version of the first game. Rather than having his own attacks, though, he's just a skin swap of Rungo.

*** The world becomes Ten Count's, Balga's, Schultz's, Judgement's, and Vermillion's playground of headhunting and murder.

*** The world becomes Ten Count's, Balga's, Schultz's, Judgement's, and Vermillion's playground of hunting and murder.

*** Rachael succeeds in murdering Tracy, but this act ultimately seals her fate down a path of evil.

*** [spoiler]Bayhou proves himself[/spoiler] as the successor of Fo Fai's martial arts, but awaits for more to kill in the wilderness, taking Fo Fai's legacy into obscurity and infamy.

*** The world becomes Ten Count's, Balga's, Schultz's, Judgement's, and Vermillion's playground of hunting and preying.
*** Zola's stardom rockets as she makes use of the blood magic of Agon Theos to give her irresistible charisma and beauty.

*** Whom ever wins on the side of the Organization, Abel succeeds in hunting down every one of the protagonists, and begins to attain the dark blessings of Agon Teos. Judgement Day happens and a new world is born under his power.

*** The world becomes Ten Count's, Zola's, Balga's, Judgement's, and Vermillion's playground of hunting and preying.

The third game in the series would center around a new antagonist group known as the Soshiki (Organization in the English version) and their leader, a power-hungry megalomaniac named Abel. In order to bring a [[GodOfEvil destructive fighting god]] named Agon Teos into the world, Abel and his minions must gather the [[ThePowerOFBlood blood]] of the strongest warriors and targets the Toshinden fighters as their [[HumanSacrifice sacrifices]]. Hunting them down mercilessly with underhanded ways, and hiring assassins and enemies that could bring them in, he then gives the fighters an ultimatum: Participation in the third tournament to corner them and settle things face to face in the ring, or forever find themselves and their loved ones chased down and victimized until they surrender or die trying to escape their grasp.

The fourth and final game in the original series would take place a few years after the events of ''Toshinden 3'' and that it would center around a young man named Subaru Shinjo (the son of [[spoiler: Sho Shinjo]] and [[spoiler: Cupido]]), who sought to find his missing uncle [[spoiler: Eiji]] while participating in a new Toshindaibukai tournament.

** The Sega Saturn received a port of the first game titled ''Toshinden Remix'' (''Toshinden S'' in Japan), which added an extra character named Cupido to the roster. It was so graphically worse then the [=PS1=] version, that it virtually proved the Saturn was the weaker machine overnight -- a ''really'' bad move for Sega (as better looking 3D fighting games, such as ''[[VideoGame/VirtuaFighter Virtua Fighter 2]]'' and ''VideoGame/FightingVipers'' were later released).

* {{Irony}}: ''Toshinden 1'' was marketed by Sony as a "Saturn killer" on its release at the start of 1995. 11 months later, it was ported to the Sega Saturn. So much for trying to keep it Playstation-exclusive.

* {{Irony}}: ''Toshinden 1'' was marketed by Sony as a "Saturn killer" on its release at the start of 1995. 11 months later, it was ported to the Sega Saturn. So much for being a Playstation-exclusive series.

''Battle Arena Toshinden'' (simply titled ''Toshinden'' in Japan) is ''the'' first 3D {{fighting game}} franchise where every character toted a weapon of some sort (the first series to do it in 2D was ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown''). It was considered a {{killer app}} when it was released as a PlayStation launch title, and Sony promoted it heavily. However, as the years passed by, it got left in the dust, as it was upstaged by other 3D fighting game franchises such as the ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'', ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', and the ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul]]'' series, who continued to innovate and refine their gameplay while ''Toshinden'' remained stagnant. Not quite as fondly remembered as it was back then, but still worth a look.

In 2009, the series had gotten a {{spiritual successor}} for the {{Wii}} in the form of ''War Budokai'' (simply titled ''Toshinden'' in Japan, but spelled with different kanji characters[[note]]the original PlayStation games are titled 闘神伝, while the Wii version is 闘真伝[[/note]]), a weapons-based arena fighter with heavy anime influences which also incorporate skills such as {{summon magic}}.

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There is also evidence of a long deserted plan for a [[http://www.mmcafe.com/archive/news35.htm Toshinden prequel,]] through the pictures found in ''Toshinden Card Quest'', now long known as ''Toshinden Next''. As it stands, ''Next'' was supposed to have delved deeper into the affairs of the four executives of the ''Toshinden'' games, being Gaia, Cupido, Uranus, and Chaos, before what would lead into Gaia's mutiny, and as well into supporting characters mentioned and hinted to in the main series, with the Secret Society's own influences affecting them all as well.

In 2009, the series had gotten a {{spiritual successor}} for the Nintendo Wii in the form of ''War Budokai'' (often called "''Toshinden Wii''" by publications), a weapons-based arena fighter with heavy anime influences which also incorporate skills such as {{summon magic}}.

The series also has a 2D [[{{Game Boy}} Game Boy port]]. Unlike [[PortingDisaster other fighting game ports was released on the Game Boy]], it's [[PolishedPort actually quite good and entertaining]]. It includes all the 8 playable characters from the first game and 4 bosses (Gaia, Gaia II, Sho, and Uranus). [[CrowningMusicOfAwesome The background music is also outstanding to say the least]]. One weird fact that distinguish it from other 2D fighting games is that keeps its ''Ring Out'' feature from the 3D games, but it's made in such a way it doesn't break the game balance (you've a 3 points ''Ring Out'' meter; until it gets emptied you don't fall). If you have time in your hands, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8pxUyuwrW4 give it a look]], it's worth it.

There is also evidence of a long deserted plan for a [[http://www.mmcafe.com/archive/news35.htm Toshinden prequel]], through the pictures found in ''Toshinden Card Quest'', now long known as ''Toshinden Next''. As it stands, ''Next'' was supposed to have delved deeper into the affairs of the four executives of the ''Toshinden'' games, being Gaia, Cupido, Uranus, and Chaos, before what would lead into Gaia's mutiny, and as well into supporting characters mentioned and hinted to in the main series, with the Secret Society's own influences affecting them all as well.

* GaidenGame: ''Battle Arena Toshinden URA'' for the SegaSaturn.

* ShoutOut: In ''Toshinden 2'', Chaos had some secret moves via {{some dexterity required}} commands that are blatant references to other fighting games, usually something made by Creator/{{SNK}} (the specific special moves that Chaos does includes [[VideoGame/FatalFury Terry Bogard]]'s Power Geyser, [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Ryo Sakazaki]]'s Haoh Shoko Ken, [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters Kyo Kusanagi]]'s Serpent Wave, and [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters Iori Yagami]]'s Dark Thrust).
** As a more blatant example, selecting one of Adam's alternate costumes in ''Toshinden 3'' gives him a human, [[Franchise/StreetFighter Zangief-like]] head.

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* KillerApp: Seen as this when it first came out, though the series later fell into decline. ''GamePlayersMagazine'' promoted it as the "Best Brawler EVER!" on one cover, giving it 98% (the only other games that were previously given this score were ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' and the SNES port of ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Super Street Fighter II]]''), over ''Virtua Fighter'' and ''Tekken'', to whom it was a major competitor. This became {{hilarious in hindsight}} once the other series came to far surpass it, as ''Toshinden'' is nowadays considered a joke.

* ManualMisprint: ''Toshinden 2'''s manual printed Eiji's movelist twice, pushing the other characters' lists back two pages, but leaving out Chaos.
* NamesTheSame: [[GunsAkimbo This Vermilion]] [[AxCrazy is]] [[PsychoForHire definitely]] [[EvilLaugh not]] [[FourEyesZeroSoul related to]] [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Noel Vermilion]].

* TheWikiRule: [[http://battlearenatoshinden.wikia.com/Battle_Arena_Toshinden_Wiki Yep.]]
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** In some offical artwork, Abel looks A LOT like [[JojosBizarreAdventure Dio]].

** Veil looks A LOT like [[JojosBizarreAdventure Dio]].

* ShoutOut: In ''Toshinden 2'', Chaos had some secret moves via {{some dexterity required}} commands that are blatant references to other fighting games, usually something made by Creator/{{SNK}} (the specific special moves that Chaos does includes [[VideoGame/FatalFury Terry Bogard]]'s Power Geyser, [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Ryo Sakazaki]]'s Haoh Shoko Ken, [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters Kyo Kusanagi]]'s Serpent Wave, and [[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters Iori Yagami]]'s Dark Thrust). As a more blatant example, selecting one of Adam's alternate costumes in ''Toshinden 3'' gives him a human, [[Franchise/StreetFighter Zangief-like]] head.

* KillerApp: Seen as this when it first came out, though the series later fell into decline. ''GamePlayersMagazine'' promoted it as the "Best Brawler EVER!" on one cover, giving it 98% (the only other games that were previously given this score were ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' and the SNES port of ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Super Street Fighter II]]''), over ''Tekken'' and ''Virtua Fighter'', to whom it was a major competitor. This became {{hilarious in hindsight}} once the other series came to far surpass it, as ''Toshinden'' is nowadays considered a joke.

** ''Toshinden URA'' is often mistaken for a port of ''Toshinden 2'', but it's actually a different game with a different fighting system and roster (Gaia, Chaos, Uranus, and Master were replaced by Replicant, Wolf, Ronron, and Ripper). It also had a different story from ''Toshinden 2's'' own, which revolved around a mysterious traveling fighter named Ripper, seeking out his missing sister (who happens to be [[spoiler:Cupido]]) while dealing with a conspiracy that had involved the theft of an advanced fighting robot.
* TheWikiRule: [[http://battlearenatoshinden.wikia.com/Battle_Arena_Toshinden_ Wiki Yep.]]

* TheWikiRule:
[[http://battlearenatoshinden.wikia.com/Battle_Arena_Toshinden_ Wiki Yep.]]