Fighting Layer

Fighting Layer
Developer: Arika Publisher: Namco Platform: Arcade (Namco System 12) Released in JP: December 1998 This game has unused graphics. This game has regional differences.

Fighting Layer is what happens when Arika go to Namco for a fighting game instead of Capcom. As a result, it's extremely similar to Arika's own Street Fighter EX series, and even includes Allen Snider and Blair Dame from the first EX title.

It also has a shark as a boss fight. Like, just a regular shark, that you have to punch. It's that kind of game.

Unused Character Graphics

To do: Exodus has six alternate palette swaps whose method of selection is unknown. Figure out if there is a code to select them, or if they are completely unused. George and Blair have earlier versions of their models present in the files, including unused palettes. Find and document these models.

Regional Differences

To do: The Regulation setting has the following additional effects, all of which are permanent in the FTL3 revision: Fire effects are turned purple. Preston's mines are disabled. Vold's pouncing specials are disabled. Additionally, the FTL3 revision has unique censorship not present in FTL0 with Regulation on: Tetsuo's display name is changed to his surname, Kato, on the character select screen and UI (but his full name is still shown on the ranking screen). Blair's regular costume is disabled, presumably for being too revealing (despite it not being an issue in Street Fighter EX). Instead she is given a more modest outfit, which is also wearable in the FTL0 version by moving the joystick up, up, down, down, up, and down before selecting her. Sessyu's sword is turned into a stick, and his shuriken are replaced with a different projectile. The name of the Super Move or Barrage Blow used to score a KO no longer flashes on the screen.

Two revisions of Fighting Layer are dumped, labelled "FTL0" and "FTL3" in the game's service menu. "FTL0" is the original Japanese revision of the game, while "FTL3" appears to be a somewhat censored version that may have been intended for other regions in Japan, similarly to how certain prefectures in Japan censored moves and stages in Street Fighter EX.

Hit Effects

FTL0	FTL3

In the original Japanese version, hitsparks are red, resembling the (similarly censored outside of Japan) blood effect from Street Fighter EX. In the FTL3 revision, they are green.

FTL0	FTL3

In the FTL0 revision, an option is available to change the colour of the sparks between red and the green seen in FTL3. This option (as well as the 'Regulation' option that locks the hitsparks to green) is missing in FTL3.

Janis' Knives

FTL0	FTL3

In the FTL3 revision, Janis' knives are replaced with... sticks. Unlike the blood effect, setting the Regulation setting in the FTL0 revision to 'On' doesn't apply this change; it's exclusive to the FTL3 revision.

Joe's Spiked Balls

To do: Add FTL0 screenshot showing this move in action.

Joe's "Evil Judge" Barrage Blow (this game's term for super combos) has him don spiked balls over his gloves, powering up his next three punch attacks. For some odd reason, this super is disabled when Regulation is turned on, which means that it is also missing from the FTL3 revision. Unlike Janis' knives, Joe's super was removed entirely instead of replaced by something else.