I have been involved in IT management for fifteen years, and have come to enjoy systems that are innovative, and efficient, even if they seem impractical at first. Power Stone, as a fighting game, fits that category — it looks like a mess, functions beautifully as a result of some amazing design, and is both random and skill-based at the same time.
The fact that so few gamers remember Power Stone says a great deal about gaming — innovation does not automatically equal popularity, and there are often games that are more interesting than the ones that receive a large amount of attention.
Power Stone is a 3D fighting game designed for four players to fight in a four-way arena simultaneously. Players may collect items within the arena to use as weapons, and Power Stones are hidden in the arena and grant temporary invincibility and increased strength when collected. In essence, it is chaos, yet one of the best designed fighting games I have ever played.
What Power Stone Offers
Players will fight simultaneously in a four-way arena. There will be four opponents fighting you at the same time. Players will be able to collect items within the arena and use them as weapons. Three Power Stones will be hidden in the arena, and when collected, will give you temporary invincibility and increase your power. The first player to win three matches will be crowned the winner.
Even though it appears to be chaotic, it is truly controlled chaos. The controls respond well; the collision detection is fair; the special moves are unique for each character; the Power Stones are found in areas of the arena that become familiar through experience; and the game achieves a seemingly perfect balance, given the apparent randomness.
What amazes me is that every match will feel different. Given that all four opponents are fighting simultaneously, the dynamics of each match will constantly shift. You could be attacking one opponent, while another hits you from behind; you could be blocking two opponents, and one of those opponents creates an opening to attack when the others block him/her; you are not planning your strategy through a chess-like method — you are reacting to, and adapting to the event as it unfolds in real time.
Why Four Player Fighting Games Are More Difficult Than One On One Fighting Games
One on one fighting games work as well as they do because there are only two variables to consider for each character matchup. Four player fighting games contain an infinite number of variables compared to one on one fighting games. Where each player is positioned in the arena; who has which items; and who has Power Stones, all contribute to the various combinations of each fighter. The number of possible game states is staggering.
It is a testament to the designers that Power Stone achieved a balance with the infinite number of variables. There is no single strategy that will dominate. Strategies based on zoning will be successful until an opponent finds a way to get an item. Rush down strategies will be successful until an opponent surrounds you. Defensive strategies will be successful until an opponent gangs up on you and isolates you. Everything has a counter, and the counter has a counter.
The Power Stone System
The Power Stone system is incredible, especially since it gives you so much power, but only for a short period of time. You can’t just sit on the stone and control the entire game, it expires. Therefore, you will need to continually adapt and be able to switch back and forth in the battle with the other players.
Philosophy Behind the Design
From an IT perspective, Power Stone demonstrates a design philosophy that combines player decision making into the outcome of the game, but includes a degree of chance. You have no control over when other players collect items or when Power Stones are generated. You have no control over how many opponents you are facing at any given time, but you do have control over how you react to the changing circumstances.
This is true game design that presents itself as randomness. The randomness associated with four-player simultaneous fighting produces a larger quantity of potential scenarios than pure skill-based systems. You are being judged on your ability to think quickly and adapt to stress, as opposed to merely memorising combos and examining frame data.
The environmental hazards work in a similar manner. Sometimes the arena changes configuration and creates new obstacles; sometimes stage hazards inflict damage on all players evenly. The game trusts the players to adapt to the conditions presented, versus attempting to achieve absolute balance in the game.
Is Power Stone Still Fun Today?
Yes. The controls are still responsive. The fighting is still engaging. The chaos is still fun. When you play this with other people (as it is intended to be played), the game is extremely fun. The single-player storyline is passable, but this is clearly a multiplayer focused game, and that is okay.
The graphics are dated, but charming. The character designs are memorable. The effect of the moves are clear and understandable. All of the components convey the message of what is happening, even in the midst of the most heated four-player battles, where multiple moves are performed at the same time.
The roster of characters is limited (only eight), but diverse. Each character has a distinctive fighting style, and a unique special move set. The move sets are simple enough to learn, but complex enough to spend hours optimising.
Why Power Stone Matters for Fighting Game Design
Power Stone illustrated that fighting games don’t have to be competitive. A game can be fun as a social experience that is also mechanistically sound. Power Stone recognises player agency while acknowledging the inherent chaos of four-player simultaneous fighting.
Most games after Power Stone attempted to recreate the experience, but ultimately failed, because they tried to impose order on something that functions as controlled chaos. Super Smash Bros partially succeeded in recreating the spirit of Power Stone, because it recognised the value of embracing chaos, and designing around it, instead of trying to fight it.
The Tragic Downfall of Power Stone
What saddens me the most about Power Stone is that this is an excellent game that is virtually unknown to most gamers. This was originally released for Dreamcast and later for GameCube. Its sequel for PlayStation 2 was superior to the original. But Power Stone never gained any recognition, as the fighting game genre shifted to focus on competitive esports and Power Stone is fundamentally a party game.
In a world where everyone wants to be the next Street Fighter or Tekken, Power Stone illustrates a different philosophy concerning fighting games — one that is fun for casual players, and exciting enough for competitive players, although it will never be an esports title for pure skill-based fighters.
Conclusion
Power Stone is a fighting game that showcases the idea that innovation is far more valuable than recognition. Four-player simultaneous combat that is somehow balanced. Objects within the arena that add a level of strategic depth. Power-ups that provide a comeback opportunity without providing too much of an advantage. Unique and aesthetically pleasing special moves. An upward difficulty curve that teaches the player without overwhelming them.
Power Stone is a game that should be remembered as a pivotal moment in the evolution of fighting game design — the moment that someone said, “why can’t fighting games be fun, non-competitive experiences,” and demonstrated that the answer could be, “extremely fun and exciting.”
If you have never played Power Stone, find it. If you develop fighting games, study how Power Stone manages to balance four simultaneous opponents and chaos with environmental objects to produce a variety of unpredictable situations that pure skill-based systems cannot replicate.
Rating: 9/10 — The fighting game that demonstrated that chaos can be beautiful.
John grew up swapping floppy disks and reading Amiga Power cover to cover. Now an IT manager in Manchester, he writes about the glory days of British computer gaming—Sensible Soccer, Speedball 2, and why the Amiga deserved more love than it ever got.
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