Fast-paced and original 3D mech fighting game, excellent Saturn port of the arcade. Mechs (Virtuaroids) are varied and distinctive. Better with dual-stick, playable without. An unjustly forgotten versus fighting classic.
Your verdict
Category
Action2 players12+
Description
Giant robot combat in 3D arenas with complex movement mechanics. Published by Sega AM3, released in North America in 1996. Eight Virtuaroids with distinct armaments and speeds, precise movement and rotation, missiles, lasers and melee, versus and survival modes. Saturn port of the 1995 Sega AM3 arcade with adapted controls.
Virtual On - Cyber Troopers review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Electronic and supercharged, the music blends techno and nervy futuristic themes that match the speed of the mecha duels. Each clash pulses with a cybernetic energy perfectly in tune with the game's robotic aesthetic. This sleek, arcade sonic identity galvanises every fight with a resolutely futuristic groove.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Piloting a nimble robot, dodging with a side dash and showering your opponent with homing fire: this 3D mecha duel breathes speed and fluidity. The twin-stick handling delivers an exhilarating sense of control, and versus clashes quickly grow addictive. Spectacular, snappy and deep, a pioneer of robot combat that electrifies.
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾0,32 GB📅31/10/1996
Published by Sega
Virtual On - Cyber Troopers (Saturn) price, value & rarity
US NTSC-U edition of Virtual On Cyber Troopers on Saturn, distributed by Sega of America in 1996, an AM3 conversion of the mecha versus arcade that ideally calls for the Twin Stick controller to reproduce the cabinet's binary tactile feedback. The Saturn sold poorly in the US and the American run was short, making it an NTSC rarity. Interest lies in AM3 completist demand and Twin Stick compatibility, an accessory even scarcer on the US side, the complete identified US copy remaining hard to assemble.
An underrated gem
Piloting these giant robots at full speed ideally called for a twin-stick setup, which held back its reach beyond the arcades. Behind that barrier hides one of the most exhilarating 3D fighting games of its era, all about mobility and reading your opponent. A treat for anyone willing to tame its demanding controls.
Better with friends
Mech showdowns on twin sticks where two pilots watch, flank and strike from range in a high-speed dance. The competition lives entirely on the face-off: lock-on, dodge and anticipated shot turn each round into a tense tug-of-war. The controls take patience, but once tamed, the rivalry between regulars becomes devilishly gripping.
Is Virtual On - Cyber Troopers still worth playing in 2026?
A Saturn adaptation of the famous Sega arcade versus, Cyber Troopers Virtual On offers a mech arena combat where managing distance, dashes and lock ons matters more than complex inputs. The polished mecha art direction and technical handling make it a mecha versus reference on Saturn. Without original twin sticks, the controls demand effort. For anyone fond of mecha versus games or seeking an overlooked Sega classic, a warm recommendation still valid today without hesitation truly here indeed for any genre fan now.
