(9/19/2015 - 9/25/2015) Game of the Week: Kabuki Itoryodan

[SamIAm]

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September 19 - September 25: Kabuki Itoryodan
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(chosen by Sadler)

Did you love the Street Fighter 2 GOTW and still crave more? Or maybe you want to put your Arcade Card to use for something other than Sapphire? Good news: Kabuki Itoryodan is the GOTW for you!

Kabuki Itoryodan combines the stellar gameplay of Street Fighter 2 with the charm of Tengai Makyo together in one of the best fighting games available on the PC Engine. The presentation in this game is just great, featuring huge sprites, fluid animation, beautifully colored and detailed backgrounds, and a solid soundtrack. This isn't just a pretty package though, this game controls great and is just a blast to play. Two players means your friends can get in on the action too! To get a leg up on the competition, see this FAQ to learn each character's special moves. A word of warning: you'll definitely want a 6 button pad for this game.

So dust off that Arcade Card, shove the Neo Geo fighters to the side and give Kabuki Itoryodan a shot this week!

On a more personal note, this game holds a special place in my heart. I picked it up in Japan in 2009 along with a slew of other games. That trip reignited my love for all things turbob after a long hiatus. I didn't even own a Duo at the time, let alone an arcade card! That quickly changed when I got back to the states.

(Great blurb, Sadler!)
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GOTW Schedule:
1. 8/22/2015 - 8/28/2015: Override (lukester)
2. 8/29/2015 - 9/4/2015: Rondo of Blood (o.pwuaioc)
3. 9/5/2015 - 9/11/2015: Street Fighter 2 (Nec.Game.head)
4. 9/12/2015 - 9/18/2015: Bloody Wolf (Gentlegamer)
5. 9/19/2015 - 9/25/2015: Kabuki Itoryodan (Sadler)
6. 9/26/2015 - 10/2/2015: R-Type (crazydean)
7. 10/3/2015 - 10/9/2015: Fray CD: Xak Gaiden (Nulltard)
8. 10/10/2015 - 10/16/2015: Wizardry 3&4 (BigusSchmuck)
9. 10/17/2015 - 10/23/2015: Lords of Thunder (SamIAm)
10. 10/24/2015 - 10/30/2015: TV Sports Hockey (gredler)
11. 10/31/2015 - 11/6/2015: Blazing Lazers (escarioth)
12. 11/7/2015 - 11/13/2015: Genpei Toumaden (VenomMacbeth)
13. 11/14/2015 - 11/20/2015: Hyper Wars (JoshTurboTrollX-16)
14. 11/21/2015 - 11/27/2015: Drop Off (turboswimbz)
15. 11/28/2015 - 12/4/2015: World Court Tennis (grolt)
16. 12/5/2015 - 12/11/2015: Atlantean (jtucci331)
17. OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS!

Rules:
-All members are allowed one submission. When there are no further submissions, we will have a reset and everyone will be able to submit another game.
-Each game may only be submitted once.
-If you wish to retract your submission, please do so at least two weeks before your game is due. Your next submission will go to the back of the cue.
-Please don't submit games that have a high language barrier or will take too long to complete (particularly RPGs).

[johnnykonami]

My primary experience with this game is in MAME, but I am a big fan of the series and characters.  I own the 3 RPGs for the PCE and the fourth for Saturn, and I always wanted to pick this one up along with the PCFX fighter.  It's pretty awesome that TM got the proper fighting game treatment.

[seieienbu]

My primary experience with this game is in MAME, but I am a big fan of the series and characters.  I own the 3 RPGs for the PCE and the fourth for Saturn, and I always wanted to pick this one up along with the PCFX fighter.  It's pretty awesome that TM got the proper fighting game treatment.

I don't know very much about this game as I don't own it but I'm pretty sure that the Neo Geo game Kabuki Klash is entirely different.

[esteban]

I am not a big fan of the vs. fighting genre, but I love the character designs in this game.

But, if you were to ask me to evaluate the fighting mechanics and whether all the characters are balanced...

...yeah, those are the nuances that someone else can provide.

OBLIGATORY ADS (the ads are kool! Dammit!)

https://archives.tg-16.com/DENGEKI/1995-04/1995_04_kabuki.jpg

 

[johnnykonami]

My primary experience with this game is in MAME, but I am a big fan of the series and characters.  I own the 3 RPGs for the PCE and the fourth for Saturn, and I always wanted to pick this one up along with the PCFX fighter.  It's pretty awesome that TM got the proper fighting game treatment.

I don't know very much about this game as I don't own it but I'm pretty sure that the Neo Geo game Kabuki Klash is entirely different

Wow, there I go putting my foot in my mouth again!  You are right, and that is completely awesome because that makes this a game I have never played now.  I always thought this was a port of Kabuki Klash.  I definitely have to get that arcade card now...

[Sadler]

Awesome! I guess I should disclose this is the only Tengai Makyo game I've played. 

Here's a good FAQ for the game.

Kabuki is a pretty good Ken/Ryu analogue.

[seieienbu]

Okay, I broke down and bought a copy off ebay but it won't get here for a while.  I may play via slightly more illicit means so I can join in the fun this week. 

A couple of questions, how many buttons does this game use?  Is there a training mode?

[CrackTiger]

Okay, I broke down and bought a copy off ebay but it won't get here for a while.  I may play via slightly more illicit means so I can join in the fun this week. 

A couple of questions, how many buttons does this game use?  Is there a training mode?

I don't know if any fighting games except maybe one or two (Weapon Lord?) had a training mode back then. This was during  the earliest days of the Saturn/Playstation.

It plays just like SFII, so 3 punches + 3 kicks.

[csgx1]

Great game, looks nice and controls well.  Special moves are easy to do.  Combos for some characters are a little hard to connect.  I like how you can quickly counter with a special move when blocking attacks.   Helps to not get stuck in a corner when the enemy is spamming attacks.

Its not too difficult on the default setting except for the last boss.  Last boss is quite cheap, almost like an SNK fighter boss.

[NecroPhile]

Kabuki is my second favorite vs. fighter, right behind Godzilla.  It does everything right - looks beautiful, good tunes, controls great, and a healthy variety of characters and special moves.  The only thing that doesn't work for me is the desperation moves, which I can't pull off consistently while the cpu hammers away with 'em.

[A Black Falcon]

I do have this game.  It's definitely a lot like SF2, yeah.  It isn't as good as SFII, and I probably also like World Heroes 2 more, but it is a pretty good game for sure.  It's too bad that Hudson didn't make any more fighting games for the system after this game in early '95, more SNK games or something would have been great -- the system needed Samurai Shodown, every other platform got the game and it's fantastic!

Anyway, Kabuki Itoryoudan is pretty good, but I probably would like it more if I knew the characters, but the source games are kind of hard to enjoy thanks to the language barrier... still, it's fun stuff.  Between this and the Tengai Makyou fighting game for Neo-Geo, I"m not sure which is better -- they're both pretty good.  That one obviously looks better though, it is on Neo-Geo.  It plays differently, though, which is probably an advantage for this game -- I love SF2.

[esteban]

I do have this game.  It's definitely a lot like SF2, yeah.  It isn't as good as SFII, and I probably also like World Heroes 2 more, but it is a pretty good game for sure.  It's too bad that Hudson didn't make any more fighting games for the system after this game in early '95, more SNK games or something would have been great -- the system needed Samurai Shodown, every other platform got the game and it's fantastic!

Anyway, Kabuki Itoryoudan is pretty good, but I probably would like it more if I knew the characters, but the source games are kind of hard to enjoy thanks to the language barrier... still, it's fun stuff.  Between this and the Tengai Makyou fighting game for Neo-Geo, I"m not sure which is better -- they're both pretty good.  That one obviously looks better though, it is on Neo-Geo.  It plays differently, though, which is probably an advantage for this game -- I love SF2.

Hudson eventually made Bloody Roar.

[Dicer]

Fun game, makes me wish we got a bit more out of the ole AC, I think if it had more time we would have had some spectacular looking titles, this one is no slouch...

[CrackTiger]

Did any other console-based fighting game besides Eternal Champions CD have as much player animation as Itouryoden?

[Sadler]

An unfortunate side note: I discovered my Arcade Card Duo doesn't work anymore. Fortunately I've got an Arcade Card Pro that does still work.

[csgx1]

Sorry to hear about your Arcade Duo card dying.  I know how you feel, my Duo card stopped working many years ago.  Arcade games would still load but will always glitch and/or freeze.  Any idea on what happened to yours?

[geise]

Did any other console-based fighting game besides Eternal Champions CD have as much player animation as Itouryoden?

You mean for that generation and not counting neo-geo?  If so I would more than likely say no.  I never cared for Eternal Champions but yeah it did have a lot of nice animation.

[CrackTiger]

Did any other console-based fighting game besides Eternal Champions CD have as much player animation as Itouryoden?

You mean for that generation and not counting neo-geo?  If so I would more than likely say no.  I never cared for Eternal Champions but yeah it did have a lot of nice animation.

I mean 16-bit games developed for consoles. The AES/CD don't have any original fighting games.

[seieienbu]

I recall Weaponlord having a lot of animation.  More than Itouryoden?  Well, still haven't played it so I can't really comment...

[CrackTiger]

I recall Weaponlord having a lot of animation.  More than Itouryoden?  Well, still haven't played it so I can't really comment...

Weaponlord for Genesis (not SNES) looks above average for fighters overall and is great as an original game.

Although Itouryoden does have a good amount of frames, it's the quality of the animation which makes it look extremely smooth and natural. All the more impressive considering the level of shading.

[A Black Falcon]

Hudson eventually made Bloody Roar.

Ugh. Bloody Roar... that series is basically like Toshinden or Tekken but maybe even worse.  I don't like it at all.  How did Hudson go from the unoriginal but fun Kabuki Ittoryoudan and the TCD SNK games to that thing?  Too bad...

[nectarsis]

Underrated gem with a superb cast.

[esteban]

Underrated gem with a superb cast.

I hope you are talking about Kabuki Itoryodan and not Bloody Roar!

Hudson eventually made Bloody Roar.

Ugh. Bloody Roar... that series is basically like Toshinden or Tekken but maybe even worse.  I don't like it at all.  How did Hudson go from the unoriginal but fun Kabuki Ittoryoudan and the TCD SNK games to that thing?  Too bad...

Yup.  The sad decline...

[SignOfZeta]

Did any other console-based fighting game besides Eternal Champions CD have as much player animation as Itouryoden?

You mean for that generation and not counting neo-geo?  If so I would more than likely say no.  I never cared for Eternal Champions but yeah it did have a lot of nice animation.

I mean 16-bit games developed for consoles. The AES/CD don't have any original fighting games.

I don't understand this. As far as I know they are ALL original, unless you consider the MVS release to be a port!? That wouldn't make much sense. While they are technically different releases, they are %99-100 the exact same code running on the exact same chips. The ROMs are usually identical.

[nectarsis]

Underrated gem with a superb cast.

I hope you are talking about Kabuki Itoryodan and not Bloody Roar

Indeed lol

[CrackTiger]

Did any other console-based fighting game besides Eternal Champions CD have as much player animation as Itouryoden?

You mean for that generation and not counting neo-geo?  If so I would more than likely say no.  I never cared for Eternal Champions but yeah it did have a lot of nice animation.

I mean 16-bit games developed for consoles. The AES/CD don't have any original fighting games.

I don't understand this. As far as I know they are ALL original, unless you consider the MVS release to be a port!? That wouldn't make much sense. While they are technically different releases, they are %99-100 the exact same code running on the exact same chips. The ROMs are usually identical.

I'm talking about games which were not made for the arcade. The AES didn't receive anything that wasn't made specifically for arcades. The Neo Geo CD at least has Sumrai Spirits Bushido Retsuden and maybe another game or two designed specifically for console only. Most of its exclusives are unreleased MVS games.

[o.pwuaioc]

Did any other console-based fighting game besides Eternal Champions CD have as much player animation as Itouryoden?

You mean for that generation and not counting neo-geo?  If so I would more than likely say no.  I never cared for Eternal Champions but yeah it did have a lot of nice animation.

I mean 16-bit games developed for consoles. The AES/CD don't have any original fighting games.

I don't understand this. As far as I know they are ALL original, unless you consider the MVS release to be a port!? That wouldn't make much sense. While they are technically different releases, they are %99-100 the exact same code running on the exact same chips. The ROMs are usually identical.

I'm talking about games which were not made for the arcade. The AES didn't receive anything that wasn't made specifically for arcades. The Neo Geo CD at least has Sumrai Spirits Bushido Retsuden and maybe another game or two designed specifically for console only. Most of its exclusives are unreleased MVS games.

Crossed Swords II, but that's available for I think both the MVS and AES now.

[CrackTiger]

Crossed Swords II seemed like one of those canceled/held back MVS releases, like Ironclad.