Cross Serpent 3: Tag Attack

Cross Serpent 3: Tag Attack is a 3D fighting video game developed and published by Gamesoft. It is the third game in the Cross Serpent series, but it is the first to abandon its beat 'em up roots of the previous games.It was released for the Sega Naomi system on May 2007 before being ported to the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo GameCube in September 2007. It was the last game to be released for the latter console, following Madden NFL 08. In 2008, a port for the Wii titled Cross Serpent 3 RX was released, which included bonus content not seen in the original version.

Gameplay
Cross Serpent 3 takes its gameplay inspiration from the Rival Schools and The King of Fighters series. Utilizing the same four-button layout used in SNK's fighting games, players choose a team of two characters to fight against another two-fighter tag team. A third character in a team can be selected as an assist character, much like the Strikers in The King of Fighters games used from '99 to 2001.

Players have four gauges to memorize: the health gauge seen at the top of the screen, as well as two different gauges at the bottom, the Super gauge used to super combos and special attacks, and the Assist gauge which gets refilled after using an assist character one time. Also underneath the health gauge is the Cross gauge which has the player summon their Crossbeast (formerly Crossgene beast) for a period of time. When the Super gauge has reached maximum level, the player can use a powerful Super move known as the Cross Special, which allows them to summon their Crossbeast for a significant amount of damage.

Players can also perform air combos, with each character having universal low and high launchers.

Plot
Two years since the events of Victory Burst have passed. The Virus Blitz having once again disbanded, Kato is starting to adjust living outside of his isolated space and into a small Japanese town, as suggested by Jessica herself. That is when he is encountered by a young woman, who also has her own Crossbeast (the Crossgene beasts have had their viruses removed since the events of Victory Burst, becoming pure and healthy monsters as a result). After Kato showed her his new Dragoon Viper in a display of strength, they witness the announcement of a fighting tournament around the world. News of this tournament spread through every form of media throughout the world. Kato, who believed that he could see his old teammates again, enlists in the tournament alongside Naomi, the girl who encountered him.

But unbeknownst to the fighters, remnants of BIOMIND have arrived and start planning behind the scenes, even enlisting their own fighters for their dark schemes...

Neo Virus Blitz (Japan)

 * Kato Aoki (Dragoon Viper)
 * Naomi Saionji: A young lady who, despite her friendly appearance and mannerisms, is a tough-as-nails fighter who has been training in the mountains since childhood. She encountered Kato, who was settling in after his years of isolation, and challenged him to a fight, although she barely won against him. With the tournament announcement, she became a pupil to Kato, thus inspiring her to bring out the best of her abilities. Naomi can summon the earthly Crossbeast, Quake Dragon.
 * Roga Aoki: The older brother of Kato, who works as an assassin for hire. After hearing of his younger brother's illness, he set off on a mission to terminate BIOMIND for their crimes. Many years later, he returns home to find that Kato is alive and fully healthy thanks to the medications of MOVA. He tells him and Naomi that he plans on entering the tournament with them, if only for the fact that he has unfinished business with an adversary from his past. Instead of a Crossbeast, Roga summons the cyborg Spark Knight, which functions the same as the other Crossbeasts.

Blazing Fist (China)

 * Li Fon (Storm Tiger)
 * Huang Lau (Blazing Lion)
 * Huang Mao (Star Lynx)
 * Zhang Yaolin (Wooden Bear)
 * Feng Dong (Jade Monkey)

Freedom Stars (America)

 * Kidd Baxton (Marble Tortoise)
 * Tony Summers (Triumph Eagle)
 * Julia Garnet (Clay Gator)
 * William Jordan (Dunk Scorpio)
 * Mike Brawn: A boxer who grew up in a low-tier neighborhood, where everyone had to struggle to make a decent life for themselves. Mike chose the life of boxing, and entering the tournament was one way to set an example. When he was brought in to replace Joe, who had suffered an injury from a football game, he felt that working with a partner was unnecessary to win battles, until Kidd was able to convince him otherwise. Mike is a bull-like heavyweight boxer, and his Crossbeast, Stone Buffalo, fully reflects that.

Strike Force (Russia)

 * Dai Andou (Scorching Phoenix)
 * Yuri Talanov (Blizzard Werewolf)
 * Larion Kuznetsov (Slayer Falcon)
 * Sergei Nikitovich (Crasher Whale)
 * Ivan Yegorov (Missile Wyvern)

Magia Powers (Korea)

 * Eleven Morine: A young Japanese high-schooler who is the descendant of an ancient princess. She is a J-Pop idol and a Hapkido student. She and her friend Kal Ji-Hyun, who has similar powers to her, once fought evil together and even took part in a short-lived television show. But one day, the tournament was announced and she sensed a greater evil behind this new event, so in addition to Kal, she forms a team with Roland and Wally, former Retix Corporation agents who wish to redeem themselves by joining the girls on their mission. Eleven's Crossbeast is Magia Elf, which resembles the mythical elf.
 * Kal Ji-Hyun: A Korean artist and a partner of Eleven's. Since the Crossgene pandemic years ago, she always wanted to learn more about the monsters that resulted from that incident and what capabilities they possessed. When a Crossbeast appeared in front of her, she found it best to bond with this Crossbeast the same way Eleven did: with her powers. Kal's Crossbeast is Literock, a human-sized golem of gemstones.
 * Roland Retix (Mystic Jackal/Holy Bat/Virus Monster)
 * Wally (Avalance Duck)

Nápoles Familia (Spain)

 * Carmen Nápoles: The eldest sister of the Nápoles siblings. She and her brother Victor were born into a traveling circus family. While their relationship with the other circus members were strained, they were very talented performing jesters who awed goers with their sword techniques. Carmen was more talented than Victor at this aspect, but then the twins met their mentor Angela, who graced them with her swordsmanship. This inspired Carmen to improve on her sword tricks and with the tournament's announcement, she and her brother form a team to enter. Skilled in different forms of swordsmanship, she claims that she is the strongest in the team and the one carrying the team throughout the tournament. But her true strength arrives in the form of her Crossbeast, Lightning Stag.
 * Victor Nápoles: Carmen's younger brother. Compared to the headstrong and courageous personality of his sister, Victor is seen as quiet and inclusive, always following the orders of Carmen. But throughout the course of this tournament, he ends up proving that he is as confident as his sister. Even he has a Crossbeast, Torch Stag, which is the opposite of Carmen's Lightning Beetle.

MacBeth Squadron (Europe)

 * Nicolas Hendricks: The leader of the MacBeth Squadron, a team of super-soldiers that specialize in Crossbeasts. Being new to the tournament he hired Captain MacBeth, who convinced the team to use super-violent Crossbeasts and cheating to make their way to victory. He obviously felt uncomfortable, but because he and the team already made it past preliminaries, he kept silent about this ordeal. Nicolas's Crossbeast is Reaper Gargoyle.
 * Rebecca: Rebecca's Crossbeast is Stabber Mouse.
 * Harvey: Harvey's Crossbeast is Killer Hawk.
 * Khaled: Khaled's Crossbeast is Iron Warthog.

Lady Fighters (Italy)

 * Micha Martino: An Italian woman who works as a programmer for a tech company. While she is kind and trustworthy, she is also violent in combat. With the announcement of the upcoming tournament, she found it her opportunity to show off her prowess while also forming a team of only female fighters who are as capable in battle as their male counterparts. Micha's Crossbeast is Natura Peacock.
 * Rui Amamiya: A gymnast from Japan who is nicknamed "The Spider Queen." Rui's Crossbeast is Toxin Tarantula.
 * Mary Welcome: A reporter from England. Mary's Crossbeast is Aqua Ibis.
 * Yin Lien: A Chinese girl with a love for nature. Lola's Crossbeast is Crystal Cobra.

Force Five/BIOMIND

 * Gregory Tormund:
 * Lili:
 * Rain:
 * Ogre:
 * Christopher