The first time I saw that back in 1996, my pants exploded with magical space pudding. Star Gladiator was Capcom's FIRST 3D FIGHTING GAME on the old PS1 and has been in my Top 10 for years (and I just can't bring myself to toss it on the "retro" pile). Building on Namco's success with Soul Blade/Edge, Capcom combined the solid control scheme with a Japanese version of Star Wars, resulting in a sorely overlooked fighting game. In fact, it was originally released in arcades, but where were you and your quarters then?
Here's the short of it: "In the year 2348, humans have been exploring space for the past four centuries, and have established contact with various alien civilizations. People now emigrate from one planet to another, and life is generally good. However...all of that changes when Dr. Edward Bilstein: a Nobel Prize-winning physicist uncovers the secret to humanity's "sixth sense" and discovers how to use it as an energy source he calls "Plasma Power". Within time, Bilstein develops ambitions of universal conquest and now seeks to conqueor the entire galaxy in his own accord. After failed attempts to coerce other Plasma wielders to join him in taking over the Earth, Bilstein is captured by the authorities of the Earth Federation for his unhuman henious crimes in experimenting on innocent people with his Plasma Power and he is imprisoned in a satellite orbiting Planet Zeta. Six years later, Bilstein has built himself a powerful cyborg body and managed to escape from his prison, gathering a cadre of Plasma mercenaries at his side. After making quick work of Zeta's defenses, Bilstein sets his eyes on Earth and hopes to conqueor it in due time. A panicked Earth Federation has only one recourse: to find people who could utilize Plasma Power in their own accord and attempt to stop Bilstein in a last, desperate effort before the mad genius can invade Earth with his nascent Fourth Empire."
The graphics for the time pushed the PS1's power and the overall presentation was before its time. Character designs, stages, music, special effects; all awesome. Combat is a joy with each character having their own unique "combo tree" with a variety of over-the-top supers. Bilstein, the Japanese version of Darth Vader, is such a bad-ass boss that he's up next for our "Evil Over Easy" posting. Unfortunately, Capcom waited too long to publish a sequel on the Dreamcast (Plasma Sword) and it turned out to be a real turd burglar with a dumbed down combo system and they tried to double the roster with cheap CLONES of the original cast - avoid at all costs. Give star Gladiator a go, and may the Fugu be with you. mmm...Japanese Star Wars...(uberdrool) SKULL SCORE
