The overall goal is to complete a series of 10 one-on-one matches by depleting each opponent's health bar with whatever combination of punching, kicking, and Spin Dashing you see fit. The fight ends when one player's HP gauge hits empty or the timer reaches 0 (in the case of a Time Over, the player with the most HP remaining is the victor). The outcome of each match is determined on a best 2 out of 3 basis: if you're the victor, you move on to the next opponent. Fail, and you have the customary 10-second countdown with which to plunk in a few more credits and try the match again or admit defeat and save your quarters for a Pepsi or something.

   The control panel utilizes AM2's trademark 3-button setup: a bulbous joystick on the left controls character movement while a trio of action buttons on the right handle fighting commands. Here's a list of the basic commands common to all characters:

• Walk: tilt the joystick in the direction of your opponent
• Back away: tilt the joystick away from your opponent
• Run: tap the joystick twice quickly in the direction of your opponent. If you run into a wall, you'll climb right up and leap off the top.
• Backstep: tap the joystick twice quickly away from your opponent.
• Jump: tilt the joystick upward
• Duck: tilt the joystick downward
• Roll: after getting knocked over, tilt the joystick up or down to roll out of harm's way
• Barrier: (guard) press and hold the Barrier button
• Punch: tap the punch button
• Kick: tap the kick button
• Dodge: press B+P+K at close range to sidestep out of the line of fire and blindside your opponent.
• Turn your back: crouch and press P+K to bravely turn your back on your opponent
• Hyper: tilt the joystick away from your opponent and press P+K to cut loose with a sparkling muteki energy burst. During Hyper mode, your character's speed and power increase. The effect is brief and costs 1 notch on the Barrier gauge. After performing a Hyper burst, the gauge must recharge before the trick can be repeated.
• Switch camera: toggle between the normal side view and an over-the-shoulder perspective by pressing the start button

   Unique to StF is the Barrier system: rather than the traditional guard command, Sonic and co whip out blue Barriers to protect against damage. The Barrier will remain active for as long as the guard button is held down, but if the shield gets smacked with a powerful attack, it will shatter. If your Barrier gets shattered 5 times, it'll break for good and you won't be able to block for the remainder of the match.

   There are 8 playable characters each with a unique set of combos and special attacks:

Sonic the Hedgehog -- Sonic is the most agile of the combatants and can chain consecutive attacks smoothly. He has numerous spin techniques (almost every combo has the potential to end with a spin attack), which allows him to cross the arena quickly. If you can make it to the second round against Metal Sonic without losing a single match, perform Hyper Start to transform into Super Sonic for a quick win.
Punch
Punch Kick
Double Punch
Triple Punch
Punch Rush
Super Rush
Rush Spin
Punch Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Double Punch Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Hasami Punch
Ballet Toss
Toss & Attack
Guru-guru Punch
Spin Attack
Spiral Spin
Spiral Spin Feint
Spiral Spin Double Feint
Kick
Double Kick
Triple Kick
Side Kick
Double Side Kick
Triple Side Kick
Leg Throw
Uma Kick
Acchi Ike Kick	+
Hyper Start	+
Furimuki	+
Rocket Missile	[back to wall]
Head Spin	+
Bukitori	[close range] +
Ashibumi	+
Memawashi Spin	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Yoke Spin	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke High Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Spin Dive	[after Mawarikomi]
Dash Spin	[while running]
Drop Kick	[while running]
Furimuki Punch	[back to opponent]
Furimuki High Kick	[back to opponent]
Fundzuke	[down]
Double Spin	[down]
Hop Punch
Hop Kick
Double Jump High Kick
Skip Kick
Hop Kick	[in midair]
Spin Dive
Fundzuke Dive
Air Spin	[in midair]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Air Hyper Start	[in midair] +
Wall Spin	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
Emerald Dive	[while Hyper] +
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

Miles "Tails" Prower -- Tails is a well-balanced fighter and can rapidly flee from danger with his Propeller Dash. The direction of the Dash can be diverted midway for a quick escape or a surprise attack.
Punch
Punch Kick
Double Punch
Poka-poka Combo
Punch Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Double Punch Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Hasami Punch
Guru-guru Punch
Poka-poka Punch
Spin Attack
Kick
Double Kick
Triple Kick
Kaiten Kick
Kaiten Double Kick
Guru-guru Kick
Uma Kick
Propeller Dash	+
Propeller Dash L	[after Propeller Dash]
Propeller Dash R	[after Propeller Dash]
Propeller Dash F	[after Propeller Dash] +
Acchi Ike Kick	+
Hyper Start	+
Furimuki	+
Rocket Missile	[back to wall]
Hikouki Otoshi	[close range] +
Bukitori	[close range] +
Hikouki Nage	[close range] +
Ashibumi	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Yoke Punch	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke High Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Spin Dive	[after Mawarikomi]
Fundzuke	[down]
Tsukitobashi	[while running]
Uma Kick	[while running]
Furimuki Punch	[back to opponent]
Furimuki High Kick	[back to opponent]
Hop Punch
High Kick
Double Jump High Kick
Skip Kick
Hop Kick	[in midair]
Spin Dive
Fundzuke Dive
Air Spin	[in midair]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Air Hyper Start	[in midair] +
Wall Spin	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

Fang the Sniper -- With his cork gun and whipping tail, Fang makes an excellent long-distance attacker, but is fairly defenseless at close range (he doesn't even have a basic punch attack). The Shippo Nage throw is a good technique for putting distance between you and your opponent.
Cork Shoot
2-ren Cork
3-ren Cork
Abare Teppou Dash
Snipe Yooi!
Snipe 1
Snipe 2
Snipe 3
Snipe 4
Rapid Snipe
Submarine Snipe
Ballet Toss
Uchiage Abare Teppou
Super Cork
Abare Teppou
Kick
Double Kick
Triple Kick
Shippo Kick
Shippo Double Kick
Shippo Triple Kick
Spring Kick
Shippo Attack	+
Shippo Double Attack	+
Shippo Combo	+
Hyper Start	+
Rocket Missile	[back to wall]
Chabudai Gaeshi	[close range] +
Bukitori	[close range] +
Shippo Nage	[close range] +
Ashibumi	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Yoke Snipe	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke-yoke Snipe	[after 2 successive Mawarikomi]
Yoke High Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Body Dive	[after Mawarikomi]
Shippo Down Kougeki	[down]
Tsukitobashi	[while running]
Uma Kick	[while running]
Furimuki Low Punch	[back to opponent]
Furimuki Punch	[back to opponent] ++
Furimuki High Kick	[back to opponent]
Hop Punch
High Kick
Double Jump High Kick
Skip Kick
Hop Kick	[in midair]
Body Dive
Fundzuke Dive
Air Snipe	[in midair]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Air Hyper Start	[in midair] +
Wall Dive	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
Daiabare Teppou	[while Hyper] ++
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

Bean the Dynamite -- Newcomer Bean rivals Sonic in terms of agility. His attacks are weak but easy to flurry, and almost every combo has the potential for a bomb toss at the end. Be careful when using the bomb toss at close range, as the explosion will also damage Bean himself.
Kuchibashi Attack
Double Kuchibashi
Triple Kuchibashi
Kuchibashi Rush
Kitsutsuki Attack
Kitsutsuki Straight
Kuchibashi Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Double Kuchibashi Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Guru-guru Punch
Guru-guru Punch Bakudan Nage Combo
Bakudan 3-tsu Nage
Guru-guru Upper
Guru-guru Upper Bakudan Nage Combo
Bakudan Nage
Kick
Double Kick
Triple Kick
Side Kick
Double Side Kick
Triple Side Kick
Bakudan Shoot
Uma Kick
Acchi Ike Kick	+
Hyper Start	+
Rocket Missile	[back to wall]
Kuchibashi Shot	[close range] +
Bukitori	[close range] +
Mooretsu Attack	[close range] +
Ashibumi	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Yoke Kuchibashi	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke High Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Kuchibashi Dive	[after Mawarikomi]
Fundzuke	[down]
Dash Kuchibashi	[while running]
Uma Kick	[while running]
Furimuki Low Punch	[back to opponent]
Furimuki Punch	[back to opponent] ++
Furimuki High Kick	[back to opponent]
Hop Punch
High Kick
Double Jump High Kick
Skip Kick
Hop Kick	[in midair]
Kuchibashi Dive
Fundzuke Dive
Kuuchuu Bakudan	[in midair]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Air Hyper Start	[in midair] +
Wall Kuchibashi Dive	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
Bean Warp	[while Hyper] ++
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

Bark the Polarbear -- Newcomer Bark is slow and has few combo attacks, but makes up for it with brute strength. He's a good close range fighter with a variety of powerful throws. Perform a Tsubushi Punch to squish your opponent, rendering them momentarily helpless save a weak head butt.
Bark Punch
One Two Punch
One Two Nage	[close range]
One Two GAN!
Hasami Punch
2-kai Hasami Punch
3-kai Hasami Punch
Low Punch
Low Hook
Guard & Attack
Tsubushi Punch
Tsubushite GAN!
Bark Upper
Sit Punch
Bark Elbow
Bark Elbow Combo
Buchinko Kick
Daisharin Punch	+
Hyper Start	+
Barrier Aruki	[while guarding] ++
Tatakitsuke	[close range] +
Bitan-bitan	[close range] +
Bark Strike	[close range] +
Atama Nage	[close range] +
Tsukan de Gangan	[close range] +
Giant Swing	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Yoke Punch	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Buchinko Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke to Bikomi	++
Fundzuke	[down]
Tsukitobashi	[while running]
Drop Kick	[while running]
Furimuki Punch	[back to opponent]
Furimuki High Kick	[back to opponent]
Hop Punch
Hop Kick
Hop Kick	[in midair]
Ryoute Hammer Dive
Hip Dive
Air Hammer	[in midair]
Genkotsu Otoshi	[before landing]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Wall Ryoute Hammer	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
Daisharin Dash	[while Hyper] +
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

Espio the Chameleon -- Espio is an all-round solid fighter with decent power and agility. His tongue attack can reach clear across the arena, but he's just as adept at close range.
Slap Attack
Slap Kick
Double Slap
Double Slap Upper
Bero Punch
Atamatsuki
Espio Chop
Tsukkomi Chop
Espio Spin
Naga Bero Kougeki
Kick
Double Kick
Triple Kick
Side Kick
Double Side Kick
Triple Side Kick
Uma Kick
Acchi Ike Kick	+
Hyper Start	+
Rocket Missile	[back to wall]
Chabudai Gaeshi	[close range] +
Bukitori	[close range] +
Bero Nage	[close range] +
Bero Nage Combo	[close range] ++
Ashibumi	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	++
Yoke Bero Punch	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke High Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Body Dive	[after Mawarikomi]
Bero Down Kougeki	[down]
Fundzuke	[down]
Dash Bero	[while running]
Drop Kick	[while running]
Furimuki Punch	[back to opponent]
Furimuki High Kick	[back to opponent]
Hop Punch
High Kick
Double Jump High Kick
Skip Kick
Hop Kick	[in midair]
Body Dive
Fundzuke Dive
Air Espio Spin	[in midair]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Air Hyper Start	[in midair] +
Wall Dive	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
Espio Warp	[while Hyper] ++
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

Amy Rose -- Amy is slow but surprisingly powerful courtesy of her new Piko Piko Hammer. The basic hammer swings are fairly direct and easy to predict, but they can be chained several different ways to keep your opponent guessing.
Hammer Attack
Double Hammer
Triple Hammer
Combo Hammer Dive
Spin Hammer
Head Sliding
Hammer Upper
Combo Hammer Spin
Magical Hammer
Hammer Nage
Zujou Chuui
Kick
Double Kick
Triple Kick
Kaiten Kick
Kaiten Double Kick
Guru-guru Kick
Hip Attack
Uma Kick	+
Hyper Start	+
Rocket Missile	[back to wall]
Umatobi	[close range] +
Bukitori	[close range] +
Acchi Muite Hoi	[close range] +
Ashibumi	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Yoke Hammer	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke High Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Hammer Dive	[after Mawarikomi]
Fundzuke	[down]
Head Sliding	[while running]
Hip Attack	[while running]
Furimuki Hammer	[back to opponent]
Hip Attack	[back to opponent]
Hop Hammer
High Kick
Double Jump High Kick
Skip Kick
Hop Kick	[while in midair]
Hammer Dive
Fundzuke Dive
Air Punch	[in midair]
Air Hammer	[before landing]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Air Hyper Start	[in midair] +
Wall Hammer	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
16t	[while Hyper]
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

Knuckles the Echidna -- Knuckles has a staccato feel, specializing (needless to say) in strong punches. He's best at close range, but can cross the arena quickly with the Spin Attack and Knuckle Glider. His basic throw has 3 phases for big damage if you can time the combo right.
Jab
Punch Kick
Jab, Straight
One Two Uppercut
Jab Get Behind	[close range] ++
One Two Get Behind	[close range] ++
Hasami Punch
Atamatsuki
Uppercut
Rising Upper
Spin Attack
Guru-guru Punch
Kick
Double Kick
Triple Kick
Side Kick
Double Side Kick
Triple Side Kick
Uma Kick
Knuckle Glider	+
Acchi Ike Kick	+
Hyper Start	+
Rocket Missile	[back to wall]
Shadow Punch	[close range] +
Shadow Punch Second	[close range] +
Knuckle Special	[close range] +
Bukitori	[close range] +
Ashibumi	[close range] +
Mawarikomi	[close range] ++
Yoke Punch	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke High Kick	[after Mawarikomi]
Yoke Body Dive	[after Mawarikomi]
Fundzuke	[down]
Tsukitobashi	[while running]
Drop Kick	[while running]
Furimuki Punch	[back to opponent]
Furimuki High Kick	[back to opponent]
Hop Punch
High Kick
Double Jump High Kick
Skip Kick
Hop Kick	[in midair]
Body Dive
Fundzuke Dive
Air Spin	[in midair]
Air Kick	[in midair]
Air Hyper Start	[in midair] +
Wall Spin	[on wall]
Wall Stomp	[on wall]
Hyper Upper	[while Hyper]
Hyper Double Upper	[while Hyper]
Yowa-yowa Punch	[while squished]

   A normal 1-player game consists of 10 matches: the 8 normal opponents plus non-playable bosses Metal Sonic and Eggman. (When your character faces off against himself in the lineup, Eggman flies by and blasts your hero with a laser that produces a monochrome doppelganger to fight.) Metal Sonic has moves from every character in the game at his disposal and, on top of that, inflicts much more damage with them. Eggman, contrarily, has no special moves at all outside of a basic PPP combo and a throw. The catch is that he must be defeated within 15 seconds to access the good ending. If you're playing as Sonic and make it to the second bout against Metal Sonic without having lost a single Round, perform a Hyper burst to transform into Super Sonic. Super Sonic is identical to Sonic except faster and invulnerable to damage, which makes the boss fights a good deal easier. Here's a rundown of the 1P story mode:

• Stage 01: Knuckles the Echidna in South Island
• Stage 02: Amy Rose in Flying Carpet
• Stage 03: Bark the Polarbear in Aurora Icefield
• Stage 04: Espio the Chameleon in Mushroom Hill
• Stage 05: Miles "Tails" Prower in Canyon Cruise
• Stage 06: Fang the Sniper in Casino Night
• Stage 07: Bean the Dynamite in Dynamite Plant
• Stage 08: Sonic the Hedgehog in Giant Wing
• Stage 09: Metal Sonic in Death Egg's Eye
• Stage 10: Dr. Eggman in Death Egg's Hangar

   Note that the mercilessly compressed screenshots below were taken on an unfinished emulator and are slightly inaccurate. Luminance tables are off so colors aren't properly rendered and character models are missing certain details such as tails and tassels.

   The game ends if you defeat Eggman or fail and neglect to continue in the 10-second countdown. However the battle ends, high scorers get to enter their initials for the attract mode display. At any time during your conquest, a second player may plunk some coinage into the 2P side of the unit and interrupt you in mid-battle for a head-to-head challenge. When this happens, both players warp to the defender's home turf (ie, if player 1 is Sonic, both P1 and challenger P2 warp to Giant Wing for combat). When the battle is over, the victor begins a normal game from stage 1.

   A number of the default game options can be adjusted in the service menu:

   The Gems Collection version is a very straightforward port with no bells & whistles to speak of. Here's a list of the most significant additions:

• Most of the relevant service mode options are accessible from the main menu. (The region setting remains locked.)
• Match time can be set to infinite for versus mode.
• Players can choose from 3 different controller maps (though none work particularly well without a joystick peripheral.)
• The screen can be stretched to TV size in 3 different ways.
• At any time during combat, players can pause the game to view a complete command list for their character.
• There doesn't seem to be a way to switch to over-the-shoulder perspective.
• The options menu includes a list of credits for the conversion staff.

   All region versions of StF are identical: the locality can be toggled in the service menu. The export version changes Eggman's name to Robotnik (grossly misspelled as "Robotonic" in the opening cinema) while the US version includes the requisite "Winners Don't Use Drugs" splash. In all overseas markets, the game was distributed as "Sonic Championship" which is reflected on the export cabinet, though the title screen still reads "Sonic the Fighters".

   StF was developed on the Fighting Vipers engine and the two games are indeed extremely similar - the Hyper mode, for example, is based on FV's armor break and is performed with the same button command. FV's showcase heroine Honey was worked into StF as a cream-colored cat, apparently as a test character. (The feline version of Honey doesn't appear in the final build, but makes a cameo in the opening cinema of FV on Saturn.) While the game was developed at AM2, Sonic Team was consulted for continuity - the use of monochromatic "clone" characters in versus matches, for example, was Sonic Team's suggestion.

• Bark's name is misspelled on match screens as "Bark the Polerbear".
• Bark and Bean are included as playable characters in Fighters Megamix for the Saturn. The South Island and Aurora Icefield arenas are also included, though curiously, Aurora Icefield sports the BGM of Flying Carpet.