Tough Turf (set 2, Japan) (8751 317-0104)

Tough Turf puts players in control of a determined character who takes on gangs plaguing city streets. This two-player fighting game from Sega and Sunsoft debuted in Japan in 1989 and utilizes a 2.5D perspective to present dynamic combat scenarios. Players use an eight-way joystick and three buttons to execute attacks and maneuvers against their opponents, battling through various locations as they attempt to clear the streets of unwanted company. The game runs on Sega’s System 16B hardware and features a distinctive visual style; characters appear as everyday individuals rather than traditional fighting archetypes. Tough Turf was developed by Sunsoft, with contributions from a team including director Cho Musow and sound programmer About. Us. A bootleg version of the game bearing the same title was also released by Datsu/Electron. While originally released in March of 1989, it remains a unique entry within the fighting genre, offering a different take on arcade combat for two players at once.