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Sega Superstars Smackdown

Sega Superstars Smackdown is a fighting game by Sega. It is a crossover fighter featuring over 20 characters from Sega games, and was said to be Sega's answer to Nintendo's Super Smash Bros series.

Development[]

Development of Sega Superstars Smackdown began in 2001, after the completion of Power Stone 2. After Capcom fired many members of that team, they formed a studio named Team Smackdown, and were contacted by Sega to create a similarly styled crossover fighting game. Development took close to four years, due to the team's relatively small size and the need to build the game's engine and assets from scratch.

Gameplay[]

Sega Superstars Smackdown features 23 characters who can fight on 12 interactive 3D stages. These characters can run, jump, and use a variety of attacks to defeat enemies. Like in most fighting games, the goal is to reduce the enemy's health bar to zero. The main difference is the ability to use elements of the environments to one's advantage.

Up to four players can compete at once, much like in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros series. Unlike in that game, however, Sega Superstars Smackdown allowed players to compete online, something that Brawl wouldn't offer for over three years. However, only up to two people can play at a time online, due to the Dreamcast's technical limitations.

Characters[]

  • AiAi - Super Monkey Ball
  • Akira Yuki - Virtua Fighter
  • Alex Kidd - Alex Kidd
  • Amigo - Samba De Amigo
  • Amy Rose - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Axel Stone - Streets of Rage
  • Beat - Jet Set Radio
  • Eggman - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Gillius Thunderhead - Golden Axe
  • Joe Musashi - Shinobi
  • Knuckles - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Metal Sonic - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Michael Hardy - Virtua Cop
  • Nights - Nights
  • Orta - Panzer Dragoon
  • Ristar - Ristar
  • Ryo Hazuki - Shenmue
  • Shadow - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Sonic - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Tails - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Thomas Rogan - House of the Dead
  • Ulala - Space Channel 5
  • Vyse - Skies of Aradia

Reception and Sequels[]

Sega Superstars Smackdown was critically and commercially a success, though not as much as the Smash Bros series. The game has a 85 on metacritic, and has sold upward of four million copies worldwide.

There have been two sequels; Sega Superstars Smackdown: The Skirmish for the Pluto in 2008 and the Sega Superstars Smackdown: Strife for the Eclipse in 2012. Each of these games have had solid reviews and good sales, although it is too soon to be certain of the ultimate success of Strife. These games mostly stuck to the gameplay of the original, but expanded upon them, adding new characters, stages, modes, and functionality, such as online tournament play.

Characters added in The Skirmish[]

  • Billy Hatcher - Billy Hatcher
  • Blaze - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Eileen - Virtua Fighter
  • Jacky - Virtua Fighter
  • James Taylor - House of the Dead
  • Kazuma Kiryu - Yakuza
  • Reala - Nights
  • Segata Sanshiro - Marketing
  • Silver - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Snake - Metal Gear Solid
  • Welkin Gunther - Valkyria Chronicles

Characters added in Strife[]

  • Alis Landale - Phantasy Star
  • Bayonetta - Bayonetta
  • Hero - Altered Beast
  • Jack Cayman - MadWorld
  • Omega - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Richter Belmont - Castlevania
  • Rouge - Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Sakura Shinguji - Sakura Wars
  • Simon Belmont - Castlevania
  • Zobio & Zobiko - House of the Dead
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