Play Dark Rift Online

Dark Rift came out for the Nintendo 64 in 1997 from Vic Tokai. It was one of the early 3D fighting games on the system, arriving when developers were still figuring out how to translate arcade-style combat into a home console environment. The game offered a roster of fantasy and sci-fi characters, each with their own brief story, which was a common approach for fighting games at the time.

You pick a fighter and battle through a series of one-on-one matches. The main goal is to defeat all the other characters to uncover the mystery behind the titular rift. The combat relies on a combination of basic attacks and special moves executed with directional inputs; you can also perform a super move called the Dark Force when your meter is full. The pacing is methodical, with a heavier feel than some faster rivals, and the difficulty can be unforgiving, especially against later opponents. Playing it feels like a deliberate test of your timing and patience.