Fossil Fighters, known as in Japan, is a 2008 video game developed by Nintendo SPD, Red Entertainment, M2, and Artdink and published by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 17, 2008 and was later released in North America on August 10, 2009, and in Australia on September 17, 2009.
A sequel titled Super Kasekihoridā, was released in Japan on November 18, 2010. It was released outside Japan originally titled as Super Fossil Fighters, but later changed to Fossil Fighters: Champions, released in North America on November 14, 2011. A Nintendo 3DS entry, Fossil Fighters: Frontier, was released in North America in 2015, but the game has been available in Japan since February 2014.
Gameplay
The central concept of Fossil Fighters is the revival of prehistoric fossils into supernatural forms known as "vivosaurs", charged with elemental energy, and the use of these creatures in combat against each other.
The player accesses regions called "dig sites" and collects "Fossil Rocks", each of which contains one-quarter of a dinosaur's skeleton; head, body, arms, or legs. Fossil Rocks are scanned and cleaned at a "Revival Machine" and then incorporated into a vivosaur. Although a vivosaur can be revived using only a head fossil, integrating the other three parts will grant it bonus strength and access to additional abilities. If the secondary parts are found without a head, they will be stored until the head is found and subsequently integrated into the vivosaur.
Cleaning a Fossil Rock involves removing the rock around the fossil with a hammer, and then the remaining layer of dirt with a drill. The player has 90 seconds to accomplish this task and risks damaging the fossil by hitting it directly with the hammer or drill. A cleaner and less damaged fossil grants more strength to the vivosaur it is integrated into.
Vivosaurs with a head fossil integrated are used in turn-based combat against opposing vivosaurs. Up to three of the player's vivosaurs may challenge up to three of an opponent's. Each team has access to one Attack Zone, two Support Zones and one Escape Zone; their starting positions are in the Attack and Support Zones. Vivosaurs can use attacks and other abilities by expending Fossil Power (FP) gained at the start of each turn. Fossil Power can also be conserved between turns in an attempt to expend a large amount on a strong attack. Two turns’ worth of Fossil Power is added to a combatant's pool if one of their vivosaurs runs out of Life Points (LP) and is defeated. LP also decides who is first to attack in a battle, in which the team with the lowest total LP goes first. The battle is over when all of an opponent's vivosaurs are defeated.
The basic strategy of Fossil Fighters is to use attacks with an Attack Zone vivosaur while Support Zone vivosaurs apply statistical bonuses to the player's Attack Zone or statistical penalties to the enemy's Attack Zone. However, Fossil Fighters contains much strategic diversity. A damaged Attack Zone vivosaur may be "escaped" to the Escape Zone when weakened, but a Support Zone vivosaur must enter the Attack Zone and take its place. The now-empty Support Zone will be filled by the escaped vivosaur in two turns.
Fossil Fighters uses a system of elemental balance where each vivosaur has an elemental affinity. Fire-element vivosaurs gain bonuses against Earth-element vivosaurs, which gain bonuses against Air-type vivosaurs, which gain bonuses against Water-element vivosaurs, which gain bonuses against Fire-element vivosaurs. Neutral-element vivosaurs have no elemental strength or weakness. Certain mythical vivosaurs, only granted to the player in special circumstances, are of the "Legendary" element; these function identically to Neutral-element vivosaurs.
Plot
After arriving on Vivosaur Island, the Hero enters a local hotel, where the manager gives him instructions and sends him to a trial Dig Site for first-hand Fossil Battle practice. Once he completes the required training, he gains access to his first official Dig Site, the Greenhorn Plains. Upon arriving at said location, a man called Medal-Dealer Joe steals everyone's Dino Medals. The Hero encounters a young girl named Rosie, whose medals have also been stolen. She informs him that his medals are still safe and that he must fight the criminal in a Fossil Battle. A victory results in Medal-Dealer Joe being arrested, and everyone's Dino Medals being returned safely. Rosie takes interest in the Hero, and decides to accompany him on his journey. Once the duo return to the Island, it is announced that Level-Up Battles have begun. Both Rosie and the Hero successfully complete their battles, bringing them one step closer to becoming a Master.