Play Deadly Arts Online

Game Overview

Deadly Arts is one of those N64 fighters that flew under the radar but had some surprisingly cool ideas. You pick from this oddball roster of international fighters—some look like they stepped out of an anime, others feel like they belong in a gritty martial arts flick. At first, the controls feel a little stiff compared to something like Tekken, but once you get the hang of chaining basic attacks into special moves, it clicks.

What makes it stand out is the create-a-fighter mode. You can tweak everything from their fighting style to their ridiculous victory poses, then grind through tournaments to level them up. It’s janky in that classic N64 way, but there’s something satisfying about building some no-name brawler into a champion. The two-player mode is where it really shines, especially if you’ve got a friend willing to put up with the occasional clunky animation.

Not gonna lie, the AI can be brutal in later fights—expect to retry a few times when you hit the higher ranks. But landing that perfect counter or finally unlocking a fighter’s secret move? Worth the frustration.