Aggressors of Dark Kombat, sometimes abbreviated as ADK, and known in Japan as Tsuukai GANGAN Koushinkyoku (痛快GANGAN行進曲 lit. Thrilling Intense March) or simply GanGan, is a 1994 one-on-one fighting arcade game developed by Alpha Denshi Corp. (ADK) and published by SNK. The English game title is a pun on the developer's initials and also parodies Mortal Kombat, spelling the word combat with K instead of C.
Gameplay
The game's major innovation is the ability to walk into the background, in a similar manner to some 1980s arcade fighting games like Taito's Violence Fight, SNK's Street Smart and Atari's Pit-Fighter. 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.
Screenshot of ADK
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" internationally.
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. There are almost no differences between the Japanese release of this game and the International versions aside from the rather drastic name change, but it is worth taking notice that there is blood to be found when you use a critical hit on an opponent on the Japanese release only.
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.
- Template:FlagiconJoe 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. Apart from this game, he makes a cameo appearance in one of Kisarah's attacks in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum.
- Template:FlagiconKisarah 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. Kisarah appears as a selectable character in Neo Geo Battle Coliseum and as an SNK character card in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters DS.
- Template:FlagiconGoh 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.
- Template:FlagiconKotaro 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.
- Template:FlagiconLeonhalt Domador (レオンハルト・ドマドール) - Also known as the "Black Bull". As a Mexican 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.
- Template:FlagiconSheen 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.
- Template:FlagiconLee 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 Taekwondo techniques.
- Template:FlagiconBobby 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.
The game was later ported to the Neo-Geo AES console, then ported a year later to SNK's Neo Geo CD. In 2008 it was also ported along with a few other Neo-Geo titles also by ADK to the PlayStation 2 as part of the ADK Tamashii Game Collection released in Japan only.
Reception
Aggressors of Dark Kombat is a somewhat less-known title compared to SNK's other fighting franchises such as Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, and their signature fighting title The King of Fighters, and even ADK's other fighting game franchise, World Heroes. 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.[1] 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.[2]
Aggressors of Dark Kombat was awarded Strangest Game of 1994 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[3]
References
- ↑ ADK review at NeoGeoForLife.com
- ↑ ADK review at Neo-Geo.com
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide. 1995.
See also
- ADK
- World Heroes
- Neo Geo Battle Coliseum
- List of fighting games
