Note: This game was played on an original Neo Geo AES console. It was connected through component inputs that ran through an OSSC and converted the signal to HDMI.

Game: Aggressors of Dark Kombat (Tsuukai Gangan Koushinkyoku)

Brief History: Aggressors of Dark Kombat was released for the Neo Geo AES in August of 1994. It is, for all intents and purposes, a one-on-one fighter; however, it approaches this popular genre in a unique way, utilizing a multi-plane play area and a ‘wrestling’ style grapple system, as well as other less-common approaches.

Controls: ADK uses a three-button setup. A tapped for light punch, A held for strong punch. B tapped for light kick, B held for strong kick. C for jump, and you can perform an air attack by pressing A or B. A+B and towards a close opponent initiates a grapple; from there, pressing A or B plus a directional input executes a throw/wrestling move of some kind. Pressing C from a grapple causes your fighter to slip behind the opponent to execute a throw. The CPU can also ‘counter’ your grapple (and you theirs) by being first to hit the inputs after an initiated grapple. If your grapple is countered, immediately tap the A and B and C buttons to escape or re-counter. Occasionally, your opponent may stay down for a bit, and you can perform a ground attack by pressing A or B. Tapping back twice executes a quick backstep, and pressing up or down twice allows you to sidestep an attack. Holding back blocks when an opponent is attacking.

Life Bar: There are no best-of-three ’rounds’ in ADK. Instead, you fight each opponent in a single round. However, both you and your opponent have four colored life bars that each must be depleted in order for one of you to be victorious. Life bars change from blue to green to yellow to red. Once red is gone, you’re history!

Fighters: Eight unique fighters comprise the roster for ADK. Interestingly, you can’t see the name of your fighter during character selection or during a match, as it’s simply not displayed. You can, however, see character names after a match and on the high score screen. Fighters range from the hulking Dolph Lungdren-look-alike Leonhalt and amateur wrestler Sheen, to the diminutive Japanese student Kisara and basketball-toting Bobby. Each fighter has his or her own strengths and weaknesses with regards to strength and speed.

Special Moves: Each fighter has unique special moves that require specific inputs to execute. These are all easy to pull off and often result in multi-hit combos on your opponent. Even without a guide, most of these can be discovered by using common ‘fighting game’ motions with A or B button presses.

Finishing Moves: These are truly one of the game’s best features. Each fighter in ADK has an original finishing move that can only be used when certain criteria are in place. The criteria? Your opponent’s life bar must be in red AND your ‘Crazy’ meter must be full (it fills slowly as you land blows on your opponent). When it’s full, you’ll see ‘GANGAN’ blinking by your life bar, and if you execute your finishing move (unique inputs that are also simple to use), your opponent is toast – even if their red life bar was completely full! It’s important to note that finishing moves can be avoided by sidestepping the attack (because you have to be ‘aligned’ with your opponent), so remember this when the CPU tries it on you!

Weapons: Typically once or twice per match, an overexcited spectator will toss a weapon into the play field to add to the excitement, or a breakable object will reveal one. These include a Molotov cocktail, a shovel, and a sword. The sword and shovel do decent damage, but your character swings a bit slow. The Molotov cocktail, however, is thrown at the feet of your opponent where it then ignites the ground in flames, causing your opponent to catch fire and leaving him or her open for a quick attack.

Blood? If ADK is played on a U.S. or European Neo Geo AES, there is no blood. However, if played on a Japanese AES (or a Unibios is installed that allows you to change the console’s region), then some blood, although not copious amounts, is present once you get your opponent into this third (yellow) life bar.

Final Boss? There is no final boss in ADK. Instead, you fight against every other character plus a mirror match against your own character, and finally a ‘Final Battle’ against your ‘rival’ whom you’ve already bested once before.

Difficulty: You can choose among the four standard Neo Geo AES difficulties (Easy, Normal, MVS, Hard). The first opponent you face is typically very easy, and you can practice your special moves, grapple & slams, and finishing move here with little issue. The second opponent is slightly more challenging. By the time you get to the third opponent, however, the difficulty increases significantly, and you start to realize you have to learn how this game really works in order to win!

Keys to Winning in ADK: As with many Neo Geo fighting games, learning how the CPU works is part of learning how to win. When I first began this game, I thought ADK was similar to 3 Count Bout, a Neo Geo wrestling game (see my review) that is similar-ish in control to ADK, yet that game makes winning grapples practically impossible, and the result is a game that is not a lot of fun. In ADK, however it is VERY possible to win most grapples and matches, once you understand how the CPU works. I lost countless matches until I realized I should play DEFENSIVELY rather than OFFENSIVELY. If you try to take the fight to the CPU (starting with the third fight), it will simply block and combo and slam your behind into oblivion, and in short order. However, if you hold back often and let the CPU come to you, it will often try to combo you, which you’ll easily block, leaving your opponent open for a grapple & slam or your own combo! Learning exactly when to press the button for your slam after you initiate a grapple is critical so that you don’t get countered, but there’s an onscreen icon that appears in addition to an audio chime – once you have that down and win most grapples, you’ll be good to go (this was how I did it, at least!) Will you win every match this way? No, but you’ll win enough to make things fun!

The Southern Gentleman’s Opinion and Letter Grade: A+ Aggressors of Dark Kombat, to me, feels more like a wrestling game than a one-on-one fighter, even if technically, that’s how it’s categorized. This is the ‘wrestling’ game that 3 Count Bout SHOULD have been. The characters are extremely charming and add excellent personality to the game as a whole. The controls and keys to victory, once learned, lead to an amazingly pleasurable play experience. Beyond that, the moves themselves, particularly the wrestling moves (power bombs, backbreakers, frankensteiners, pile drivers, choke slams, back drops, power slams, neck breakers, etc.) all have a tremendous impact and weight to them that is extremely satisfying. Finally, the finishing moves of each fighter puts the cherry on top, as some of them are downright a joy to behold. ADK is an absolute gem for the Neo Geo AES.