Shinouken (神凰拳) is a 2D fighting game. It was originally developed for the Neo Geo but ported to the Sega Saturn. The Saturn version was only released in Japan, but other versions made it to the West as Ragnagard.
The Heavenly World is the realm where the gods, fairies, and mythical beasts live. Its ruler, the Supreme God Arc Orion wanted to create another world besides the heavenly world, but to do so, he would have to hand over the rule of heaven to someone else. He decides to hold a tournament in order to determine his successor.
Gameplay
Character select
Gameplay
The game is a versus fighting game featuring combatants based on deities and other divine beings. Characters have an elemental power meter that can temporarily empower abilities with the same elemental affinity. Fighting takes place on the ground and in the air, with a unique mechanic that allows fighters to juggle opponents off the ground with airborne attacks. It uses prerendered computer-generated sprites and backgrounds, similar to Rare's Killer Instinct. Matches are fought to the best of three rounds, and a round is won when one fighter depletes the other's health to zero. Rounds are timed, and if time runs out, the round goes to whichever fighter has the most health remaining.
Characters move with and , crouch with , and jump with . They backstep or dash with or . Forward dashes can be done in midair. Characters can attack by punching with (light) or (hard) or kicking with (light) or (hard). Attacks can be done while standing, crouching, jumping, or dashing.
Blocking is done by holding the D-Pad away from the opponent. Blocking can be done while standing, crouching, or in midair. Blocked special moves still inflict a small amount of damage. While blocking, the player can press forwards, then backwards on the D-Pad, which causes the character to flash and allows the player to guard cancel into a normal attack. Performing the same inputs a second time allows the player to guard cancel into a special move. Throws and grabs are done by holding or when next to an opponent and pressing a hard punch or kick button. Throws cannot be blocked. Characters can recover from a throw in midair (to avoid taking damage) by pressing (or if facing left), then the light punch or kick button. Each character also has a special command throw that is not recoverable.
Characters can launch their opponents into the air by holding while pressing the light punch and kick buttons together (or +) when next to the opponent. This can be followed up with additional attacks while in the air, allowing for aerial combos, and many special moves can be performed in midair as well. When a character is being attacked in midair, the player can hold and the hard punch and kick buttons together to make an evasive maneuver backwards in order to escape further juggling.
Special moves are performed with special button combinations. Every special move is associated with a particular element: Fire (火), Water (水), Thunder (雷), or Breeze (風). Each character has two elemental affinities. Players can charge up their elemental power meters by holding ++ (or ) to charge the primary element or ++ (or ) to charge the secondary element. The character is vulnerable while charging. The meter is shared by both elements. When the power meter is full, moves of whichever element charged the meter to full are empowered. Furthermore, tokens for that element are dropped onto the battlefield; the character can accumulate up to three of these tokens, which are collected as letters above the meter. Characters can perform super moves called Cataclysm Techniques (天変地異技) for the cost of one token of the associated element and super special moves called Divine Techniques (超神拳技) for three tokens. Divine Techniques can also be performed as desperation moves when the character's health is low and flashing red.
Automatic chain combos can be done by pressing a light punch followed by a light kick, or a light kick followed by a light punch, then finishing by holding the hard punch and kick buttons together to perform a special move. The special move performed varies depending on whether the combo was started with a punch or a kick. Characters can kick the opponent away by pressing the light kick and hard punch buttons together (or ). If the opponent hits the side of the screen, the opponent is bounced off and can be hit more for a combo. Characters can perform a leap attack by pressing and the light punch and light kick buttons together (or +), which can be followed with any attack for an overhead strike that cannot be blocked crouched. This can also be done in midair. Characters also have a dive attack that can be done by pressing and the light punch and light kick buttons together (or +) while in midair. This is also an overhead strike.
Modes
The Arcade Mode is the single-player mode. The player chooses any character, selects whether to enable auto-guarding, then fights a match against all eight playable characters (including a mirror match against the chosen character). The last three matches are against the unplayable boss characters (Behemoth, Eelis, and Lucifer). A second player can join the game at any time by pressing START for a versus battle. There are eight difficulty levels and eight game speeds, and the time per round can be changed (60 seconds by default, 90 seconds, or unlimited time).
The Versus Mode is a dedicated two-player versus mode where players can choose between any of the eight normally playable characters as well as the three boss characters. Each player can toggle auto-guarding or set a handicap.
Characters
Note: Move lists assume that the character is facing right. When facing left, and should be reversed.
P
Any punch button
LP
Light punch
HP
Hard punch
K
Any kick button
LK
Light kick
HK
Hard kick
Many special moves involve pressing multiple buttons together, which is easier on the original Neo Geo hardware since it uses a stick and lays out the four buttons in a row. To make these moves easier to execute, the extra buttons on the Saturn control pad are assigned to multiple button presses:
Pressing is equivalent to pressing LP + LK .
Pressing is equivalent to pressing LK + HP .
Pressing is equivalent to pressing HP + LK + HK .
Pressing is equivalent to pressing LP + HP + LK .
Pressing + is equivalent to pressing LP + HP + LK + HK .
Playable
Susano (スサノオ)
Primary element:
雷 Thunder
Secondary element:
火 Fire
The God of Destruction and the protagonist of the game. Based on the Shinto god Susano.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Dragon Fang Shot
P
Susano shoots a fireball across the screen.
雷 Lethal Dragon Fang
P
Susano shoots two fireballs across the screen.
火 Crushing Black Dragon
P
Susano steps forward with an elbow strike and a punch, then jumps into the air with a rising punch. This move can be done in midair.
雷 Lethal Dragon Tail Sweep
K
Susano hovers in the air and sweeps around in a circle while kicking. This move can be done in midair.
Slam Strike
HP or HK (close)
Susano lifts and slams the opponent, then punches them on the ground.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Thunder God's Fury
LP + LK
Susano summons multiple lightning strikes that ripple across the ground in series, which can juggle the opponent from one into the next (similar to Terry Bogard's Triple Geyser move in the Fatal Fury series).
火 Seven-Headed Serpent Strike
LP + HP + LK , then LP LK HP HK LP LK HP
Susano shoots a fire ray from his hands in seven different positions (for each button press in sequence).
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Fist of the Wind God
HP + HK
Susano dashes forward with a two-handed palm strike. If it connects, he continues dashing back and forth across the opponent with palm strikes, punches, and flying kicks, then launches the opponent into the air with a rising punch that hits multiple times and catching them on his raised fist as they land.
Benten (弁財天)
Primary element:
雷 Thunder
Secondary element:
風 Breeze
The Goddess of Fortune, who loves collecting treasure. She fights with two short swords. Based on the Buddhist goddess Benzaiten.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
風 Meteor Slash
P
Benten twirls around while holding her swords out, then jumps into the air with a sword slash. This move can be done in midair.
雷 Blue Lightning Drop
K in midair (close)
Benten wraps her legs around her opponent's neck and slams them to the ground, followed by a stomp.
雷 Blue Lightning Strike
K in midair (close)
Benten grabs her opponent's head and throws them.
Leg Slam
HP or HK (close)
Benten wraps her legs around her opponent's neck and drops them to the ground.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Red Dragon Twin Blades
LP + LK
Benten knocks the opponent into the air with her swords, then catches them with sword stabs when they land.
風 Phoenix Wing Spin
HP + LK
Benten crosses her swords, creating a vortex that knocks her opponent into the air, then catches them with sword slashes when they land.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Air Slash
LP + LK
Benten crosses her swords, creating a vortex. If it connects, the vortex knocks her opponent into the air, and Benten flies through the air, hitting the opponent multiple times with dashing sword strikes before finishing with a stomp.
Chichi (チチ) and Nene (ネネ)
Primary element:
風 Breeze
Secondary element:
雷 Thunder
The twin Goddesses of Lightning and Wind. The duo fight together, with one twin in the lead (and controlled by the player) and the other following (in the background layer, unable to be hit, but contributing to some of the moves). Based on the Shinto gods Raijin and Fuujin.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
Switch
LP + HP + LK + HK
Chichi and Nene switch places, so the player controls the twin that was formerly following and the twin that was formerly leading now follows. This move can be done in midair.
風 Spinning Throw
HP (close)
The lead twin grabs the opponent and carries them high into the air before landing with a body slam.
雷 Thunder God's Fist
P (Chichi only)
Chichi rapidly punches repeatedly.
風 Wind God's Fist
K (Nene only)
Nene hops forward with a two-legged stomp. This move can be done in midair.
雷風 Copycat Attack
+P
Chichi and Nene follow each other closely, with the following twin duplicating all of the attacks of the lead twin for the next three moves (or until the lead twin is hit).
雷風 Blast Off Punch
Hold for 2 seconds, then +P
The lead twin grabs the following twin and throws her across the screen like a cannonball.
Double Team
HP or HK (close)
One of the twins jumps on top of the opponent's shoulders and holds them in place while the other twin pummels them.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
風 Bumpy Drop
HK
The lead twin knocks the opponent into the air. If this connects, the two twins hover in the air and ping-pong the opponent between them with hits, finishing with a slam to the ground.
雷 Shocking Shot
LP + LK (close)
Chichi and Nene generate a large ball of lightning that traps and shocks the opponent.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Weather God Reborn
LP + HP + LK + HK , then hold +P or +K
Chichi and Nene grow to double size. If the player continues to hold while holding any P or K button down, the twins bombard the opponent with several large lightning balls. Otherwise, the twins shrink back to normal size.
Son Gokuu (孫悟空)
Primary element:
風 Breeze
Secondary element:
火 Fire
The Great Monkey King and one of the personal guards of Supreme God Arc Orion. He fights with a magical staff. Based on the Chinese folk hero Sun Wukong.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
火 Flaming Wind Staff
P
Gokuu spins his staff in the air, then whacks it down.
風 Rising Lance Kick
K
Gokuu uses his staff to vault high into the air with a flying kick.
火 Triple Staff Strike
P
Gokuu takes three steps forward, swinging his staff in alternating directions with each staff.
Bop Toss
HP or HK (close)
Gokuu swings his opponent over his head and into the ground with his staff.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
風 Cyclone Staff Strike
LP + LK
Gokuu rises into the air while whirling his staff, then finishes with a downward staff strike at the apex.
火 Monkey Tactics
HP + LK
Gokuu hits the ground with a flaming punch, causing a stampede of flaming monkeys to rush across the screen.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Monkey Law
LP + LK + HP
Gokuu summons several illusions of himself to barrage the opponent. If one of them connects, he moves in and hits the opponent with multiple staff strikes, ending with a rising kick.
Binten (紊天)
Primary element:
水 Water
Secondary element:
風 Breeze
The elderly God of the Poor. Based on the Shinto spirits called binbougami.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
水 Binding Cloth
LP
Binten uses a long cloth to trip, then whip his opponent.
風 Disaster Orb
P or LK in midair
Binten hovers in the air and throws a cyclone. He throws it downwards with LP , upwards with HP , or straight ahead with LK .
水 Prayer Bead Belt
K
Binten spins around in a circle, and the prayer beads around his waist grow in size and hit nearby opponents.
Gorilla Slam
HP (close)
Binten lifts his opponent behind his back and slams them to the ground.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
水 Whirlpool Binding
HP + HK after Binding Cloth
After performing the Binding Cloth ability, Binten continues whipping his opponent with the cloth until the opponent is tossed into the air by a vortex and trapped in a big water drop before landing.
風 Dust Drop
Hold for 2 seconds, then + HP + LK
Binten spins around as a vortex shoots into the air. If it connects, the opponent is tossed into the air by the vortex, and Binten hovers in the air and sits on the opponent, slamming them into the ground.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
8 Gate Chain Strike
LP + HP + LK + HK
Binten whips his cloth at the opponent. If it connects, it grabs and tosses the opponent into the air, then a line of eight Bintens clobber the opponent after they land.
Syuten-Dozi (酒天童子)
Primary element:
火 Fire
Secondary element:
水 Water
The God of Liquor, who carries a sacred sake that can cure all diseases. Based on the mythical oni Shuten-douji.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
火 Ogreish Bone Breaker
K
Syuten-Dozi does a front kick that can hit two times and knock the opponent over, then swings both fists down like clubs.
火 Vajra Shot
Hold for 2 seconds, then +P
Syuten-Dozi puffs out his chest and throws his hands in the air, which knocks back nearby opponents.
水 River Flood
P (close)
Syuten-Dozi lifts his opponent over his head, then does a backbreaker and stomps them.
火 Ogre's Fist
P
Syuten-Dozi lunges forward with a fist smash followed by an uppercut.
Punching Bag
HP or HK (close)
Syuten-Dozi lifts his opponent into the air and punches them repeatedly.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
火 Roaring Flame
LP + LK
Syuten-Dozi does a straight punch that explodes into a large burst of fire.
水 Wash Down to Hell
+ HP (close)
Syuten-Dozi lifts his opponent over his head, slams them into the ground, then tosses them. He can do a backbreaker after the ground slam with + HP , then a second backbreaker after the first with + HP + LK .
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Ogre God's Abode
LP + LK
Syuten-Dozi slides forward with an uppercut that hits the opponent high into the air. He takes a swig of his sake, then pummels his opponent with fiery uppercuts as they fall to the ground.
Seena (シーナ)
Primary element:
風 Breeze
Secondary element:
水 Water
The Princess of the Seas and daughter of Neptune. She fights with the God Spear Leviathan. Based on the fairy tale figure the Little Mermaid.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
水 Ocean Launcher
Hold for 2 seconds, then +P
Seena summons a giant lobster that moves forward a short distance while snapping its pincers.
風 Tail Whip
Hold for 2 seconds, then +K
Seena hops in the air, and her legs are replaced with a mermaid's tail. She uses the tail to slap multiple times in the air. This move can be done in midair.
風 Dolphin Roll
Hold for 2 seconds, then +K
Seena somersaults into the air, and her legs are replaced with a mermaid's tail. She uses the tail to slap while she rolls through the air.
水 Aqua Bell
LK
Seena summons a mirror that reflects projectiles.
Wave Spike
HP or HK (close)
Seena flips her opponent over while her spear, then stomps them.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
風 Bubble Spike
LP + LK
Seena pokes the opponent with her spear. If it connects, the opponent is bounced around the screen, then Seena finishes by encasing them in a big water drop before they fall.
水 Crystal Splash
LP + HP + LK
Seena holds her spear on the ground, causing multiple water spurts to shoot from the ground, tossing the opponent and ending with a large geyser.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Oceanic Mind Storm
Hold for 2 seconds, then + HP + LK
Seena summons a water vortex in front of her. If it connects, the opponent is tossed into the air, then hit with multiple water spurts from the ground after landing, tossing the opponent and ending with a large geyser.
Igret (イグレット)
Primary element:
雷 Thunder
Secondary element:
火 Fire
A reaper whose job is to guide the souls of the deceased to the afterlife. She fights with a large scythe. Based on the Shinto spirits called shinigami and the European figure the Grim Reaper.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Soul Slash
Hold for 2 seconds, then P
Igret opens a portal in front of her, from which a skull emerges. If the skull hits the opponent, the opponent falls over, and shadow of the opponent floats in the air for a moment, which can be hit for additional damage.
雷 Ripper Spikes
Hold for 2 seconds, then +K
Igret drives her scythe into the ground, which emerges from the ground as a giant spike. It pops out in front of her with LK or across the screen with HK .
火 Bramble Ring
Hold for 2 seconds, then +K
Igret twirls in the air while swinging her scythe around her. This move can be done in midair.
Blade Fury
HP or HK (close)
Igret plants her scythe on the ground, and its blade spins down the staff, knocking over the opponent on impact.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Trap Edge
Hold for 2 seconds, then LP + LK
Igret crouches onto a magic circle, and a cone of spikes shoot out around her (similar to Geese Howard's Raging Storm move in the Fatal Fury series).
火 Vigor Extraction
Hold for 2 seconds, then HP + LK (close)
Igret extends a monstrous clawed hand that grabs and does continuous damage to the opponent if it connects.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Inhabitants of Hell
D-Pad in a 360° rotation, then LP + LK
Igret hovers in the air and projects a large magic circle onto the ground. If the opponent is within the circle, the opponent is possessed and hovers in the air while battered by skulls. This move can be done in midair.
Bosses
The bosses are playable in the two-player versus mode.
Behemoth (ベヒモス)
Primary element:
雷 Thunder
Secondary element:
火 Fire
A huge, demonic genie born from the Demon King's right arm. Based on the Biblical monster Behemoth.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
火 Feral Snap
P
Behemoth swings his arm down, knocking the opponent over on impact.
火 Deadly Press
LP
Behemoth rushes ahead with a shoulder ram, which knocks the opponent over on impact. This move can be done in midair.
雷 Nitro Break
HP
Behemoth slams the ground with both fists, causing multiple lightning strikes to ripple from the far end of the screen that knock his opponent toward him.
Corrupt Slam
HP or HK (close)
Behemoth grabs his opponent by the nape and slams them to the ground.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Murder Fang
HP + LK
Behemoth swings his arm down, uppercuts his opponent into the air, then hits them with a ball of lightning when they land.
火 Howling Beast
LP + LK (close)
Behemoth grabs his opponent by the nape and swings them back and forth before slamming them to the ground.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Ground Explosion
HP + HK
Behemoth swings his arm down, uppercuts his opponent into the air, then hits them in midair, causing them to ricochet off the edges of the screen. He catches them by the nape and swings them back and forth before slamming them to the ground, punching them multiple times and ending with a kick.
Eelis (イーリス)
Primary element:
雷 Thunder
Secondary element:
風 Breeze
A succubus born from the Demon King's left arm.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
風 Nightmare Wing
P
Eelis twirls into the air, hitting her opponent with her wings. This move can be done in midair.
雷 Phantom Cross
+K
Eelis does a backflip kick, followed by a punch.
雷 Dancing Needle
K in midair
Eelis spins in the air, drilling with her heel.
風 Bat Illusion
+ LP
Eelis takes a defensive stance. If she is hit during this, she becomes an illusion and takes a reduced amount of damage. While in her illusory state, she can teleport to the left side on the ground with LP , the left side in the air with LK , the right side on the ground with HK , or the right side in the air with HP . Otherwise, she reappears in the same spot after a moment.
Abandoned Cave
HP or HK (close)
Eelis throws her opponent to the ground, then pushes them away with a somersaulting kick.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Lunatic Jewel
LP + LK
Eelis jumps and shoots a small lightning ball diagonally downwards. If it connects, the opponent is trapped and shocked in a large lightning ball. This move can be done in midair.
風 Killing Chariot
HP + HK
Eelis twirls into the air, hitting her opponent high into the air with her wings, then slams the opponent into the ground.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Midnight Fear
HP + LK
Eelis flies through the air with a punch. If it connects, she continues flying across and down with punches. The downward strikes are overheads that cannot be blocked crouched.
Lucifer (ルシファー)
Primary element:
雷 Thunder
Secondary element:
火 Fire
The Demon King who rules over hell and sees the tournament as an opportunity to attack the heavens. Based on the Biblical figure Lucifer.
Move list (Special moves)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Pentagram Doom
Hold for 2 seconds, then +P
Lucifer leans forward and shoots a barrage of fireballs from his head.
雷 Pentagram Ruin
Hold for 2 seconds, then +K
Lucifer causes a geyser of energy to erupt in front of him.
火 Mind Wave
Hold for 2 seconds, then + LP + LK
Lucifer causes three geysers of energy to erupt in front of him in a series.
Electric Crunch
HP or HK (close)
Lucifer grabs and shocks his opponent multiple times.
Move list (Cataclysm Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
雷 Darkside Gate
Hold for 2 seconds, then LP + HP + LK
Lucifer opens a portal in the ground in front of him. If the opponent is standing on it, a pillar of energy pummels the opponent into the air.
火 Anger Body Sonic
LP + LK
Lucifer hovers in the air and trembles back and forth, knocking away the opponent on impact.
Move list (Divine Techniques)
Name
Command
Description
Flare Burst
Hold LP + HP + LK + HK for 2 seconds, then release
Lucifer leans forward and shoots a tall blast of fire from his head that can hit multiple times.
Stages
Each character has his or her own stage where battles are hosted.