Savage Reign
Encyclopedia
is a futuristic-themed competitive fighting game
released by SNK
for their Neo Geo
arcade and home platform. It was ported to the Neo Geo CD
, as well as for the PlayStation 2
along with its sequel
Kizuna Encounter
in Japan
only (as part of the Fūun Super Combo).
and Art of Fighting
series). A mysterious man known only as King Lion has risen up from the shadows and issued a challenge on television for the strongest of fighters to battle him in a fighting competition known as the Battle of the Beast God. He promises wealth beyond anyone's dreams and fame beyond imagination. Nine fighters have come to the tournament, each with their own sole purpose and reason for battling against King Lion.
, is a weapons fighter. However, Savage Reign has a few particular elements that makes it different from its predecessor:
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
released by SNK
SNK Playmore
SNK Playmore Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of , which was SNK's original name. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986....
for their Neo Geo
Neo Geo (console)
The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
arcade and home platform. It was ported to the Neo Geo CD
Neo Geo CD
is a game console from SNK that was released in 1994, four years after its cartridge-based equivalent, in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs. It is the second console of the Neo Geo family. The system was originally priced at US$300 new. The unit's 1X CD-ROM drive was slow, making loading...
, as well as for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
along with its sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
Kizuna Encounter
Kizuna Encounter
is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It is the sequel to Savage Reign. Like its predecessor, it was ported to the Neo-Geo CD and also included in the Fūun Super Combo for the PlayStation 2...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
only (as part of the Fūun Super Combo).
Plot
Savage Reign is set in the first half of the 21st century in the fictional city of South Town (the same city used in the Fatal FuryFatal Fury
is a fighting game series developed by SNK for the Neo Geo system.Producers Takashi Nishiyama and Hiroshi Matsumoto, who were the producers of the series from Fatal Fury 3 and onward, were the planners of the original Street Fighter...
and Art of Fighting
Art of Fighting
is a trilogy of competitive fighting game titles that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the Fatal Fury series and is set in the same fictional universe...
series). A mysterious man known only as King Lion has risen up from the shadows and issued a challenge on television for the strongest of fighters to battle him in a fighting competition known as the Battle of the Beast God. He promises wealth beyond anyone's dreams and fame beyond imagination. Nine fighters have come to the tournament, each with their own sole purpose and reason for battling against King Lion.
Gameplay
The game, much like Samurai ShodownSamurai Shodown
Samurai Shodown, known as in Japan, is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for their Neo Geo arcade and home platform. In contrast to other fighting games at the time which were set in modern times and focused primarily on hand-to-hand combat, Samurai Shodown is set in feudal-era Japan ...
, is a weapons fighter. However, Savage Reign has a few particular elements that makes it different from its predecessor:
- The weapons can not only be used for close combat, but can also be thrown at an opponent from a distance for more ranged attacks. There are also two levels of playing field within the battles (the default lower one and the upper field, which both fighters can jump to with the push of a button).
- The button layout was also slightly different at the time, resembling World Heroes somewhat: a button for punching, a button for kicking, a button for the weapon and a button for jumping between planes (holding down the punch or kick buttons results in a stronger attack, tapping them wields a light attack).
Characters
- Sho Hayate - The main protagonist of the series. A young Japanese man who aims to prove the strength of Fu'un-Ken: a special style of fighting that combines martial arts with the mastery of the boomerangBoomerangA boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
. Hayate is best known for his calm yet brash attitude and that he always initiates a strong battle cry in combat. - Carol Stanzack - A young French gymnastGymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
who is being forced to marry King Lion by her father (who is also her teacher). She is annoyed by this, and fights to break this commitment. Carol fights with a mixture of an Olympic pink ball, her gymnast skills, and AikidoAikidois a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
(though she doesn't use many throws on sight). - Max Eagle - An undefeated wrestlerWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
who is interested in the challenge. His ulterior motive for entering the tournament is that he seeks on whether or not King Lion is his missing older brother. Max fights with a mixture of his axeAxeThe axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
and a couple of wrestling moves. It is also noted that the wrestling organization (SWF) Max works for is the same one used in the SNK arcade game 3 Count Bout3 Count Bout3 Count Bout, known in Japan as , is a wrestling arcade game released by SNK in 1993.-Wrestlers: The Gandhara - 200 pounds, 5 feet 11 inches Leo Bradley - 297 pounds, 6 feet 3 inches The Red Dragon - 250 pounds, 5 feet 10 inches Gochack Bigbomb - 441 pounds, Terry Rogers - 284 pounds, 6 feet 1...
. - Gordon Bowman - A successful police officer who carries an electric stun tonfaTonfaThe tonfa , also known as tong fa or tuifa, is an Okinawan weapon. It is a stick with a handle, and is about 15-20 inches long. It was traditionally made from red oak and wielded in pairs...
. His young daughter is deathly ill and he heads to the tournament for the prize money to support her medical attention. - Chung Paifu - An old hermitHermitA hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
(senninSenninThe Japanese term sennin is a loanword from Chinese xiānrén 仙人 "immortal person", known also as xian "immortal; transcendent; genie; mage; djinn; sage; hermit" in Daoism....
) who decides to enter the tournament due to a past conflict between him and King Lion. His cap was given to him by a man known only as the "Legendary WolfTerry Bogardis a video game character created by SNK Playmore , and is the main character of the Fatal Fury series. In the series, he is an American fighter who enters the worldwide tournaments called The King of Fighters to kill Geese Howard, a criminal who killed Terry's father. Terry becomes a formidable...
." Chung fights with a walking stick and can instantly go into Ikari (angry) mode if his cap is knocked off his head in battle. - Gozu - A red ninjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
who uses fire-based attacks with his Fire Claws. He is a member of a group called the Jaguar (Jaga, or Jagger), and with Mezu, he is out for revenge against King Lion due to a past incident that happened. - Mezu (Batou) - A blue ninja who uses water and ice-based attacks with his Ice Claws. His goals are somewhat similar to Gozu's, but he is more motivated for vengeance for the death of his brother, who was killed by King Lion in a past incident.
- Joker - A clownClownClowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
-like fighter who happens to be the leader of a violent street gang known as the Looly Po Po. Joker uses his unusual appearance and his strange weaponry (the primary one being a Jack-in-a-box) as his fighting tools. His motivations for entering the tournament is to gain glory for himself and his gang. His real name is Marco Bariadrid. - Nicola Zaza - A young super genius who constructed both a Super Shield and a Super Suit. Nicola participates in the tournament to test the very depths of his creations.
- King Lion (Kage Shishioh) - The mysterious man who is responsible for holding the Battle of the Beast God tournament. King Lion wields a sword called "The Sword of Leo" in combat. His true intentions for holding the tournament are unknown.
- King Leo (Shin Shishioh) - The final boss and main antagonist of the series. King Leo is not an alternate version of King Lion, but rather the true King Lion who had made the fake impersonator as a way to test his opponent out before he would come and battle them in his own accord.
External links
- series at NBC Museum of SNK PlaymoreSNK PlaymoreSNK Playmore Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of , which was SNK's original name. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986....