Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw

From Sega Retro

n/a

BrutalUnleashed title.png

Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw
System(s): Sega 32X
Publisher: GameTek
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega 32X
US
$79.9979.99[2] T-8301B

This teeny-tiny article needs some work. You can help us by expanding it.


Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw is a one-on-one fighting game developed by GameTek for the Sega 32X. It is an update to Brutal: Paws of Fury, released only in North America. Working titles for this game were Totally Brutal and Brutal: Paws Unleashed.

The scenery and graphics have been highly improved, making use of the capabilities of the 32X, changing drastically. The most notable change being in Leon Prince's stage, on which it was previously possible to push the rival off the bridge for a instant win.

Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw introduces two new characters: Chung Poe and Psycho Kitty; and there are four more stages than the original game, totaling fourteen, although some of them are simply doubles with different palettes/shading.

Gameplay

The game is compatible with six-button controllers, with A assigned for light kick, B medium kick, C hard kick, X light punch, Y medium punch and Z hard punch. A+B performs a taunt, which also recovers your life gauge, but in turn makes you vulnerable for a little. If using a three-button controller  START  toggles kicks and punches, otherwise it pauses the game. To block rival attacks press Down+Left. Pressing any attack button while holding Left does a roundhouse attack, doing the same holding Right does a rear attack.

Like in the previous game, the characters only have regular kicks and punches at start, with special moves (taunt inclusive) and "katas" (sequences of moves) being unlocked after certain fights, following the game's "belt system" - to acquire new moves, you are given three chances to follow Dali Llama's instructions and if you fail it is not learned. Also similar to Brutal: Paws of Fury, this game has more stages than characters, making Pantha and Chung Poe appear to challenge you twice each.

On this version all characters are playable without the need of cheats, passwords or the like; and they were also placed at different stages than seen before.

Characters

For more sprites see Category:Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw sprites.

"HOLD" means the button(s) must be held for two seconds.

BrutalUnleashed 32X ChungPoe Sprite.png Chung Poe
Chung Poe is 61cm tall, weighs 22kg and his style is Sabbaal. His special moves are: Fists of Death (DownRight), Space Warp (LeftDown) and Makron Overpower (RightDown); his katas are: Hate of the Ancients (HOLD BBA), The Dark (HOLD AAC), Winter Storm (HOLD CAC) and The Faminewind (holding B+C, press Right and hold it).
BrutalUnleashed 32X DaliLlama Sprite.png Dali Llama
Dali Llama is 198.1cm tall, weighs 38.04kg and his style is Divine. His special moves are: Headbutt (B+C) and Smoke Attack (LeftDownRight); his katas are: Mind of the Gods (RightDownLeft) and Apocalypse! (DownRightB).
BrutalUnleashed 32X FoxyRoxy Sprite.png Foxy Roxy (Indrah Prashmet)
Foxy Roxy is 182.9cm tall, weighs 72.75kg and her style is Penjat Silat. Her special moves are: Whiplash Kick (B+C), Spinning Attack (LeftLeftC) and Rolling Attack (DownRight); her katas are: Kuntao (A+B+C), Call of the Lotus (HOLD CCC) and Pentjak Silat Mind Throw (RightDownLeftC).
BrutalUnleashed 32X IvanBear Sprite.png Ivan Bear
Ivan Bear is 182.9cm tall, weighs 113.40kg and his style is Soviet Military. His special moves are: Big Belly Attack (RightDownLeft) and Earthquake (LeftDownRight) ; his katas are: Strength of the North (DownLeftB), Jab Al Nar (HOLD CAA) and Rage of the World (HOLD B+CA+C).
BrutalUnleashed 32X KarateCroc Sprite.png Karate Croc
Karate Croc is 182.9cm tall, weighs 131.54kg and his style is Street Brawler. His special moves are: Tail Whip (HOLD RightB+C), Torpedo Attack (HOLD DownA+B+C) and Flying Tail Whip (HOLD Left+DownRight+B+C); his katas are: Escrima (HOLD AAAAAA, The Swallow (A+B+C) and The Path of the Empty Hand (HOLD B+CCC).
BrutalUnleashed 32X KendoCoyote Sprite.png Kendo Coyote
Kendo Coyote is 188cm tall, weighs 90.71kg and his style is Kenjutsu. His special moves are: Slam Punch (A+B+C), Headbutt (close B+C), Cannonball! (RightDownDown-leftB) and Spinball! (DownRight); his katas are: The Five Rings (LeftDownRightB), Ki Force (HOLD ACC), Hapkido (HOLD BAA).
BrutalUnleashed 32X KungFuBunny Sprite.png Kung Fu Bunny
Kung Fu Bunny is 177.8cm, weighs 45.36kg and his style is Relaxed Paw. His special moves are: Flash Kick (HOLD BCCCCC), Double Flash Kick (LeftDownRight), Hi Flash Kick (HOLD DownBBBBB) and Scissors Kick (B+C); his katas are: Dance of Death (HOLD AAA), Iron Fist (HOLD CCC) and Devil's Kiss (RightDownLeft).
BrutalUnleashed 32X Pantha Sprite.png Pantha
Pantha is 172.7cm tall, weighs 86.18kg and his style is Chin Na. His special moves are: Fireball (LeftDownRight), Energy Drain (HOLD DownAAAAA) and Cloak Attack (B+C); his katas are: The Gentle Path (HOLD CCC), Serpents Kiss (HOLD BCC) and Summon Chi (HOLD A+CCC).
BrutalUnleashed 32X PrinceLeon Sprite.png Prince Leon
Prince Leon is 182.9cm tall, weighs 113.40kg and his style is Tan Ku, the Iron Rage. His special moves are: Bite (B+C), Swim Attack (RightDownLeft), Roar! (DownRightB) and Powerchord (LeftDownRight); his katas are: Rage Within (close HOLD A+CB), Leon Experience (HOLD BCCCCC) and Wild Side (HOLD AAA).
BrutalUnleashed 32X PsychoKitty Sprite.png Psycho Kitty
Psycho Kitty is 91.4cm tall, weighs 45.36kg and his style is Cat Fight. His special moves are: Catfight (LeftDownRight), Fur Ball (RightDownLeft) and Toshidan (A+C); his katas are: Too Much Whiskers (HOLD BBC), Face Gouge (HOLD CBA), Nine Lives (HOLD AAA) and Hacker (HOLD DownA+B).
BrutalUnleashed 32X RheiRat Sprite.png Rhei Rat
Rhei Rat is 180.3cm tall, weighs 72.57kg and his style is Thai Boxing. His special moves are: Neck Choke (close B+C), Knockout Punch (A+B+C), Frenzy Attack (LeftDownC) and Face Pull (close DownRight); his katas are: Tsumai (HOLD CBB), Berzerk! (close HOLD BAB) and Lightning Fury (close HOLD AAA).
BrutalUnleashed 32X TaiCheetah Sprite.png Tai Cheetah
Tai Cheetah is 188cm tall, weighs 63.50kg and his style is Tai Chi Chuan. His special moves are: Fire Kick (LeftDown), Fire Run (RightDownLeft) and Fire Punch (DownRight); his katas are: Divine Wind (HOLD BBB), Fist of the North (HOLD AAA) and The Way of the Crane (A+B+C).

Stages

For more screenshots see Category:Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw screenshots.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage01.png Beach
Pantha's first stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage02.png Waterfall
Psycho Kitty's stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage03.png Idol
Ivan Bear's stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage04.png Swamp
Karate Croc, introduced in the previous Mega-CD game, earned his own new stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage05.png Point
Tai Cheetah's stage. The background is the same seen at "Beach", with different color palettes.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage06.png Bridge
Prince Leon's stage. Like "Point" and "Beach", "Bridge" and "Waterfall" share the same scenery.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage07.png Courtyard
Kung Fu Bunny's stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage08.png Screens
Kendo Coyote's stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage09.png Dojo
Foxy Roxy's stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage10.png Battlements
Rhei Rat's stage. A double of this stage features in "Battle mode" under the name "Tower", although unlike the other clone stages it has no difference.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage11.png Pass
Pantha's second stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage12.png Volcano
Chung Poe's first stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage13.png Cavern
Chung Poe's second Stage.
BrutalUnleashed 32X Stage14.png Boat
Dali Llama's stage.

Production credits

Team Brutal
  • Design: Rod V. Humble
  • Artwork and Animation: Andie Gilmour, Dave Hall, Juan Sanchez and Eurocom Entertainment
  • Program: Dave Exile
  • Music: ppdix
  • Creative Director: Steve Curran
  • VP of Product Development:Liz Curran
  • Project Coordination: Charlene Carty
  • Sound Editing: Larry Pacie
  • Special Thanks to the Following: Sherry Kross, John Tombley, Wendy Weber, Executive King, Travis Williams, Stacey Ruderman, All at G.T.U.K
  • Annoying: William B. McCormick
Source:
In-game credits


Team Brutal
  • Programming: Dave Lincoln
Additional Support
  • Creative Direction: John Tombley
  • Testing: Travis Williams, Larry Pacey
  • Music: Doug Brandon, Robin Heifitz
Packaging/Manual
  • Art Director: Dwight Alnor
  • Writer: Rod Humble
  • Design: Dwight Alnor
  • Technical: Sherry Kross, John Tombley
  • Illustration: Mark Fredrikson
  • Calligraphy: Glen Yoshiyama
Source:
US manual credits[3]

Magazine articles

Main article: Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
88 №70, p60[2]
60 №6, p103[4]
Sega 32X
74
Based on
2 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
58
[5]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)
64
[6]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
79
[7]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
88
[2]
Next Generation (US) NTSC-U
50
[4]
Ultimate Gamer (US) NTSC-U
80
[8]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
80
[9]
Sega 32X
71
Based on
7 reviews

Brutal Unleashed: Above the Claw

32X, US
Brutal Above the Claw 32X US back.jpgBatC 32X US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Brutal Above the Claw 32X US cart.jpg
Cart
Brutal 32x us manual.pdf
Manual

References