2.5d
Characters move freely into and out of the background in a beat 'em up style. Jump is probably a button rather than "up."
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2d-hi_res
Pixel resolution of at least 640x480 and higher.
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3v3
Usually without rounds, allows you to control teams of three characters and tag / switch in between them freely.
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animalia
Cast consisting mostly of animals (animal-people, were-people, robot animals, whatever)
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anime_manga
A licensed title based on an anime or manga series, or something that tries harder than usual to emulate various tropes thereof.
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armor
Most or all of the game's characters are equipped with some sort of armor, which can be broken or deteriorated throughout the game via combat.
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asymmetrical_roster
Games that, in versus and any other multiplayer mode(s), players are not given the same character roster to select from.
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battle_damage
As the battle progresses, characters display visual representations of the beatings they suffer.
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big_trouble
A localized conflict, probably involving the seedy bare knuckle underbelly of an aging city.
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boxing
Game is based solely on fistfights and may include actual boxing trappings (punches only, dodge-centric, boxing rings) but otherwise fits the descriptor of fighting games, with quicker movement, special moves (usually done with typical fighting game ...
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cards
Some sort of "card" management system is implemented into the gameplay, allowing players to use these cards to enhance their skills.
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chambara
Meaning "sword fight," "chambara" is commonly used to describe the genre of Japanese Edo-period action movies. Samurai, ninja, lots of katanas, etc.
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china
Game takes place exclusively (or almost) in mainland China or one of its territories (Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc.), usually in a historical_fiction or kung fu setting.
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combo_break
Players possess the ability to stop being hit, usually in the form of a Burst or Combo Breaker. Sometimes has a special input or costs meter.
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comedy
Game does not take itself seriously; may involve hilarious claymation, wacky funsters, DeLorean fatalities, facial graffiti, etc.
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crossover
Two or more established, separate "universes" come together and do battle.
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digitized
2D sprites are digitized actors or models rather than hand-drawn.
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dinosaurs
The game's cast consists mostly of dinosaurs.
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dlc
Sports downloadable content to enhance gameplay or aesthetics, such as new characters, costumes, arenas, weapons, et cetera (does not include standard patches and stability updates available to most modern games).
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doujin
Any game self-published by a small development group. Most likely (but not necessarily) Japanese, developed for Windows PCs, and sold at the biannual convention Comic Market in Tokyo.
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dream_match
Characters who should be dead or would otherwise not be interacting with each other engage in battle.
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erotic
Featuring sexual images or situations, either during gameplay or more likely in post-match "reward" sequences.
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fantasy
Swords and sorcery, castle and forest backgrounds, maybe the odd monster or some steampunk robot.
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fast_forward
Since last series iteration, plot was advanced an abnormal number of years into the future, leaving familiar characters behind and other plot details unresolved.
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film
Regardless of what the movie was based on originally, this game's basis is inspired by a theatrical film.
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finishing_moves
Whether the game sports ultra_violence or not, a majority of the cast wield particularly powerful attacks to finish off the opposition.
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free_move
Players are able to move freely in all directions, not locked onto a plane relative to their opponent.
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free_to_play
A game or that has at least an optional version, if it's not the main/only version, that gives players the game itself plus one or more fighters for free, with additional modes and characters available for a price.
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girls
Selectable fighters are mostly female.
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guest_characters
Features non-canon dlc or otherwise exclusive characters from other franchises.
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guys
As opposed to games in which there are very few female characters, this game sports male characters exclusively.
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hazards
Some, most or all stages of this game contain dangerous hazards, such as fire, spikes, electric walls, monsters, etc., that do damage to characters.
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heavy_dialogue
Before most/all of the fights characters will briefly have a conversation with each over with unique dialogue with each opponent before they battle. (And sometimes after the fight as well.) Depending on the game it can be a fully established plot or ...
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high_school
Most of the characters are highschoolers, any adults in the cast are likely faculty members.
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horror
Possessed of more moonlit nights, dark castles, vampires and skeletons than normal.
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injury
Characters can suffer grievous bodily harm that actually impacts their ability to fight.
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items
Includes items or further weaponry for characters to obtain to turn the tide of the battle.
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japan
A game centered entirely around the Land of the Rising Sun.
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kaiju
A game that features gigantic monsters battling one another while trampling the terrain.
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literature
Games based on novels, poetry, etc. basically most/all non-graphical written works.
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mixed_martial
The game takes place in or around a mixed martial arts tournament.
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monsters
Character selection consists of fantastical beasts inspired by legend, Hollywood, or otherwise.
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music
A focus on beat and rhythm or simply an excessive amount of heavy metal references.
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mythology
Based on some established mythological canon.
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no_multiplayer
These games fit all of the normal criteria for a fighting game, but do not offer multiplayer versus play. Excludes differing ports from the main release (such as handheld versions).
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pets/stands
Characters all have pets or spiritual allies which they can summon or command.
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platforming
While traditional fighters take place on a single 2D plane, characters here are able to jump between multiple platforms and perhaps over pits.
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politics
This game's cast features politicians - world leaders, mayors, senators, governors, etc. and candidates to these positions - duking out. Usually done without any seriousness and the whole cast is treated either jokes or badasses.
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pre-rendered
2D sprites with a "3D" appearance, rendered by computer. Rendering is not done real-time by hardware.
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projectiles
Much of combat occurs at range; characters have a variety of "normal" shots to perform. Melee attacks may take a backseat.
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realistic
Lacking many of the more common fantasy tropes found in fighting games such as visible ki projectiles, characters being frozen or burned, teleportation, etc.
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retooled
A game that has undergone significant changes before its release in another country, to the point where it is a completely different game. This may include complete cast replacements or reusing an engine wholesale to release a different product overs...
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robots
Robots, cyborgs, or androids comprise the bulk of the cast.
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sd/kids
Consists of young, or super-deformed versions of existing characters.
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single_style
All characters in this game use the same fighting style, or some derivative thereof.
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soft_reboot
A favorite of long-runner franchises, some series decide to start over or ignore some of its previous games' events in favor of something new, but they don't quite wipe the slate 100% clean.
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stamina
The game has some sort of gauge that limits the characters' abilities in some significant way.
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stances
All (or most) characters can switch stances or fighting styles mid-battle.
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tag_team
Players pick teams of multiple characters and have the ability to switch "active" characters during play.
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team_elim
Battle between teams of multiple characters with no tag feature.
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throwing
Games where the main, and likely only real attacking method, is grabbing and throwing objects. Any direct attacks from characters are likely special/super moves.
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time_travel
Battle rages across the expanse of time, with colorful characters plucked from their own era.
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tokusatsu
Either based on a license from or heavily influenced by Japanese live action science fiction television.
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toys
The game is a tie-in to an existing toyline or, in uncommon cases, is focused on fictional toys.
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transformation
Every (or most) character can transform themselves into alternate forms during the course of battle.
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undulation
Some or most stages in the game feature undulation (irregular height), instead of the traditional flat levels. This technological breakthrough would prove to be short-lived in 3D fighters for balance-breaking issues.
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upgrade
Consists of mostly unchanged or slightly improved content from its predecessor.
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weapons
Most or all of the characters wield weapons.
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world_tour
Worldwide scope, cast / stages probably divided up between countries of origin.
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wrestling
Battles take place in the squared circle.
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zooming
Fight camera zooms in or out on the characters depending on their proximity to one another.
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