Play Battle Arena Toshinden Online

Battle Arena Toshinden on the Game Boy came out in 1996 from Takara. It was a time when getting a fighting game to work on the small screen was a real challenge, and this was one of the attempts to bring a 3D-style fighter into your hands. You could tell they were trying to capture the feel of the bigger console versions, even with the hardware limitations.

You pick a fighter and face opponents one by one in a tournament. The main goal is to win each match and become the champion. The fighting uses a simple system of weak and strong attacks, and you can perform special moves by inputting specific directional commands. A key mechanic is the dodge roll, which lets you quickly sidestep an attack and get to your opponent's flank. The pacing is fairly quick, and the difficulty can spike sharply against later opponents. It feels like a condensed, portable version of a arcade brawler, where every button press matters.