After spending countless hours of joy playing Virtua Fighter on the Saturn for over a decade, I finally picked up the so-called, "superior" 32X version and thought long and hard about whether it indeed was better or not.
The gameplay in the 32X version of Virtua Fighter is just as good as the Saturn version, but, dare I say that the controls are more responsive? I have had no issues with control responsiveness with the Saturn version, however the 32X version definitely feels like it responds faster. The rest of the game is excellent, just like the Saturn version, but it too is lacking in terms of the amount of game modes available. Being on a cartridge on the 32X though, it's more understandable, especially given the fact that all of the hundreds of moves are available in this version as well.
Little else changes from the Saturn version; Virtua Fighter is still just a world fighting tournament put on by Judgement 6. The competitor's stories get better as the series went on, but something had to start things of as an introductory stage.
The most noticeable difference is that the blocky look the Saturn version displays is a lot cleaner on the 32X. Though te power gulf between the two machines ensures it is not as smooth-looking as the Saturn version, which is most-likely a resolution of console issue.
The game has all of the same tunes and sound effects as the Saturn version, too, but, naturally, due to being on a cartridge, it is not up to the same sound quality and clarity. It's is a bit muddled and off in comparison. Still, that same Dural song is there and the "swooshes," that are everywhere in the Saturn version, return in a different form. There's also no need to unlock any of the differing rounds; the entire game is readily available from the start screen.
So the 32X version of Virtua Fighter essentially grades out the same as the Saturn version, but there are ups and downs to both versions. Still, if you are a Virtua Fighter fan it's interesting to pick up this slightly different take on the game that started it all.
