Eternal Champions - Challenge from the Dark Side

Eternal Champions: Challenge from the Dark Side came out for the Sega CD in June 1995 in North America and later that year in Europe. It's the enhanced CD-ROM version of the original Eternal Champions, a fighting game Sega published during the 16-bit era's twilight. This iteration adds digitized voice acting, a more elaborate soundtrack, and new storyline elements, taking advantage of the CD format.

You pick a character from a roster of mystical warriors, each with their own backstory tied to death and destiny. The core loop remains standard for 2D fighters: you fight one-on-one in best-of-three rounds, using punches, kicks, and special moves. The "Overkill" system lets you perform cinematic finishing moves after a round ends, and the Dark Side edition introduces hidden stages and new fatalities. A versus mode allows two players to compete on the same screen.

For retro fighting fans, this release stands as one of the more ambitious Sega CD exclusives. It doesn't reach the polish of arcade heavyweights like Street Fighter II, but its dark aesthetic, voiced intros, and CD-quality music give it a distinct identity. If you enjoy experimental 90s fighters that tried to push home hardware, it's worth a look. Just be prepared for slower gameplay compared to its cartridge-based peers.