Psychic Force

Getting started means picking a character and heading into either the single-player arcade ladder or a two-player versus match. Before you dive in, know that all movement happens in three dimensions inside a transparent cube. You will be floating, dashing, and strafing around your opponent rather than sticking to the ground. Spend a few rounds just learning how the dash and air control feels because muscle memory from Street Fighter will not help you here.

Combat revolves around energy attacks tied to simple button presses, not lengthy combo strings. Your basic projectile and barrier moves are assigned to face buttons, and the shoulder buttons let you guard or trigger a charge state. The ring-out system is just as important as depleting life, so a push move or well-timed attack near the invisible walls can end a round instantly. Pay attention to your energy meter on the screen; some special moves drain it quickly and leave you vulnerable.

Menus are entirely in Japanese, but the structure is logical. On the title screen, the first option typically leads to arcade mode, the second to versus, and later ones to options and records. If you see a sub-menu with character portraits, you are selecting your fighter. Just press confirm on your pick and then confirm again to start the match.