Groove On Fight

Groove On Fight is the fourth installment in the series. It is also known as Goketsuji Ichizoku 3: Groove On Fight. In the story chronology, however, it is the last entry in the series at the current time. It was released in arcades in 1997. Unlike the other games in the series, neither it or it's console port received a release outside of Japan.

About Groove On Fight

The story of this sequel of the Power Instinct series takes place 20 years after the last Goketsuji tournament. It also has a darker and more serious tone than its predecessors, similar to that of Darkstalkers, but still maintains some of the same humor that is particular to the series.

The players can choose from eleven characters, all of them, save Otane/Oume (who were combined into one character), being new. The graphic style of Groove On Fight is very different from its predecessors, as the sprites are smaller, but are more fluid and have an animated look to them much like several other 2D fighting games.

Story

The weak shouldn't pronounce the name "Goketsuji".

The Gouketsuji family is the wealthiest family in the world. The rules of the clan establish that a fighting tournament must be held once every five years to decide who is going to be the leader.

The winner of this tournament takes absolute control of the immense family fortune. There are not too many people that have won the tournament.

The year 2015. The date for the next Goketsuji tournament is approaching. Oume Goketsuji, winner of the last tournament, aware of her deteriorated physical strength, decided to look for her younger sister Otane to offer to her share the leadership of the clan. However the Goketsuji twins thought that their strength was not enough and decided to ask for the help of an outsider.

This forced them to modify the rules of the tournament, allowing the participation of people outside the family. Now the twins not only have to retain their leadership, they also have to defend the clan against a rival family that wants the destruction of the Goketsuji clan.

Gameplay

Gameplay is in a 2-on-2 format with the ability to tag in and out at any time between players. Every time the player tag successfully between characters, the character who is one the sidelines slowly begins to get his or her energy back. The Stress Meter that was present in other games is also back, though operates a little differently in that when the meter fills, it adds a level to the meter (as many as 9 can be obtained) and is referred to as the "Special Meter". Each player begins with one level, and using up a Super Attack uses up a level. Groove on Fight is the only game in the series where all Super Attacks are preformed in the same input (down, down+any Kick button and the Dash Attack button).

Unlike the previous games, Groove On Fight has a six buttons system, namely for the "Powerful Blow" and the "Dash Attack".

The special guard and the shadow moves from Power Instinct Legends are still present in the game and some other new characteristics were introduced to the gameplay:

Body Toss: As defeated characters remain in the battlefield, one can pick up the fallen character and hurl them at the opponent.

Taunt: Pressing the start button will taunt the opponent. Introduced for the first time in the series.

Unblockable Attack: Each character has his/her own Unblockable Attack. This attack is very slow, but if hits cause a great amount of damage to the opponent.

Partner Attack: The character that is not fighting will perform a jump-in attack from the sidelines.

Dual Combo: Is a series of attacks performed by the two characters at the same time. This requires one level of the Stress meter.

Pounce: Pressing up + Light kick, Hard Kick, as soon as the character knocks an opponent down, will attack the downed foe.

Ports

In the Sega Saturn port of the game, many animation frames were cut, but it included some interesting features like being able to play as Damian, Bristol Weller and Bristol-D once the player beats the game with certain characters, the possibility of four players to play at the same time by way of the Saturn's multi-tap and an "Omake Mode" where the players can view artwork of the characters for the game. The Saturn version also features an arranged version of the soundtrack that has some new music themes that were not present in the original, like the theme "Mystic" and the vocal version of the title song.

Characters

• Bristol-D
• Bristol Weller
• Chris Wayne
• Damian Shade
• Falco
• Rudolph Gartheimer
• Hizumi Yukinoue
• Larry Light
• M. A. D.
• Oume and Otane
• Popura Hananokoji
• Remi Otogiri
• Solis R8000
• Sujiroku Tenjinbashi

Flyers

Japanese arcade flyer (front)

Japanese arcade flyer (back)

Packaging

Japanese box art (front)

Japanese box art (back)

Game with 1 MB ram (front)

Game with 1 MB ram (back)

Screenshots

Trivia

• In the PlayStation RPG Persona, the hero's alternate self in the Well of Mind and Souls is seen playing Groove On Fight.