{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox video game |title = Psy-Phi |image = Psy-Phi arcade flyer.jpg |developer = [[Sega]] |publisher = Sega |director = [[Yu Suzuki]] |producer = Yu Suzuki |designer = |release = Cancelled |genre = [[Fighting game|Fighting]] |modes = [[Single-player video game|Single player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] |arcade system = [[Sega Lindbergh]] |platforms = [[Arcade game|Arcade]] }}
{{Nihongo|'''''Psy-Phi'''''|サイファイ|lead=yes}} was a cancelled [[fighting game]] developed for the [[Sega Lindbergh|Lindbergh]] [[Arcade system board|arcade platform]] by new development studio Digital Rex, a development group within [[Sega]], headed by [[Yu Suzuki]] formerly head of [[Sega-AM2]]. It is the first [[Arcade game|arcade]] fighting game to incorporate [[touchscreen]] controls. Shortly after location testing in 2005,<ref>{{cite web |title=Psy-Phi, Arcade Video game by SEGA(2006) |url=http://www.arcade-history.com/?n=psy-phi&page=detail&id=8848 |website=arcade-history.com |access-date=2022-11-24}}</ref> its planned 2006 wide release was cancelled.
==Gameplay== The futuristic fighter's premise casts the player as one of several warriors who are engaging in one-on-one combat. However, ''Psy-Phi''{{'s}} twist is that the players will be floating around an opponent and relying on powerful blasts of energy as an attack. The premise of the game drew comparisons to ''[[Dragon Ball Z]]'' and [[Dreamcast]] game ''[[Psychic Force 2012]]''.<ref name="Torres">{{cite web |last=Torres |first=Ricardo |date=September 1, 2005 |title=Psy Phi Hands-On |url=http://www.gamespot.com/arcade/action/psyphi/news.html?sid=6132419&mode=previews&tag=result;title;0 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=2022-11-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731023755/http://www.gamespot.com/psy-phi/previews/psy-phi-hands-on-6132419/ |archive-date=2012-07-31 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The game featured characters: Ays, Reid, Vient, Silva, and Ness.
==Development== ''Psy-Phi'' is an arcade game based on Sega's [[Sega Lindbergh|Lindbergh]] hardware. The project was headed by [[Yu Suzuki]] and incorporates a 29" touchscreen display for gameplay. An action-shooting game with one-on-one combat, players hovered in the air and competed with each other with attacks by trailing a path on the touchscreen or inputting special symbols on the touchscreen.
Suzuki revealed that he enjoys Japanese manga adaptations of great science fiction works by the likes of [[Jules Verne]] and [[H. G. Wells]] where the main characters have [[superpower (ability)|superpowers]]. ''[[Space Harrier]]'' actually came about because of this interest.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gantayat |first=Anoop |date=November 2, 2005|title=Psy-Phi Update|url=http://games.ign.com/articles/663/663811p1.html |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=2022-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051105054646/http://games.ign.com/articles/663/663811p1.html |archive-date=2005-11-05 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Suzuki says the manga ''[[Babel II]]'' was his main inspiration in the creation of this game, and he had described it as "futuristic dodge ball".<ref>{{cite web |date=February 15, 2006 |title=Yu Suzuki: The Kikizo Interview |url=http://games.kikizo.com/features/sega_yu_suzuki_iv_feb06_p1.asp |website=Kikizo |access-date=2022-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060221084604/http://games.kikizo.com/features/sega_yu_suzuki_iv_feb06_p1.asp |archive-date=2006-02-21 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The game was showcased to an international audience at the [[Japan Amusement Machinery Manufacturers Association]] (JAMMA) along with other Lindbergh titles including ''[[After Burner: Climax]]'', ''[[Ghost Squad (video game)|Ghost Squad: Evolution]]'', ''[[The House of the Dead 4]]'', ''[[Initial D Arcade Stage 4]]'', ''[[Let's Go Jungle!: Lost on the Island of Spice]]'', ''[[OutRun 2|OutRun 2 SP SDX]]'', ''[[Virtua Tennis 3|Sega Professional Tennis: Power Smash 3]]'', and ''[[Virtua Fighter 5]]''.
''Psy-Phi''{{'s}} graphics—one aspect of the game that were questionably because it was the first Lindbergh game to be shown publicly. The graphics at JAMMA 2005 were described as "sharp, but they won't blow anyone away yet. The character models sport a high number of polygons and animate quite nicely. The special effects used for the various attacks are sharp and go crazy with particles and lighting. The [[level (video games)|stages]] shown were low-key open areas that weren't big on detail at that moment."<ref name="Torres" /> The relatively unimpressive graphics were attributed to the fact that the game started development for the [[Sega Chihiro]] arcade hardware.
The original release was planned for spring 2006, but the arcade units were called back on March 6 (the units were still in shipping and had yet to reach arcades). It was then unknown whether the game was cancelled or called back for further development. Some units were previewed at trade shows, as well as some arcades receiving units for beta tests (most notably [[GameWorks]]).
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IGN|id=psy-phi}}
[[Category:3D fighting games]] [[Category:Arcade video games]] [[Category:Arcade-only video games]] [[Category:Cancelled arcade video games]] [[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]] [[Category:Sega arcade games]] [[Category:Video games about psychic powers]] [[Category:Video games designed by Yu Suzuki]] [[Category:Video games developed in Japan]] [[Category:Video games featuring female protagonists]]