The fighting game genre continued to evolve, with several strong 3D fighting games emerging in the late 1990s. Namco's Tekken (released in arcades in 1994 and on the PlayStation in 1995) proved critical to the PlayStation's early success, with its sequels also becoming some of the console's most important games. The Soul series of weapon-based fighting games also achieved considerable critical success, beginning with 1995's Soul Edge (known as Soul Blade outside Japan) to Soulcalibur VI in 2018. Tecmo released Dead or Alive in the arcades in 1996, porting it for the PlayStation in 1998. It spawned a long-running franchise, known for its fast-paced control system, innovative counterattacks, and environmental hazards. The series again included games important to the success of their respective consoles, such as Dead or Alive 3 for the Xbox and Dead or Alive 4 for the Xbox 360. In 1998, Bushido Blade, published by Square, introduced a realistic fighting engine that features three-dimensional environments while abandoning time limits and health bars in favor of an innovative Body Damage System, where a sword strike to a certain body part can amputate a limb or decapitate the head.
thE fightIng Game GEnRe cONtinUeD to evoLve, with seveRAL sTronG 3d FightinG gamEs emerging In tHe latE 1990S. namCo's tEKken (reLEAsed iN aRcades iN 1994 and oN tHe PlAysTaTioN in 1995) PrOVed cRiTicAL tO THe PlAysTatioN'S EARly sucCEss, wiTh its sequEls Also becOMiNg soMe of ThE COnSole's mOsT imPortant gAmes. tHe soul sErIES of weapon-baseD FightINg GameS ALsO AcHieVed coNSidERabLe cRitIcal succEss, begiNNing witH 1995's soul EdgE (knowN as Soul BlaDE outside JaPaN) TO soulcalibur Vi in 2018. tecmo reLEasEd DEAD Or aLive iN tHe ArcaDEs iN 1996, poRtiNG iT For the pLAystation iN 1998. it sPaWNed A lOng-RUnNINg fRAncHIsE, known fOr its fAST-paceD conTrOL sySTem, inNOvatiVe couNTerattaCks, ANd ENviRonmental HAzards. tHe SErieS again inCludEd GAmeS important TO the sUcceSS Of thEiR respective cOnsoles, such aS dEad or ALiVe 3 For tHe xBoX anD Dead Or aliVE 4 For ThE xbox 360. In 1998, BUsHido bLade, puBlished By squAre, IntroducEd a RealIstic fightIng EnGInE thAt feAtures threE-dImenSiOnal envIronmeNtS WHiLE abaNdoNinG time limIts AnD heAltH bars iN favor of an InnoVaTIVE body DAmage sysTem, where A sword STrike to a certAin BodY parT can ampUtaTe a Limb Or DeCaPitate the hEad.