Format: Cartridge
Genre: 2d Fighter
Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega

Like a comic book brought to life, Eternal Champions' enormous, superbly well-animated characters are only one-upped by the game's backgrounds, which have a richly shaded, almost dithered look. From a startlingly funereal midnight Salem witch trial to an above-water domed Atlantis, there is a lot of variety in setting, with character designs that are equally distinctive!

Eternal Champions uses the popular GEMS sound driver, and many of the songs put it to good use, weaving consonant harmonic chords. The percussion is a little weak, but the songs' strong compositions more than offset that shortfall. Unfortunately, sound effects are minimal and unlike most fighters, there are precious few voice samples in this title, causing the game to come across as a little flat. There isn't even an announcer voice!

This game uses Street Fighter II's six button configuration, and it works as well here as it does there, providing ample move variety without becoming overwhelming. Special moves are either of the charge variety, or involve simultaneous button presses. Characters all jump the same distance and height, which takes away from the game's variety-- but there is a cool special meter, which adds a new "need to wait for my special moves to recharge" layer of strategy.

Not bound by arcade conventions, Eternal Champions has an almost unbelievable number of modes-- from dexterity training, to virtual punching bags, to a conventional arcade mode, and even thirty-two player tournament play. Heck, the game even has a versatile instant replay feature! Lamentably though, the core gameplay just doesn't feel as tight as a Street Fighter II or Samurai Shodown, and the somewhat flat presentation could use some livening up. Still, amongst the plethora of "alternative" fighters that graced the 90s, Eternal Champions is one of the most interesting to play, and is certainly the most feature-filled!