Fighting Vipers

Fighting Vipers is a 3D Fighting Game series created by Sega's AM2 development team (of Virtua Fighter fame) in 1995. A sequel was released in 2001, and in the interim between the two games the casts of both FV and VF appeared in the Sega Saturn-only Fighters Megamix. Gameplay is similar to its sister series, albeit faster, more forgiving in the control department, and has the addition of armor-breaking moves that soften up opponents and create weak points. Unlike Virtua Fighter, arenas are walled, but the walls can be busted down if opponents are slammed against them enough times using the armor-break moves.

The story of the games involves armor-clad fighters run rampant in the metropolis, Armstone City. The dictator/mayor of Armstone City. Big Mahler, hosts a tournament for these fighters ending at the City Tower. The game's main character is Bahn, but Honey (Candy in the states) is the Ensemble Darkhorse and the only really well known character.

Currently, Fighting Vipers seems to have fallen into obscurity.

This series provide example of:
 * Armor Is Useless: Subverted, the armor is useful, until it breaks off.
 * Ass Kicks You: Many of Honey's moves use her posterior as a weapon.
 * Sanman has two or three as well.
 * Bishonen: Tokio
 * Bonus Boss: Kuhn
 * Bowdlerization: Sega of America removed a wallpaper from the home port of the game featuring Honey stripped down to her undergarments (basically, what you see when you break all her armor).
 * Break Meter: Characters have specific moves that damage armor. This was transferred to Fighters Megamix, where the Virtua Fighter characters' signature moves were given this property.
 * Chained by Fashion: Raxel's armor makes heavy use of chains for whatever reason.
 * Clothing Damage: The breakable armor.
 * Crossover: Fighters Megamix which featured characters from its sister games Virtua Fighter, Sonic The Fighters, Virtua Cop and Daytona USA.
 * Cultural Translation: In the American release of the first game, Honey dyed her hair blond and was renamed Candy.
 * The Cutie: Emi
 * Dummied Out (Sonic, Tails and Takashi Iizuka)
 * Expy: Bahn is essentially Jotaro Kujo.
 * Fad Super: Grace, Picky, and Charlie are based on extreme sports--rollerblading, skateboarding, and BMX, respectively.
 * Genki Girl: Emi
 * Guest Fighter: PEPSIMAN!!
 * Through hacking, Sonic and Tails
 * I Know Madden Kombat: Picky and Charlie. Sanman's throw is a bowling toss -- there's even a pin-hitting sound effect.
 * Improbable Weapon User: Speaking of Picky and Charlie... Especially Charlie; very few people not named Jackie Chan beat guys up with bicycles.
 * Instrument of Murder: Raxel's guitar
 * Joke Character: Kumachan
 * Lawyer-Friendly Cameo: Jane in the American release doesn't look like much due to Palette Swap. In the original Japanese versions however, she turns out to be Private Vasquez.
 * Mighty Glacier: Sanman
 * Ms. Fanservice Honey. Generally she is the only thing people remember about the series.
 * No Guy Wants an Amazon: Grace's backstory
 * Palette Swap: Jane in the American version.
 * Product Placement: Pepsiman and Picky's Pepsi skateboard in the first game.
 * Rollerblade Good: Grace
 * SNK Boss: Kuhn. OUCH. And when he beats you, you don't get another go at him.
 * Stripperiffic: Grace and Candy Honey wear next to nothing when their armor breaks off.
 * Totally Radical: Seems to be what AM 2 was going for when they made the game.