SAMURAI SHODOWN: WARRIORS' RAGE 2 FAQ v0.2 aka "Yomigaerishi Soukou no Yaiba" (Revival of Blue and Red Blades) FAQ written by Chris MacDonald Unpublished work Copyright 2000 Chris MacDonald This FAQ and everything included within this file cannot be reproduced in any way, shape or form (physical, electronical, or otherwise) aside from being placed on a freely-accessible, non-commercial web page in it's original, unedited and unaltered format. This FAQ cannot be used for profitable purposes (even if no money would be made from selling it) or promotional purposes. It cannot be used in any sort of commercial transaction. It cannot be given away as some sort of bonus, gift, etc., with a purchase as this creates incentive to buy and is therefore prohibited. Furthermore, this FAQ cannot be used by the publishers, editors, employees or associates, etc. of any company, group, business, or association, etc., nor can it be used by game sites and the like. It cannot be used in magazines, guides, books, etc. or in any other form of printed or electronic media (including mediums not specifically mentioned) in ANY way, shape, or form (including reprinting, reference or inclusion), without the express written permission of the author, myself. This FAQ was created and is owned by me, Chris MacDonald. All copyrights and trademarks are acknowledged and respected that are not specifically mentioned in this FAQ. To continue, this FAQ and everything included herein is protected by the Berne Copyright Convention of 1976, not to mention International Copyright Law. Please remember that plagiarism is against the law. I will take appropriate action against transgressors, period (the same goes for people who put this up on web pages claiming it's their FAQ). As an added reminder, this FAQ is _not_ to be used by any freelance writer for, or staff member of, the Ziff-Davis Video Game Group (publishers of EGM, Expert Gamer, etc.), Future Publishing, Ltd. (publishers of PlayStation Power, Official UK PlayStation Magazine, etc.), IDG Media, and Game 13th. All of them publish magazines that have ripped from my FAQs in the past, so please don't buy any of their publications unless you like rooting for grown men and women who have no respect for the law, not to mention another person's hard work. The same applies to Tips and Tricks Magazine, who ripped from my SFEX+A FAQ a while ago, and to Game Cave, which was giving away my FF7 FAQ some time ago. TO PUT IT SIMPLY: DON'T STEAL ANYTHING FROM THIS FAQ, DON'T USE IT FOR A PROFITABLE PURPOSE, AND DON'T REPRODUCE IT IN ANY PUBLICATION! God, I sound so rude... ;) Anyway, the Samurai Shodown series and all related material is (c) SNK of Japan and (c) SNK of America. The latest version of this FAQ can be found at: -------------------------------------------------------------------- my homepage i.am/kao GameFAQs www.gamefaqs.com ================= TABLE OF CONTENTS ================= 1. HOW TO PLAY 2. CHARACTER MOVESLIST - Garyo the Whirlwind - Haito Kanakura - Hanzo Hattori - Haomaru - Jin-emon Hanafusa - Jushiro Sakaki - Ran Po - Rinka Yoshino - Saya - Seishiro Kuki - Yaci Izanagi 3. HIDDEN CHARACTER MOVESLIST - Brute - Daruma - Iga Ninjas - Mikoto - Minto - Mugenji - Oboro's Amazons - Samurai - Seishiro Kuko - Tashon Mao - Tohma Kuki - Yuda 4. GAMEPLAY NOTES 5. MISCELLANEOUS - Extra Stuff - Translations 6. AUTHOR'S NOTE - Special Thanks - Revision History Right off the bat, I have to say that this game bites, big time. It may be the worst SNK game ever made, and it certainly is one of the lamest PlayStation fighters out there (graphics suck, music bites, there's lots of slowdown, the gameplay is disjointed and the control is a little floaty). What's worse, most of the hidden characters either have the exact same moves as other characters, or else they don't have any special or super moves at all! Nevermind the fact that the last boss (Oboro) is not even playable. I haven't felt this strongly about a bad game since I rented Budokan for the Genesis years ago. ;) This FAQ is mainly for those of you who bought the game by accident and want to get _something_ out of it, like testing out each character's moves or something. If you downloaded this FAQ because you're thinking of buying the game, I can tell you right now that you should save your money for something more worthwhile. ======================================================================== 1. INTRODUCTION ======================================================================== Here's the introduction taken from SNK of Japan's website, found at: (http://www.neogeo.co.jp). Since the translation was pretty bad, I reworded some of the text to make it more understandable. WHAT IS RITEN-KYO? During the Edo period, the Shogunate created a thug's lair on a small island in the nearby seas to accomodate and to rehabilitate prisoners. But some plotted to destroy the Shogunate using the thug's lair to reshape a new country with the leader of their choosing. They are called the "Hagyo Razor Trio". They extendrf their power, attacting thousands of prisoners with their strength. In the thug's lair, the strong preyed upon the weak and law of any kind disappeared over time. The place became known as "Riten-Kyo". THE STORY OF THE BEGINNING Three people are looking down at the city from a hill. One of them is a man who possesses a long sword, and another is a fair and fasicinating woman. One thing common to them is tha they both have red eyes. Behind them stands an old man. He seems calm-hearted. The woman speaks, "Some nuisances are entering Riten-Kyo now." The tall man responds: "We don't need to go to them. Our enemies themselves will come to where we are. Peace will visit them in the end." Each with their own motives, warriors gather in Riten-Kyo for a great battle. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO PLAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This section outlines the basic controls for all characters: [ Controller Layout ] ------------------------------------------------- ub u uf Jump Up-Back Jump Up Jump Up-Forward \ | / b -- n -- f Walk Back / Block Neutral Walk Forward / | \ db d df Crouch / Low Block Crouch Offensive Crouch [ Button Layout ] ----------------------------------------------------- L2 R2 No use No use L1 R1 No use No use (T) Strong Slash (S) (O) Weak Slash Evade (X) Kick Attack [ FAQ Abbreviations ] ------------------------------------------------- qcf / qcb Roll (d,df,f) or (d,db,b) on the control pad. hcf / hcb Roll (b,db,d,df,f) or (f,df,d,db,b) on the control pad. R! Can only be used when the Rage Gauge is maxed out. L! Can only be used when your Life Gauge is flashing red. Slash Press S or T. [ Basic Moveslist ] --------------------------------------------------- Weak Slash Press S Strong Slash Press T Overhead Slash Press f + S Alternate Slash Press f + T Kick Attack Press X Knockback Kick Press f + X Evade Press O Standing Block Hold b when attacked Crouching Block Hold db when attacked High Weapon Knocker Press b just before you're attacked Low Weapon Knocker Press db just before you're attacked High Stumble Forward Press f as you're attacked Low Stumble Forward Press df or d as you're attacked Push Forward When close, press SX at the same time Push Behind When close, press b + SX at the same time Stun Attack Press ST at the same time (costs 1 Rage level) Pursuit Attack Press db~df + Slash / X when your enemy is down Forward Get-Up Roll Press and hold f when knocked down Backward Get-Up Roll Press and hold f when knocked down Sword Clash Contest Tap any button rapidly when your swords clash Weapon Pick-Up Press Slash when near your lost weapon Weapon-Flipping Tech. Only usable when your body flashing red Secret Concealed Tech Only usable when Life Gauge flashes red Rage Explosion Press any three buttons when Rage Gauge is full Sudden Flash Press any three buttons after Rage Explosion Weapon needed for: Stun Attack, Sword Clash Contest, Weapon-Flipping Technique, Secret Concealed Technique, Rage Explosion, and Sudden Flash. - Every character's f + S attack is an overhead (so it must be blocked with a standing block), but the f + T attack is only an overhead for some characters (see each character's moveslist for details). In a similar vein, the f + X kick will always knock an opponent back, or if they are crouch blocking, will make them stumble back, no matter who you're using. - The Evade does just that--you step out of the way for a brief moment, allowing you to avoid any attack that is aimed at you during that time. - When you block an attack, your opponent's weapon will be knocked back (moreso during a T slash). Some moves can only be blocked high or low, while others are unblockable. - The timing on the Stumble Forward is tricky--you have to press in the direction just as your opponent's attack hits you. If done correctly, you'll avoid their attack, and they will stumble past you as a result. Pressing f counters standing attacks, while using df or d counters low attacks. - The Weapon Knocker works a bit differently; you need to press b or db just before their attack hits. If you did it, you'll see a white flash instead of a blue block flash, and your opponent's weapon will be knocked back, causing them to reel for just a moment (they may reel for a longer period depending on what type of attack was knocked away). Pressing b knocks away standing attacks, while pressing db knocks away low attacks. - The Push moves are unblockable, but they cannot hit crouching enemies. When used, you will grab your opponent and push them in front of you (SX), or spin around and push them away from you (b + SX). Since you recover before they do, you can attack them before they recover. - The Stun Attack does no damage, but a hit opponent will be stunned, giving you a few moments to strike without fear of retaliation. It costs one level of Rage Gauge power to use this move (so, for example, if you had 2.4 levels, you'd be left with 1.4 levels left). It can even be used once your Rage Gauge is full and is now emptying out. - When you and your opponent attack each other with your weapons at the same time, they will usually collide, and you'll both be knocked away a la the Weapon Knocker. However, there's also a chance your weapons will lock together, in which case both characters will draw close and attempt to overpower each other--this is called the Sword Clash Contest. During the contest, the person who taps any button(s) the most number of times will retain their weapon and knock the other person's weapon away. However, it's possible for both characters to lose their weapons at the same time, or for both of them to be knocked away without losing their weapons. Character can no longer get into Sword Clash Contests by dashing into each other (nor will dashing into a weapon attack make you defend against it). - Weapon-Flipping Techniques can only be used when your Rage Gauge has been maxed out (so that your skin is flashing red). Once used, your Rage Gauge empties out. A hit opponent will lose their weapon. - Secret Concealed Techniques can only be used when you're down to one level on your Rage Gauge, and it is flashing red. For some strange reason, after using it once (even if it's blocked or it misses), you have to be damaged (even a tiny sliver of damage will do), before you can use it again, and so on. - The Rage Explosion can only be used when your Rage Gauge has been maxed out (so that your skin is flashing red). When used, your character is surrounded by an explosion that does no damage, but will knock an opponent away. In addition, the background will become a negative image. Now your remaining Rage Gauge power instead becomes a timer, and when it empties, your Rage Gauge is gone for the rest of the battle. While the timer is still counting down, though, you gain all the benefits of the Rage Explosion (see the Gameplay section for details), and you can use the Sudden Flash attack). - The Sudden Flash is a full-screen attack that comes out very quickly. It is blockable, but if it hits, it drains an entire gauge of power. This makes it more desirable to use when an opponent has all three levels of power (because their life gauge is triple the size). When a person's life gauge is only double the size, it will only drain that level. Another drawback is that because it goes by levels, if someone, say, has 2 levels and their life gauge is almost empty, then the Sudden Flash will only take off the tiny remainder, so that they will have 1 level and a full gauge upon recovering. ======================================================================== 2. CHARACTER MOVESLIST ======================================================================== Since the game itself is mostly in Japanese, I'm listing the characters either by their English names, or by the names that appear during a battle. The Japanese names are found in parentheses to the right. For those of you who want to know, the character select screen is set up like so: Jin-emon Hanzo Seishiro Haomaru Saya Ran-Po Yaci Jushiro Rinka Haito Garyo Tohma Mikoto Minto Daruma Tashon Yuuda Ninjas Amazons Samurai Brutes Mugenji S.Kuko Random? This is providing you have all the characters, of course ;) I've included brief descriptions of the character to help you figure out which ones they are. The stories for each character were taken from SNK of Japan's homepage, and like the introduction (found above), were rewritten slightly to make them easier to read. Characters tend to have a lot of attacks in this game, and many of them are series of moves, where you can do one after the other. In order to make the lists more readable, I've attempted to divide them into special moves, special move series, and finally, Weapon-Flipping and Secret Concealed attacks. Characters also have their own names for the basic commands (like a standing T slash, etc.), but I haven't put these in yet because they're not really necessary for the player to know. After the moveslist are notes on using that character, and then a note on whether their T slash is an overhead or not, and which of their crouching attacks hit low and must be crouch blocked. Finally, I've only tested out the characters with their weapons. I have yet to figure out which moves can be used without weapons, and how attacks change when weaponless. That information will not be added in until v0.3 (I'm only one man, y'know). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GARYO THE WHIRLWIND (tsumuji-kaze no garyou) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A really big guy with one arm and a short club. In spite of his looks, this big man is very tender-hearted and amiable. He is the head of a band of thieves, and is called 'Whirlwind' Garyo because of his ability to move quickly. He was caught by the Razor Trio when he went to rescue his men. After learning that they had been killed, he decided to revenge them. Tsumakawashi: Ue qcb + T Tsumakawashi: Shimo qcb + S Gou Kyaku Press S while dashing Kougashira Press T while dashing Tekkai hcb + X Ikkai: Cho Uchi qcf + S Nikai: Sai Uchi qcf + T during Cho Uchi Sankai: Zou Uchi qcf + X during Sai Uchi Dotou hcb + S Tenkuu no Higata b,db,d + S when Dotou hits Naraku no Soko b,db,d + T when Dotou hits Tsurane Gan Kuzushi Tap S rapidly (more than 3 times a sec.) Tsurane Zan Kuzushi Tap T rapidly (more than 3 times a sec.) Monzetsu Tsuki: Fuku Tsubushi qcf + S during Gan Kuzushi / Zan Kuzushi Monzetsu Tsuki: Kei Kudaki qcf + T during Gan Kuzushi / Zan Kuzushi R! Tatsumaki Reppa b,f,df,d + ST (can move around) L! Fuujin no Garyo f,d,df + TS (hold TS to charge) L! Raijin no Garyo f,d,df + press and hold TS Weapon needed for: Stun Attack, Sword Clash Contest, Weapon-Flipping - When the Tekkai is used, lightning bolts will appear on Garyo's body. I can't tell what the purpose of this move is, though. - The Kougashira and Kei Kudaki must be blocked low. - If the Tatsumaki Reppa misses or is blocked, Garyo becomes dizzy. - The Raijin no Garyo is unblockable. f + T overhead d + S / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HAITO NANAKURA (nanakuro haito) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A Yashiro Nanakase clone with one hand in his pocket. He has a cold atmosphere around him which keeps others at bay. He earned his living as a bodyguard, and ingests a powerful drug to alter himself and gain tremendous strength, especially in his arm. Haito goes to the castle to kill The Razor Trio, whom he finds distasteful. Senretsu Jin qcb + Slash Saigai Jin hcf + Slash Onizuki d,d + Slash / X Senshou Jin qcf + Slash Senshou Jin: Shakata f,d,df + Slash Senshou Jin: Hen - Chi qcf + S from qcf + S or f,d,df + S Senshou Jin: Hen - Kuu f,d,df + S from qcf + S or f,d,df + S Shippuu Omote b,db,d + O Shippuu Ri qcb + O Shippuu Ura qcf + O R! Chouryoku Shourai d,d,d + Slash / X L! Tenjou Tenka Iga Dokuson f,hcf + X - After the Onizuki is used, the Senshou Jin and Shakata hit for more damage, and the Senretsu Jin hits many more times. However, the Onizuki doesn't effect the 'Hen' follow-ups, and after any of the above moves are used once, the effect wears off. - The 'Shippuu' moves are teleports. The Omote version moves you in front of an opponent, while using Ri moves you away from your foe, and using Ura makes you appear behind them. - The Saigai Jin is unblockable, as is the last hit of the Chouryoku Shourai. - The Tenjou Tenka Iga Dokuson cannot hit a crouching opponent. f + T overhead d + Slash / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HANZO HATTORI (hattori hanzo) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A ninja wearing armor. He is the mightiest and most awesome member of the Iga Ninja warriors. He is the leader of the Ninja army, who supports the Shogunate from behind the scenes. He goes to Riten-Kyo alone by the command of the Shogunate to investigate. Shizune d,d + X Yagenchou: Men qcf + O Yagenchou: On qcb + O Bunshin Kage: Hidari f,hcf + S Bunshin Kage: Migi f,hcf + T Kage Nui qcf + ST Reppuu Shuriken In air, qcf + Slash You'odo Jump ub against a wall, press uf~df Mozu Otoshi f,d,df + X Kaminari hcb + X Kasumi hcf + X R! Baku'en Mijin Gakure b,f,df,d + ST L! Shin Mozu Otoshi f,d,df + ST - The Yagenchou moves can be used to cartwheel backward or forward. - The Bunshin Kage is a teleportation move. S makes you appear on the left side of your opponent, while T makes you appear on the right side. - An opponent hit by the Kage Nui is momentarily stunned. But if you hit them with the Kage Nui while stunned, they'll simply be knocked backward. - The Reppuu Shuriken must be blocked high. - The You'odo is just an off-the-wall jump. You can use the Reppuu Shuriken after it. - The Mozu Otoshi, Kaminari, and Shin Mozu Otoshi are all unblockable throws. None of them will connect against a crouching opponent, though. f + T overhead d + Slash / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HAOMARU (haoumaru / haohmaru) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Haomaru with long gray hair. He has his own style of sword fighting: bold, yet delicate. He is known as a fierce and legendary warrior. Haomaru fights to stop the destructive crisis from coming into existance. He is being informed by the Holy One, Nakoruru, who also asked him to look for Mikoto. Kogetsu Zan f,d,df + Slash Kogetsu Zan: Sakukou f,d,df + S when Kogetsu Zan hits Zantetsu Sen hcf + Slash Kumei Sen hcb + S Kyokuu Sen hcb + T Chirai Sen hcb + X Meikyou no Kata b,d,db + O after weak Kogetsu Zan, Kumei Sen, Kyokuu Sen, or Chirai Sen Meikyou no Kata: Zenshin Press f during Meikyou no Kata Meikyou no Kata: Koushin Press b during Meikyou no Kata Meikyou no Kata: Modoru Press O during Meikyou no Kata Kazatachi Press S during Meikyou no Kata Kabuto Wari Press T during Meikyou no Kata Kakato Nagi Press X during Meikyou no Kata R! Gouha Tenkou Zan f,hcf + Slash L! Tenha Hashin Ken f,hcf + X - The Chirai Sen must be blocked low, but the Kumei and Kyokuu Sen attacks can be blocked high or low. - The Meikyou no Kata can be used even if the weak Kogetsu Zan or the other attacks hit, miss, or are blocked. In the Meikyou no Kata stance, all Haomaru can do is step backward or forward, and use the Kazatachi, Kabuto Wari, Kakato Nagi, or Modoru. The stance ends when any of thsoe moves are used. - The Kazatachi must be blocked high, while the Kakato Nagi must be blocked low. - The Gouha Tenkou Zan cannot be blocked low. - The Tenha Hashin Ken is unblockable, but doesn't work against a crouching opponent. f + T normal d + S / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JIN-EMON HANAFUSA (hanafusa jin'emon) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Fat bearded guy with a bald head. A great Secret Warrior with a blunt and stubborn character. He fights with a spear to compensate for his short reach. He also goes to Riten- Kyo with Seishiro by the command of the Shogunate to investigate. Kannuki Tetsushi qcf + Slash Hiden Obori f,d,df + Slash Sanshima Oroshi qcb + Slash Kiri Arashi qcb + X Hibari Otoshi hcb + X R! Gourai Souha hcf + S R! Gourai Kuuha hcf + T R! Gourai Gi hcf + X L! Hiden Yoroi Tetsushi b,f,df,d + ST - The Kiri Arashi must be blocked low. - The Hibari Otoshi is unblockable. - The Gourai Souha must be blocked high. - The Gourai Gi is a fake-out move. Seems useless.... - The Hiden Yoroi Tetsushi will not hit a crouching opponent. f + T normal d + Slash / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JUSHIRO SAKAKI (sakaki juushirou) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Has long black hair and a sword with a pistol-end on it. He is a reliable and charismatic man who was once a Secret Warrior of the Shogunate. Jushiro is one of the best Sword Warriors and uses a weapon which is part gun and part sword. To avenge his friend's death, he seeks the castle in which the Razor Trio resides. Tsuigeki: Kinoe f,d,df + S after standing S hits Tsuigeki: Kinoto f,d,df + T after standing T hits Tsuigeki: Inu f,d,df + S after crouching S hits Tsuigeki: Tsuchinoto f,d,df + T after crouching T hits Tsuigeki: Hinoe f,d,df + S after f + S hits Tsuigeki: Hinoto f,d,df + T after f + T hits Chouno Shi: Ganraku no Chi qcf + S Chouno San: Ganraku no Ten qcf + T Heino Roku: Yaku Mikojo qcb + Slash Chouno Go: Kujuu hcf + X Chouno Roku: Kujuu - Tsuigeki Press Slash at last hit of Kujuu Kanno Ichi: Gekibi d,d + Slash / O Otono Ichi: Gekikou Press O during Gekibi Kanno Ichi: Gekibi - Zenbu Press f during Gekibi Kanno Ichi: Gekibi - Koubu Press b during Gekibi Heino Ichi: Ichigeki Press Slash during Gekibi Heino Ni: Juuchou Geki qcf + Slash during Gekibi Heino San: Juuchou Gekinoten f,d,df + S during Gekibi Heino Shi: Juuchou Gekinochi f,d,df + T during Gekibi Heino Go: Rakugeki f,f + Slash / X during Gekibi Chouno Itsu: Tsumuji Yaiba qcb + Slash during Gekibi Chouno Ni: Toudan Press Slash when Tsumuji Yaiba hits R! Heino Shou: Shinkettsu qcf,qcf + Slash L! Heino Kan: Kyoureki f,hcf + Slash - The 'Tsuigeki:' moves are all follow-ups to Jushiro's normal attacks. When done properly, he will follow his attack with a single bullet from the bottom of his sword. Someone who is blocking high can still block the crouching S / T follow-ups, and for someone who is blocking low, the f + S follow-up will miss, and the f + T follow-up only hits from close range. - From maximum distance, the Yaku Mikojo will hit, but the final slash will not. - When the Gekibi is used, Jushiro sheathes his sword. All he can do is walk backwards or forwards, but also has many new moves available to him. The Gekibi moves when you use the Gekikou, Rakugeki, or Toudan. - The Juuchou Gekinochi must be blocked low. - The Rakugeki and Shinkettsu are unblockable, but neither of them can hit a crouching opponent. f + T overhead d + Slash / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RAN PO (ranpou) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A little kid with a big hammer. A boy who acts as he pleases, according to his whims and instinct. He is good at attacks from the air, brandishing his big golden hammer. He goes to Riten-Kyo to look for his sister, Minto. Doryuu Naki qcf + Slash Chotan Gari qcb + Slash Orochi Tsukami: Taichi f,d,df + S Orochi Tsukami: Taikuu f,d,df + T Kaze Nobori In air, press u,u Kaze Watari In air, press f,f Kamome In air, press TO Kamome: Mae Press f during Kamome Kamome: Ushiro Press b during Kamome Suzume Tap O rapidly during Kamome Tonbi Press X during Kamome Tokushuu: Kuchibashi Press d + Slash during Kamome Tokushuu: Tsume Press df + Slash during Kamome Daishuu hcf + X during Kamome (perform 3 times) R! Touyuu f,hcf + T R! Ba-kaeru f,d,df + T when Touyuu hits R! Hikou hcb + T when Ba-kaeru hits L! Kuro Nue hcb,f + T - The Doryuu Naki makes an opponent falter if they are not blocking or are crouch-blocking. The S version does damage from far away, while the T version only does damage if it hits. - The S Chotan Gari must be blocked high, while the T version must be blocked low. - The second spin and falling hit of the Taikuu must be blocked high. - All of the Kamome attacks (excpet the Daishuu) must be blocked high. - The Suzume makes Ran Po hang in air during the Kamome. - The Tonbi is a way to cancel the Kamome, but if Ran Po hits someone on the way down, he'll follow with a weapon attack. - If the Daishuu hits, it's possible to repeat it twice more, but I've only ever gotten it to repeat once. - After the Touyuu, you have to time the Ba-kaeru, or it won't hit. - If you then use the Hikou, you will lose your weapon, whether or not it hits. f + T overhead d + Slash / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RINKA YOSHINO (yoshino rinka) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A young girl with long black hair and a big sword. A girl who doesn't trust others. Her attitude towards people is cold, but she loves animals. Rinka fights in order to revive her father's school of fighting, and to believe in others again. She wields a sword which is much larger than her own body. Tsuyu Mai f,d,df + Slash Shiki: Shou hcb + X Shiki: San Press O during Shiki: Shou Shoufuu Press S during Shiki: Shou Mukitsu Press T during Shiki: Shou Yuu Unchou: Hatsudou b,d,db + Slash Yuu Unchou: Kaijo Press O during Yuu Unchou: Hatsudou Bai / Koubai Press S during Yuu Unchou: Hatsudou Bai / Shirabai Press T during Koubai Sakura / Aiou Press T during Yuu Unchou: Hatsudou Sakura / Kaou Press S during Aiou Sakura / Yuu'ou Press T during Aiou Tsubaki / Sachou Press db~df + Slash during Y.U.: Hatsudou Tsubaki / Sashibu Press S during Sachou Tsubaki / Yuki Chuuka Press T during Sachou Ai'iu: Hatsudou b,d,db + Slash during Y.U.: Hatsudou Ai'iu: Kaijo Press O during Ai'iu: Hatsudou Ou Yoshino qcf + Slash during Ai'iu: Hatsudou Sanchin Press Slash during Ai'iu: Hatsudou R! Kansetsu qcb + OX L! San'ou b,d,db + OX - During the Shiki: Shou, all Yoshino can do is step back or forward, or use the three follow-up attacks. - Rinka is sort of hard to use because most of her moves are series attacks that lead into one another. All the following combinations are written below: b,d,db + Slash -> O b,d,db + Slash -> S -> T b,d,db + Slash -> T -> S b,d,db + Slash -> T -> T b,d,db + Slash -> db~df + Slash -> S b,d,db + Slash -> db~df + Slash -> T b,d,db + Slash -> b,d,db + Slash -> O b,d,db + Slash -> b,d,db + Slash -> Slash b,d,db + Slash -> b,d,db + Slash -> qcf + Slash - The Ou Yoshino is unblockable. - The San'ou must be blocked high. f + T overhead d + S / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SAYA (saya) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A buxom blonde armed with scythes. A woman assassin from a foreign country who never misses her target. She can perform phantasmagoric attacks with her two scythes. Saya heads to the castle to kill Oboro, a member of the Razor Trio. Jinka: Shouyou qcf + S Jinka: Rakuyou qcf + T Kushisou: Ten qcb + S Kushisou: Chi qcb + T Rensha: Onibi hcf + S (hold to lengthen distance) Minamo Barai qcf + X Bu'en f,d,df + X during Minamo Barai Youhen f,d,df + S during Bu'en Katen: Ga f,b,f + S Katen: En f,b,f + T Katen Ga / En Combination 1 Tsuika: Rei Press S from Katen: Ga / Katen: En Tsuika: Shin Press S from Tsuika: Rei Katen Ga / En Combination 2 Tsuika: Rei Press S from Katen: Ga / Katen: En Tsuika: Bu Press T from Tsuika: Rei Katen Ga / En Combination 3 Tsuika: Rin Press T from Katen: Ga / Katen: En Tsuika: Bu Press T from Tsuika: Rin Katen Ga / En Combination 4 Tsuika: Rin Press T from Katen: Ga / Katen: En Tsuika: Shin Press S from Tsuika: Rin Katen Ga / En Combination 5 Tsuika: Yume Press X from Katen: Ga / Katen: En R! Rensha Mikon Retsu hcf + T L! Hyakka Ryouran: Seirai f,d,df + T L! Hyakka Ryouran: Ranshou hcb + O when Seirai hits L! Hyakka Ryouran: Sanka d,d + T when Ranshou hits - The Kushisou moves are counters ('Ten' is high, 'Chi' is low). If Saya catches an attack, she springs up and walks over her opponent's body to land on their other side. - While delaying the Onibi, all Saya can do is press O to evade, move backward or forward, dash, backstep, and jump. Delaying this move does not increase the damage done, just the range. - The 'combination' moves may look confusing, but all it means is that you can do the following follow-up attacks: f,b,f + Slash -> S,S f,b,f + Slash -> S,T f,b,f + Slash -> T,T f,b,f + Slash -> T,S f,b,f + Slash -> X - The Jinka: Rakyou, Minamo Barai, and Tsuika: Yume must be blocked low. - The Onibi and Tsuika: Bu must be blocked high. f + T overhead d + Slash / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SEISHIRO KUKI (kuki seishirou) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Sorta like a young Haohmaru in blue. A young expressionless and silent Sword Warrior. He is gifted in the ability to foretell opponent's moves instantly. He became a Secret Warrior of the Shogunate, suceeding his father. He goes to Riten-Kyo by the command of the Shogunate to investigate. Kuugetsu En f,d,df + Slash Kiren Satsu Press TO (requires a full Rage Gauge) Tourou qcf + Slash Tourou Kage qcb + Slash Tourou Nagi qcf + T when Tourou or Tourou Kage hits Gekkyou Uwagen hcb + X (hcf + X for Kage) Gekkyou Chuugen hcb + T (hcf + T for Kage) Gekkyou Kagen hcb + S (hcf + S for Kage) Yuugetsu (Kage) f,d,df + S after Gekkyou / Kage attacks Meigetsu (Kage) f,d,df + T after Gekkyou / Kage attacks Rakugetsu (Kage) f,d,df + X after Gekkyou / Kage attacks Izayoi (Kage) Automatic after Gekkyou / Kage loop x3 Kaijo (Kage) Press O during any Gekkyou / Kage attack R! Shin Getsu En f,hcf + T L! Ryuusui Resshou Ha f,qcf,d,df + T - After using the Kiren Satsu, your Rage Gauge will slowly empty. - An opponent hit by the Gekkyou moves will be knocked back. The Kage moves do not hit. - When you use the Gekkyou or Kage moves, you will regain a small amount of Rage Gauge energy once they're finished. - During any of the three Gekkyou or Kage attacks, you can input f,d,df + Slash or X for an attack. You can also press O to stop the move; this is instantaneous with the Kage versions, but can only be used after the Gekkyou versions have been going for a few moments. - During any Gekkyou move, you can input a Gekkyou command twice more, which will result in the Izayoi (a slash attack). The same thing applies to the Kage moves. So, it looks a bit like this: hcb + O, hcb + O, hcb + O = Izayoi hcf + X, hcf + T, hcf + S = Izayoi - As you can see, you can do the same version repeatedly, or do it with another version. However, you cannot mix the Gekkyou and Kage moves (so hcb + T, hcf + X, hcb + X wouldn't work). f + T normal d + X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ YACI IZANAGI (izanagi yachi) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A guy in a wetsuit with a kilt. Brutality is in Yaci's nature--he feels pleasure in killing human beings. Yaci earns his living as a bodyguard at Riten-Kyo, and as long as it provides him with pleasure, he will complete any tasks assigned. To take over the position enjoyed by the Razor Trio, he heads to the castle. Ryoujoku-suru Kon: Mukuro qcf + S Ryoujoku-suru Kon: Wadachii qcf + T Ryoujoku-suru Kon: Reimei qcf + X Karisho no Koukotsu qcb + X Fujou-naru Koukotsu qcb + S Kenran-taru Yuuki qcb + T R! Daraku no Koku'in b,hcb + Slash L! Musebi Naku Kyouki f,hcf + Slash - The Wadachii must be blocked low. - The Karisho no Koukotsu is unblockable, but won't hit a crouching opponent. - The Kenran-taru Yuuki will not hit a crouching opponent. - An enemy hit by the Fujou-naru Koukotsu is poisoned. They slowly lose life, but stop losing life once one of their gauges has been emptied out, and if they have no life left, the poison will not kill them. Since the poison works for an entire gauge, try to hit with this move as early as possible in the round ;) f + T normal d + Slash / X hits low ======================================================================== 3. HIDDEN CHARACTER MOVESLIST ======================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BRUTE (gurotsuki) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Bald shirtless guys with what look like barrels around their midsection. A group of ruffians acting violently in Riten-Kyo. (Can only use basic commands; have no special moves or super moves). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DARUMA (daruma) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A one eyed man with a huge hat on (with a face on it). An elderly man who travels around Japan and is also parent-like to Ran Po and Minto. He is a legendary Iai master who heads to the Razor Trio's castle to defeat them, as they changed Riten-Kyo to a city without law. (Same moves as Haito Nanakura; actual move names to be added in later.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ IGA NINJAS (iga ningun) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Ninjas in gray costumes. The mightiest Ninja group led by Hanzo Hattori. With Hanzo's command, the men will accomplish any dangerous mission. (Can only use basic commands; have no special moves or super moves.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MIKOTO (mikoto) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A woman with blue hair and clothing. A mysterious woman who has the face and heart of both an angel and a devil. She rushed out of the temple where she had grown up, and became one of the Razor Trio at Riten-Kyo. Heisoku Ansei b,d,db + SX Sakukaze Jafutsu b,d,db + TO Hiun Sairyuu b,d,db + TX Hyousame: Shizuku f,db,d,df + S Hyousame: Shou f,db,d,df + T Yubata Hane b,hcb + ST Shiraki Kouyoku: Goku qcf + S Shiraki Kouyoku: Ten qcf + T Shiraki Kouyoku: Hijiri f,df,d + S Shiraki Kouyoku: Ja f,df,d + T Shiraki Kouyoku: Retsu f,d,df + S Shiraki Kouyoku: Sai f,d,df + T Kuroki Anyoku: Bu qcf + X Kuroki Anyoku: Goku Press S from Bu Kuroki Anyoku: Ten Press f + S from Bu Kuroki Anyoku: Hijiri Press T from Bu Kuroki Anyoku: Ja Press f + T from Bu Kuroki Anyoku: Retsu Press X from Bu Kuroki Anyoku: Sai Press f + X from Bu Shinkou Getsu b,d,db + T Shinkou Getsu: Kai Press O during Shinkou Getsu Hyou Sesshou qcf,qcf + T during Shinkou Getsu Hyou Sekkuro f,df + T during Hyou Sesshou Shinki Getsu b,d,db + S Settsuki Jin qcf + S when Shinki Getsu hits Settsuki Ha f,d,df + S when Shinki Getsu hits R! Tenha Koubu b,f,df,d + T L! Aiju'en f,d,df + ST - You have to clearly input the command for the Hyou Sesshou, or it won't come out. I find that doing the qcf motion, then pausing momentarily while you move your thumb back to do it again is the best way, instead of moving your thumb back to d after ending the first qcf motion. f + T overhead d + Slash / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MINTO (minto) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A young girl with green hair and a cat's paw pole. A girl who is sister-like to Ran Po. She is innocent and curious. She heads to the castle of the Razor Trio to find a boy she once met in the city. (Same moves as Ran Po; actual move names to be added in later.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MUGENJI (mugenji) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: A shirtless musclebound oaf with his hair tied back. A murderer who lives in the forest of Riten-Kyo. He continues to kill people in the city every night. He shows an abnormal tenacity towards beauty. (Same moves as Yaci Izanagi; actual move names to be added in later.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OBORO'S AMAZONS (oboro-shuu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Women with multi-colored paint on their bodies. Usually they work in Tengen-Jo as shrine maidens, but when commanded by Oboro, they reveal their true nature: they are a group of assassins who color themselves in red and black. (Can only use basic commands; have no special moves or super moves.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SAMURAI (o-samurai) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Guys with glasses and spears. They are sent by the Shogunate for management and operation of Riten-Kyo. The samurai look forward to going back home and seeing their loved ones. (Can only use basic commands; have no special moves or super moves.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SEISHIRO KUKO (kukou seishirou) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Seishiro, but the name is spelled differently. He also carries two swords with him. Kuugetsu En f,d,df + Slash Kiren Satsu Press TO (needs a full Rage Gauge) Tourou qcf + Slash Tourou Kage qcb + Slash Tourou Nagi qcf + T from Tourou / Tourou Kage Tenshou Ressui: Ki b,d,db + S when S or f + T hits Tenshou Ressui: Ryuu During Ki, press f Tenshou Ressui: Saku During Ki, press b Tenshou Ressui: Kai During Ki, press O Tenshou Ressui: Tsuki-niji During Ki, press and hold X Tenshou Ressui: Tsuki-koku During Ki, press Slash Tenshou Ressui: Tsuki-sen During Tsuki-koku, press T Tenshou Ressui: Tsuki-shou During Tsuki-Sen, press X "Tenshou Ressui": "Ki" b,d,db + T when T or f + S hits "Tenshou Ressui": Ryuu During "Ki", press f "Tenshou Ressui": Saku During "Ki", press b "Tenshou Ressui": Kai During "Ki", press O "Tenshou Ressui": Kina During "Ki", press Slash "Tenshou Ressui": Kidan During Kina, press T "Tenshou Ressui": Kishinsatsu During Kidan, press X R! Shin Getsu'en f,hcf + T R! Soujin Tenshou f,hcf + T from Ki / "Ki" L! Ryuusui Resshou Ha f,qcf,d,df + T L! Shinkou Tenshou Ha f,qcf,d,df + T from Ki / "Ki" - After using the Kiren Satsu, your Rage Gauge will slowly empty. - Seishiro has two special stances. One of them is Ki (he will face towards the screen on the left side, and have his back towards the screen on the right side). The other one is "Ki" (he will face towards the screen on the _right_ side, and have his back towards the screen when on the left side. - In either stance, all Seishiro can do is move forward or backward. Pressing O end the move as does performing the Tsuki-Sen or Kidan without following through with the Tsuki-shou or Kishin Satsu. - You can switch from the Ki stance to the "Ki" stance by pressing Slash, and visa versa. f + T normal d + X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TASHON MAO (tashon mao) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Big blue guy with large hands and a stylized face. A Budo master who came from China to learn more and different skills. One day he accidentally met the Holy One (Nakoruru) in the forest close to Riten-Kyo. He fell in love with her at first sight. Afterwards, Tashon Mao began looking for her again, neglecting his training. (Same moves as Garyo the Whirlwind; actual move names to be added in later.) This guy's voice cracks me up. :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOHMA KUKI (kuki touma) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Has red eyes and white hair that is longer than Haito's. He dresses in all white or black and has a red sword. A cold-hearted man who believe only in his power. He is seeking for a way to master the strength he possesses. He killed his master who was the teacher and the father of Seishiro Kuki. After this event, he disappeared, but a few years later, he became one of the Razor Trio. Now called the mightiest Sword Warrior, he now sets his sights on Seishiro's sword. Oboro Nagi b,d,db + T Kiren Satsu Press TO (requires a full Rage Gauge) Senkou Ga qcf + Slash Senkou Ga: Tsui qcf + Slash from Senkou Ga Senkou Ga: Tsui qcf + Slash from Kishin Tsuijin Senkou Ga: Chi SO from Senkou Ga / SG Tsui / K. Tsuijin Senkou Ga: Ten TX from Senkou Ga / SG Tsui / K. Tsuijin Kisatsu Gosen: Ichi f,d,df + ST Kisatsu Gosen: Ni f,d,df + S from Gosen: Ichi Kisatsu Gosen: San f,d,df + T from Gosen: Ni Kisatsu Gosen: Shi f,d,df + X from Gosen: San Kisatsu Gosen: Go f,d,df + ST from Gosen: Shi Kijin Dan: Wan Barai qcb + S Kijin Dan: Wan Kudaki qcb + S if Wan Barai is blocked Kijin Dan: Mukuro Tachi qcb + T if Wan Kudaki is blocked Kijin Dan: Tama Gari b,d,db + T if Mukuro Tachi is blocked Kishin no Kamae b,d,db + S Kishin no Kamae: Tou Tap f,f during Kishin no Kamae Kishin no Kamae: Tai Tap b,b during Kishin no Kamae Kishin no Kamae: Shou Jump ub~uf during Kishin no Kamae Kishin no Kamae: Hi Press O during Kishin no Kamae Kishin Resshou Press S during Kishin no Kamae Kishin Ryuujin Press T during Kishin no Kamae Kishin Gouha Press X during Kishin no Kamae Kishin Senkou Ga: You Press f + S during Kishin no Kamae Kishin Senkou Ga: In Press f + T during Kishin no Kamae Kishin Tsuijin Press Slash during You / In Kishin Renjin Press S if Kishin Gouha hits Kishin Ryuujin f,d,df + T if Kishin Renjin hits Kishin Resshou f,d,df + S if Kishin Ryuujin hits Kishin Soujin f,d,df + X if Kishin Resshou hits Kishin Shuushou f,d,df + O if Kishin Soujin hits Shinigame no Kamae b,d,db + T during Kishin no Kamae Shinigame Renshou: Zetsu Press S during Shinigame no Kamae Shinigame Renshou: Kyoku Press T during Shinigame no Kamae R! Senkou Retsu Ga f,hcf + T L! Kikoku Nanajin f,qcf,d,df + T - After using the Kiren Satsu, your Rage Gauge will slowly empty. - During the Kishin no Kamae, you can warp forward or backward repeatedly by tapping b,b / f,f, then holding b or f. This stance ends when you jump, use the Kishin Resshou, or repeat the motion. - I haven't been able to pull it off, but the following combination should be possible: Kishin no Kamae: You / In, Kishin Tsuijin, Tsui, Chi / Ten - If you're in the Kishin no Kamae stance, you will remain in it even after the Tsui or Chi / Ten attacks. - You cannot move during the Shinigame no Kamae. Repeating the command during this move returns you to the Kishin no Kamae stance. f + T normal d + S / X hits low ------------------------------------------------------------------------ YUDA (yuuda) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Looks like: Wears black, has exposed shoulders and long black hair. A man who is dressed in black and looks expressionless and empty. In reality, he is the amnesic Ashura. He is sent by an organization connected with the Razor Trio in case Oboro fails the project, to delete all evidences of the project. (Same moves as Yaci Izanagi; actual move names to be added in later.) ======================================================================== 4. GAMEPLAY NOTES ======================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE LIFE GAUGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Everyone's Life Gauge is divided into three levels. The interesting thing about these levels is that the gauge must be _totally_ emptied for you to lose a level (it will fall off, shortening the Life Gauge). What this means is that, if we take assume that one level is your character's life, then you have three levels when your gauge is green, two levels when the life gauge is emptied and turns orange, and one level when it's emptied again and becomes red. So in effect, each character has six levels of life (3 green + 2 orange + 1 red = 6 levels), that must be emptied out before that character dies. The one move that 'defies' the normal method of losing life is the Sudden Flash, as it will empty out a Life Gauge completely. This means that if your gauge is green and you are hit, you lose 3 levels and have an orange gauge. If your gauge was orange, then you'd lose 2 levels and have a red bar. The sucky aspect of this move is that it can only take away one gauge's worth of damage, so if your character has a green life gauge that is almost empty, the Sudden Flash will only do a tiny amount of damage so that you're left with two full orange life gauge levels. Each time a person loses a level, their attack can move around while they're struggling to recover, except for the transition between an orange life gauge to a red life gauge, as the attacker will taunt his wounded opponent. When your life is down to one level, it will flash bright red, which means you can use your Hiougi (Secret Concealed) attacks. The strange thing is, after using a Secret Concealed attack, it seems as if you cannot use it again unless you are hit and take some damage (even if it is just a sliver of damage from blocking a special move). It sure seems like a strange requirement, but there you go. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE RAGE GAUGE / RELATED TECHNIQUES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Rage Gauge is found at the bottom of the screen, and is made up of three levels (you start off with one level already filled). The Rage Gauge slowly empties, but it can be filled up when you take damage or defend from attacks. You can expend one level on Stun Attacks, if you wish. Once the gauge is maxed out, your character's skin will flash red. The gauge will continue to empty (and will empty faster than normal), but you can still use Stun Attacks while it's emptying (assuming there's enough power left), or a Rage Explosion, or your Weapon-Flipping Technique. Weapon-Flipping Techniques are moves that, if they hit, cause your opponent's weapon to be flipped out of their hands. Without a weapon, they cannot use any of their moves, and their Slash attacks become punches that do less damage. When a Weapon-Flipping Technique hits, misses, or is blocked, the Rage Gauge empties. The Rage Explosion is performed by pressing any three buttons together. Your character will be surrounded by an explosion when you perform this move, and any nearby enemies are knocked away. After the Rage Explosion, your attack power for normal slashes and kicks increases greatly, and the game timer stops, so that there is no way to win by time out (you or your opponent must die). However, after the Rage Explosion is used, your defense power decreases. In addition, your Rage Gauge is replaced by a Timer Gauge that is as full as your Rage Gauge was when you did the Rage Explosion (so if you had two levels remaining when you did the Rage Explosion, then the Timer Gauge is about 2/3rds full). The Timer Gauge will begin to empty out, and when it's empty, all your added benefits end (so your attack power lesses, the game timer resumes, etc.). What's worse is that the Rage Gauge will not return, so you'll be left gauge-less for the rest of the battle. Another advantage of using the Rage Explosion is that afterwards, you can use the Sudden Flash technique. This is a blockable attack, but if it hits, it will take off an entire gauge of life (see the section on the Life Gauge for more info). If the Sudden Flash hits, is blocked, or misses, the Timer Gauge vanishes and you are left gauge- less. All other benefits of the Rage Explosion will end as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WHEN YOU'RE UNARMED ------------------------------------------------------------------------ When a character is weaponless, they have _only_ these moves available to them: Weak Punch Press S Strong Punch Press T Overhead Punch Press f + S / T Kick Attack Press X Knockback Kick Press f + X Evade Press O Standing Block Hold b when attacked Crouching Block Hold db when attacked High Weapon Knocker Press b just before you're attacked Low Weapon Knocker Press db just before you're attacked High Stumble Forward Press f as you're attacked Low Stumble Forward Press df or d as you're attacked Push Forward When close, press SX at the same time Push Behind When close, press b + SX at the same time Pursuit Attack db~df + Slash / X when your enemy is down Forward Get-Up Roll Press and hold f when knocked down Backward Get-Up Roll Press and hold f when knocked down Weapon Pick-Up Press Slash when near your lost weapon That's right, they have no special moves (well, Hanzo still has his off-the-wall jump, but that's it) ;) In addition, everyone has the same punch and kick animations (I assume this also means that everyone's f + S / T punch is an overhead attack). ======================================================================== 5. MISCELLANEOUS ======================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE MENUS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The majority of this game is in Japanese, which makes navigating through the menus pretty difficult. The menus on the title screen are as follows: STORY MODE: Fight 13 CPU opponents, and between battles, talk to other characters and watch CG movies. Each time you beat Story Mode with a particular character, you will enable a hidden character. While playing in Story Mode, you can pause the game to bring up the following menu: RETURN to the game TURN Dual Shock on or off EXIT back to the title screen Also note that in Story Mode, you will sometimes fight the Iga Ninjas, Oboro's Amazons, Samurai, or Brutes. In these battles, you will have to fight a number of them in a row, relying on only one life gauge to get your through (their Life Gauges all refill). If you do not beat them all once time runs out, then you lose. ATTACK MODE: This is a player vs. player mode, although you can also fight against the CPU. You can place various restrictions on the battles if you wish (for example, you can only win by defeating your opponent with a special move). BATTLE MODE: Like Attack Mode, but this is just straightforward vs. player or CPU fighting, with no restrictions to set. GALLERY MODE: Here you can look at any pictures you've earned so far. You can also play a mini-game where you have to guess what hand Rimururu is holding an ice crystal in. Pick the right one, and you get a new gallery picture. This option is not normally available, at least not until you've beaten Story Mode once on Level 4 or higher. TRAINING MODE: In this mode, you pick your character and your opponent, and are then taken to a training stage where you can attack your opponent freely, examine a list of commands for your character, and so on. The commands are as follows (these appear when you press Start): BEGIN: Begins the Training session. TRAINING MENU: Opens up the following menu: Option COM: Pick from Stand, Crouch, or Jump. GUARD: Pick from OFF (no guarding) or AUTOMATIC guarding. WEAPON: Pick from having a weapon, or not having a weapon. RAGE GAUGE: Set the Rage Gauge to MAX, or OFF (empty). COMMAND LIST: Opens up your character's command list. KEY SETTING: I have no idea what this does, even after translating the text from the manual. Anyone know? CHARACTER CHANGE: Returns you to the character selection screen. EXIT OUT OPTION: You can set the options here. They include: STORY MODE DIFFICULTY (easiest) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (hardest) KEY CONFIG: You can change your controller setup. The default setting looks like this: T Strong Slash S Weak Slash X Kick Attack O Evade L1 No use L2 No use R1 No use R2 No use Vibration ON / OFF Default (pick for default settings) Exit You can change the buttons by pressing left or right. The available options go in this order: Strong Slash, Weak Slash, Kick Attack, Evade, No Use, Weak Slash+Strong Slash, Weak Slash+Kick Attack, 3 buttons at once. DISPLAY ADJUST: You can change the positioning of the screen by moving the controller in any of the four directions. Pressing S returns the display to default, while O or T saves the new setting. SOUND: Choose from Stereo / Monaural. EXIT MEMORY CARD: You can load or save game data here. The available options are as follows (options in all caps are the selectable ones): Game Data SAVE - save your game data. LOAD - load your game data. Custom Character 1 PLAYER LOAD - load / save your custom character data. (Game data can be saved) Battle Mode Challenge 2 PLAYER LOAD - load your 2 player Battle Mode records. (to load) EXIT MOVIE: You can watch any movies you already saw while playing in Story Mode. You can also watch the two intro movies here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXTRA STUFF ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here are some more character storylines taken from SNK of Japan's page. These characters are _not_ playable, by the way (although you do fight Oboro, as a giant red sword, for the last battle). Nakoruru A maiden of light who became the Holy one to protect Nature. She asks for the cooperation of the sword warriors to keep the destructive crisis from becoming fact. Oboro Usually he looks like a good elderly man, but his true nature is that of a monster. He once fought against Hanzo Hattori and was beaten. To revenge himself and to destroy the current government different from what his late benefactor intended, he takes an active part behind the scenes. Rimururu A girl who was sealed at Riten-Kyo 20 years before becasue she was the maiden of light. She possesses the power to keep away the destructive crisis from occurring. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRANSLATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ugh. This game has a lot of weird and obscure Japanese in it that I don't even want to begin to touch. If someone would like to assist in the spelling and translations, that'd be great, but just attemping to spell the move names was such a hassle that I don't think I'll be translating the move names anytime soon. Undoubtedly, most of the spellings in this FAQ are wrong. None of them were specifically changed except for Seishiro Kuko's: his two stances are both called Tenshou Ressui, but with different spellings for the "retsu" kanji. To shorten it, I just refer to them as the Ki and "Ki" stances (since the Ki move is the move that activates either stance). BASIC COMMANDS Hikikomi Retreating Hashirikomi Running Tachi Guard Standing Guard Shagami Guard Crouching Guard Kihon Nage: Tsuppari Basic Throw: Thrusting Kihon Nage: Tsukitobashi Basic Throw: Pushing Away Mine Uchi Summit Strike Hiki Gaeshi Payback Flip Inashi Decline Tsubazeri Ai Clashing Swords Contest Oiuchi Kougeki Pursuit Attack Zenten Okiagari Roll Forward and Get Up Kouten Okiagari Roll Backward and Get Up Buki Hiroi Weapon Pick-Up Buki Tobashi Waza Weapon-Flipping Technique Hiougi Secret Concealed (Technique) Ikari Bakuhatsu Anger Explosion Issen Single Flash ======================================================================== 6. AUTHOR'S NOTE ======================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SPECIAL THANKS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I couldn't have written this FAQ without help from the following: C.K. Gan - For correcting me on the Japanese title of this game. SNK of Japan - Storyline and character plots taken from their page. K2 Street: Kaito's Homepage - Normally I would have had to type out the Japanese myself from the in-game command list, then spell / translate it. Luckily for me, the list was already transcribed at this page, so I could leap into spellings and translations. If you can read Japanese, this is a cool page to check out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ REVISION HISTORY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Version 0.2 (March 25, 2000) - All the moves have been checked and corrected where needed. In addition, notes have been added for each character, and the basic commands have been rewritten in English and more fully explained. There are still some moves where I haven't figured out what they do, so if you figure out how a strange move works and don't see it mentioned in the FAQ, by all means, drop me a line. Hopefully I will be able to get in more menu translations and explanations in the next update, and I'll try to figure out which hidden characters are unlocked when you beat the game with which character (all I remember is Mikoto when you win with Haomaru) ^_^; Version 0.1 (March 20, 2000) - The first revision. Basically all that's in here are the translated command lists found that are already found in the game itself. There are some menu notes and other basic gameplay notes as well. I haven't tested all the command list moves yet, so use at your own risk. There's still a more to add in the next revision, though. Unpublished work Copyright 2000 Chris MacDonald