Hardcore Gaming 101 is an obscure gem of a website that has made a (virtually unknown) name for itself by creating exclusive, encyclopedic features the likes of which Mr. Linde thinks about while touching himself in the shower. I’ve been meaning to bring the place to light for a few months now, and with their brand-new piece on the depressing history of one-on-one fighters in the pre-Street-Fighter-II era, I finally get my chance.
The site excels at unearthing gaming trivia unknown to all but the most insanely dedicated Wikipedia moderators, and their latest piece is no exception. Running the gamut from the Atari’s International Karate to Capcom’s pathetic first attempt at avenue fisticuffs, the wide range of titles from the period demonstrate exactly why SFII — and every fighter that followed it — has been so successful even without any major gameplay changes in almost two decades.
