An Outfoxies Review
The Outfoxies was unleashed on arcades in 1995 by developer Namco. It delivered a Smash Bros. experience before the Nintendo franchise was around and it’s wild besides.
The cast is varied and charming, from a pair of murderous twins to a female secret agent to a tuxedoed ape. By my measure though, the stars of The Outfoxies are the levels. You’ve got a swaying boat lined by shark-filled waters, a big top circus, a booby-trapped mansion, and a few others, all rendered in detailed sprites that scale and turn as the combatants traverse the terrain.
There are also items to pick up, normally in the form of limited ammo weapons. Combine all this: the cast, dynamic levels, pick-ups, and traps, and I believe we have (probably) the first modern version of the platform fighting game. Yes there’s Joust and others before this, but The Outfoxies added so much. Smash Bros. refined the mechanics of the genre considerably though. The Outfoxies is chaotic fun, but certainly doesn’t play as well. It sometimes feels arcade unfair, although it’s hardly egregious by arcade standards.
Rating 4/5
