The Outfoxies

This game is thirty years old, being released by Namco in 1994.

Mame can often be classed as having hidden gem games and this game wins the accolade by having unique gameplay for the time time and a style that was not copied in that period - a game that was too early for the year it was released.

The visuals look like Rolling Thunder with the type of sprites in play and you could also say maybe Elevator Action II.  This where the differences end - the gameplay is in a world of its own.

The landscape moves depending on what enviorment you are in and it is literally a one on one combat game in the style that was repeated by Smash Bros.  The enviorment zooms in when you are close, zooms out when there is a large distance while all the while changing depending on the stage.

There is a selection of characters you can pick - each with their own unique attack and stage.  The rota system works like Street Fighter, there are no good and bad people in terms of standard characters you pick and everybody may fight everybody depending on who the game choose for your next target.

If all of this appeals to you, gameplay is shown in the video below.