Martial Champion

Martial Champion (マーシャルチャンピオン) is a 1993 fighting game released for the arcades by Konami. It was Konami's third fighting game after the 1985 releases Yie Ar Kung-Fu and Galactic Warriors and the 1986 release Yie Ar Kung-Fu II, and their first release that came after the success of Capcom's 1991 arcade hit Street Fighter II.

Martial Champion
Japanese arcade flyer of Martial Champion.
Developer(s)Konami
Publisher(s)Konami
Composer(s)Junya Nakano
Platform(s)Arcade, PC Engine Super CD-ROM², Virtual Console
ReleaseArcade version:
February 10, 1993
PC Engine version:
  • JPN: December 17, 1993
Genre(s)Fighting game
Mode(s)Up to 2 players simultaneously
Arcade systemMystic Warriors-based hardware

Gameplay
Screenshot of the arcade version

Martial Champion follows the same fighting game conventions established by Street Fighter II: the player's character fights against his or her opponent in best two-out-of-three matches in a single player tournament mode with the computer or against another human player. The player has a character roster of ten fighters to choose from, each with their own unique fighting style and special techniques.

The control layout differs from Street Fighter II and most other typical fighting games inspired by it. Martial Champion's control system is derived from the control system of Yie Ar Kung-Fu, but simplified to simply high, medium and low attacks, instead of having to press an attack button and a direction. One unique feature this arcade game has is stages that are similar to the "high-jump" stages seen in Capcom's later fighting games such as X-Men: Children of the Atom. Another unique feature is that certain characters carry weapons which can be disarmed by their opponent and used against them.

Characters

There are ten playable fighters to select from. After the player defeats all ten opponents in the tournament mode (including a clone of their character), they face a final computer-controlled boss character. In the later localized worldwide versions, Chaos and Titi have their names switched (similar to the rotation of the boss characters' names in Street Fighter II, probably done to avoid associations with the word "titty"), with Chaos being a Chinese vampire and Titi being an Egyptian princess.

  • Avu (アヴゥ) - A rotund Middle Eastern man armed with a scimitar. Billed as being from Saudi Arabia even though the displayed flag is Iraq's.
  • Bobby (ボビー) - An eyepatched soldier from the United States similar to Guile.
  • Chaos (ケイオス) - A Chinese vampire from Hong Kong. Utilizes a pair of metal claws and his tongue in battle. Known in the international versions as "Titi".
  • Goldor (ゴルドー) - A French fighter utilizing a three-section staff or sansetsukon.
  • Hoi (ホイ) - A Chinese martial artist from China.
  • Jin (陣) - A Japanese martial artist who was inspired by Ryu from the Street Fighter series and Lee from the Famicom and MSX versions of Yie Ar Kung-Fu.
  • Mahamba (マハンバ) - A spear-wielding tribesman from Kenya.
  • Racheal (レイチェル) - A blonde American female ninja.
  • Titi (ティティ) - An Egyptian princess (the name derived from Nefertiti). Known in the US and World versions as "Chaos".
  • Zen (禅) - A kabuki fighter from Japan.
  • Salamander (サラマンダ) - The final boss and the tallest character in the game. He is unplayable and his move set contains techniques lifted from other characters.

Avu
  • NATIONALITY: Saudi Arabia
  • AGE: 43 years
  • HEIGHT: 160 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: 100 kilograms
  • QUOTES
    • “Then I’ll twist it.”
    • “Did you like this sword?”
    • “Do I let you be my follower? Wa-ha-ha!”
  • Avu’s ending

AVU: “I won and got a lot of money. Now, I’m going back home. My wife is waiting for me.”

AVU’S WIFE: “Welcome back, my darling.”

AVU: “I’m home.”

AVU’S WIFE: “Congratulations on your victory. You must be tired. Please come in.”

AVU: “Farewell; I had a good time. Ha-ha-ha…!”

Bobby
  • NATIONALITY: United States, Anglo-America
  • AGE: 31 years
  • HEIGHT: 183 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: 86 kilograms
  • QUOTES
    • “I will teach you what real strength is.”
    • “You can’t survive in this world if you are that weak.”
  • Bobby’s ending

[Now Bobby has won and has the check as a reward.]

BOBBY: “It was a tough way. But with this…”

NUN: “Merry Christmas! Everyone has been good. Now say thank you to Santa Claus, everyone.”

[Bobby greets the orphans as an eye-patched Santa Claus.]

Chaos
  • NATIONALITY: Egypt
  • AGE: 17 years
  • HEIGHT: 174 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: unrevealed
  • QUOTES
    • “Let me try my new trick.”
    • “Don’t be careless.”
    • “Your sandstorm does not compare to a real sandstorm.”
  • Chaos’s ending

“I got junk. I wish I could have something better. Jewels are the best after all.”

Goldor
  • NATIONALITY: France
  • AGE: 37 years
  • HEIGHT: 203 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: 80 kilograms
  • QUOTES
    • “Now show me your skill.”
    • “There is nobody who can beat me.”
    • “You punk; start with the beginner course again.”
  • Goldor’s ending

[Goldor will now be able to rebuild his fighting ring in Paris with the prize money.]

GOLDOR: “So you like my fighting ring, huh?”

HIS FOLLOWER: “Mr. Goldor; time for practice.”

Hoi
  • NATIONALITY: China
  • AGE: 102 years
  • HEIGHT: 160 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: 48 kilograms
  • QUOTES
    • “Why don’t you fight with me?”
    • “A victory drink is the very best.”
    • “You are worthless.”
  • Hoi’s ending

“No one can be my follower in this place. I’m going back home. Goodbye.”

[Hoi rides away on a flying carpet, leaving his defeated opponents behind in a heap.]

Jin
  • NATIONALITY: Japan
  • AGE: 26 years
  • HEIGHT: 172 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: 70 kilograms
  • QUOTES
    • “You have to beat me before the next stage.”
    • “Try again.”
    • “You were not strong enough to beat me.”
  • Jin’s ending

“I won, but I could have done better. I have to get stronger for the next fight.”

Mahambah
  • NATIONALITY: Kenya, Africa
  • AGE: 27 years
  • HEIGHT: 165 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: 55 kilograms
  • QUOTES
    • “You fight me.”
    • “No one can beat me.”
    • “You are nothing.”
  • Mahambah’s ending

“Daddy…Our real power is now revealed.”

[Mahambah greets his wife and their newborn child.]

Racheal
  • NATIONALITY: United States, Anglo-America
  • AGE: 23 years
  • HEIGHT: 179 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: unrevealed
  • QUOTES
    • “I will teach you what real terror is.”
    • “Don’t look at my body, or you will be a loser.”
    • “My art of the ninja is unrivaled.”
  • Racheal’s ending

[Racheal is relaxing at the beach when...]

“I want more thrilling action. What…an assassin? Revenge for your boss, isn’t it...? I had nothing to do...Okay, beat me if you can.”

Titi
  • NATIONALITY: Hong Kong, China
  • AGE: unrevealed
  • HEIGHT: 185 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: unrevealed
  • QUOTES
    • “I’ll beat you.”
    • “Don’t forget my name.”
    • “I’m going to toast my victory with your blood.”
  • Titi’s ending

“I hurt another man, again. Next time I’ll use this trick to save the world…Madam, I’ve finished my work with plants.”

Zen
  • NATIONALITY: Japan
  • AGE: 30 years
  • HEIGHT: 181 centimeters
  • WEIGHT: 85 kilograms
  • QUOTES
    • “I will challenge you.”
    • “Kabuki is the very best in the world.”
    • “You saw my beautiful dancing?”
  • Zen’s ending

“What a good feeling it is. I love the kabuki stage more than any other.”

Salamander
  • NATIONALITY: unrevealed
  • AGE: unrevealed
  • HEIGHT: unrevealed
  • WEIGHT: unrevealed
  • QUOTES
    • “I know all your tricks. Take this belt, if you want to be a real champion.”
    • “I thought you would be tougher, but you are a novice.”
    • “You can’t beat me if you have only that power.”
  • [Salamander has no ending sequence.]

Home version

Martial Champion was exclusively ported to the PC Engine as a Super CD-ROM² release. Unlike the arcade version, which was released worldwide, the PC Engine version was released only in Japan. This version was later re-released for the Wii Virtual Console in Japan in May 2008.

Sprites and the background were shrunk, while the background became a still image instead of an animated one and the foreground objects and people on each stage were removed. The intro and outro are different compared to the arcade version's; however, the original arcade intro that shows Jin and Goldor battling each other with instrumental music playing in the background is also included. In the PC Engine version, the other intro starts with the game's logo and a vocal song, then shows Jin putting on his headband and looks ahead of himself with birds flying by him, while Rachael and Goldor battle against each other. At the end, Goldor casts his Gol Wave toward the pitch-black darkness missing his target Rachael, while the final boss, Salamander, fades in from it.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Martial Champion in their July 15, 1993 issue as being the second most-popular arcade game at the time.[7] Play Meter listed Martial Champion to be the thirty-second most-popular arcade game at the time.[8]

The PC Engine Super CD-ROM² version was met with mixed critical reception.[2][3][4] Public reception was also mixed: readers of PC Engine Fan voted to give the PC Engine release a 19.8 out of 30 score in a poll.[9] The Japanese book PC Engine Complete Guide 1987-1999 gave the PC Engine Super CD-ROM² release a positive analysis, stating that "it's sober, but it's surprisingly playable". However, they pointed out that the sprite size were smaller than the arcade original and the background and effects were simplified but noted the addition of new elements such as hidden techniques.[10]

References
  1. Baize, Anthony (1998). "Martial Champion (Arcade) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 2014-11-16. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
  2. "マーシャルチャンピオン (PCエンジン) - ファミ通.com". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on 2015-06-13. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  3. Hellot, Grégoire (February 1994). "Import (Version Japonaise) - Nec/Pc Engine: Konami S'Y Fritte - Martical Champion". Joypad (in French). No. 28. Yellow Media. p. 138.
  4. Hellot, Grégoire (March 1994). "Nec/Pc Engine: Konami Suivant! - Martical Champion". Joypad (in French). No. 29. Yellow Media. p. 111.
  5. "Arcade - Martial Champion". Super Game (in Portuguese). No. 25. Nova Cultural. August 1993. p. 38.
  6. ザ・ベストゲーム2 - アーケードビデオゲーム26年の歴史: ゲーメスト大賞11年史. Gamest Mook (in Japanese). 5 (4th ed.). Shinseisha. 17 January 1998. pp. 12–13. ISBN 9784881994290.
  7. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 453. Amusement Press, Inc. 15 July 1993. p. 29.
  8. "Equipment Poll - Video & Pinball Combined". Play Meter. Vol. 19 no. 8. Skybird Publishing. July 1993. p. 8.
  9. 超絶 大技林 '98年春版: PCエンジン - マーシャルチャンピオン. PlayStation Magazine (Special) (in Japanese). 42. Tokuma Shoten Intermedia. 15 April 1998. p. 653. ASIN B00J16900U.
  10. PCエンジンソフト完全カタログ 1993年 - マーシャルチャンピオン. PC Engine Complete Guide 1987-1999. Nostalgic Game Console Encyclopedia (in Japanese). 1. Standards. June 15, 2018. p. 176. ISBN 9784866362670.
Arcade version
Home console versions
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