Dragoon Might (Arcade)

If we talk about fighting game, you probably think of games made by Capcom, SNK, Midway or Namco/Bandai Namco. Sega made some but most of them are not memorable except Virtua Fighter. Tecmo/Koei Tecmo have Dead or Alive series. Then there's Konami. Konami made some fighting games! Crazy, huh? One of them is Dragoon Might (1995). 

I'm bothered with that huge portion on white marble on the title screen. My brain keep suggesting it's overly large border thus the main portion looks shy. I mean even you're not as famous as Samurai Shodown, you don't need to feel that modest. Bright up and show us what you got! Why i relate this game with the famous SNK's swordfighting game? Obviously because this is also fighting game with weapon. If you wonder why the fighters in this game hack each other up, the reason is kind of generic. It's said that there's dragon medallion pieces all around the world and when it's fully combined, it will grant you a wish whether you want fame, riches, power to rule the world, or even eternal life. The last one sounds like trap because I learnt something from Curse of the Dead Gods.

 

One of special feature in this fighting game is the ability to jump to part of stage like trees or pipe. Calling this game Samurai Shodown seems bit inaccurate. It's close to another SNK's fighting game: Savage Reign which also feature ability to jump to other part of stage like hanging on rope or lighting set. But the big difference is on Savage Reign you do that by pressing both punch and kick button. While in this game you have to press all 3 of kick buttons which seems more complicated to do. There's also special function if you press all of punch buttons but we will get to that later.    

 

So here's the roster. Like Street Fighter, it include only 2 female characters. Why not 3 or 5? I don't know! The main protagonist is Yamato and you can guess that he's shoto which is the popular trend for character that have ability to shoot projectile from range and attack upward that's meant to punish anyone that dare to jumping kick them. Hold on! he reminds me of someone. 

 

Yamato reminds me of Viktor from Suikoden II which is also Konami's game. Perhaps because they're both sport messy black hair and long sword. Also, they both have pleasant but bit cocky smile. Anyway, i won't pick Yamato. I already have someone else in my mind.

If you like fighting game with pre-fight quote then you probably like Dragoon Might, because there's always character's quote before the fight merely begin yet. What a healthy sportsmanship [Standard long sword-sized sarcasm]

 

You might think that i play as Reggie the one who sports fancy mullet and probably a grappler type fighter. Sadly, no. I play as the brat with heavy sword. This is not a good start. Demoman_negativevocalization04.wav

 

Reggie has shorter weapon than me but he makes up for powerful grab and more aggressive movement. So as Zack i have to play more defensively (maybe?) to make up for his tedious attack. I mean look at him. He throw all his body and balance for that heavy normal attack and the distance can't cut it [pun may intended]. Also get this! If this attack connect it deals just measly damage. The reason why me (and some people) like to pick fighters with heavy sword is usually for their great attack range and power despite their cumbersome movement. Their fighting style is simple yet efficient. Heck! Even in Monster Hunter, i fancy being Greatsword. But Zack here is anomaly. He only has the cumbersome movement right. His attack range and power can't make up for it. Let's see some comparison, shall we?       

Let's compare Zack with my all-time favorite swordsman with heavy sword: Goat from Asura Blade (1998). Look at their jumping heavy slash! Goat certainly has more range into it because he keep his sword in front of him for the rest of animation. Meanwhile Zack move his sword to the side which results in significant less attack range and duration. That means less reliability to make the attack connects. You probably think if Zack moves the sword away he can produce more damage upon hit but sadly that's not the case. You can see by yourself how much damage that Goat and Zack inflict by looking at the red/orange bar on their opponent's health bar. It's not good comparison because Asura Blade has 2 health bar system. But i would say that Zack's attack should inflict more damage by 25% or so to be equal with Goat's.    

Also notice the blood is green in Dragoon Might because it's international version. "Red blood is too horrible for children. Censor it into green!"

 

But i stick with Zack no matter what even when I already regret this decision. Look! I hit Reggie with crouching normal heavy attack. So, we can work this out. The control is pretty basic. There's 6 attack buttons. Light, medium, and heavy for each punch/slash and kick. You block attack by holding joystick backward, jump by holding joystick up or any diagonal up, crouch by holding joystick downward, dash forward the enemy by wiggling the joystick forward twice (then hold the joystick) and back step by wriggling the joystick backward twice.

I like the transparent effect on flowing water on foreground. It's beautiful.

 

It's irony to defeat a grappler with grab. Wait for him to charge at you with either shoulder ran or kick, block it, and grab him. The grab system is the usual. Pressing forward + medium slash/punch, heavy slash/punch, or heavy kick when you close to your opponent. Like very close that you can see their nostril in detail.  

 

With Reggie defeated, my next opponent is Layla. How can you make me eat my word exactly? If you can, i would like that with some swirly fried fries.

 

Ok. No swirly fried fries. Only tonfa with bladed extension for me to eat. Fine!

I know trendy fashion of jeans with ripped knee. But jeans with only half leg? I think Layla's weird fashion can make home at Azur Lane.

Notice that my weapon is dropped? Yes. I can be disarmed if i keep blocking my opponent's attack. Turtling strategy is discouraged.   

 

Zack's crouching heavy kick is sliding kick with very long distance. I know i can count on you, lad! Demoman_positivevocalization05.wav

 

It goes without saying that Zack has some special move like this where he throw his large sword. It's executed by holding punch/slash button for 4 seconds then releases it. 4 seconds! That's why too long! Take Jax or Liu Kang from Mortal Kombat 3 for example of fighting game character with special move that requires holding attack button. They need 3 seconds at most to hold attack button and become partially defenseless because the attack button put to hold. But the reward is satisfying fast bicycle kick or earthquake punch. But in Zack's case, not only he need to hold the attack button for 1 second longer (that feels like fairly eternal) but also the result is lackluster which is slow flying sword that can be easily blocked by enemy's blocking or their own projectile. It's homing pretty accurate, i think. Even if it hits successfully, the damage is not bigger than the jumping heavy slash does. What a rip-off!   

 

Eventually i can defeated her thanks to aggressive yet accurate sliding kick. So this guy fight using his own knuckle, unarmed? Thanks, i guess?

 

You liar! You use spiked yoyo like Rygar. Bastard!

 

He's like Reggie having large muscular body and small blade weapon. But in his case he uses blade gauntlet and instead using straight charging attack and grapple, he use charging uppercut and spiked yoyo. I think the solution to this fight is block then grab him like what i did when fighting Reggie.   

 

There's on-the-ground attack that you can perform by holding joystick to up direction and pressing punch/slash button. It works quite fine but i think for Zack's case, he often execute it too slow giving his opponents time to get up and avoid it. But because his weapon is cumbersome, that's kind of make sense. But the other problem is: Zack has special attack executed by holding joystick to up direction and pressing punch/slash button while jumping. Naturally those command inputs conflict with each other. More often than not when i ask for the downed attack, he spins around flies like demented chopper's blade instead.

 

I think i notice a trend especially on the pre-fight banter, everyone looks smug with each other. There's another bad thing in this game.         

I find strange for someone named Ryan dressed like Japanese monk or maybe it's just me. Ryan here is distance fighter. He likes to conjure thunder wave along the ground with his staff. Lucky for Zack (maybe), he can also generates ground thunder wave. Performed by pressing punch/slash button repeatedly! What an obtuse input for projectile shooting move! Perhaps the idea is like Blanka's electric discharge but can generate ground projectile for once. That seems neat idea in theory. But in the fighting game where everyone wield weapon as extension from their hand, it doesn't work because the electric field simple get outranged by any weapon attack. I mean i get it. If this electric field get higher priority over any normal attack, the move is simply broken (in working way). But in the current situation, the move seems useless to execute. It has long start-up, unlike Chun Li's Hyakuretsukyaku which has noticeable faster execution. At least the electric field can block projectile, i think

Then he unleashes his Super Attack which is an effective anti air move. Every character has this Super Attack performed by pressing all of punch buttons or according to FAQ that i read, it only needs 2 buttons pressed. However this Super Attack cost a sliver of health of the user. So you have to be careful when you want to use it.

 

Certainly, Zack also has Super Attack which he rides his broadsword and fly to the sky a bit. I just notice that Zack has too many anti air move! First is where he spins wildly with his sword. Second is flip kick which he use his sword as pedestal (performed by holding down on joystick then move up and press kick button). And lastly his super attack right here. Mention any fighting game character who also has 3 anti-air move! There's no one else! Do you know why? Because it makes the character way too defensive!

 

But there's more to that! There's another Super Attack that can only be performed when the user's health blink which is about 20% left. It goes without saying that this Final Attack also cost some of user's health when executed. Ryan's Final Attack is neat. He slides backward that can dodge enemy's jump kick and then unleash big beam. Each character has different input on this super special move. For Ryan: move joystick forward, then half circle forward and press 2 punch buttons. As for Zack: move joystick diagonal back and down then up and press 2 punch buttons! That joystick motion is so freaking unfriendly! Maybe for those who main Guile, Honda, etc that motion is piece of cake. But for me, it's dumb hard. I can't successfully execute the Final Attack. Not even once. I take -what's so called- "pretzel" motion like Ryan's as long as it flows smoothly and doesn't involve up directional. Because whenever i do move input with up directional in any fighting game, it only results in my character nonchalantly jumps like idiotic grasshopper.

Correction: Zack's Final Attack can be executed quite accurately and i can execute it in mid-air too. The final attack is: he plunges his broadsword into the ground, fire sparks come out of it and fly in 6 directions. It's neat. I wish it was Super Attack instead of the sudden air surfing with his broad sword because -again- Zack has too many anti air move.

 

Next opponent is the last female character on the roster and her specialty is mixing up between you're and your.  

 

Spy_autoonfire03.wav .She can blow fire from her mouth. Good to know.

 

Tsugumi can also conjure whirlwind by spinning her weapon. Here's funny moment where i get hit by said whirlwind but she also get by my sliding kick. She's another zoner type character but i don't remember i witness she has any anti air move so she's noticeably easier than Ryan. Moreover, i can slip beneath her fire breath or ranged super move safely with my sliding kick.

 

Next opponent is Suiko. I forget to take snapshot of his pre-fight quote. My bad. We fight at violent slum kind of place. Is it just me or the place doesn't fit with Suiko's status as benevolent monk? Anyway much like Tsugumi, Suiko doesn't have any anti air move. So the fight should be easy, right?  

 

Look at those kids cowered in fear while their pet dog barking at us. I like this meaningful detail.

I just notice that the crouching slash can be blocked with standing block! The basic combo is jumping attack then crouching attack. If the jumping attack is blocked, hopefully the enemy doesn't have enough time to block low. But that basic combo can't work in Zack's case because both his jumping  and crouching attack can be blocked with standing block! If you think i should replace the crouching slash with crouching kick, well it doesn't work either. Because crouching heavy kick when my opponent is near, become flip kick (without high jump  like in special move version) that can also blocked while standing. So i resort to string the jumping attack with crouching medium kick that significantly weaker and shorter than the crouching heavy kick.

 

Then i discover that Zack's grab with heavy kick input is Frankensteiner with help of his broadsword. It's entertaining to watch.

 

To answer my previous question "the fight with Suiko should be easy". It's easier than Ryan because Suiko doesn't have anti air move but it's harder than Tsugumi because of his Final Attack here. He floats and then summons 3 malevolent evil spirits from the ground and proceed to haunt you. It deals big chip damage when blocked. But he need long start up to actually order the spirits to attack you. If you're fast enough you can interrupt his final attack by hitting him in mid air.

This guy also looks smug but at least his quote is less toxic.

 

Kodama is a ninja and armless. He like to jump above me so here's golden opportunity to show off the "spins around wildly like demented copter's blades" move. Engineer_cheers01.wav

 

Don't underestimate unarmed Kodama because he can disarm you! (Although this special counter move doesn't work against another Kodama). So Kodama is specialized at counter move and jump high like decent ninja. He can also throw throwing stars in mid-air. His fighting style is rather interesting.

 

Finally! We get to fight the main protagonist. Sniper_battlecry01.wav

 

Like i said before that Yamato is shoto. He has (ground) projectile and uppercut move. With this kind of fighter, i have no idea how to fight him. How do i approach him? Sliding kick is certainly no go because his projectile travel along the ground. If his projectile travel in middle height like Suiko's, i can get past underneath it with sliding kick. Jumping attack is bad idea because he has this anti air move. Maybe if i execute jumping attack in very perfect time, i can deal with him well. So what's left is standing normal attack. Zack has pretty good range with his sword but his standing heavy normal is too cumbersome to use. Using his ranged specials also not good idea because both of them requires long start up. 

 

Yamato's super attack looks stupid. He throws himself forward with all his body. But if it connects, he will unleash wicked sword combo.

 

While his Final Attack is just him throw big flaming fist forward which is quite lame. I was hoping for big projectile move but no. So Yamato's style has big similarity to Ken's than Ryu's from Street Fighter.

 

I only need one more piece of medallion to complete it but suddenly this seedy person demands me to hand over all of pieces that i got. No way i will hand them to you, impudent schmuck!

 

Dogma is also unarmed like Kodama. But he has some trick under his sleeves [Pun may intended]. First, he can conjure red evil laser but i can slide underneath it! Scout_beingshotinvincible14.wav

 

His Final Attack is crazy! He set himself aflame and charge at me. Note that this final attack is unblockable! Scout_autoonfire01.wav

Dogma can also do sliding kick both along the ground and floating slightly above the ground. The latter ones has higher priority over my sliding kick. You know why i never show you the "hanging on object" move which is kind of the main feature of this game? Because i keep cutting the objects (like this war sickle) incidentally with my big sword! Not that feature helps me in this wretched boss fight.

 

Then Dogma charges at me and unleash electricity at my knee! I thought that move can be blocked with standing block but no. It hits low. Quite creative, i would say. I try to counter it with the lame lightning move and it doesn't work. He bypasses my electro field and the lightning wave projectile too! The hitbox on the electro field is too small for proper defensive use. In case you can't tell that Zack is bad character to pick but i already invested my time and interest on him. There's no turning back. If only the input for "Boomerang sword" move is holding back direction then forward and pressing punch button like Guile's Sonic Boom. Zack become better at fighting.  

On the other hand, Dogma perhaps has the same level as the usual SNK fighting game's boss even though he's unarmed, i remind you. He moves fast. He attacks fast and relentlessly. He slide kicks fast and he can do that in mid-air. His laser beam travel fast. His fingernails are long (to cover his weapon absence). He blow bigger and stronger flame than Tsugumi's as his Super Attack. His Final Attack is unblockable.

 

I think i figure out how to utilize this awful move that apparently hit enemy on the ground. I fell him with my jumping slash like usual then i immediately execute this move while he lies on the ground briefly. If i lucky or fast enough, i can follow that up with same move and hopefully hit him while still on the ground. Maybe this how you utilize this move. Buffer it with jumping attack so you can chain it after jumping attack. But i don't think it's not powerful combination because this move doesn't hit low.

 

I know right? Being defeated by underpowered character must be very humiliating.

 

Then the game re-narrates the legend about the dragon medallion. So what's Zack so desire? Big riches? Earth conquest? New spiffy PS 5? Girlfriend? Golden Axe? Or perhaps better moveset?

 

I hope you don't expect something interesting for Zack's wish because there's none. Presumably the Dragon Medallion becomes alive and said that the world change too much that it's impossible for The Medallion to make it better for Zack. But you're the FREAKING LEGENDARY MEDALLION! You should be able to make things happen or at least fulfill 1 wish! Do you ever heard Aladdin or Dragon Ball story? So i assume the legend lies and the medallion does nothing except talk and being weary like someone lose all of their money on many casinos in Las Vegas.

 

Then Zack goes home where his mother waiting for him with warm smile and meal. That's it! That's the end of Zack's story. We don't even get to see how his mother look! I say, it's as lame as his moveset.

 

But before we move on to conclusion, i should tell you that there's 3-on-3 team fight mode besides single match mode. So this game takes some inspiration from King of Fighter as well. In team fight mode, the damage ratio goes bigger than in single match mode. Besides Zack, i pick Yamato and Reggie for this mode. And tell you what? They feel much better to pick as due to their better moveset even though Zack does damage the most with his normal attack. Like in KoF, each character can only fight for at least a round. I don't think the winner will get some heal for next round though. Then there's POW bar on the bottom that is proper super bar that carried over rounds. Maybe you can use it for Final Attck and it will no longer require health cost? I'm not sure.

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Konami's Dragoon Might (1995) is pretty decent weapon-based fighting game despite the horrible experience that i went through. The fault is on me because i pick the character with the worst moveset. But you can also blame related Konami's team that design Zack's moveset so bad, if you want. The gameplay is rather solid with good distinctive feature. I like the idea of Super Attack and Final Attack that require slight health cost upon cast rather than the usual using super bar. It adds to "Risk and reward" element to the game. The roster of 12 characters is pretty big and each with their unique fighting style. One of the noticeable ones is Sarumaru who has monkey-like face and he fights with sword strapped on each of his foot. He use the swords like demented stilts. Hitbox detection is reasonable. The music is fairly good. The sound effect also not bad. The graphic is colorful and bit pastel-y like Metamorphic Force.  

 

I reckon Dragoon Might (1995) needs more acknowledgement. More people should play this rare Konami's fighting game. Note: do not pick Zack. Anyone else is fine, i reckon. Although i keep picking Zack as my main. That one is just my personal foolish-yet-noble mission like collecting piece of medallion that doesn't grant any wishes when combined into one.

By the way, the "Dragoon" part could be typo for "Dragon" but since the game involves some swordsman. I let that one off.