Battle Arena Toshinden

Variants

The first variant in Battle Arena Toshinden was the pack-version. This was included in early system bundles after launch. The manual and disc read “Not For Resale”. The UPC ends in 40030.

Jewel Case Release – Not-For-Sale System Pack-In

The game was then released to retail equivalents with stickers applied to cover the “Not For Resale” applications. Back insert still has the 40030 designation.

Jewel Case Variant – ‘1 to 2 Player Sticker’ Version, Sold at Retail

Now released in a standard version, the UPC goes back to the original long box UPC. Manual and disc are sticker free and printed as normal versions. Probably the hardest of the variants to track down.

Jewel Case Variant – Standard Version

Released as a Greatest Hits.

Greatest Hits Release

Misprints

• There are no known misprints.

Review

I still remember the day I got to witness Toshinden for the first time. Way, way back when I used to go to Japanese Anime meetings, a fellow who was rather overly-addicted to buying anything imported, plunked down the cash for an import PlayStation and 4 of the launch games. It wasn’t until he had put in this disc that I realized my soul would soon be owned by the Sony corporation. Not because of the graphics or game play, but at the potential it showed for the future of gaming.

Anyway…

Battle Arena Toshinden is and always will be considered the flagship title of the PlayStation. Why? Because it basically trounced the visually inferior opponent; Sega Saturn’s Virtua Fighter, and provided Sony with all the evidence they needed to sway the gaming public and usher in a new breed of mainstream gamers.

Here you have a game with 8 warriors brought together by invitation-only requests, to meet and fight each other for the chance to tackle the ultimate warrior, Gaia. Each fighter has their own weapon, style of fighting, and personal goal for reaching and defeating Gaia.

Play mechanics are a bit odd; you have the controller motions out of Street Fighter, but a combo system pace that’s far slower. Each player possess several Special Moves, and 1 Super Move; You’re also able to roll out of the way, and knock opponents off the edge.

Graphically the game shows its age, especially in the character models. There are a lot of flicker issues in character joints, and most stages can be reduced to a few rectangles and a circle once the nostalgia wears off. I still love the perfectly shaped rectangular waterfall.

As much as I’d love to say this has to be in everyone’s library, it really doesn’t. At it’s finest hour, Toshinden today is just a reminder of what used to be, and reminds us of the day 3D games took full control of the gaming world.

Final Score: 5 / 10 – Average

Toshinden is that pack-in game that never quite gets to share the winners’ podium with Mario, Sonic, or Halo. A fun nostalgic romp, but non-collectors will find better bouts elsewhere.

Screenshots

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Videos

Trivia

• All 8 main characters, the final boss, and all but 1 stage are presented in the screenshots.
• The game has it’s own version of Akuma, Sho. In order to reach him, you must beat the game on normal or harder difficulty without using a continue. Once Sho shows himself, you may continue all you want. If you beat Sho, you will get your character’s “True” ending. Sho uses Eiji’s, Kayin’s, and extra moves in his arsenal.
• The characters have obviously been dubbed in English from their original Japanese release, but there are some rather noteworthy adjustments. Sofia was made less…erotic…while Ellis was made to sound older. Her only issue is that instead of the adorably young chibi-like voice, we got this…demon puberty tone (“I Neevah geeeve up!”) >_<;;
• While it wouldn’t show by today’s standards, Toshinden was actually a huge deal for Sony on launch day, for several important factors. For starters, the PSX was $100 cheaper than the Saturn, and here was Sony’s first fighting game showing off better textures, better 3D environments, and special effects nowhere to be found in Sega’s Virtua Fighter. Ellis’ fabric was a huge deal as it was the first time clothing had true transparency to it.
• Secondly, it showed Sony of America was willing to bring over titles themselves where needed to fill in the voids 3rd parties couldn’t fill at launch. Along with this, they had Kileak (1st Person shooter), arcade conversions in Raiden Project, and of course Namco’s Ridge Racer.
• Epileptic gamers who have never played this may want to take heed with the final boss stage. Gaia’s level is a huge transparent checkerboard like pattern whose individual squares light up in random patterns, all in front of a giant spinning black hole. It can be quite the eyeful.
• Bernie Stolar, a man most Sega fans would bitch-slap given half the chance, originally worked for Sony. He is thanked in the manual.
• Speaking of bitch-slapping, this may be the first game to ever utter the word on it’s back copy, though admittedly self censored.
• EGM admitted that this was their most overrated game of all time.
• Every character has a Super Move you can perform when your meter is red. When you beat the game, the game will display your character’s Super Move, and then show them unleashing it on the end boss.

Secrets

Battle Arena Toshinden is chockful of some great cheat codes.

• Fight Sho Plus Earn The Real Ending
  Select the Hard Difficulty, and then complete the base game without using a Continue. You’ll get an alert and then fight Sho. Beating him will reveal the “true” ending.
• Play As The End Boss Gaia
  At the title screen, while the bottom words are scrolling in press Down, Down-Left, Left + Square. The text will turn pink and you’ll hear the word “Fight!” if done correctly. At the character selection screen highlight Eiji, hold Up and press any button. To choose his other outfit, press Select before holding up.
• Play As Hidden Sho
  At the title screen, while the bottom words are scrolling in enter Gaia’s code of Down, Down-Left, Left + Square. You’ll hear the word “Fight” and the words turn pink. Now let the game demo loop and once the title screen re-appears and the words begin scrolling again, press Right, Left, Right, Left + Square on Controller 2. If successful the text will turn green. At the Character Select Screen highlight Kayin and press Down + Square. To choose Sho’s other outfit, press Select before holding down.
• Choose Alternate Color
  Press Select when choosing your character.
• Both Players Use Same Outfit
  When the second person hovers over the same character, that character’s 2nd outfit is automatically selected. Press Select and it will revert back to the original costume.
• Instant Special Moves
  First, follow the steps to enter Gaia and Sho’s codes above. On the second loop back to the title screen as the words are scrolling in, press Down-Left + Cross on Controller 1. You’ll hear “Fantastic!” and the text will change to white. Go to the options and change the control set so the Shoulder Buttons allow you to use the Special Moves on each one (A3 and A4).
• Instant Super Moves On Very Easy and Easy
  Have the Instant Special Moves code above activated and your controller set to A4. When your life bar flashes red, press all four shoulder buttons at once. This default is normally only available in Very Easy and Easy difficulties.
• Instant Super and Desperation Moves On Any Difficulty
  Enter the Gaia, Sho, and Instant Super Moves codes. On this 4th pass, as the words are appearing enter Sho’s Code again by pressing Right, Left, Right, Left + Square on Controller 2. You can now have the Special buttons assigned on any difficulty.
• “Photo Mode”
  To access additional camera controls  you will need two controllers plugged in.Enter the Options screen and set Controller 1’s set-up to A2.
  Now move down to Camera and keep changing it till you have the choice “Your Self”
  Go back up to Controller 1’s set-up, and keep scrolling right till it changes to A5. You’ll see Camera listed on the shoulder buttons.Now go ahead and choose any game mode. Pause the game when you have a visual you like. Once paused, press and hold all four thumb buttons (Cross, Circle, Square, Triangle). With those held, press Select once to remove the menu, and a second time to remove the health bars. You now have your ‘clean’ view. To maneuver around the scene:

  On Controller 1 – Select Mode One
  • L1 pans left, R1 pans right
  • L2 zooms in, R2 zooms out
  • Up pans up, Down pans Down
  • Select will change button functions

  On Controller 1 – Select Mode Two
  • L1  rotates around left, R1 rotates around right
  • L2 rotate down to ground level, R2 rotates up and over fighters

  On Controller 2 
  • Pressing Select will advance the animation frame-by-frame (‘scrubbing’)
  • Holding down Select will play the animation in slow motion

  Pressing Start on Controller 1 will unpause the game and play will continue where the camera was left. If you pause, holding all four thumb buttons and pressing Select will bring back the menu and health bars.

• Learn Your Character’s Super Move and Hidden Super Move
  Once you beat Gaia and sit through the credits, the game will show you how to perform their Super Move, which is only possible when your health bar is blinking red. If you reach Sho and beat him, the game will instead show a Hidden Super Move that can be performed. These are usually insanely complicated.