Fighting Masters

Overview

Fighting Masters is a sci-fi fighting game developed by Almanic and published by Treco for the Sega Genesis in both Japan (on December 6, 1991) and North America (on August 17, 1992).

A sci-fi themed one-on-one fighting game, Fighting Masters includes a contextual two-button fighting system, with the B button for normal attacks and the C button for either jumping, alternate air attacks, or alternate grapple attacks. It also features a wrestling-style grapple system, where both characters grab each-other when up-close and the first player to perform a grapple attack gets to perform it.

The game's story, taking place in the distant future between 12 of the galaxy's star systems, changes wildly between the Japanese and American versions of the game:

• The Japanese version involve the rise of the dark lord Valgasu, who has conquered and enslaved all but one of the 12 star systems through defeating their champions. As the last fighting master, the chosen combatant must defeat the other brainwashed champions to challenge Valgasu.

• The American version paints a bleaker picture, as the 12 star systems are about to be destroyed by an enormous supernova and an advanced star-faring race (the "Primaries") hosts a one-on-one tournament to choose the most worthy civilization to save from extinction.

Characters

The game includes 12 playable characters and one unplayable boss.

• Dirk - A human from the Sol System. Known as Larry in the Japanese version.

• Mastodon - An anthropomorphic elephant from the Alpha-Centauri System. Known as Elepha in the Japanese version.

• Equus - An anthropomorphic horse and kickboxer from the Voice Minor System. Known as Flamer in the Japanese version.

• Morin - An amazonian humanoid from the Orion System.

• Grinder - A cyborg from the Sirius Minor system. Known as Beowulf in the Japanese version.

• Goldrock - A living golem from the Draxole Axis System.

• Phoenix - An avian humanoid from the Alpha-Centauri System. Known as Tomahawk in the Japanese version.

• Zygrunt - An anthropomorphic lobster from the Beta Centurion System. Known as Zygunte in the Japanese version.

• Rotundo - A jelly-like creature from the Chetta-Zed System. Known as Medusa in the Japanese version.

• Xenon - A humanoid dragon from the Great Pyrion System. Known as Drason in the Japanese version.

• D I O - A carnivorous plant monster from the Sol Twin System.

• Uppercut - A cycloptic humanoid and boxer from the Theta System. Known as Eyesight in the Japanese version.

• Valgasu - The game's unplayable final boss.