Art of Fighting (Genesis)

I consider martial art as knowledge of fighting rather than art. I'm brute like that. Maybe by playing SNK's Art of Fighting (1994) on Sega Genesis, my mind will changes into wiser and softer. 

The title reminds me of Fatal Fury because 1) The font style 2) The font color 3) SNK develop this. The most part that i love is the explosive part on "of" word. So what's the reason behind me Art of Fighting people on my way? I don't want to kick someone innocence for some reason.    

 

The protagonist's sister is kidnapped. How dare you to steal the premise of Mug Smasher, SNK! I kind of confused with Yuri being blonde instead of brunette like we all know today. Actually it's reasonable as Ryo himself is blonde, now that i think about it. I have theory that Yuri Sakazaki becomes playable because inspired by Sakura Kasugano from Street Fighter Alpha series. Speaking of SFA, did you know that Dan Hibiki from the series is parody of our protagonists here: Ryo and Robert Garcia who are based on Ryu and Ken Master from Street Fighter? The more you know! I'm fine with game company make homage each other on their creativity. Like for example: Koei Tecmo made Nioh which is homage of From Software's Dark Soul. Later From Software adapts Nioh's combat system and put it in Sekiro, replacing stamina with posture and player or enemy are susceptible when their stamina/posture depleted. Oh sorry! I was digressing for awhile.   

 

I pick Ryo because i'm uncreative just that. He asks Ryuhaku Todoh whereabouts his sister and he get rather annoying reply even Ultron in Avengers game has better (and more entertaining) reply than you. Asking a question only requires speech preferably with polite manner to make other feels like to reply you in the nicest way, good sir. But no, you choose violence for no reason other to prove that you're bona fide martial artist. Fine! First fight ensues, that is!

 

I believe you know the basic control that Street Fighter 2 has taught as all. Pressing left or right d-pad to move fighter forward or backward. Holding the opposite direction of your facing while enemy attacks, to block them. Press up/up+left/up+right to jump. Press down to crouch. Pressing "A" button to punch. Pressing "B" button to kick. Pressing "C" button to initiate heavy attack, which is special to Art of Fighting as well as taunt which is activated by pressing "X" button. Can i do jump kick? Of course, i can. But it's sluggish. Quite often, i pull out my foot in the air too late that Ryuhaku keep winning in jumping kick contest. Not a good starter here.   

 

This is more like it! Ryo as one of Shoto-clone can unleash dragon punch move, obviously. As far as i know, Ryuhaku can't do that so i have quite advantage there. There's a gist on executing special move though. Everytime i unleash a special move, spirit bar (which is located below life bar) will be depleted in varies amount depends on special move i unleash. The more powerful the move, the bigger cost on spirit bar. I notice that "No Smoking" sign on fence. Good! It's fundamental in Martial Art to keep yourself in healthy and smoking is certainly no go.

 

Damnit, old man! You can tell that sooner without any violence act. We can talk peacefully with cup of tea. Instead, i have to go through tedious first fight with you. No one is the winner! 

 

In between fight, there's intermission where Ryo go to next stage with his sporty motorbike. I never see Ryu riding motorbike so i give Ryo credit where it dues.    

 

Jack here annoyed that i'm considered rude because i ask a question without saying "please". Well, listen you insolent schmuck! Showing your guts around and not wearing proper cloth are certainly more rude than adding "please" word when asking. He punches hard but he's just mere thug while i'm legit Shoto clone that can unleash energy ball from my hand. Compare to Ryuhaku (that can also unleash projectile), this scrub is easy.

 

Don't ever think about hurting Chireiden, erm i mean children. Old punk! He said that he saw Yuri in Chinatown. So off we go there!

 

But before that i get to do bonus stage! I can choose between chopping beer bottles to help those drunkards at bar get more drink get more spirit, breaking ice block to get more strength, or special training to expand my moveset. Increasing my attacking power seems good deal so i go with breaking ice block! By the way, is it just me or those hand should belong to Geese Howard and not Ryo?

 

And he looks like Geese Howard to me. Anyway, the bonus stage mechanic is like bonus stage in first Mortal Kombat and easy to understand unlike in first Street Fighter. Mash the buttons to increase the power gauge within allotted time. Reach the maximum power and you will get more strength. By strength, the game means life bar and not attacking power. I'm tricked! 

 

In Chinatown, i meet this masked freak. His main move is spinning toward me while brandishing his claw. He sure ain't Vega but he deal large amount of chip damage (which is term for decreased damage inflicted when the opponent is blocking). Scout_jeers09.wav 

 

Take this kick move! I admit i'm not Ryo fans to know the name of this flying kick move that when connected Ryo follow it up with another strong kick. The move is powerful but i complaint inconsistency of input command for it. In this game and Capcom vs SNK, it's executed by holding diagonal down and back then forward+kick button. This kind of input command is perfect to make swift retaliation as holding down button also act as blocking.  In some King of Fighter series, it's executed by half circle forward motion + kick button. But this complaint probably because of me accustomed with Ryu's Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku input. After defeated, the masked freak says that bouncer of L'amor restaurant probably know about Yuri.

 

Ok. That's not nice of you, Ryo! King greets you politely and you just tell her to get away harshly! In case you wonder, yes. King is the bouncer that guy talked about.

 

I think King also Shoto clone but her main moves using kick instead of hand. But it seems she forget her anti air move so i like to drop jump kick on her unless when she's higher than me. I don't think the a.i. know how to throw so i can freely grab them and deliver some hefty damage. The input for throw is simple: forward + "C" button when near enemy, like very near that you can see their eyelashes clearly.    

 

For next stage i choose the special training. Oh goodness! What a complicated input right there. For other character in King of Fighters series, forward and then half circle forward executes super move! I have to execute this Haou-Ken 8 times within 15 seconds. Sounds fair but the timing is really tight there because Ryo pauses for awhile before unleashing the bigger "Hadou-ken". Combine that with complex input, i can't do it in time!

 

I do very well in chopping the beer bottles. The power bar moves right or left and you need to press "A" button when the power goes maximum. Accomplishing this bonus stage, earns me more spirit bar but jokes on game i still rely on jumping kick.

 

King told me that Yuri is in Military base and only Mickey can infiltrates it. Besides military staffs, you see. Soon Mickey suspects me as spy. Do i look like masked French that carries butterfly knife around? Oh, wait! He can disguise as anyone, nevermind.

 

Remember when i said that i rely on jumping kick? Yes, i do. Mickey here can shoots projectile straight or low but he doesn't have anti air move. He's like Sagat but doesn't have Tiger Uppercut move. Lame!

After defeated, Mickey obliges to help me. Why everyone in South Town only willing to help Ryo after he beats them black and blue. Does no one here civilized enough to discuss like gentlemen? At least King is civilized and polite. But the rest are just scum that doesn't understand common social communication. Humans are social creature behave like one, insolent fools!

 

Did i mention that i rely on jumping kick. Oh, i said that before. On intermission Ryo mutters to himself that he need Haou-Ken to defeat someone with weapon. I thought he will defeat every armed soldiers on premise but no. He just need to defeat this not-Guile guy and jumping kick works just fine. Joke on him!

 

For the last bonus stage i re-pick the special training and finally i manage to break the training dummy with Haou-Ken(s). My reward is obviously the move itself. It's better reward than increasing life or spirit bar but it's the most difficult to get.

 

My next opponent is this bald guy with Kali Sticks. I read walkthrough a bit and turns out his name is Mr. Big. What something big on him? I'm guessing his difficulty is big! I can beat everyone just fine but not guy with two pieces of stick apparently. To be fair, Ryuhaku is the 2nd most difficult before this guy. His sticks deal really serious damage for some reason. Maybe they're powered by Raiden, the Thunder God from Mortal Kombat. He also learn the charging move from the Thunder God, apparently.

 

My main problem with this guy is: he can swiftly thrust his sticks upward thus he can counter my jumping kick easily. Eventually i can defeat him though. I can duck safely under his charging move and then i can close enough to grab him. The "hadou-ken" move seem ineffective here because he can also throw energy projectile and he can stabs away my projectile with his stick. I almost give up here.   

 

Mr. Big points me about strong fighter in this karate dojo that keep Yuri. I know him. He's Mr. Karate alias Takuma Sakazaki, Ryo's and Yuri's father. Let's fight anyway!

 

Mr. Karate has same moveset as Ryo. So he's substantially easier than Mr. Big. It's kind of underwhelming to have him as Final Boss but i'm saved from the SNK's traditional cheap overpowered boss. So i can't complaint.

 

Reading a walkthrough, i learn that i can recharge my spirit bar by holding either punch or kick button. It's helpful because Haou ken depletes my spirit bar in instant but it's worth it because it decreases half of enemy's life bar if connected. There's also taunt that can decreases your opponent's spirit bar if you feel like being unsportive git.

 

...father. Case closed.

As far as i know, this is the only ending you get regardless character or difficulty you pick. I'm guessing Takumi kidnapped his own daughter to lure Ryo and Garcia into his fighting test. It's supposed to be subtle but it's easily predictable. At least put more effort into your disguise, Mr. Takuma. Put Tyrannosaur custom or something!  

 

Spy_no02.wav. It ends here!

SNK's Art of Fighting (1994) is one of Street Fighter 2 clone. The single player mode isn't entirely the same though. You can only pick Ryo or Robert and there's bonus stages that can upgrade your character if succeed. The gameplay is sluggish and relatively aggravating thanks to relatively slow movement of characters. It's really baffling to me that projectile can be negated with punching it. That feature supposed to balance the fight between projectile thrower and non-projectile thrower but it's bad nonetheless. It's hard for me to win jumping kick duel. Even if i have the higher point, Ryo is so slow at drawing his feet that my opponent often wins the contest. But only Ryuhaku, King and Mr. Karate that eager to jump kick. The hit detection is well designed. The input command is rather responsive except when the times that i try to pull out Haou Ken, Ryo executes fist barrage move instead. The bonus stage section is welcome additional to the single player mode. The AI is competent and pretty fair. Usually, i don't complaint or rather can't feel AI that can read my input. But i detect that Mr. Big can read my mind. The sound effect is mediocre yet decent. The music isn't memorable with so-so quality. The graphic is grainy but the color is well enough.

 

Art of Fighting (1994) is sub standard Street Fighter 2 clone thanks to sluggish movement. It gets no recommendation because it's too tedious for me to have fun from it. As this is Sega Genesis/Megadrive port, i can't speak to the original ones which is in Arcade. I can make the comparison analysis but i choose not to because i'm lazy. But in return, i will write about another Art of Fighting game. How about that?

By the way, i learn nothing wiser from Ryo Sakazaki here. Perhaps he's wiser on next game?