Tobal No. 1 (1996)

Developer: DreamFactory, Bird Studio
Publisher: Square, Square Enix, Sony Computer Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation
Genres: Fighting, Adventure, Arcade
Rating: 4.0 of 5, 9 player ratings
Where to get it: Website

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The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A snappy, technically-focused 3D fighter that feels crisp and grounded, rewarding players who master its layered grapple system and nimble movement.

fast-pacedtechnicalcompetitiveexperimentalarcade-stylefluiddynamicgrounded

About

Fighting game with a unique quest mode, from Square. The publisher enlisted the help of Seiichi Ishii, who had previously worked on both Tekken and Virtua Fighter. On these strengths, Square helped Ishii start his own development company, Dream Factory, and Tobal No.1 is the first game from the developer. The game offers some 3D movement for more behind-the-back attacks that fighting games released around the same time. Tobal also introduced an interesting grapple move, which allows you to grab your opponent and, depending on your button execution, throw them in a myriad of ways. The game features Gouraud-shaded players displayed in hi-res mode (640x480) and shipped with an included Final Fantasy VII demo.

What players say

A fast, technical 60fps 3D fighter with fluid movement and quirky Akira Toriyama character designs, ahead of its time but overlooked commercially. Remembered as a cult classic, partly famous for bundling the Final Fantasy VII demo.

Screenshots

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