Virtua Fighter 2 (Japanese: バーチャファイター2, Hepburn: Bācha Faitā Tsū) is a 1994 fighting video game developed and published by Sega for arcades.

Virtua Fighter 2 was critically acclaimed for its gameplay and breakthrough graphics; it introduced the use of texture-mapped 3D characters,[8] and was one of the first video games to use motion capture animation technology.

[11] The Sega Saturn version was also well-received for its graphics and gameplay, becoming a blockbuster hit in Japan and sold relatively well in other markets, selling more than 2 million units.

The number and variety of attacks possessed by each character has also been expanded, including the addition of counter-attacks and the ability to prevent throws (with very quick reactions required on part of the player).

The sequel also adds two new characters: Shun Di, an old drunken fist master from China, and Lion Rafale, the French son of a rich businessman who uses praying mantis style kung fu.

Additionally, Shun and Lion possess the unique ability to perform "axis strikes" in which they would move around the attacks of other characters, accentuating the game's 3D nature.

However, the tournament is organised by the sinister "J6" syndicate, who intend to use the information gathered to perfect their fighting cyborg "Dural" (the game's boss, who uses a move-set made up of other character's moves).

Suzuki convinced Sega to purchase the chip, which his team then adapted into a much cheaper processor for video game use in the Model 2 hardware.

[16] In a 1995 interview, Suzuki said Virtua Fighter 2 was his favorite of all the games he had made, elaborating that he was particularly pleased with the way the polygonal graphics "added a sense of reality" to the characters' motions, and the addition of counterattacks.

[18][19] After completing the Daytona USA port in April, the team took a short holiday before beginning work on the Virtua Fighter 2 conversion in earnest.

To increase confidence in the accuracy of the port, they displayed non-playable demos of the characters Lion, Shun, Pai and Lau running on the Saturn hardware at 60 frames per second - the same speed as the arcade version.

[20] In an interview during development, Keiji Okayasu discussed the team's struggles with getting the Saturn version to run at 60 frames per second: If we didn't have to consider the speed, we could do the conversion very quickly.

[19] Taking into account audience reactions at the JAMMA show, the team spent the next two months on final adjustments, play-testing, and the addition of Saturn-specific options.

[24][25] Virtua Fighter 2.1 is a revised version featuring re-tweaked gameplay, slightly enhanced graphics and the ability to play as a revamped Dural.

[26] Though it was never released outside Japan,[27] it is possible to switch to the 2.1 gameplay mechanics in the Saturn and PC ports, as well as to play as Dural with a cheat code.

The Saturn port was scheduled for a December 1995 release in Europe, in time for the crucial Christmas shopping season, but it did not appear until the end of the following January.

The Mega Drive/Genesis port was re-released on the PS2 and PSP in 2006 as part of Sega Genesis Collection, on the Virtual Console for the Wii on March 20, 2007 (Japan) and April 16, 2007 (North America), on December 15, 2022 on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and for iOS on January 20, 2011.

[15] Computer and Video Games gave the arcade game a positive review, praising the "stunning visuals" as "quite possibly the best graphics ever seen in a fully-playable arcade title", the "quality of the animation" where "you can certainly feel each blow when they connect and the character reels back" and the "more accessible" combos which "opens up the opportunity for a number of new sequences.

"[45] The magazine cited its "accurate representation of ten very distinct and realistic fighting styles", "remarkable AI", and "a general attention to detail that sets a new mark for quality game design.

"[41] GamePro called it "the game to own if you have a Saturn", citing the authentic fighting styles and moves, the new modes, the realistic animations with strong attention to detail, and the easy to master controls.

[39] Maximum described the port as "remarkably similar to its coin-op parent - a game that's running on hardware that's 20 times more expensive than the Sega Saturn."

They particularly praised the high-resolution graphics, smooth frame rate, "breathtaking" variety of moves, and the numerous Sega Saturn-exclusive modes and options.

[85] GameSpot praised the game's realism, depth, opponent AI and the PC version's inclusion of online multiplayer.