Reviving a 31-year-old classic game: Toshinden, one of the greatest 3D fighting games of the year on PS1.

 

Finally, we have officially entered the new year of 2026—a time for new beginnings and an exciting lineup of upcoming game releases. But before we get there, let’s take a trip down memory lane to look at an interesting story behind a classic game released on January 1st. That game is the famous PlayStation 1 fighter from 1995: Battle Arena Toshinden. This weapon-based 3D fighter was one of the very first 3D fighting experiences for many players, even before they knew of Soul Edge or Tekken. As January 1st, 2026, marks the 31st anniversary of the series, let’s look back at the history of this legendary game together

Toshinden, known internationally as Battle Arena Toshinden, is a weapon-based fighting game developed by Tamsoft and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game was a sensation for PlayStation 1 console players at the time, offering groundbreaking polygon graphics that outperformed rivals like Virtua Fighter with vibrant lighting effects and satisfyingly intense combat. Notably, it was one of the first games to introduce the Sidestep mechanic, allowing players to move around their opponents in a full 3D space—a futuristic feature that most games of that era lacked. The game featured a diverse roster of 8 characters, each with unique weapons. According to Takara executives, each character model was meticulously crafted using approximately 1,000 polygons. The development team also drew inspiration for several characters from traditional Bushido culture

The story revolves around the return of a famous underground tournament after a several-year hiatus that had spread globally. This competition, known as the Battle Arena Toshinden, is a weapon-based fighting tournament broadcast as a brutal, real-life sport where participants fight for real, get injured for real, and even die for real. It attracts high-society viewers and paid spectators alike. The tournament is organized by a mysterious entity known as the Secret Society—truly living up to its name—which is believed to be linked to the massive global conglomerate, the Gerard Foundation. The Society has selected eight worthy challengers from across the world to compete for the ultimate prize of immense wealth, fame, and honor. That is the story of the game

In terms of Japanese sales, Battle Arena Toshinden sold 696,851 units on the PlayStation. When the PlayStation launched in the United States, the game sold out within its first week of release. By the end of 1995, it reached a nearly one-to-one attach rate with the console in the U.S. Total sales in the United States reached 532,724 units on the PlayStation. Ultimately, Battle Arena Toshinden was cemented as a major hit, with combined sales exceeding 1,229,575 units across Japan and the U.S. during that era

The Toshinden series saw a total of four installments, but the later entries gradually declined in popularity. New 3D fighting games began to dominate the market, offering more engaging characters, compelling stories, and exciting gameplay systems compared to Toshinden, which stayed stuck with a repetitive formula that failed to evolve. As a result, development ended in 1999 on the PlayStation 2. Today, Toshinden has become a fading memory for the older generation of gamers who enjoyed the early days of the PlayStation 1—some may have even forgotten it entirely. How about you? Do you still remember this legendary fighter?

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