Ranma ½: Battle Renaissance

Ranma ½: Battle Renaissance is a 3-D released for the  in 1996. It was the first Ranma ½ game released for the console, and also the last game solely based on Ranma ½. The game is well remembered amongst fans for being the only fighting game in which Ryu Kumon and Rouge appear as characters.

The game features the voice actor of ever character from the anime series who appears in the game, the only exception to this is Ryu and Rouge (both of whom have never appeared in the anime) who are voiced by Mitsuru Miyamoto and Kumiko Nishihara, respectively.

Overview
"It's a normal day at the Tendo Dojo when Kuno invites the Ranma gang to Kikaiga island. The Kuno family has bought the island and is building an amusement park on it. When the group arrives, they find that Kikaiga island is a demon's lair, and that a legendary treasure called Shingouki is hidden within eight stones throughout the island. And so the characters each go out to search for the stones and claim the Shingouki before anyone else."

Gameplay
There are three game types in Battle Renaissance: in story mode the player choses from one of them eight playable characters and travels around Kikaiga island to gather the stones, most of the stones must be gathered by defeating the seven other characters but others can be obtained by reading the signs around the island. Some of the signs also reveal information regarding many of the characters' attacks.

In VS mode two players can fight against each other (score records of fights in this mode can also be accessed in the Options menu), this is the only mode in which Rouge can be selected as a playable character, but only after both players enter a two-part code based on several controller buttons. Lastly, in Battle mode a single player is pitted against all eight characters and then Rouge. Unlike the story mode, this mode has no individual endings instead showing a "congratulations" screen based on the difficulty of the AI.

The moves are rather difficult to pull off on the Playstation controller, and players may have a bit of trouble. The appearance of Geysers and squalls throughout the fights can also turn the tide of fights, with the cursed forms of characters generally being much weaker than that of their normal forms.

Playable Characters

 * Ranma Saotome: Ranma is with Akane, searching for the Shingouki, when Rouge appears and kidnaps Akane. Ranma then sets off to get the Shingouki and rescue Akane (although not necessarily in that order). After defeating Rouge, Ranma finds Akane and after having a short argument Akane thanks Ranma for saving her, to which Ranma tells Akane that it's no problem.


 * Akane Tendo: Akane is searching for the Shingouki with Ranma, when a masked Rouge appears and warns them of the Shingouki's secret before taking Ranma away, causing Akane to set off after them. Once Rouge is defeated, Akane makes a makeshift resting place for the demon Rouge called upon as she felt slightly sorry for it, although Ranma isn't very impressed.


 * Happosai]: After getting trampled on by Rouge, Happosai agrees to get rid of everyone else in exchange for a date with her. When the Shingouki goes to heaven, Ranma appears causing Happosai to say that Ranma's bosom is now the only treasure he has. Ranma angrily then punches Happosai into the air and tells him to become a star.


 * Tatewaki Kuno: Kuno thinks of himself as perfect and so sets out to attain the Shingouki, believing he will do so before anyone else. When Kuno defeats Rouge he notices the island is shaking since he destroyed it's guardian so he decides to become the islands protector, but is unable to maintain this position.


 * Ryu Kumon: Ryu seeks the Shingouki so he can unlock the power it contains, but gets caught up in a race with Rouge to obtain the power. Ryu then meets Ranma who tells the area he's stood collapses really easily and when Ryu gets stuck he demands Ranma come back and help him.


 * Genma Saotome: Genma recalls a tale that the Shingouki is able to grant supreme power and so sets off to get it before anyone else can. When Rouge is defeated, Genma gets buried alive by Ranma for wasting his time while Genma thinks about what it really means to become stronger.


 * Shampoo: After attempting to get Ranma to look for the Shingouki with her, Rouge appears and takes Ranma away. Shampoo pursues her fiancé, paying little attention to the mentions of the Shingouki. At the sight of Rouge crying in defeat, Shampoo tells her she can be a demon by working hard and making money for her and Ranma, causing Ranma to call Shampoo the demon.


 * Ryoga Hibiki: While searching for the Shingouki with Akane, Rouge appears and kidnaps Akane. Ryoga sets off after her, not caring about the treasure. Once he defeats Rouge, Ryoga finds Akane and tells her he knows the way to the treasure, but the pair get hopelessly lost.

Trivia

 * This game is often compared to as they were both fighting games that were released in 1996.