Announcing the first analog release of the Virtua Fighter 3tb original soundtrack! Originally released in September of 1996 as the third installment in the "Virtua Fighter" series, the arcade version of Virtua Fighter 3 was highly praised for its jaw-dropping graphics and visual style. The game was helmed by visionary director Yu Suzuki, just a few years before Suzuki-san would release the career-defining Shenmue.
In 1997, the arcade version of ‘Virtua Fighter 3tb (Team Battle)’ was released with a 3-on-3 battle format and numerous balance adjustments, and was later ported to the Sega Dreamcast. As with the arcade release, the game is beloved by players and highly praised for its deep fighting mechanics.
Virtua Fighter 3 is a technical masterpiece. Beneath the game's sleek character and level design, there is a complex fighting game still being enjoyed by competitors today. In fact, in 2023, Virtua Fighter 3tb Online was released as a Japan-exclusive arcade cabinet.
Following in the tradition of its predecessors, Virtua Fighter 3tb boasts a powerful soundtrack composed by legendary Sega composer Takenobu Mitsuyoshi. Mr. Mitsuyoshi's contribution to Sega music is nothing short of iconic. Mitsuyoshi-san's talents can be heard in games like Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter 2, Shenmue, and of course, DAYTONA USA, where he famously lent his vocal performance.
Included in this special 2XLP release are newly-written liner notes by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi who, alongside Fumio Ito andHidenori Shoji, composed the music for Virtua Fighter 3tb. Mitsuyoshi-san has provided, in his own words, a detailedretrospective on his experience creating the Virtua Fighter 3 soundtrack.
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