It's possible that fighting games are the most popular genre on home systems right now. The top selling games on 16-bit systems are titles such as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter 2. When the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer emerged last year, there was no question that it was going to need some big name titles behind it to justify the hefty price tag. Games like ShockWave and The Horde have received praise from 3DO owners, but there is no denying that 3DO is going to need a lot more hit games in order to stay alive. One genre that was yet to be explored on 3DO was fighting, but that will change with the release of Way of the Warrior from Universal Interactive Studios and Naughty Dog Incorporated. If any one game is going to make consumers buy the 3DO, based on my initial look, it will be Way of the Warrior. It looks like a knockout, and should become a sellout.

	Similar to most fighting games, the goal in Way of the Warrior is to attain the status as the "supreme" fighter within a select group of individuals. In this case, the reward for hard work is getting your name inscribed in the ancient "Book of Fighting." This book details the greatest fighters of all time; whoever wins the Way of the Warrior tournament will be able to add their name in blood to complete the ancient book.

	Since Way of the Warrior is a 3DO game, it takes full advantage of the CD medium with breathtaking visuals and jaw dropping sounds. There are 9 arenas to fight in, each having its own quirks. For instance, there is the lava pit arena, which adds a degree of difficulty because if you fall into – or are thrown into – the pit, rack up one fatality on your end. 

	Characters are a huge part of any fighting game, and the developers have provided players with 9 distinctive fighters. Each has its own personality, with specific strengths and weaknesses in their fighting style. There are over 75 moves for each character, in addition to a number of secret moves and abilities. Characters can also change size and shape during combat. The characters are all digitized actors, and they look great up on the screen. A moveable camera pans and zooms to keep up with the action.

	Sound effects and music also play a part in this game, with the inclusion of a heavy metal soundtrack from a known band, and over sixty megabytes of sound effects. Since this is one of the first true CD-ROM fighting games, Naughty Dog has gone all out to make sure the production values are top notch. The gameplay is also very well crafted, and for once, the game was designed around the 3DO controller, not a PC keyboard or joystick. The result is a game which - finally! - actually works very well with the 3DO controller.

	All in all, based upon the preview version of this game, it looks like game players will be flocking to the stores when the game is released. I expect that Way will become the Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter for 3DO, and will probably sell a lot of systems. Why? Simply based on the fact that the gameplay is well designed, and all the elements for a great game are there. Perhaps the best thing about this game is its atmosphere and production values. I was a little wary about 3DO's potential for success this fall, but Way of the Warrior looks like a step in the right direction.