Power Instinct
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Power Instinct (豪血寺一族 Goketsuji Ichizoku?) is a fighting game series created by Atlus released in 1993.
The Power Instinct series (often abbreviated as PI or GI for short) is renowned for its more humorous take on fighting games, its music and its weird characters. A lot of the characters tend to be broad caricatures of known fighting game characters.
One of the innovations unique to the series was the introduction of the transformation feature. Otane, Kinta, Kanji and Kurara can change their appearance and fighting style by simply executing certain moves (usually a throwing move), though this hasn't been featured in every entry in the series. Other features include the ability to perform a double jump and attacking while dashing.
While the series has never been on the same level of success as The King of Fighters or Street Fighter outside of Japan, which mostly dominated the fighting game market, it has achieved quite a cult following in recent times.
[edit] Games
| Power Instinct | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Atlus |
| Publisher(s) | Atlus |
| Designer(s) | Atlus |
| Release date(s) | November 1993 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Super Nintendo, Sega Mega Drive |
| Input | 8-way joystick, 4 buttons |
| Arcade cabinet | Upright |
| Arcade display | Horizontally oriented, 320 × 224, 2048 palette colors |
[edit] Power Instinct (Goketsuji Ichizoku)
The first game of the series was released in 1993. It has eight selectable characters and one boss, Oume, a palette-swap of Otane. Originally, every character had a specific win quote for each defeated foe, but that was reduced to only one win quote for each character in the English version.
This game was ported to Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis and were included some new play modes: Vs. Battle, Practice Mode, Time Attack and a "Life Attack" that consists of defeating as many opponents as possible with just one life bar (Similar to the Survival Modes seen in other fighting games.). Additionally, the Super Famicom version has a Karaoke Mode with the lyrics for the songs "Tatanka no Uta" and "Otoko no Karatemichi".
Other differences between the Super Nintendo and Super Famicom versions are: In the Super Nintendo version the endings are replaced by the character portraits used in the pre-fight screen, while in the latter the endings are still present, though slightly different from those in the original arcade version, and are drawn in a style similar to the endings from Power Instinct 2.
Story
Those of our clan inherit the fighting spirit of our bloodline.
"Goketsuji"
The name responsible for the ongoing feud for control of the clan.
As outlined in the family code, the bloodline must continue to grow even stronger and eliminate all those who are weak.
The Goketsuji Clan is currently the 3rd wealthiest family in the world. As a result, there are many who seek control of the clan and the family fortune.
Some train endlessly building up their strength, others polish up their fighting skills with experience, and still others concentrate on their fighting spirit, all for control of the clan.
Because there were so many fighters vying for control of the clan Oshima, the 3rd Goketsuji Leader, declared the following to all:
The clan will hold a fighting tournament every 5 years.
The winner of this "test of strength" tournament will assume immediate control of the Goketsuji clan until the next tournament, at which time seat for control will be open once again. Any member with blood ties to the clan may enter.
- Decreed this day in the 14th year of the Taisho era -
And presently..............
Gameplay
The game uses a four button layout, two buttons for punches and two for kicks. Every character has their own stage, attacks and special moves. The special moves are performed via combinations of joystick movements and buttons.
All the stages are wider than they look. When the objects in the corners are broken, the stage itself is expanded upon, making a bigger playing field.
The player will fight against all the characters and, every four matches, will have the chance to play one of two bonus stages. One of them consists of knocking away Kurokos who run into the screen, and the other involves breaking jars tossed from around the screen in certain orders.
When all the characters have been defeated, the player will go on to face Oume, the current clan leader, and once she is defeated, the ending for that character is shown.
Staff
Producer: Fuuuu
Sub-Producer: Chuuko
Programmers: Mako MK2, 680*0 Freak Yan
Sound: Dencyu
Front Designers: Pa Pi Pu Pe, Masada-M, Super K!, Yie-Yah!, Ohryu-S
Back Designers: [Chikuwa] Henacyoko, Moto. I, Range, Asaki
| Power Instinct 2 | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Atlus/CAVE |
| Publisher(s) | Atlus |
| Designer(s) | Atlus |
| Release date(s) | April 1994 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, PlayStation |
| Input | 8-way joystick, 4 buttons |
| Arcade cabinet | Upright |
| Arcade system(s) | CAVE 1st generation |
| Arcade display | Horizontally oriented, 320 × 240, 10240 palette colors |
[edit] Power Instinct 2 (Goketsuji Ichizoku 2 Chottodake Saikyou Densetsu)
- Power Instinct 2 features five new characters, giving a total of 13 playable characters and one boss (Otane Goketsuji)
- Introduction of the "Stress" meter into the series, which increases when one's attacks are blocked or when attacked. A super attack can be executed when it is full. In addition, when the Stress meter fills up, a character becomes engulfed in a flame of their own energy for a brief moment, which protects from any incoming attacks from the opponent and knocks them away if they are too close.
- The version for the PlayStation was only released in Japan and has some characteristics from Power Instinct Legends, like the team battle and the possibility to play as Chuck and Kuroko, but these features are only available for Versus (player vs player) mode.
Story
Oume Gouketsuji, Leader of the Goketsuji clan for the last 60 years, finally was defeated by her younger sister, Otane, the day where she surpassed her older sister finally had arrived.
One night, Oshima Goketsuji unexpectedly appeared in front of Oume and offered her help to take revenge of Otane.
According to the rules of the clan, if the leader dies or quit, one new tournament should be held immediately to find a successor.
That same night Oshima and Oume sent their servants to dispose of Otane, so while Otane slept, she was kidnapped and thrown to the ocean.
Next day Kuroko found a letter supposedly written by Otane, where she declined to her right to be the leader of the clan.
One week later all the competitors from the previous tournament and other family members were convoke to be informed about Otane's decision and the beginning of a new tournament.
Staff
Producer : Tama
Sub producer : Chuuko
Main programmers : Mako MKIISR, Shuhta. Garyuh ?!, >Nari Chan
Sub programmers : Toshiya, Jake
Sound : Dencyu
Object designers : M. Masada, Yie-Yan-II, Pa Pi Pu Pe, N.I-1486-7, Man Man-Chan, Haruko Chan, Pochi, Suzuki
Scroll designers : Moto. I, Araki-Dorifu, Range, Asaki, naru, Monko, Yu-Ki, Chuuko, Mid
Planners : Super-K!, Markey, Helen
Voices : Mitsuishi Kotono, Ryusei Yaro, Aihara, Chuuko, Pa Pi Pu Pe, Dencyu
| Power Instinct Legends | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Atlus |
| Publisher(s) | Atlus |
| Designer(s) | Atlus |
| Release date(s) | 1995 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Input | 8-way joystick, 4 buttons |
| Arcade cabinet | Upright |
| Arcade system(s) | CAVE 1st generation |
| Arcade display | Horizontally oriented, 320 × 240, 10240 palette colors |
[edit] Power Instinct Legends (Goketsuji Gaiden: Saikyou Densetsu)
- The battles are in teams of two characters, a leader and a partner.
- Super Kurara and Pochi are individual characters; because of this, Kurara and Kinta gained new moves. Otane is also made playable, bringing the cast to 16 characters.
- A Super Block and a Charge Attack was brought into the gameplay. A Super Block can nullify the opponent's blow and allow for a counter attack, and a Charge Attack can immediately knock down the opponent or launch them into the air for another attack.
- There is one new playable character (Kuroko) and a new boss (Chuck).
- All of characters were given new special attacks. However, a majority of them were exclusive only to this game.
Story
Otane Goketsuji, leader of the Goketsuji clan was kidnapped. A new tournament was held to find a successor. Otane managed to arrive at the tournament to defend her title as clan leader against the winner of the tournament. Unfortunately to Otane, she was too tired to fight and was defeated by Kokuin Kanji!
After his victory in the Goketsuji tournament, Kanji taught that would be fun to test the strength of the Goketsuji family members, so he invited them for a new tournament.
"Welcome to the Goketsuji Clan friendly Exhibition Match! As a special guest, I have invited the strongest and most powerful man in the world. Surely none from the Goketsuji clan will be defeated by such an outsider.
Let the game begins! -Kanji"
Staff
Producer : Chuuko
Main Program : Mako MkIITr, Shuhta. Garyuh, Narita Seiji
Sub Program : Toshiya, Jake, M.Y
Object Design : M. Masada, Yie_Yan_II, Suzuki, Pa Pi Pu Pe, N. I_1496_7, Manman_Chan, Pochi, Haruko, Chan
Scroll Design : Moto. I, Range, Araki_Dorifu, Asaki, Naru, Monko, Yu_Ki, Chuuko, Wife_K.
Sub Designer : Brook, Subtle. Y, You, Shiina
Sound: Dencyu
Planner : Super_K!, Markey, Heren, Komori, Bugta
Voices : Mitsuishi Kotono, Ryusei Yaro, Aihara, Chuuko, Pa Pi Pu Pe
| Groove on Fight | |
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| Developer(s) | Atlus |
| Publisher(s) | Atlus |
| Designer(s) | Atlus |
| Release date(s) | April, 1997 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Sega Saturn |
| Input | 8-way joystick, 6 buttons |
| Arcade cabinet | Upright |
| Arcade system(s) | Sega Titan Video |
| Arcade display | Horizontally oriented, 704 × 513, 6144 palette colors |
[edit] Groove on Fight (Groove on Fight Goketsuji Ichizoku 3)
The story of this sequel of the Power Instinct series takes place 20 years after the last Goketsuji tournament. It also has a darker and more serious tone than its predecessors, similar to that of Darkstalkers, but still maintains a little of the same humor that is particular to the series.
The players can choose from eleven characters, all of them, save Otane/Oume, being new. The graphic style of Groove on Fight is very different from its predecessors, as the sprites are smaller, but are more fluid and have an animated look to them.
In the Sega Saturn port of the game, many animation frames were cut, but it included some interesting features like being able to play as Damian, Bristol Weller and Bristol-D once the player beats the game with certain characters, the possibility of four players to play at the same time by way of the Saturn's multi-tap and an "Omake Mode" where the players can view artwork of the characters for the game. The Saturn version also features an arranged version of the soundtrack that has some new music themes that were not present in the original, like the theme "Mystic" and the vocal version of the title song.
Story
The weak shouldn't pronounce the name Gouketsuji.
The Gouketsuji family is the wealthiest family in the world. The rules of the clan establish that a fighting tournament must be held once every five years to decide who is going to be the leader.
The winner of this tournament takes absolute control of the immense family fortune. There are not too many people that have won the tournament.
The year 2015. The date for the next Gouketsuji tournament is approaching. Oume Gouketsuji, winner of the last tournament, aware of her deteriorated physical strength, decided to look for her younger sister Otane to offer to her share the leadership of the clan. However the Gouketsuji twins thought that their strength was not enough and decided to ask for the help of an outsider.
This forced them to modify the rules of the tournament, allowing the participation of people outside the family. Now the twins not only have to retain their leadership, they also have to defend the clan against a rival family that wants the destruction of the Gouketsuji clan.
Gameplay
Gameplay is in a 2-on-2 format with the ability to tag in and out at any time between players. Every time the player tag successfully between characters, the character who is one the sidelines slowly begins to get his or her energy back.
At difference of the previous games, Groove on Fight has a six buttons system. The two new buttons are for "Dodge" and for the "Powerful Blow" the "Dodge" allows the characters to evade attacks and then counterattack the opponent.
The "Powerful Blow" is an attack that inflicts more damage to the opponent than the normal strong attacks, but is also slower. The special guard and the shadow moves from Power Instinct Legends are still present in the game and some other new characteristics were introduced to the gameplay:
Body Toss: The character throws the body of a defeated character at the opponent.
Taunt: Pressing the start button will taunt the opponent. Introduced for the first time in the series.
Unblockable Attack: Each character has his/her own Unblockable Attack. This attack is very slow, but if hits cause a great amount of damage to the opponent.
Partner Attack: The character that is not fighting will perform a jump-in attack from the sidelines.
Dual Combo: Is a series of attacks performed by the two characters at the same time. This requires one level of the Stress meter.
Pounce: Pressing up + Light kick, Hard Kick, as soon as the character knocks an opponent down, will attack the downed foe.
Staff
Planer : Super_K, Bugta +, Heren
Designers : YN_Dessy, Pa Pi Pu Pe, Range, Moto, Satoru. Y,
Mamoru. K, Uhio, H. Morita, Asaki, Mandai, Monko, Y. Ogawa
Programmers: Missile, Toshiya, M. Yamasaki
Sound Creator: Dencyu
Helpers: M. Masada, Markey, Komori
Scenery: Clark Kent CO. LTD
| Power Instinct Matrimelee | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Noise Factory |
| Publisher(s) | SNK Playmore |
| Designer(s) | Noise Factory |
| Release date(s) | 2002 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Platform(s) | Arcade |
| Input | 8-way joystick, 4 buttons |
| Arcade cabinet | Upright |
| Arcade system(s) | Neo-Geo (646 Mbit cartridge) |
| Arcade display | Horizontally oriented, 320 × 224, 4096 palette colors |
[edit] Power Instinct Matrimelee (Shin Goketsuji Ichizoku: Toukon Matrimelee)
- This new sequel features 4 totally new characters and one new boss (Princess Sissy).
- Jimmy, Elias, Lynn and Jones from Rage of the Dragons are guest stars, and are unlockable. A few of the game elements were borrowed from this same game as well.
- Transformations were excluded, and Angela Belti, Kinta Kokuin, Oshima Goketsuji, and Sahad Asran Ryuto do not appear from PI2.
- The Stress meter now could be filled up to three levels. Every character has a Stress Shot (1 bar), an Ippatsu Ougi (2 bars) and a powerful, hidden super attack called a Kinjite (3 bars). However, only a few of the Kinjite moves are known; information on the rest have not been released by Atlus or Noise Factory.
- It was one of the last few games to be released on the Neo-Geo.
Story
The king of Certain Country wants to find a worthy successor for the throne and the ideal husband for his little daughter (or a beautiful and strong woman for his older son) So he holds a fighting tournament where the prize is the hand of the princess and the throne succession.
Staff
Producer : Keiko Ijuu
Directors : Keiko Ijuu, Marohie. M
Sub directors : Hidenari Mamoto, 55
Main programmers : Hidenari Mamoto
Sub programmers : Kazuaki Ezato, H. Hishikawa
Character designers : Marochie. M, Super Dotter K', Dessy, Shio Shio, Orie Kinugasa
Background designers : Miyukichi, Miyavi, Kuramoyan
Illustration : Range Murata, Tomokazu Nakano, Ooma Bunshichiro
Sound producer : Studio Aqua
Vocalists : Dencyu, Masanosuke Fujiwara, Momoeika, Ryuji Mutou, Moamo & Cheiko, Uchida, Nami Matusima, Aya Fujimoto
Voice actors : R. Riken, Shinya Moriguchi, Akihisa Muramoto, N. Chinatsu, Mina Yamamoto, Nahomi, Ikuro .I, Sayaka Misimura, Aumi Jinga
| Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku Bonnou no Kaihou | |
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| Developer(s) | Noise Factory |
| Publisher(s) | Noise Factory, Excite |
| Distributor(s) | Noise Factory |
| Release date(s) | May 25, 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Versus fighting game |
| Mode(s) | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Input | 8-way Joystick, 4 Buttons |
[edit] Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku: Bonnou no Kaihou (Liberation of Lusts)
- The sequel of Power Instinct Matrimelee. It features enhanced graphics and sound, the return of Angela Belti and Kinta Kokuin, a new boss, and the return of the transformation feature. Gameplay was also improved in some areas, and super attacks were made easier to execute.
- The game also features an online mode and a 'Lust Cards System' that consists of buying cards with special effects. Some allow the player to change certain characteristics of the characters, others are used to view special music video clips, and others to call strange characters to help the player in battle.
- The game has the same backgrounds and all the characters from Matrimelee, and because of that it is usually described as a port of the game, while in fact the game's story takes place after the events from the previous game, making it a sort of sequel or update.
- Bonnou no Kaihou was released only in Japan, much to the chagrin of international fans. It is possible that this is due to the very little chance of marketing the game has outside of its country.
- Ignition, a company that helped to publish the game, has explained there are currently no plans to release the game outside of Japan.
Story
Princess Sissy was sad. She just couldn't forget the excitement of the Matrimelee tournament. The King, worried about the emotional state of his daughter (Who is usually joyful and vigorous) invited the world's strongest fighters to his country to convince them to enter to a new tournament, the "Bonnou Kaihou" tournament.
This time the prize is anything that the winner could wish for (Except the throne succession). When the King told Sissy about the Bonnou no Kaihou tournament, her characteristic smile returned to her face, finally she will once again have that feeling that is present only in battle.
[edit] Related Products
- Gouketsuji Ichizoku: The Novel
Release Date: 1995
Publisher: WANI BOOKS
It is a novel of 253 pages that relate the history of the Goketsuji family. The book contains some art made by Range Murata.
- Gouketsuji Ichizoku: THE CD-ROM
Release Date: December 9, 1998
Publisher: Toshiba Emi
Is a CD- ROM for PC and MAC. It contains information about the series like: characters profiles , correlation diagram, the family lineage, rejected designs, sounds and artwork. Also has wallpapers and screen savers.
- Gouketsuji Ichizoku original soundtrack
Release Date: January 21, 1994
Publisher: Pony Canyon / Scitron
It contains 20 tracks, voices and sound effects from the game.
- Gouketsuji Ichizoku 2 original Soundtrack
Release Date: December 16, 1994
Publisher: Pony Canyon / Scitron
It contains 37 tracks, voices and sound effects from the game
- Gouketsuji Ichizoku Saikyou Densetsu original soundtrack
Release Date: September 21, 1995
Publisher: Pony Canyon / Scitron
It contains 32 tracks, voices and sound effects from the game
- Groove on Fight original soundtrack
Release Date: June 18, 1997
Publisher: Pony Canyon / Scitron
It contains 24 tracks, voices and sound effects from the game
- Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku Toukon Matrimelee original soundtrack'
Release date: 2003
Publisher: Noise Factory
It Contains 31 tracks from the game.
- Gouketsuji Ichizoku CD-BOX
In January of 2005, Noise Factory released a box set containing all the soundtracks from the Gouketsuji Ichizoku series. The Box set included a 2005 calendar featuring art from the series. The difference about these CDs and the original releases is that these does not include the sound effects collection and the Groove on Fight's CD has the arranged tracks from the Sega Saturn.
[edit] References
- Power Instinct Booklet
- Goketsuji Ichizoku 2 Booklet (PlayStation)
- Groove on Fight guide book
[edit] In Culture
Recently, the song Let's Go Necromancer! ("Let's Go Onmyoji") has been becoming a bit of a fad among the internet media community. Its music video from Bonnou no Kaihou has been mixed with a number of various other openings and music videos from other anime, starting with a video that mixed it with a musical Touhou flash movie known as Marisa Stole The Precious Thing. [1]
[edit] Trivia
- Literally translated, the Japanese title of the series is "Goketsuji Family". In that vein, there are apparently many alternate spellings of the name Goketsuji.
- Range Murata has provided the character art and illustrations for the Power Instinct series since its debut.
- The music was done by Toshikazu Tanaka, who also did the music for The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact, Metal Slug 5, and Rage of the Dragons. Mr. Tanaka is always credited as "Dencyu" in all his works for the Gouketsuji Ichizoku series, though in Groove On Fight he was simply listed as "Mr. Tanaka".
- In the PlayStation RPG Persona, the hero's alternate self in the Well of Mind and Souls is seen playing Groove-On Fight.
- A year after Power Instinct 2, Atlus released Purikura Daisakusen, a shooter/plataform game with Kurara Hananokoji as the protagonist of her own game.
- There have been some fans of the series who express criticism of Noise Factory's handling with it when Atlus collaborated with them to make Power Instinct Matrimelee. Some feel that it "jumped the shark", especially with the overly-complicated input commands to execute more advanced super moves, which in the heat of the battle only make it harder to play the game, whereas in the previous games the learning curve was much simpler. Thankfully, this problem was addressed and fixed in Bonnou no Kaihou, where these moves were made much easier to execute.
- Some North American versions of Matrimelee also had the original music replaced with music from Rage of the Dragons, another game from Noise Factory, which was also met with criticism.
[edit] External links
- Power Instinct at the Killer List of Videogames
- Power Instinct at GameFAQs
- Power Instinct 2 at the Killer List of Videogames
- Power Instinct 2 at GameFAQs
- Power Instinct Legends at the Killer List of Videogames
- Power Instinct Legends at GameFAQs
- Groove on Fight at the Killer List of Videogames
- Power Instinct Matrimelee at the Killer List of Videogames
- Power Instinct Matrimelee at GameFAQs
- Noise Factory
- Atlus Japan
- SNK-Playmore
- Noise Factory's site for Power Instinct Matrimelee (Japanese)
- Classic Gaming's page to Power Instinct (Contains some misinformation and criticism)
- Game Excite's site for Power Instinct Bonnou no Kaihou (Japanese)
- Noise Factory's site for Power Instinct Bonnou no Kaihou (Japanese)
