Killer Instinct
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| Killer Instinct | |
| Missing image Killer_instinct.png Killer Instinct screenshot | |
| Developer: | Rare |
| Publisher: | Midway Games |
| Release date: | 1994 |
| Genre: | Fighting |
| Game modes: | Up to 2 players simultaneously |
| Cabinet: | Standard |
| Controls: | Joystick; 6 buttons |
| Monitor | |
| Orientation: | Horizontal |
| Type: | Raster, standard resolution (Used: 320 x 240) |
| Notes | |
| The first arcade game with an internal hard disk; Made extensive use of pre-rendered graphics; Ran on Ultra 64 hardware, which was supposed to promote the Nintendo 64. | |
Killer Instinct is a fighting game by Rare. Initially released in 1994 and claiming to use an Ultra 64 hardware engine, it was released the following year on the SNES.
Developed using high-powered SGI computers and 3D modeling software from Alias, it was considered a graphical leader when it was released. It featured animated backgrounds that were a pre-rendered movie which changed angles depending on your location and complex animated characters. This technique causes the backgrounds to have an unprecented three dimensional look, yet look far better than was possible at the time in real time three dimensional rendering. Bram Stoker's Dracula for the Sega CD later used this technique.
There is an sequel named Killer Instinct 2. The Nintendo 64 version of the same game is called Killer Instinct Gold. Killer Instinct had a black case when most SNES games had a grey case.
While the original Killer Instinct was successful in arcades and on the SNES, the game and its sequel were critically panned for its somewhat artificial combo system.
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Features
Killer Instinct is notable for having a complex combo system, introducing three classes of moves, the autodouble, the linker and the ultras (a finishing combo with a maximum of 80 hits).
Because of the large (and damaging) combos, the player being hit by a combo is able to escape the combo by performing a very-specific attack of their own known as a "combo breaker." These varied depending on the attack being executed in the combo.
While the combo system within the game was lauded as being deep initially, matches between more advanced players often broke down to single hits and defensive struggles. Memorization of combo breakers essentially broke the game down to a 50/50 guessing game whenever anyone landed an attack that could be linked.
As in many fighting games, the players attack each other, trying to deplete the other's life bar. There are rounds, but as one player loses a round, they get right back up with a full health bar and the match continues, unlike most games where both start over again with full health.
Story
Ultratech is a very powerful company which discovers an alien (Glacius) that falls on earth. It steals his technology and later organizes a tournament called Killer Instinct. Ultratech also discovers a technology to make bridges between dimensions and also release from his dimensional prison a two headed monster called Eyedol (a kind of elder god).
Characters
The game features ten characters:
- Jago: A Tibetan monk following the Tiger Spirit. He considers the defeat of Ultratech as his destiny.
- T.J. Combo: An Ultratech fighter. He was kicked out of the boxing circuit due to his bionic arms. Ultratech promises him to return his title if he wins the tournament.
- Spinal: An Ultratech minion. He is a product of cell regeneration, a living skeleton of an ancient warrior.
- Thunder: A Native American Chief, armed with a tomahawk, who enters the tournament looking for his brother.
- Glacius: An alien who is promised freedom if he wins the tournament. He gets his nickname from his body's icy liquid composition and ability to shape-shift.
- Fulgore: A cyborg created by Ultratech and is a prototype for future robots. Entered in the tournament as a final test of its capabilities.
- Cinder: A criminal who was promised early release by Ultratech in exchange for participating in chemical weapons research. As a result of an accident during testing his body is composed entirely of flame.
- Sabrewulf: A man stricken by Lycanthropy who is promised a cure by Ultratech if he wins the tournament. This is a cameo appearance of Sabre Man, known from their 1984 game Sabre Wulf.
- Orchid: Hired by Ultratech as a secretary, she is really a spy working for an unknown party.
- Riptor: A genetically engineered reptilian-human hybrid created as a prototype by Ultratech. The tournament serves to test his abilities as a killing machine.
- Eyedol: A two-headed, ancient mystical warlord who was trapped in a dimensional prison in the distant past. Ultratech released him to be the final combatant in the tournament.
See also
- Killer Instinct, a collectible card game based on the video game.
External links
- KLOV entry for Killer Instinct (http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=8308)
- dmoz listing for Killer Instinct Series (http://dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Fighting/Killer_Instinct_Series/)fi:Killer Instinct