oOo DARKSTALKERS oOo
Ever seen one of those games where you just look at the graphics which amaze you, then you play it and then fall in love with the game?!?!?. Darkstalkers (originally titled "Vampire" in Japan and Asia, but Capcom renamed it for the rest of the world) was one such game.
Released around 1994 using Capcom's CPSII board, Darkstalkers a 2D versus fighting game using the same fighting system as Street fighter II, just had this amazing 2D animation which I just thought looked like a animated cartoon inside a game. Featuring some of the most fluid animation, brilliantly realized characters, bright dazzling colours, some amazing music, over-the-top special moves and gameplay that just had this 'tight' control.
Darkstalkers was a massive hit in Japan but didn't seem to catch the rest of the world the same way that the Street fighter series did. Nevertheless Darkstalkers has its own hard-core gaming army!
Like Street fighter, Darkstalkers has its sequels. The original cast of : Demitri Maximoff, Morrigan Aensland, Felicia, Bishamon, Aulbath (renamed Rikuo in the Western world), Jon Talbain (renamed Galon in the West), Sasquatch, Anakaris, Zabel (renamed as Lord Raptor in the West), Victor Von Gerdenheim, Phobos (renamed as Huitzil in the West) and Pyron were later greeted with other characters in:
Vampire Hunter with Lei Lei (renamed Hsien-Ko in the West) , Donovan, and also:
Vampire Chronicles. Bulleta (renamed as Baby Bonnie Hood in the West), Jedah, Q-Bee and Lilith.
You can also find the Darkstalker games on home consoles, including the PSone, Sega Saturn and Dreamcast. Although I would suggest that you get the Sega Saturn version since the Saturn has the superior ones out of all the conversions! (just get Vampire Hunter and find the codes to unlock the secrets. You 'll be amazed to what CAPCOM have hidden in there)!
You might also like to know that Darkstalkers is also available on a 4 episode anime which is released in Japan, Asia and USA. Check it out it you are a die hard fan. Although some gorgeous artwork is letdown by a slow storyline and I also think that Darkstalkers was released on an animed tv series (not anime)!! and I've heard that it's really bad.......
