Virtual On features eight mechs known as Virtuaroids as designed by Hajime Katoki. There's the dashing blue-white armored MBV-04-G Temjin which is armed with a lance, the powerful HBV-05-E Raiden, the bulky and brawny HBV-10-B Dorkas, and of course, the lone "girlish" mech in the whole group - the SRV-14-A Fei Yen which is a fast and flighty machine.

In the arcades, Virtual On was fitted with twin stick controllers which were operated with both hands on each stick. When Virtual On was ported over to the Saturn and Dreamcast, Sega created special Twin Stick controllers for the home console market. The control scheme is recreated faithfully on the PS2 by way of the Dual Shock 2 thumbsticks which work well where the mechs respond dutifully to a gamer's tugs and pushes.

Jan Code: 4974365831950

View the back cover and screenshots on the main NCSX website.

ARCADE MODE / Standard coin-op mode without any bells or whistles added to the original code.
VS MODE (SPIRIT) / Two player Virtual On action.
VS MODE (LINK) / Go online and play Virtual On (generally lag-free) against opponents. May toggle Client or Host setting and set Machine Type to Player or Live Monitor.
RANKING MODE / Your accuracy (hit rate), Evasion, Player Life, Enemy Life, Rest Time, Bonus, Difficulty, and Total Score are tallied for each match that you play.
ASSAULT MODE / Continuous Virtual On fighting.
CHIBI-CHARA MODE / Play cutesy versions of the Virtuaroids which have been super-deformed and squashed.
REPLAY / Watch 10 matches between expert players who drive their Virtuaoids with precise controls and superb maneuvering.
VR COLLECTION / View 3D models of Virtuaroids that pump up and down in place. Use the d-pad to move the robot around and the trigger buttons to focus in and out. Temjin's the default robot but the other Virtuaroids may be viewed and pressing the "TRIANGLE" button and selecting them from the list. You can also change the color of each Virtuaroid part-by-part or make it perform an action over and over again. One other option is the SLOW effect which is available in four gradations of molasses. To see every single animation frame that's used to make VIPER perform a sword slash, choose the "MOTION: R-INFIGHT" setting and then set it to "SLOW: X16" and enjoy the tedium of watching the attack in super slow motion.
OPTIONS / Adjust the Game Settings, set the controller configuration, adjust the display, and view the Archives.

» The Virtual On Extra Setting under OPTIONS features the following selections that may be toggled:

EXTRA COLOR / Default is Disable but may be Enabled
EXTRA VIEW / Default is Disable but may be Enabled to allow a view from the cockpit when fighting by pressing the "START" button during a bout.
DASH CANCEL / Set to Normal or Easy
USE ALPHA / Toggle On/Off
BGM CHANGE / Toggle from Arcade to Consumer BGM

» The Controller Configuration allows players to assign the following settings for either 1P or 2P:

ASSIGN MODE: Arcade Twin A, Arcade Twin B, PS2 Custom, Sega Saturn Pad A, Sega Saturn Pad B, and EDIT
ASSIGN VIEW: Check out the controller settings for each mode as listed above. For example, the button configuration for the PS2 Custom is as follows:

O-BUTTON / Dash
X-BUTTON / Guard & Crouch
T-BUTTON / Jump
L1-TRIGG / Turn Left
R1-TRIGG / Turn Right
L2-TRIGG / Left Weapon
R2-TRIGG / Right Weapon

» Note that the Arcade Twin A and B controller setting uses the analog thumbsticks as the "twin" sticks.

» The Archives section under OPTIONS features the following areas to visit:

SOUND TEST / Listen to every single piece of BGM, sound effect, and voice used in the game. There's also settings to adjust the Master, BGM, SE, and VOICE volumes.

GALLERY 1 / Check out original arcade flyers, Virtuaroid portraits, splash page style artwork, the cover of the Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Reference Schematic book, the cover of the Virtual-On Official Sound Data CD, the cover of the Sega Saturn conversion of Virtual On, the Sega Twinstick box, and other assorted covers and advertising artwork. A total of 64 pieces are collected in the first gallery.

GALLERY 2 / Sega gathers together 56 pieces of dramatic Virtual-On artwork that could serve as wallpaper or if you have the resources, colorful posters suitable for hanging. In addition to the artwork, there are utilitarian illustrations of each Virtuaroid (most with one color variant) as viewed from the front and back against a white background.

» At the outset of each game after the Machine Select screen, the mech is shown jetting off from a carrier somewhere in the ocean where it dips slightly as it leaves the platform but rockets upwards from there. The first stage is invariably Flooded City followed by Air Port and Water Front.

» The action is surprisingly true to the original but there's a slight jitter or jiggle in the movement of the action that pops up every once in a while. It's not consistent and only seems to happen when jetting across the playfield and in times when the camera focuses on a Virtuaroid and it'll jiggle slightly as it moves. It doesn't necessarily detract from the faithful conversion but we thought it was worth mentioning. Note that the replays at the end of each match when two Virtuaroids are contiguous to each other show a more pronounced jitter action that's quite disconcerting to view. It's like the software can't keep up with the ferocious action on screen and the clashing of the polygons.

» Other than that jittery animation niggle that pops up from time to time, this is an excellent arcade port that's almost 1:1 from the coin-op. It's not perfect because the animation of the battlefield as the camera swivels to take in the rapid-fire action isn't as smooth as the arcade version. There's also the aforementioned "jitter" effect during the game and in the replay animations.

» We had misgivings when the game was first announced. Yes, we understand that the Playstation 2 hardware is superior specs-wise to the Model 2 on paper but the Model 2 was custom-tailored to handle Virtual On per the designers' vision. In any case, things can happen during ports that make the end result less than satisfying. We expected very rough animation and perhaps sacrifices in the speed that the game moves at but we're generally pleased with the end results. The game moves quickly and the game sounds like the original with whining thrusters and projectile attacks accompanied by their attendant sound effects. There's no polygon fading from what we can see this morning and the Virtuaroids run, pivot, and fly into the air like they're supposed to.

» Pressing Select after winning a bout will save the entire replay of the match to memory for storage to memory card later on.

» If you perform a jump-jet move upwards by spreading the twinsticks in opposing directions and the enemy launches projectile attack aim directly at your lofted Virtuaroid, you can set the mech down quickly from its heights by pushing the twinsticks towards each other for a fast drop back to the ground.

» It takes a lot of practice to perfect the movement of the mechs but if you're diligent, you'll be able to perform like the experts shown in the REPLAY theater where mechs orbit each other and perform swiveling-motion sword attacks.

FROM THE ORIGINAL ARCADE FLYER
""You don't need food and you don't need water. Your hunger is for destruction and your thirst is for victory. You don't feel remorse. You're a massive robot, with the sole mission of pounding the living daylights out of anything that crosses you. You don't stop. Just keep smashing and stomping inhuman vengeance.

Virtual On features Polygon modeling 3-D CG graphics that pull you into the incredible world of ruthless robots.

Grab both levers, and virtually become the metal beast of terror.

Rip your way though awesome gameplay that features amazingly realistic movements and riotous action.""

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