After a series of hit 2D fighting games on the CPS-2 system (Street Fighter, Alpha, and Darkstalkers), Capcom introduced its next (and final) 2D arcade hardware in 1998. This was the CPS-3 system.
CPS-3 was launched with Red Earth (Warzard). While Red Earth showcased impressive technology with stunning visuals that far exceeded those of previous Capcom arcade games, it would be a modest success, much like the board itself. In fact, among the total of six games recognized on the CPS-3 board, the series culminated in the critically acclaimed Street Fighter III: Third Strike. However, this article focuses on two lesser-known unique fighting games for CPS-3: JoJo’s Venture and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
Four years earlier, in August 1992, Hirohiko Araki would finish the third part of the extraordinary hit manga JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders. It would star a group of companions in Jotaro Kujo and his grandfather Joseph Joestar’s quest to defeat the evil Dio, who has been Joestar’s main antagonist for over a century (as addressed in the first two parts of the manga). Characters in JJBA: SC fight using Stands, which are spirits or powerful visions created by the user’s life energy. These stands are derived from this manga, which the CPS-3 fighting games are based on.
The game series had a star-studded development team, including notable Capcom staff such as planner Obata Shinichiro (who would later work on Marvel Vs Capcom 2) and Noritaka Funamizu (known for Street Fighter). JoJo author Hirohiko Araki also served as a game consultant. The series was developed by the team responsible for the Street Fighter 3 series.
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