Karnov's Revenge / Fighter's History Dynamite

SNK Neo-Geo MVS cart. published 30 years ago:

Karnov's Revenge (c) 1994 Data East Corp.

The quest to defeat the mysterious Baron of Battlers, the mysterious "K", is on. In order to get to this grotesque gladiator, you need to fight your way through 13 with the most skilled, most deadly of all combatants in the world of physical contact. Use your powers of pulverization, psychic energy blasts, and ridiculous strength to become the explosive fighting god in FIGHTER'S HISTORY DYNAMITE!!!

Don't just participate in history, MAKE IT! The sequel of the first "Fighter's History", this time ported in the Neo Geo MVS Hardware. In this new version of the original game several changes and improvements were made to enhance the gameplay: now the battles are faster and more technical, with the usual friendly combo system that makes the fight so spectacular. There are also some powerful hidden moves added for most of the characters. Even the graphic was slightly enhanced, with a nice color palette and some wonderful backgrounds (especially Zazie's).

The game actually suffered from the reputation to be a 'SFII clone' given by the general opinion from the first episode. Thanks to this new chapter of the saga, which was particularly appreciated by the Neo Geo fans because it is one of the rare 'SFII style' beat'em ups on the Neo Geo this changed.

A really nice and classical beat'em up, still worthy to be played, especially for the real fans of the 2-D beat'em up.

- TECHNICAL -

Runs on the SNK "Neo-Geo MVS" hardware.
Game ID : NGM-066

[SNK MVS Neo-Geo Controls]
2 Players - 4 Buttons Per Player.
=>[Joystick] 8-Way, [A] Fast Punch [B] Strong Punch [C] Fast Kick [D] Strong Kick

- TRIVIA -

Karnov's Revenge was released March 17, 1994. An important fact about this game is that it's the third Data East game to be manufactured on the Neo-Geo hardware.

This game is known in Japan and USA as "Fighter's History Dynamite" while in Europe as Karnov's Revenge.

New features and changes of the game:
* The controls discard the six button system of the first episode for the typical four buttons of the Neo Geo pad. In this way, the middle punch and middle kick attack are no longer available.
* New stages for every character and new background music.
* The portrait of every character was retouched a bit. Especially, the portraits of FeiLin and Karnov were both redrawn.
* New color schemes for the alternative suit's color of every character. However, the standard suit color of all the characters is still the same as that of the first Fighter's History episode.
* New vocal samples for every characters, except for Clown, Karnov and Mizoguchi: however, for Mizoguchi new samples for the win poses and a new 'scream of defeat' was added (in the first Fighter's History, when Mizoguchi lost, she emitted the generic KO sample shared with other characters).
* The in-game sprites of every character were retouched slightly in some determinate frames.
* The design of Karnov was redrawn from the first episode.
* Faster gameplay.
* New moves and new tricks for every character.
* New endings for every character. Even Clown and Karnov now have their own ending sequence.

The stage of Marstorius takes place in a ring placed inside the Colosseum of Rome.

The three children in the middle of the Samchay's stage are the two little brothers and sister of Samchay.

The extra round against the bull named 'Ox' (see TIPS AND TRICKS section to learn more) is a retrieval to the similar bonus game in "Karate Champ" (one of the first fighting games of the history, developed by same Data East on 1984).

Pony Canyon / Scitron released a limited-edition soundtrack album for this game (Fighter's History Dynamite & Flying Power Disc - PCCB-00149) on March 18, 1994.

- TIPS AND TRICKS -

* Karnov's Revenge introduced 'one-two attacks' to the series. Players can press a Strong attack button while connecting with a Weak attack button to chain the attacks into themselves.

The following special moves aren't listed in the instruction manual. These secret moves aren't super moves, just hidden special moves with less obvious motions. Samchay, Clown, and Karnov do not have these moves. Here's a quick legend: U=Up, D=Down, B=Back, F=Forward, DF=Down/Forward, and so on. A=Button A (LP), B=Button B (HP), C=Button C (LK), D=Button D (HK). Charge=Hold listed direction for 2 or more seconds

RAY
Thunder Dynamite Tackle: Charge B, F, F + A or B (Initial backward charge is longer than normal)

FEILIN
Kakkou HakkakuSoubiKen: Charge D, DB, DF, F, UF + A or B (can also be charged with DB, but may not come out as often, slides through projectiles)

RYOKO
KataGuruma: F, UF, U, UB, B + A or B (perform near opponent, may be done back to forward or forward to back regardless of facing left or right, doesn't damage opponent but sets them up for juggle combos)

MATLOK
Loop Hurricane: Charge D, U + C and D (tap C+D to maintain spin, can move left or right)

LEE
MouKo Kouhazan: B, F, DB, DF + A and B (destroys projectiles)

MIZOGUCHI
Shotensai: B, DB, D + A, B, C and D (press all four buttons simultaneously, perform close to your opponent)

JEAN
Rodanto: Charge F, D, DB, B + C or D (can be charged with DF)

MARSTORIUS
Drill Power Slam: F, UF, U, UB, B + A or B (may be done back to forward or forward to back regardless of facing left or right)

YUNGMIE
Fire Kick: Tap A and C repeatedly (can then move left and right)

ZAZIE
Deshikakato: U, D + C or D


* Beat the game without using a continue to see all the characters in chibi form grouped together during the credits.

* If you beat the game without losing a single round you'll get an extra secret fight against a bull (Ox).

* Weak Points: The Weak Points and the relates dizzy system remained the same of the first episode. Thus, heavy hits will flash the weak point (determinate part of the suit of the character) and after a while further hits taken will make fly away the weak point with a BOING! sound and the character will get dizzy. Here is the list of weak point for all the characters of the game...
Ray : lightning (on shirt)
Feilin : breastplate
Ryoko : headband
Matlock : headgear
Lee : knees
Mizoguchi : headband
Jean : leg band
Marstorius : leg warmers
Yungmie : waistband
Zazie : headband
Clown : mask
Karnov : necklace
Ox (bull) : horns

- SERIES -

1. Fighter's History (1993, Arcade)
2. Karnov's Revenge [Model NGM-066] (1994, Arcade)
3. Fighter's History - Mizoguchi Kikiippatsu!! [Model SHVC-AF3J-JPN] (1995, Super Famicom)

- STAFF -

Project Leader : Min
Planners : Shintoku, Nod Suzuki
Software Designers : Min, Hal, Nod Suzuki
Graphic Designers : Shintoku, Mori 2, Oguri, Kazumi, Yoshinari Kaihou, Chie Kitahara, Masateru Inagaki (072Inagaki), Yuzuru Tsukahara, Hiroki Narisawa, Yasuko Kurohiji, Seiji Satoh, Gashima, H. Shibahara, Koji Tomura
Sound Composers : Seiichi Hamada (Atomic), Tomoyoshi Sato (Tom), Seilah, Masaaki Iwasaka (Koremasa), Shogo
Special Thanks To : Hiroaki Yoshida (Maro), Steve Miller, E. Kariya, M. Andoh, A. Taya, Ichikawa, Murata, Takatoshi Katahata

- PORTS -

* CONSOLES:
[JP] SNK Neo-Geo AES (apr.28, 1994) "Fighter's History Dynamite [Model NGH-066]"
[US] SNK Neo-Geo AES (apr.28, 1994) "Fighter's History Dynamite [Model NGH-066]"
SNK Neo-Geo [EU] (apr.28, 1994) "Karnov's Revenge [Model NGH-066]"
[US] SNK Neo-Geo CD [JP] (dec.22, 1994) "Fighter's History Dynamite [Model DECD-003]"
[JP] Sega Saturn (jul.4, 1997) "Fighter's History Dynamite [Model GS-9107]"
[JP] Sega Saturn (jul.4, 1997) "Fighter's History Dynamite [Model GS-9153]" : with 1MB RAM Cart
[MX] Zeebo [BR] (apr.16, 2010)
Nintendo Wii [Virtual Console] [JP] (june.8, 2010) "Fighter's History Dynamite"