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[Arsic]

Over the years I've played many many many fighting games. For the longest time my favorite was tied between Garou Mark of the Wolves and Street Fighter 3 Third Strike. But in the year of lord and vampire savior 2026, both have become dethroned.

Vampire Savior, AKA Darkstalkers 3, is the most genius fighting game I've put my hands on.

In the past I've seen some VS be played, dismissed it, tried it myself for a few minutes and didn't feel it click right away, and dismissed it. This had to do with me thinking combos must be super hard to do since I couldn't cancel a chain into a special or multiple hits into a special. Which isn't how VS works.

Thanks to the capcom fighting collection, the recent doom and gloom of physical media, nostalgia overload, and EVO Japan and USA 2026 VS hype - I jumped in.



This game is the godfather of so many incredible ideas that didn't exist before it like an air dash, and character archetypes like I-No from guilty gear were born here.

I'm baffled that VS baseline isn't copied today in what so many people are asking for in a fighter. Easy to pick up, combos are short, chains, it's fast, it's flashy, it has personality, incredible art style, and that soundtrack? Oh baby!

Personally my two favorite aspects are how combos work for chains, and how cancels into special moves works. It's perfect for beginners and feels like the combos portion of the game isn't a barrier at all and you get to jump into learning the footsies, match ups, etc. Yes there is plenty of advanced tech, hard AF shit to do like Sako combos but it isn't mandatory to get in and feel competent to hang and have fun.

I wish Capcom would give this IP a revival. Highly recommend Capcom fighting collection to mess with it if you're interested, or Fightcade if you want to play others and try to get good against others.

 

[MrRibeye]

Red riding hood with an Uzi

Werewolf with nunchakus

Undead British punk with electric guitar

And a vampire girl whose tits are exploding …

Never seen this game before (fighting is not my thang) and wtf are these gifs bro, but downloading this now for Fightcade to give it a try, because how can I not after this OP

 

[Arsic]

Red riding hood with an Uzi

Werewolf with nunchakus

Undead British punk with electric guitar

And a vampire girl whose tits are exploding …

Never seen this game before (fighting is not my thang) and wtf are these gifs bro, but downloading this now for Fightcade to give it a try, because how can I not after this OP

It was developed after Street Fighter 2 and a few iterations of it.

It's a 6 button fighter like SF, but combo routing is very different, and the "rounds" function like stocks in smash bros where you immediately go into it from where the life bar died off. First to take off 2 bats wins.

Play turbo 3 speed (that's the standard), and do not pick auto. (Auto guards for you which is not allowed in competitive play lol).

Standard combo is cr lk, cr mp, cr MK, into either a cr heavy kick or stand heavy punch for example. Depends on character buttons.

There's also push block but that's more advanced to explain. For now go mash and have fun.

The whole roster is just horror theme monsters and such. Victor uses his ass cheeks for command grabs. It's sick.

 

[SkylineRKR]

VS is the best 2d fighter of all time. I've been playing it first in 1998, on PS and Saturn. And then in Mame, and finally on PS5. I still return to it regularly.

Its the controls, the moves, the variety of the cast, the animations, the music, the atmosphere. Its perfect. Its not too hard to get into, you'll have some chain combos and some you can end with a ground pound. There is one bar that manages both super and ex moves (some you would rate as a super because of their radical change). Its fine as is. It fills fast but its not like you can super all day and some cost 2 meter. If I lose i'm usually not pissed off, the game is just fun to play.

This is controversial but I prefer the rounds system from Savior, which is likely taken from Killer Instinct. It feels better than a full health bar reset and keeps you in the groove, my 2 cents. Playing a few games of Vampire Hunter online afterward felt odd and slow. The first game, Vampire/Darkstalkers, I never really liked. Its about Hunter and Savior. Hunter renders the original useless, and can co-exist next to Savior for being different in feel. Both Hunter and Savior on Saturn were 10/10 ports back in the day.

One caveat, sadly there is no 'ultimate' version available on PS5/Xbox. Vampire Savior arcade was sliced in 2 more versions for memory reasons; Vampire Savior 2 and Vampire Hunter 2. But they aren't really sequels or anything, just a few characters are being replaced and stages are recolored.

The original console and PSP ports used to have everything in one package, just like SFA3 was heavily expanded. But I often swap between Vampire Savior 1 and 2 and if I want the Vampire Hunter cast and OST with the newer VS mechanics, I load up Vampire Hunter 2. Its not a big deal.

 

[GymWolf]

Loved darkstalkers 3 when i was still into fighting games.

 

[Parazels]

To me, Vampire Hunter and Vampire Savior are equally excellent.

 

[Davevil]

no brain that Capcom has never expanded the franchise, for example with a jrpg

 

[spookyfish]

My Arcade1Up "Big Blue" is pretty much my DarkStalkers Machine. I have several others with Street Fighter on them, so it just stays in Vampire Savior attract-mode.

I haven't yet, but I need to swap out the big-ass Street Fighter marquee with a Vampire Savior one.

EDIT: And agreed -- Night Warriors is just as good as VS. DERP. I'm an idiot.

 

[Toots]

Great timing OP since some unsung hero recently put the anime in 4k upscaled on youtube

 

[SirTerry-T]

I will forever be indebted for the time I had my Pal Saturn modded with a 50/60hz and region select switch and a copy of Vampire Saviour with a 4mb cart.

"Classic" Capcom at the top of their game.

 

[orosballs]

One of my favorite games on the saturn was nightwarriors. so many fun nights of playing it with my buddies. I didn't know Kotobukiya had statues of Darkstalkers characters until a week ago and bought a Bulleta figure with the quickness . Hoping Capcom comes out with a new version of this game...

 

[Arsic]

One of mt favorite games on the saturn was nightwarriors. so many fun nights of playing it with my buddies. I didn't know Kotobukiya had statues of Darkstalkers characters until a week ago and bought a Bulleta figure with the quickness . Hoping Capcom comes out with a new version of this game...

Never heard of that site went to check it hoping they have Victor. Saw only Morrigan and Lilith.

I'm pretty sure I'm now on FBI list and Chris Hansen has my address built into his GPS.

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

The character designs were great and the animations were/are top tier.

I remember importing VS for the saturn (same time as xmen vs and that sweet sweet ram cart).

Thanks for making me feel old op and for the sweet B.Hood and J Talbain gifs that I totally stole from your post.

 

[Arsic]

The character designs were great and the animations were/are top tier.

I remember importing VS for the saturn (same time as xmen vs and that sweet sweet ram cart).

Thanks for making me feel old op and for the sweet B.Hood and J Talbain gifs that I totally stole from your post.

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

I am a Morrigan appreciator, so I started playing this game on emulation a long time after first seeing her in Marvel vs Capcom.

 

[spookyfish]

 

[bender]

I wish we could go back to pixel art in Capcom's fighters.

 

[Alexios]

Ace games with rad Saturn ports, I always remember the stage that has you fighting on the side of buildings with the traffic and a helicopter below as a striking representation of their style.

 

[Alexios]

This is why Capcom never revived it

 

[Arsic]

This is why Capcom never revived it

Ono San wanted to, but that's right about when they outed him because like arcade edition SF4 wasn't praised to the moon and back. They were happy with all the money he made them with SF4 since launch and injecting hype into the FGC… but then it all fell apart.

The reality is different kinds of games obviously need different budgets and expectations.

Vampire Savior isn't going to pull in street fighter 6 numbers, but it can still be a viable business venture. Small, dedicated, and passionate team can work magic.

 

[NeverYouMind]

It kind of put me off in some regards when I started playing it. It was really weird in many of its stage designs (WTF is with the demon fetus?) unlike Vampire Hunter. It nerfed my boy Rikuo and made many of his specials charged instead of quarter circle. It also removed my boy Donovan for some reason. I really enjoyed playing as serial killer B.B. Hood and demon reaper Jedah but older characters seemed to have lost a step. I wanted to like the petite succubus Lilith but she was just a worse version of Morrigan without the Vampire Savior 2 air specials and balancing. Q-Bee never felt like a complete character in any revision.

P.S. My favorite way to play Vampire Savior remains Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium with brightness turned all the way down and filter set to something that imitates hand drawn art. It and Alpha 2 look nearly as good as Street Fighter III with those settings for some reason.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

I own it on Saturn but my Saturn is kill.

It's from Vampire Hunter but my fav theme is definitely Rikuo's Theme.

 

[SkylineRKR]

It kind of put me off in some regards when I started playing it. It was really weird in many of its stage designs (WTF is with the demon fetus?) unlike Vampire Hunter. It nerfed my boy Rikuo and made many of his specials charged instead of quarter circle. It also removed my boy Donovan for some reason. I really enjoyed playing as serial killer B.B. Hood and demon reaper Jedah but older characters seemed to have lost a step. I wanted to like the petite succubus Lilith but she was just a worse version of Morrigan without the Vampire Savior 2 air specials and balancing. Q-Bee never felt like a complete character in any revision.

P.S. My favorite way to play Vampire Savior remains Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium with brightness turned all the way down and filter set to something that imitates hand drawn art. It and Alpha 2 look nearly as good as Street Fighter III with those settings for some reason.

Heh, I have both versions too. The Stadium version is just pure arcade, might as well stick to it since the capcom collection online is probably dead anyway.

 

[Durin]

Been a long time since I played it, but always loved the animation work.

I'll add the fighting game collection to my wishlist.

 

[Kyo]

The original console and PSP ports used to have everything in one package, just like SFA3 was heavily expanded. But I often swap between Vampire Savior 1 and 2 and if I want the Vampire Hunter cast and OST with the newer VS mechanics, I load up Vampire Hunter 2. Its not a big deal.

Yeah, the way the Vampire Hunter sequels were treated was always puzzling. Between Savior, Hunter 2 and Savior 2 you have three follow-up games, with each of them missing some characters.

It's a shame only the PSP version brought everyone back together in one game, I really wish they'd put in the work to make the full roster available on the PS5.

 

[Tiamat2san]

Best 2D fighter ever.
Full of personality, there's no game like it.
So sad it's dead except seeing a few characters here a there.

 

[Boo Who?]

I forgot about this game. I never picked up either of the Capcom Fighting Collection games. Loaded had the Steam bundle of both games for $26. Purchased.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

My favorites Girls

 

[AJUMP23]

I thought this was about Vampire Survivor.....Which I appreciate.

 

[Arsic]

I thought this was about Vampire Survivor.....Which I appreciate.

Play Vampire Savior. You'll thank us.

 

[Generic]

I enjoyed coloring the characters in the editor mode of Darkstalkers (PS1).

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

When I play Marvel vs. Capcom 2, I use Morrigan (Blonde), Felicia, and B.B. Hood.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

I'm not a fan of fighting games but I missed when Capcom went with the 2D Pixal Art style for all their fighting games. While the 3D/2D Artstyle that they go with all their modern fighting games look beautiful, they don't hold a candle to their older games

 

[Hadoukens]

no brain that Capcom has never expanded the franchise, for example with a jrpg

Genuinely a really cool idea.

Though the hand drawn art and animation are what grab me with Darkstalkers series.

Would have probably made for a cool Saturday morning cartoon or a teen rated movie. idk, I'm spitballing

I don't see this series ever coming back though, it was never all that popular despite the quality.

Morrigan and Felicia though *whistles*

I had Night Warriors and Dark Saviors for Saturn. Nobody wanted to play those with me though

All my friends preferred Street Fighter Alpha 2 and Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter

 

[NeverYouMind]

Would have probably made for a cool Saturday morning cartoon or a teen rated movie. idk, I'm spitballing

There are 4 OVA episodes of Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge...

I'm not a fan of fighting games but I missed when Capcom went with the 2D Pixal Art style for all their fighting games. While the 3D/2D Artstyle that they go with all their modern fighting games look beautiful, they don't hold a candle to their older games

No. Gen alpha Popeye, "It's Maam", "Man On", banana hair Ken, bicep wheels, morbidly obese onesee American, and lubricant man are some of the most hideous abominations in the entire genre. And that does not even touch the degeneracy observed in Street Fighter 6's avatars or the personalities grafted onto characters.

 

[Arsic]

There are 4 OVA episodes of Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge...



No. Gen alpha Popeye, "It's Maam", "Man On", banana hair Ken, bicep wheels, morbidly obese onesee American, and lubricant man are some of the most hideous abominations in the entire genre. And that does not even touch the degeneracy observed in Street Fighter 6's avatars or the personalities grafted onto characters.

To each his own. Some designs are great some are very lacking.

SF6 Sagat is amazing, C Viper, Rashid, M Bison, Chun Li, Cammy, and more.

Bad ones are far less and few between IMO. Luke is dumb AF and so is the poison Asian lady.