Hokuto no Ken (arcade)

Hokuto no Ken
Cover of the PS2 version.
Developer(s)	Arc System Works
Publisher(s)	Sega
Platform(s)	Arcade, Playstation 2
Release date(s)	2005 (Arcade) March 29, 2007 (Playstation 2)
Genre(s)	2D Versus Fighting
Mode(s)	Up to 2 players simultaneously
Rating(s)	CERO: B
Input methods	8-way Joystick, 5 Buttons
Cabinet	Upright
Arcade system	Atomiswave

Fist of the North Star (北斗の拳, Hokuto no Ken) is a 2005 2D head-to-head fighting game developed by Arc System Works, based on the manga and anime series of the same name. A PlayStation 2 port, retitled Hokuto no Ken: Shinpan no Sōsōsei Kengō Retsuden (北斗の拳 審判の双蒼星 拳豪列伝, roughly translated as "Fist of the North Star: The Twin Blue Stars of Judgment - History of the Fist Masters"), was released in Japan in March 2007. This version features a bonus DVD including an exclusive training mode ("Starter's Guide") and a documentary covering previous Hokuto no Ken console games. The arcade version was officially distributed by Sega in North America, while the PS2 port was released only in Japan.

Gameplay

While in both terms of gameplay and visual style, the game is similar to the Guilty Gear series (which was also made by Arc System Works), some aspects of the mechanics are slightly different.

Seven Stars of the Hokuto

Below each character's lifebar is a gauge with seven "stars" in the shape of the Big Dipper. Special moves, supers, and some command normals can remove varying amounts of stars. Once empty, a final "Death Star" or "shichousei" will light up and the other player can perform a special "Fatal KO" attack that can instantly defeat them, regardless of their lifebar (similar to the Instant Kill attacks in Guilty Gear.). The biggest difference is these moves may be easily comboed into, making them far more practical than their Guilty Gear counterparts. Players regain two stars at the start of each round, and one star any time an opponent unsuccessfully attempts to Fatal KO. After being Fatal KO'd, if the match is not over, that player starts the following round with all seven stars replenished.

Boost

Boost is one of the many meters in the game, displayed above the Aura meter in the game's HUD. The bar is divided into three sections or stocks. Using a boost (with the Boost/Special button) allows a player to cancel a move after it hits (similar to Roman Cancels in Guilty Gear), and also shoots the character forward. The player can also Boost when not doing a move, in order to jet across the screen quickly. Boosts are frequently used to perform combos that otherwise would not be possible.

Aura

Used to perform super moves and Guard Cancels (similar to alpha counters.) The gauge can hold two stocks. The first stock fills the gauge up with blue; the second stock fills the gauge up with gold. When at least one stock is ready, text reading "GOD FIST BLOW" appears next to the gauge. If the player's opponent has lost all his stars, it will read "DEADLY FIST BLOW."

Characters

Kenshiro

• Style: Hokuto Shin Ken
• Voice: Kunihiro Kawamoto

The 64th successor of Hokuto Shin Ken. His lover Yuria was taken away by Shin of the Nanto Sei Ken, who also engraved the seven scars on his chest. He has met numerous rivals in battle while pursuing his destiny as successor of Hokuto Shin Ken, leading to a showdown with his greatest adversary, Raoh.

Raoh

• Style: Hokuto Shin Ken
• Voice: Kenji Utsumi

He took the name of Ken-oh, the King of Fist, in order to become the Conqueror of Century's End. Seeking to acquire the Heavens for himself, he mastered a hard style that can cause even a tiger to fear its own death. A man who seeks to rule with power and terror during a century's end of chaos. In order to overcome his fear, he took Yuria's life in order to learn true sorrow and stand before Kenshiro as his mightiest adversary.

Toki

• Style: Hokuto Shin Ken
• Voice: Takaya Hashi

A man who possesses the most graceful skills in the 2,000 years-old history of Hokuto. However, he was exposed to radioactive fallout while protecting Kenshiro and Yuria and was removed from the candidacy of the succession. In contrast to Raoh's hard style, Toki is a master of the soft style. However , he willing to do everything to confront his natural brother Raoh, including stake his life to learn the Hard style.

Jagi

• Style: Hokuto Shin Ken
• Voice: Kōji Totani

A pretender to the Hokuto Shin Ken succession who has engraved seven scars on his chest. He was the one who drove Shin's heart to madness, as well as the true culprit for the kidnapping of Rei's sister Aili. Having learned Nanto Sei Ken in addition to Hokuto Shin Ken, Jagi is man who will use anything, from shotguns to gasoline, to win. He harbors the belief that a younger brother can never be superior to his elder brother.

Shin

• Style: Nanto Koshū Ken
• Voice: Toshio Furukawa

A man who bears the burden of Star of Sacrifice, one of the Nanto Rokusei Ken. A master of Nanto Koshū Ken. Driven to madness by Jagi, he took Kenshiro's beloved Yuria away from him by force. In order to win Yuria's love, he took on the name of "KING" and founded the nation of Southern Cross for her, until the supposedly defeated Kenshiro appeared before him.

Rei

• Style: Nanto Suichō Ken
• Voice: Isshin Chiba

One of the Nanto Rokusei Ken, the man who bears the burn of the Star of Justice. Successor of Nanto Suichō Ken, the most elegant among the Nanto Sei Ken arts. He began his journey when his sister Aili was kidnapped by a man with seven scars on his chest. After meeting Kenshiro and Mamiya, he was finally reunited with his sister and is now willing to give up his life to save his friends.

Juda

• Style: Nanto Kōkaku Ken
• Voice: Bin Shimada

One of the Nanto Rokusei Ken, the man who bears the burden of the Star of Enchantment. The successor of Nanto Kōkaku Ken, a very dreadful martial art that pierces its enemies from behind with shock waves. A man who considers himself the most beautiful in the world and will tolerate the existence of anyone more beautiful than himself. His actions has led to the downfall of the Nanto Sei Ken.

Thouther

• Style: Nanto Hōō Ken
• Voice: Banjō Ginga

One of the Nanto Rokusei Ken, the man who bears the burden of the Star of Leadership. The successor of Nanto Hōō Ken, the mightiest among the 108 sects of Nanto Sei Ken. He once had a lover deeper than anyone else until he renounced it and took on the name of the Holy Emperor, building himself the Holy Emperor Cross Mausoleum. A man whose body possesses a secret that makes him invulnerable to the use of Hokuto Shin Ken that not even Ken-oh himself dares to challenge him.

Mr. Heart

• Style: N/A
• Voice: Shōzō Iizuka

An underling of Shin, the one who calls himself "KING". His body may seemed like an excessive amount of fat, but also has the capability of absorbing the impacts of most attacks, earning it the nickname the "destroyer of martial artists". He is usually mild-mannered until he sees the sight of his own blood, in which he turns into a homicidal maniac who will not calm down until he kills someone.

Mamiya

• Style: N/A
• Voice: Toshiko Fujita

She was kidnapped by Juda on the day , who also killed her parents. After escaping, she renounced her womanhood and became the leader of her village, where she met Kenshiro and Rei.

Cameos

• Yuria (During the game's opening. Also visible in the background of the Southern Cross stage and in Shin's victory animation.)
• Lin (cv. Miwa Kōzuki) and Bat (cv. Ayumi Tsunematsu) (Whenever Kenshiro wins.)
• Zeed (Can be seen in background in Lin's Village.)
• Shū (In the background of Thouther's stage, carrying the cap stone to the top of Thouther's Holy Pyramid)
• Ōgai (Thouther's sensei. Appears during his victory pose after a Fatal KO at the Pyramid stage.)
• Diamond (cv. Naotsugu Yoneda), Spade (cv. Koji Totani) and Club (cv. Riichi Nishimoto) (As part of Mr. Heart's Fatal KO.)
• Dagar (cv. Yūsaku Yara) and Komaku (cv. Shigeru Chiba) (Juda's underlings. Appear during his special moves.)

External links

• PS2 @ GameFAQs, Arcade Version
• Hokuto no Ken PlayStation 2 version's website - The game's website
• Hokuto no Ken Arcade version's website - The game's website
• Sega Amusement USA page of the game - Contains downloadable flyer.
• Arc System Works official website - Arc System Works official website
• Hokuto no Ken PS2 bonus disc info
• You Can Play This review