<s>
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
1994	O
's	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
the	O
third	O
fighting	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Sega	O
AM2	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
in	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
its	O
predecessors	O
,	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
a	O
major	O
hit	O
in	O
arcades	O
,	O
selling	O
30,000	O
arcade	O
cabinets	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
fourth	O
highest-grossing	O
arcade	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1996	I-Application
and	O
the	O
overall	O
highest-grossing	O
arcade	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1997	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
was	O
announced	O
but	O
ultimately	O
cancelled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
eventually	O
reached	O
home	O
consoles	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
a	O
conversion	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
new	O
Japanese	O
characters	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
roster	O
of	O
fighters	O
:	O
Aoi	O
Umenokoji	O
,	O
a	O
beautiful	O
Japanese	O
woman	O
and	O
a	O
childhood	O
friend	O
of	O
Akira	O
Yuki	O
who	O
used	O
a	O
nimble	O
form	O
of	O
aiki-jujutsu	O
as	O
her	O
fighting	O
style	O
of	O
choice	O
,	O
and	O
Taka-Arashi	O
,	O
a	O
sumo	B-Language
wrestler	O
from	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Taka	O
Arashi	O
would	O
not	O
make	O
another	O
appearance	O
in	O
the	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
series	I-Application
until	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
5	O
R	O
;	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
producer	O
Hiroshi	O
Kataoka	O
explained	O
that	O
the	O
removal	O
of	O
Taka	O
in	O
subsequent	O
installments	O
was	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
technical	O
implications	O
of	O
having	O
a	O
substantially	O
larger	O
character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Taka	O
had	O
in	O
fact	O
nearly	O
been	O
cut	O
from	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
due	O
to	O
difficulties	O
with	O
his	O
jumping	O
moves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
the	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
the	O
arcade	O
board	O
Model	O
3	O
from	O
Sega	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
introduced	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
move	O
in	O
three	O
dimensions	O
to	O
the	O
series	O
with	O
the	O
dodge	O
move	O
,	O
a	O
feature	O
that	O
was	O
apparently	O
added	O
fairly	O
late	O
in	O
development	O
,	O
as	O
Suzuki	O
said	O
in	O
an	O
interview	O
held	O
during	O
the	O
third	O
quarter	O
of	O
1995	O
:	O
"	O
The	O
fact	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
2D	O
from	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
perspective	O
probably	O
wo	O
n't	O
change	O
in	O
VF3	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
he	O
stated	O
later	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
interview	O
that	O
he	O
intended	O
to	O
keep	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
a	O
three-button	O
game	O
like	O
its	O
predecessors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Next	O
Generation	O
magazine	O
,	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
"	O
stunned	O
the	O
crowd	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
stole	O
the	O
show	O
hands	O
down.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Yu	O
Suzuki	O
said	O
the	O
added	O
characters	O
,	O
Aoi	O
and	O
Taka-Arashi	O
,	O
were	O
inspired	O
in	O
part	O
by	O
a	O
desire	O
to	O
introduce	O
traditional	O
Japanese	O
martial	O
arts	O
to	O
the	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
which	O
had	O
previously	O
been	O
dominated	O
by	O
Chinese	O
martial	O
arts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yu	O
Suzuki	O
announced	O
a	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
port	O
at	O
a	O
late	O
1996	O
press	O
conference	O
(	O
the	O
same	O
conference	O
at	O
which	O
Fighters	B-Application
Megamix	I-Application
was	O
unveiled	O
)	O
,	O
elaborating	O
that	O
AM2	O
research	O
had	O
been	O
studying	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
for	O
the	O
past	O
few	O
months	O
and	O
had	O
at	O
last	O
determined	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
possible	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
Saturn	B-Device
port	O
comparable	O
to	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
facilitate	O
the	O
conversion	O
,	O
AM2	O
's	O
Research	O
and	O
Development	O
labs	O
spent	O
some	O
months	O
working	O
on	O
a	O
3D	O
accelerator	O
cartridge	O
for	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
,	O
but	O
the	O
cartridge	O
was	O
canceled	O
for	O
undisclosed	O
reasons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
officials	O
nonetheless	O
stated	O
that	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
would	O
be	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
with	O
or	O
without	O
the	O
upgrade	O
cartridge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
insiders	O
,	O
this	O
cartridge	O
was	O
being	O
designed	O
by	O
Lockheed	O
Martin	O
Corporation	O
and	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
Real3D	B-Device
chipset	O
used	O
in	O
their	O
upcoming	O
3D	O
accelerator	O
card	O
for	O
PCs	O
that	O
was	O
being	O
done	O
in	O
collaboration	O
with	O
Silicon	O
Graphics	O
and	O
Intel	O
(	O
and	O
based	O
on	O
years	O
of	O
experience	O
on	O
the	O
docking	O
simulations	O
of	O
the	O
Apollo	O
CSM	O
with	O
NASA	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Staff	O
from	O
Core	O
Design	O
claimed	O
to	O
have	O
seen	O
the	O
completed	O
3D	O
accelerator	O
cartridge	O
in	O
action	O
during	O
an	O
early	O
1997	O
visit	O
to	O
Sega	O
of	O
Japan	O
,	O
running	O
a	O
demo	O
of	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
of	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
with	O
two	O
playable	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3tb	I-Application
is	O
an	O
updated	O
version	O
of	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
that	O
features	O
battles	O
between	O
teams	O
of	O
various	O
fighters	O
(	O
the	O
"	O
tb	O
"	O
stands	O
for	O
"	O
team	O
battle	O
"	O
)	O
,	O
who	O
fight	O
each	O
other	O
one	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
new	O
moves	O
and	O
other	O
tweaks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
"	O
team	O
battle	O
"	O
version	O
was	O
later	O
released	O
on	O
Sega	O
's	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
console	O
,	O
being	O
one	O
of	O
its	O
launch	O
games	O
,	O
becoming	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best-selling	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
games	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
delayed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
Game	O
Machine	O
listed	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
on	O
their	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
1996	O
issue	O
as	O
being	O
the	O
most-successful	O
dedicated	O
arcade	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
went	O
on	O
to	O
become	O
Japan	O
's	O
fourth	O
highest-grossing	O
arcade	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1996	I-Application
,	O
and	O
then	O
Japan	O
's	O
overall	O
highest-grossing	O
arcade	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	I-Application
1997	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
Machine	O
also	O
listed	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3tb	I-Application
on	O
their	O
November	O
15	O
,	O
1997	O
issue	O
as	O
being	O
the	O
fifth	O
most-successful	O
dedicated	O
arcade	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
had	O
a	O
successful	O
launch	O
in	O
September	O
1996	O
,	O
drawing	O
large	O
crowds	O
at	O
the	O
Amusement	O
&	O
Music	O
Operators	O
Association	O
(	O
AMOA	O
)	O
show	O
where	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
most	O
anticipated	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
more	O
successful	O
than	O
Namco	O
's	O
rival	O
Tekken	B-Application
3	I-Application
(	O
1997	O
)	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
whereas	O
Tekken	B-Application
3	I-Application
was	O
more	O
successful	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
said	O
that	O
both	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
the	O
combat	O
innovations	O
fully	O
lived	O
up	O
to	O
the	O
high	O
expectations	O
for	O
the	O
Model	O
3	O
board	O
,	O
though	O
he	O
was	O
somewhat	O
disappointed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
did	O
not	O
significantly	O
diverge	O
from	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bruised	O
Lee	O
of	O
GamePro	O
considered	O
this	O
a	O
critical	O
problem	O
,	O
summarizing	O
that	O
"	O
VF3	B-Application
's	O
graphics	O
showcase	O
an	O
awesome	O
level	O
of	O
visual	O
realism	O
never	O
before	O
seen	O
in	O
any	O
game	O
,	O
but	O
too	O
many	O
recycled	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
2	I-Application
features	O
keep	O
VF3	B-Application
from	O
being	O
a	O
true	O
masterpiece.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
concluded	O
the	O
usage	O
of	O
the	O
dodge	O
button	O
and	O
opponent	O
tracking	O
"	O
makes	O
VF3	B-Application
the	O
first	O
game	O
to	O
full	O
realize	O
3D	O
gameplay.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
5th	O
GameFan	O
Megawards	O
of	O
1996	O
gave	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3	I-Application
the	O
award	O
for	O
Coin-Op	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
won	O
the	O
1996	O
Spotlight	O
Award	O
for	O
Best	O
Arcade	O
Game	O
and	O
was	O
a	O
runner-up	O
for	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthlys	O
Arcade	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
,	O
behind	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
Alpha	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3tb	I-Application
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
sold	O
330,631	O
units	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
96,390	O
units	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
,	O
for	O
a	O
combined	O
units	O
sold	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Edge	O
reviewed	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
and	O
gave	O
it	O
an	O
8/10	O
,	O
stating	O
"	O
Bouts	O
take	O
place	O
atop	O
sloping	O
downtown	O
rooftops	O
and	O
on	O
flights	O
of	O
steps	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
lapping	O
waters	O
of	O
a	O
desert	O
island	O
and	O
on	O
the	O
Great	O
Wall	O
of	O
China	O
...	O
But	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
has	O
grown	O
into	O
a	O
highly	O
technical	O
game	O
since	O
the	O
inception	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
in	O
1993	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
the	O
uneven	O
floors	O
of	O
the	O
third	O
game	O
affecting	O
the	O
movement	O
and	O
attacks	O
of	O
the	O
characters	O
...	O
Where	O
once	O
Tekken'''s	O
approachable	O
'	O
one	O
button	O
for	O
each	O
limb	O
 '	O
system	O
seemed	O
the	O
way	O
forward	O
for	O
the	O
genre	O
,	O
it	O
limits	O
interaction	O
in	O
a	O
true	O
three-dimensional	O
space	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
's	O
James	O
Mielke	O
praised	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
awarding	O
it	O
8.2/10	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
fans	O
will	O
find	O
all	O
they	O
need	O
neatly	O
wrapped	O
in	O
this	O
package	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Allgame	O
's	O
Cal	O
Nguyen	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
compared	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
unfavorably	O
with	O
Soul	B-Application
Calibur	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jeff	O
Lundrigan	O
reviewed	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
version	O
of	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
3tb	I-Application
for	O
Next	O
Generation	O
,	O
rating	O
it	O
four	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
,	O
and	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
A	O
peek	O
beneath	O
the	O
exterior	O
shows	O
that	O
it	O
's	O
still	O
got	O
all	O
the	O
right	O
moves	O
–	O
the	O
question	O
is	O
,	O
will	O
you	O
look	O
?	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
arcades	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
very	O
successful	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
point	O
where	O
the	O
profits	O
from	O
this	O
game	O
and	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
4	I-Application
helped	O
recoup	O
the	O
losses	O
Sega	O
received	O
from	O
the	O
commercial	O
failure	O
of	O
Shenmue''	O
.	O
</s>
