: Functional taunting. DMC immediately comes to mind, but on a more personal note, AKI's N64 wrasslin. Which technically began on PS1, if not even earlier in theory (AKI were former Human staffers and Fire Pro vets).
If you hang back on an opponent, they can razz you. And this isn't a Capcom fighter; the only one getting meter is them. This leads to predictable situations where the taunter gets smacked - but more humorously, since you can cancel out of taunts with a couple frames' delay, they can also counter and potentially break your fuckin arm off or strangle you. By the time of the series' zenith - either Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 or No Mercy, depending on who you ask - you can have four taunts, from a quick middle finger for a tiny meter bump, to extravagant willy-waving obscenities for a massive jolt; latter best-deployed after sending the opponent out of the ring. It's a marvelous bit of meta-theatre, with the crowd roaring their approval, and "OOOH" -ing should you get belted out of your disrespectful shape-throwing.
While they are model party brawlers, these games are also hellaciously competitive,
especially the aforementioned duo which methodically steamed away exploits and jank - nothing seals a hard-won victory like doing the "imaginary fistful of hair w/ violent pelvic thrusting" while covered in blood and holding your own shattered ribcage together as your bludgeoned enemy, fighting with superhuman resolve to rise from the mat, collapses into writhing coma!
KAY OH! You hurt me but I hurt you a lot more, cunt!
And should they make it back to their feet - that's a nice fat jolt of meter for the ongoing war!
EVEN NINJA APPROVES OF THIS BONE-CRUSHING WRASSLIN (・`W´・)
This also brings to mind Okami, another Kamiya highlight, where you can beat an enemy into the ground in a hail of spectral violence, before administering the all-too-earthy indignity of a hot blast of piss all over their face (complete with "
PBLTHHH! FUCK!" reaction), before delivering an almighty body-bisecting coup de grace. True Alpha shit. But speaking of,
: Games where you can shit on things, of which Okami is also one! C'mon man
/sniffinjoe That's just rank. Fine line between Iggy Pop getting his hog out onstage and GG Allin shitting all over himself. Former's a lovable scamp, the latter needed punting into a running woodchipper. GGlad he's dead!