Dennou Senki - Virtual-On - Oratorio Tangram (Japan)
Sega Dreamcast
🇯🇵
Reviewed in 1999
88
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✪ Reviewed on August 11, 2023
81
A refreshed take on the definitive Virtual-On, with retuned balance and the same magic intact. Mechs waltz around the arena and the twin stick tactical duel stays peerless.
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Category
Fighting2 players7+
Split screen
Description
Virtual-On robots battle in three-dimensional arenas in this Japanese version of Sega's mecha fighting game. Published by Sega, released in Japan in September 1999. 3D mecha fighting game with twin arcade stick pairing, eighteen playable robots, online modes. Japanese edition.
Dennou Senki - Virtual-On - Oratorio Tangram review
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
Dennou Senki Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram is the original Japanese edition of the Dreamcast port, released by Sega with a domestic Hajime Katoki sleeve very different from the US artwork. Collector value comes from that distinct presentation, from a build matching the NAOMI arcade and from the soundtrack recording quality in the Japanese pressing.
An underrated gem
Piloting these mechs at full speed ideally called for a bulky twin stick, which surely held back its reach beyond the arcades. Behind that barrier, though, hides one of the most exhilarating 3D fighting games of its era, all about movement and reading your opponent. A treat for anyone willing to tame its controls.
Better with friends
The Japanese release of the console's purest mech-dueling arena, built for one-on-one play on twin sticks. Everything hinges on the long-range dance: lock-on, side dodges and anticipated shots turn each clash into a tense tug-of-war. Learning it takes patience, but the rivalry that grows between regulars is worth every replayed round.
Is Dennou Senki - Virtual-On - Oratorio Tangram still worth playing in 2026?
An overlooked pillar of arcade versus, Oratorio Tangram delivers an arena duel of mechs where managing distance, dashes and lock ons matters far more than complex inputs. The rapid pace, the readable weapon set and the punchy presentation make it a fight that still feels modern in its 3D approach. Without the original twin sticks, the controls demand a little effort, yet the tactical depth quickly rewards the investment. A classic that has been unfairly forgotten by the wider audience.
