Sango Fighter 2

Guan Yu enters combat wielding an enormous curved blade; across from him may stand a general armed with a spear, a sword, or just his own fists. Sango Fighter 2 brings the characters of the Three Kingdoms to two-dimensional fighting duels. The distance between opponents matters: moving in without gauging the reach of the enemy's weapon usually leaves the attacker on the ground.

Panda Entertainment released the original DOS game in 1995. This RetroBat copy corresponds to the later Super Fighter Team edition, whose title screen shows a 2010 copyright. Its menus are in English, and the introduction explains the war among the warlords who contend for dominion over China. The year shown on that title screen should not be confused with that of the original release.

Choosing a general and learning his reach

The roster includes sixteen fighters. Their portraits fill two rows on the selection screen, and the chosen pair appears enlarged below. Battle mode lets you concentrate on the fights; Story adds the campaign, and Two Players offers the original program's two-player combat option.

The stages take the duels to different places, from a stone fortress to a room with curtains and braziers or a wooden platform. Soldiers in the background look on as the generals trade blows. The bars at the top show health and the time available, so watching only your opponent's animations leaves out information you need to decide when to advance.

The edition you play here

The browser game is set up with a keyboard and English menus. You can start with Battle, pick a fighter, and practice his movement before attempting special moves. The cover art keeps the Taiwanese artwork from the collection; the background of this page reproduces an authentic frame from the introduction.