...to your own demise. Battle the world's toughest fighters in this "Invitation Only" underworld tourney. Only ONE warrior will survive. Will it be your destiny?

Review
I still remember the day I got to witness Toshinden for the first time. Way, way back when I used to go to Japanese Anime meetings, a fellow who was rather overly-addicted to buying anything imported, plunked down the cash for an import PlayStation and 4 of the launch games. It wasn't until he had put in this disc that I realized my soul would soon be owned by the Sony corporation. Not because of the graphics or game play, but at the potential it showed for the future of gaming.

Anyway...

Battle Arena Toshinden is and always will be considered the flagship title of the PlayStation. Why? Because it basically trounced the visually inferior opponent, Sega Saturn's Virtua Fighter, and provided Sony with all the evidence they needed to sway the gaming public and usher in a new breed of mainstream gamers.

Here you have a game with 8 warriors brought together by invitation only requests to meet and fight each other for the chance to tackle the ultimate warrior, Gaia. Each fighter has their own weapon, style of fighting, and personal goal for reaching and defeating Gaia.

Play mechanics are a bit odd; you have the controller motions out of Street Fighter, but a combo system pace that's far slower. Each player possess several Special Moves, and 1 Super Move; You're also able to roll out of the way, and knock opponents off the edge.

Graphically the game shows its age, especially in the character models. There are a lot of flicker issues in character joints, and most stages can be reduced to a few rectangles and a circle once the nostalgia wears off. I still love the perfectly shaped rectangular waterfall.

As much as I'd love to say this is got to be in everyone's library, it really doesn't. At it's finest hour, Toshinden today is just reminder of what used to be, and reminds us of the day 3D games took full control of the gaming world.

• There is a case variant for the game. See Below.
  
  
• The Long Box and Not for Resale Versions have different SCUS, PSRM digits, and different Barcodes. The Greatest Hist shares the long box info:
  
  
  • Long Box: SCUS 94200 / PSRM - 001000 / 7 11719 42002 6
  • NFR Case: SCUS 94003 / PSRM - 004180 / 7 11719 40030 1
    
    
• Probably the first time in gaming where the words "bitch slap", though censored, appeared on the back of a gaming case.
  
  
• Bernie Stolar, a man whose name is synonymous with the Dreamcast failures, worked at Sony at this time. He is mentioned in the Special Thanks section of the manual.
  
  
• While the US got the first three games in the series, there was a fourth game, as well as a a Toshinden Kids that never came over from Japan.
  
  
• The Japanese release of Toshinden had an interesting side-kick that sadly never made it over to America. A guide book for the game held a special 'update' CD, that when used altered the graphics by giving the characters exaggerated sized heads and body parts, becoming a sort of beta test of the Toshinden Kids idea.



• The first 3D fighting game available for the system.
  
  
• Launch day release.
  
  
• It's been rumored that the character Ellis' transparent ensemble was the first time such an effect was used with clothing.



• Visual Glitch: In Kayin's city stage, you can see through the floor, and out into the background. However, when knocked off, you can clearly see red walls, proving that you should not be able to see the background as shown.



• Sofia, the lead female protagonist, became Sony's mascot of sorts for a short while.  

   

Holy fast, Batman! Toshinden literally has no load time with the option turned on. As soon as the 'Now Loading' screen comes on, it jumps right to the match.

Game loaded fine with both options turned on.