Gogetsuji Legends, alternatively known as Gogetsuji Legends, and Gōketsuji Gaiden Saikyō Densetsu in Japan, and Power Instinct Legends, is the third installment in the series, though it is not exactly a proper sequel, serving more as a “midquel” of sorts. It was released in arcades on June 20, 1995.
Features
The gameplay is very similar to the features found in Power Instinct 2, but with a major difference: This time the battles revolved around tag team matches. Each player must select a “partner” who fights first, and a “leader” who takes over if the partner loses. It is much similar to The King of Fighters where the fighters cannot be switched in the middle of the battle, and the switch only occurs if one is defeated. Depending of the combination of characters the team will have a special name, also by combining specific character there will be special pre-fight and post-fight Dialogues, for example if the team is conformed by Otane and Oume there will be a special dialogues if they confront a team lead by Oshima.
Two new techniques were added to help matters, as well: the “Charge Attack” and the Special Guard”. The Charge Attack will immediately knock down the opponent or launch them into the air for another attack and the Special Guard can nullify the opponent’s blow and allow for a counter attack. These are also similar to The King of Fighters mechanics.
Other additions to the gameplay were the “Shadow Attacks” that perform a Special Attack while the character is dashing, which would be carried down to the later titles. When it is done, the attack gets stronger or lands more hits, and a series of shadows trails behind the character in their wake (examples would be Annie’s Rainbow Rise, and Reiji’s Raikoukyaku, among others). Many of the characters were also given additional special attacks, the majority of which were exclusive only to this game.
Another feature in this game was the “Sudden Death” match which would start whenever time ran out and the round ended in a draw. The players’ life meters would be emptied out to where they can be KO’d in one hit, the Stress meters are filled to full capacity, and the round is restarted with 5 more seconds. If a second draw occurs, then the round completely ends.
Four new characters were also added to the cast; Super Kurara and Poochy were made fully playable characters separate from the usual characters they were a part of, the background Kuroko (renamed “Ninja Boy” in the US version), and a new boss, Chuck. This would be the first game in the series to feature both Otane and Oume as playable characters in one game, as opposed to the first two.
Also, the music score is composed of remixed versions of the characters’ themes from the previous game, excluding Keith Wayne, who gains a completely new theme. In the US version of the game, the lyrics from the songs that had them were removed, as well as several cosmetic features in various backgrounds.
Story
Otane Goketsuji, leader of the Goketsuji clan, was kidnapped. A new tournament was held to find a successor. Otane managed to arrive at the tournament to defend her title as clan leader against the winner of the tournament. Unfortunately to Otane, she was too tired to fight and was defeated by Kokuin Kanji!
After his victory in the Goketsuji tournament, Kanji thought that would be fun to test the strength of the Goketsuji family members, so he invited them for a new tournament.
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- Welcome to the Goketsuji Clan friendly Exhibition Match! As a special guest, I have invited the strongest and most powerful man in the world. Surely none from the Goketsuji clan will be defeated by such an outsider.
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- Let the game begins!
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- -Kanji
Characters
Returning Characters
- Angela Belti
- Annie Hamilton
- Kanji Kokuin
- Kinta Kokuin
- Keith Wayne
- Kurara Hananokoji
- Oshima Goketsuji
- Otane Goketsuji
- Oume Goketsuji
- Reiji Oyama
- Sahad Asran Ryuto
- Saizo Hattori
- Thin Nen
- White Buffalo
