The Queen of Heart ’99: Second Edition

The Queen of Heart ’99: Second Edition is an expansion pack for the original Windows fighting game, featuring a crossover cast of heroines from various Leaf games. Set in a contemporary world, this 2D side-scrolling fighter introduces new characters and balance adjustments to the gameplay, which includes universal double jumps, wall techs, and a prominent clash system. The game, developed by Watanabe Seisakusho (now known as French-Bread), is a fangame that stands as a significant title in the doujin fighting community for its diverse roster and inspired mechanics.

The Queen of Heart ’99: Second Edition: A Diamond in the Rough of Doujin Gaming

Introduction

In the golden age of doujin game development, when passionate creators carved out niches beyond commercial studios, The Queen of Heart ’99: Second Edition (QOH99SE) emerged as a landmark achievement. Released in 2000 by Watanabe Seisakusho (later rebranded as French-Bread, famed for Melty Blood), this expansion pack transformed its already ambitious predecessor into a comprehensive crossover fighting game. More than just a niche curiosity, QOH99SE represents a masterclass in doujin game design—a meticulously crafted, mechanically deep, and artistically resonant title that transcended its origins to influence the broader fighting game landscape. This review argues that despite its status as a fan-made product, QOH99SE delivers a level of polish, innovation, and fan service that rivals commercial fighting games of its era, solidifying its place as a cult classic and a pivotal work in the history of doujin gaming.

Development History & Context

Watanabe Seisakusho’s journey began with producing Windows screensavers before pivoting to full-scale game development. Their inaugural title, The Queen of Heart ’98, served as a proof-of-concept, adapting characters from Leaf’s seminal visual novel To Heart using the Asuka 120% engine. For ’99, the team—led by Narita—expanded their vision dramatically, drawing inspiration from SNK’s The King of Fighters ‘98: Dream Match Never Ends (evident in the subtitle and parodic logo). The goal was to create a “dream match” fighting game featuring heroines from all of Leaf’s catalog at the time, including Shizuku, Kizuato, White Album, and Comic Party. Technically constrained to Windows 95/98, the team leveraged limited hardware to produce an opening animation, 4-player simultaneous battles, and rudimentary online play via Parsec. These features were revolutionary for a doujin title, yet the game’s development was fraught with challenges: the use of unlicensed assets (notably voice clips sourced without permission) forced the removal of character voices post-launch, while compatibility issues plagued non-Japanese Windows systems. Against a late-90s gaming landscape dominated by arcade ports and commercial juggernauts like Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Soulcalibur, QOH99SE carved out a unique identity through its unwavering dedication to its source material and innovative mechanics.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

QOH99SE eschews traditional narrative in favor of pure fan service, framing its conflict as a “dream match” where heroines from disparate Leaf universes converge. The plot is intentionally minimal—a tournament of sorts—allowing character interactions to drive engagement. Special match-ups, such as Yuki Morikawa (White Album) vs. Rina Ogata (White Album), trigger unique dialogue snippets, referencing their intertwined idol-singer/manager dynamic. Character depth is drawn directly from their visual novel origins: Chizuru Kashiwagi (Kizuato) transitions from a serene innkeeper to a menacing “Oni” form; Akari Kamigishi (To Heart) retains her earnest personality, while her “Osage” variant highlights her clumsiness. Thematically, the game celebrates the shared universe of Leaf’s games, showcasing how characters like the Kashiwagi sisters (Kizuato) and Saori Shinjo (Shizuku) might interact. Alternate versions—unlocked by holding the D button during selection—offer thematic reinterpretations: “Bad Hatsune” (Kizuato) embodies a corrupted doppelgänger, while “Satsui no Hado Shiho” (ToHeart) hints at latent power. This multiverse approach fosters a sense of community among fans, turning the game into a love letter to Leaf’s catalog where rivalry and camaraderie coexist.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its core, QOH99SE is a 2D fighting game built on an Asuka 120%-inspired framework, featuring three attack buttons (Weak, Medium, Strong) and a “Special” button with context-sensitive functions. The combat system is defined by several innovative mechanics:

• Universal Mechanics: All characters benefit from a double jump, wall techs (reducing knockback damage), and a clash system where attacks can cancel each other out. Aerial combos and jump-canceling allow for fluid, high-speed exchanges.
• Character-Specific Systems: The game’s depth lies in unique mechanics tied to certain characters:
  • Tandem Attack: Down, back, back + Special consumes one gauge to summon an assist (e.g., Kanako for Mizuho, a spirit for Kaede). This system, borrowed from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, enables devastating “spin bread” combos where the main character attacks while the assist loops.
  • Blocking: Characters like Saori and Azusa can parry attacks without guard damage, rewarding precise timing.
  • Faultless Defense: Characters like Ruriko and Tomoko consume their super gauge to block unblockable attacks.
• Combo Systems: Chain combos link up to six normal attacks, while aerial combos multiply damage in mid-air. The “Super Cancel” allows chaining EX specials into Level 3 supers, adding layers of optimization.
• Balance & Flaws: QOH99SE introduced significant balance patches, but some characters remained dominant. Rapid Ayaka (ToHeart), with her blinding dash speed, and Komodo Celica (ToHeart), with her low-to-the-ground dash, were deemed “fraudulent” due to their oppressive offense. Conversely, characters like Tiria Frey (Filsnown), the hidden final boss, offered high skill ceilings with punishing reversals.

The UI is functional but utilitarian: a health/super gauge HUD and a timer dominate the screen. Character selection screens display 21 base characters, with 13 hidden variants (including “Oni Chizuru,” “Rapid Ayaka,” and “Young Akari”) accessible through specific inputs—a treasure hunt for dedicated players.

World-Building, Art & Sound

QOH99SE’s stages are lovingly recreated from their source materials, serving as character-specific battlegrounds that immerse players in Leaf’s worlds. The Hot Spring stage (Kizuato) features steaming water and wooden structures, while Yuki/Rina’s concert stage (White Album) spotlights spotlights and amplifiers. Backgrounds are rich with cameos: Reiko Haga (Comic Party) appears in Mizuki’s stage cosplaying as Kyo Kusanagi (The King of Fighters), foreshadowing her role in the sequel Party’s Breaker.

Artistically, the game excels with crisp, anime-inspired sprites. Character designs faithfully reflect their visual novel counterparts, with alternate versions offering striking reinterpretations—e.g., Oni Chizuru’s crimson eyes and demonic aura contrast with her gentle base form. The art style prioritizes expressiveness, with dynamic poses during supers (e.g., Serika’s lightning-riding level 3).

Sound design, however, reflects the game’s troubled licensing. Music is remixed from Leaf’s soundtrack in WAV format (e.g., “Feeling Heart” for the opening), but post-SE updates excised most character voices due to unauthorized sampling. Where present, sound effects are crisp—Rina’s CD throws, Rio’s baseball bat swings—yet the silence of removed voices creates a jarring disconnect. WAV files were intentionally uncompressed to allow user customization, enabling modders to insert custom music or voices—a forward-thinking choice in an era before widespread modding tools.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, QOH99SE was hailed as a doujin masterpiece. In Japan, it sold out at Comiket events, with online communities thriving on Parsec for competitive matches. Western audiences, accessing via abandonware sites like MyAbandonware, praised its “4.7/5” quality despite localization barriers. Critically, it was lauded for its depth and polish, with Kakuge.info noting, “同人ソフトでありながら、コンシューマ並み（以上？）のクオリティを誇り” (“A doujin software that boasts console-level (or higher) quality”).

Its legacy is twofold. First, it cemented French-Bread’s reputation, paving the way for Melty Blood, which would evolve the mechanics pioneered here (e.g., chain combos, EX cancels). Second, it popularized the “visual novel crossover fighter” concept, predating EXAMU’s official AQUAPAZZA (2013) by over a decade. QOH99SE also influenced doujin communities, proving that fan-made games could rival commercial products in technical and artistic merit. Notably, its balance issues—particularly with characters like Rapid Ayaka—sparked debates on competitive integrity, foreshadowing modern fighting game tier culture.

Conclusion

The Queen of Heart ’99: Second Edition stands as a testament to the transformative power of passion-driven development. Despite its roots in a niche doujin scene, it delivers a fighting game experience that is both mechanically sophisticated and emotionally resonant. Its diverse roster, innovative systems, and reverence for Leaf’s source material create a unique blend of fan service and high-level gameplay. While technical quirks and licensing woes temper its perfection, QOH99SE’s impact on doujin and fighting game history is undeniable. It is not merely a relic but a living artifact—an essential experience for anyone interested in the evolution of fighting games, the rise of doujin culture, or the art of celebrating beloved characters through interactive media. In an era defined by commercial blockbusters, QOH99SE remains a diamond in the rough: flawed, brilliant, and unforgettable.