| Aggressors of Dark Kombat | |
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| Developer(s) | ADK |
| Publisher(s) | ADK |
| Distributor(s) | SNK Playmore |
| Designer(s) | Kazuo Arai |
| Platform(s) | Arcade Game, Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD |
| Release date(s) | Arcade July 1994 Neo Geo CD 1995 |
| Genre(s) | 2D Versus fighting |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, 2-player |
| Input methods | 8-way Joystick, 3 Buttons |
| Arcade system | SNK Neo-Geo MVS hardware |
| CPU | 68000 (@ 12 MHz) |
| Sound | Sound CPU : Z80 (@ 4 MHz), Sound Chips : YM2610 (@ 8 MHz) |
| Display | Horizontal, Raster, 320 x 224 pixels, 4096 colors |
Aggressors of Dark Kombat (abbreviated ADK) is a one-on-one fighting arcade game released by SNK and developed by Alpha Denshi Corp. (ADK).
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About this game
Aggressors of Dark Kombat was created in 1994 initially for the arcade market and Neo-Geo console, then ported a year later to SNK's Neo Geo CD. In 2008 it was also ported to the Playstation 2 as part of the
Gameplay
The game's major innovation is the ability to walk into the background, in a similar manner to side-scrolling beat 'em ups such as Streets of Rage or Final Fight. Because of this, unlike many other 2D fighting games, the game uses one action button to jump, and does not use the "D" button, unlike many SNK fighting games. Only two action buttons are used for attacking (punch and kick); instead, grappling and grabbing opponents is the focus of the gameplay: opponents can counter being grabbed and break free as well. Also featured is weapon play (another mechanic akin to beat 'em ups). Weapons can be picked up and thrown, or used in special and standard attacks. Weapons are thrown into the ring by spectators in the background. Another (unusual) innovation of the game is that characters begin to sweat profusely after fighting for a while.
Characters have unusually high health for the genre with a health bar that has several layers of colors to indicate the health. There is also a "Crazy Meter" at the bottom of the screen. It is built up as characters attack; this gives the character a special – and often very bizarre – attack that will kill the opponent outright. It is called the "Gan Gan Attack" in Japan, and "Crazy Attack" in the US.
Battles are joined by irreverent, sometimes humorous pre-fight banter from characters. The dialogue differs from opponent to opponent, and the fight is immediately presaged by a clash of two small images of the combatants' eyes in the center of the screen.
Characters
The game features eight selectable characters. The characters are not named anywhere during gameplay, which is unusual for the genre. Seven of the characters are new to the series, but Kotaro Fūma returns from World Heroes.
Joe Kusanagi (草薙 条 Kusanagi Jō) - Also known as the "Red Panther of Honmoku", he is the protagonist of the story. Joe is the most powerful and famous brawler of the eastern area of Japan known as Kantō. Bored from the lack of good opponents in his area, he hears rumors about strong fighters to the west, so he travels there to confirm them. Joe is a more balanced character in the game, with many combo moves and various techniques. Apart from this game, he makes a cameo appearance in one of Kisarah's attacks in Neo_Geo_Battle_Coliseum.
Kisarah Westfield (キサラ・ウェストフィールド) - Also known as the "Naive Tomboy". She is an English school girl who has a reputation for being a femme fatale in Japanese schools. However, Kisarah falls in love with Joe Kusanagi and chases him to coerce Joe into being her boyfriend. She is the only female fighter in this game, the most famous character, and one of the most versatile characters from this game. Kisarah appears as a selectable character in Neo_Geo_Battle_Coliseum and as an SNK character card in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS.
- Goh Kidokoro (城所 剛 Kidokoro Gō) - Also known as the "Strong Spirit from Naniwa". Goh is the most famous brawler in the western area of Japan known as Kansai, and has his own gang. Goh got the news about the arrival of the "Red Panther from Honmoku" and is awaiting a fight against this new menace in order to further his goal of nationwide conquest. Goh is the main grappler in this game, with many powerful grabs.
- Kotaro Fuuma (風魔 小太郎 Fūma Kotarō) - Also known as the "Angry Hurricane". His involvement in the story happens because that he got lost during one of his travels through time and landed in 1994 Japan, where the game takes place, and became involved in the ensuing fights. Like the rest of characters in the game, Fūma doesn't have powers (only his "EnRyūHa" signature move make the transition from World Heroes), but in exchange, he gains many combo moves and a teleport.
Leonhalt Domador (レオンハルト・ドマドール) - Also known as the "Black Bull". As a German brawler who escapes his native country becoming a refugee, he comes to Japan to become the strongest fighter of all, no matter what for. Leonhalt is the tallest, slowest and the most powerful fighter from this game. His rival is Sheen Genus.
Sheen Genus (シン・ジーナス) - Also known as the "Rising Tiger". He is a Canadian amateur wrestler who wants to create his own professional wrestling league, and so is searching for strong people to join him. Sheen is the wrestler of the game and a rival to Leonhalt. He has recently appeared in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS as an Action card.
Lee Hae Gwon (Korean: 이해권) - Also known as the "White Fang". A Korean martial artist who lives in Japan and works for a school. He seeks revenge against the brawler who has been causing disasters in his school: Leonhalt Domador. Lee is one of the fastest characters in the game, and has a good arsenal of kicks and various martial arts techniques.
Bobby Nelson (ボビー・ネルソン) - Also known as the "Brown Bullet". He is an African-American boy who is a basketball player and wishes to be famous. To achieve his objective, Bobby is traverses the world, waiting to be discovered. Bobby is the fastest and smallest character in the game, and the only one who always has a weapon (specifically, his basketball). He has recently appeared in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS as an Action card, along with Sean Matsuda from Street Fighter III, who is also a basketballer (not by coincidence, the card's name is "3-Point Shot").
Reception
Aggressors of Dark Kombat is a somewhat unknown title compared to SNK's other fighting franchises such as Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and their signature fighting title The King of Fighters. It was not found in great numbers in arcades, nor did its home console version sell well, and it was generally considered by reviewers and fighting-game fans of the time to be a mediocre title.[2] More recently, Aggressors of Dark Kombat is considered a cult game, recommended for players that want a different experience from SNK's more normal fighting game franchises.[3]
Aggressors of Dark Kombat was awarded Strangest Game of 1994 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[4]
References
- ^ ADK info at Arcade History
- ^ ADK review at NeoGeoForLife.com
- ^ ADK review at Neo-Geo.com
- ^ Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide. 1995.
See also
External links
- Aggressors of Dark Kombat profile in NGBC page (Japanese)
- Aggressors of Dark Kombat at the Killer List of Videogames
- Aggressors of Dark Kombat at GameFAQs
- Aggressors of Dark Kombat's character profiles (Japanese)
- Aggressors of Dark Kombat endings at Video Game Museum
- Aggressors of Dark Kombat at Hardcore Gaming 101
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