is an installment in the

Sega AM2 previously known as is a video game development team within the Japanese multinational video game developer Sega. Yu Suzuki, who had previously developed arcade games for Sega including ''Hang-On'' and ''Out Run'', was the first manager of th ...

Virtua Fighter is a series of fighting games created by Sega-AM2 and designer Yu Suzuki. The original ''Virtua Fighter'' was released in October 1993 and has received four main sequels and several spin-offs. The highly influential first ''Virtua Fighter'' game ...

fighting game A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...

series. A

super deformed Chibi, also known as super deformation, or S.D. is a style of caricature originating in Japan, and common in anime and manga where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby with stubby limbs, oversized heads, and m ...

version of ''

Virtua Fighter 2 is a 1994 fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sega. It is the sequel to 1993's ''Virtua Fighter (video game), Virtua Fighter'' and the second game in the ''Virtua Fighter'' series. It was created by Sega's Yu Suzuki-headed Sega AM2, ...

'', it was released in the

arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...

and on the

Sega Saturn The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...

in 1996. Unlike ''Virtua Fighter 2'', it was developed on the

ST-V Sega is a video game developer, publisher, and hardware development company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with multiple offices around the world. The company's involvement in the arcade game industry began as a Japan-based distributor of coin-o ...

board. All the characters have big heads, and the

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

is at a faster pace. The

gameplay Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pla ...

itself is slightly tweaked from ''Virtua Fighter 2''. The Saturn version includes some new full motion video, FMVs and programmable button sequences to allow players to test and use pre-made combos. Despite being children, some of the fighters retain the adult characteristics of their ''Virtua Fighter 2'' counterparts, such as facial hair, muscles, and breasts.

Release

Merchandise for the game in Japan included a line of stuffed toys which sold very well even before development on the game was finished. In Japan, ''Virtua Fighter Kids'' was released on the Saturn as a promotional item in co-operation with drink brands "Java Tea" and "Energen" under the title "Virtua Fighter Kids: Java Tea Original Edition". It was later released commercially without any mention of "Java Tea" on the cover. All Java Tea product placement was removed from the western versions of the game, but is present in all Japanese versions (arcade, regular and Java Edition).

Appearances in other games

Although no official sequels to ''Virtua Fighter Kids'' were ever made (other than the ''VF Kids'' versions of the ''CG Portrait Series'' in Japan called the ''Game Gear Portrait Series''), the child versions of Akira Yuki and Sarah Bryant reappear as playable characters in ''Fighters Megamix'', and some of their fellow playable characters appear in the game's ending movie as well. The Kid styles of Akira Yuki and Sarah Bryant were made into figures in the Sega Dreamcast game ''Shenmue''.

Reception

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''Virtua Fighter Kids'' on their May 1, 1996 issue as being the third most-successful arcade game of the month. ''Virtua Fighter Kids'' divided reviewers to an extent. ''GameSpot'', Scary Larry of ''GamePro'', and Dan Hsu, Crispin Boyer, and Sushi-X of ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' said that while ''Virtua Fighter Kids'' would have made an amusing bonus mode in ''Virtua Fighter 2'', it was not worthwhile as a full-price standalone release. On the other side, ''Next Generation (magazine), Next Generation'', Rich Leadbetter of ''Sega Saturn Magazine'', and Shawn Smith of ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' argued that features such as the funny cinemas, the new facial expressions on the characters, and the new kid-themed scenery make the game more than a money-making gimmick, though they also said that it is not as good as the original version of ''Virtua Fighter 2''. Most reviewers criticized the short reach of the kid characters.

Notes

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1996 video games Arcade video games Video games developed in Japan Sega-AM2 games Sega arcade games Sega Saturn games Virtua Fighter