Art of Fighting

From Sega Retro

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ArtofFighting Title.png

Art of Fighting
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code

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Art of Fighting, known as Ryuuko no Ken (龍虎の拳) in Japan (and South Korea), is a fighting game by SNK, originally released for the Neo Geo MVS arcade and AES home console in 1992. It was ported, among other consoles, to the Sega Mega Drive in 1994. It is the second fighting game to be developed by SNK - a genre they would later be known for, following Fatal Fury (which co-exists in the same fictional universe).

As with Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting took several huge hits when it was brought to the inferior Mega Drive hardware, most notably the Neo Geo's camera, which would zoom in on the players if they were close together. It is also considered to have inferior graphics and sound when compared to its Neo Geo counterpart, but like all SNK games brought to Mega Drive hardware, was still considered at a better deal (as Neo Geo games retailed at $200 new).

No other Art of Fighting games were released for Sega consoles, however most of the characters in Art of Fighting also appear in the The King of Fighters series, which saw many releases on Sega consoles.

Gameplay

In single player mode, only Ryo and Robert are available for play, just like in the original. In VS mode, all characters are selectable. The game features the original control scheme with one punch button, one kick button, one throw/strong attack button (will be a kick or punch, depending on the attack that was executed before) and one taunt button to deplete the enemy's spriti gauge (more on thislater on). It's also possible to have a standardtized layout, with X and Y being strong and weak punch & A and B being weak kick and strong kick. Similar to the later released Eternal Champions, the execution of special moves consumes a so called spirit gauge. With low spirit, special attacks become weaker and slower. After every 2nd fight it's possible to level up the character:

  • Beet bottle challenge: Press a button at the right time to cut beer bottles with a karate strike. Increases spirit gauge
  • Ice pillar smash: rapidly push a button to collect strength and destroy an ice pilar. Increases character health
  • Initiate super death blow: perform a special attack 10 times to unlock it for single player mode

Enemy AI is very different from the Neogeo original, and generally easier. Spirit gauge depletes slower than in the original

Versions

  • The western releases have stronger enemy AI
  • A raster scroll effect was added for the layer of dust & smoke found in Mickey's stage in the western version. This was not present in the Japanese release or the Neogeo original.

Production credits

Producer: Eikichi Kawasaki
Programmers: Cross Moon D.S.K, 68 Freak BBS Kenchan
Technical Support: Mr. Yuki 29, Asami Don, Speaker.R
Designer: M.Mioshi, SSS, SK, Shodown, X.X.X
Sound: Jojou ha Kitapy, Yamapy I
Planner: K.Chan MK2
Special Thanks: Y.O, Ya Shu!, Ken Kimra, Tabei Chan, Kamata San, Sanjyou, Yamatan GT X, Vow Wow John Kawai, 68 Freak BBS Z'N, EP82Boy, Atsushi, Sekotch, Stg.Oyaji, Yuritan, Sasa, Nakata 21, Kei Fukunaga, Kura San, Oh!Buchi, Jaro, Hirotan, 'Art of Fighting' Team All Staff, and... All SNK Staff!
Presented by: SNK

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
89 №30, p136/137
57 №19, p41
65 №28, p56/57
63
24 №18, p78-80[1]
58 №54, p38/39
67 №31, p46/47
75 №30, p10
Sega Mega Drive
62
Based on
8 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[2]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
68
[3]
Console Mania (IT) NTSC-J
82
[4]
Consoles + (FR)
89
[5]
Cool Gamer (RU)
50
[6]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
59
[7]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
50
[8]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
58
[9]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
90
[10]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
48
[11]
Gamer (GR)
89
[12]
Gamers (DE)
33
[13]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
50
[14]
Joypad (FR) PAL
82
[15]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
63
[16]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-J
52
[17]
Mega (UK) NTSC-J
57
[18]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-J
61
[19]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
73
[20]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-U
65
[21]
Magazina Igrushek (RU)
5
[22]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-J
24
[1]
Play Time (DE) PAL
63
[23]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-J
58
[24]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-J
67
[25]
Sega Zone (UK) NTSC-J
69
[26]
SuperGamePower (BR)
76
[27]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
65
[28]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
75
[29]
Super Juegos (ES)
87
[30]
The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU)
62
[31]
Todo Sega (ES)
79
[32]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
50
[33]
Video Games (DE) PAL
74
[34]
VideoGames (US)
70
[35]
Sega Mega Drive
62
Based on
35 reviews

Art of Fighting

Mega Drive, US
ArtofFighting MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Artoffighting md us cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
ArtofFighting MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
ArtofFighting MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
ArtofFighting MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
ArtofFighting MD JP CartTop.jpg
ArtofFighting MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Artoffighting md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, KR
ArtofFighting MD KR Box.jpg
Cover
ArtofFighting MD KR Cart Back.jpgArtofFighting MD KR Cart.jpg
Cart

References

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NEC Retro has more information related to Ryuuko no Ken
  1. 1.0 1.1 File:MeanMachinesSega18UK.pdf, page 78 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega18UK.pdf_p78" defined multiple times with different content
  2. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 39
  3. Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1994" (JP; 1994-01-08), page 20
  4. Console Mania, "Marzo 1994" (IT; 1994-0x-xx), page 30
  5. Consoles +, "Mars 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 136
  6. Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 18
  7. Computer & Video Games, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-15), page 33
  8. Electronic Games (1992-1995), "September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 78
  9. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "August 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 34
  10. GameFan, "Volume 2, Issue 4: March 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 14
  11. GamePro, "September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 62
  12. Gamer, "Noémvrios 1994" (GR; 1994-xx-xx), page 1
  13. Gamers, "Juli/August 1994" (DE; 1994-07-01), page 46
  14. Hippon Super, "February 1994" (JP; 1994-01-06), page 43
  15. Joypad, "Juin 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 100
  16. MAN!AC, "07/94" (DE; 1994-06-08), page 57
  17. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-xx-xx), page 36
  18. Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 41
  19. Mega Fun, "04/94" (DE; 1994-03-23), page 109
  20. Mega Play, "August 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 60
  21. MegaTech, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-18), page 20
  22. Magazina Igrushek, "1/1996" (RU; 1996-xx-xx), page 55
  23. Play Time, "4/94" (DE; 1994-03-09), page 155
  24. Sega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-03-31), page 32
  25. Sega Pro, "Easter 1994" (UK; 1994-03-24), page 46
  26. Sega Zone, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-24), page 50
  27. SuperGamePower, "Abril 1994" (BR; 1994-0x-xx), page 24
  28. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  29. Sonic the Comic, "July 22nd 1994" (UK; 1994-07-09), page 10
  30. Super Juegos, "Abril 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 32
  31. The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU) "Season 1, episode 4" (1994-05-21, ) (+0:00)
  32. Todo Sega, "Marzo 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 58
  33. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 15
  34. Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 96
  35. VideoGames, "September 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 73