Clark Still

Clark Still
Series	Ikari Warriors Metal Slug The King of Fighters
First game	Ikari Warriors (1986)
Voiced by (English)	Sean Michaels (Maximum Impact)
Voiced by (Japanese)	Yoshinori Shima
Fictional profile
Birthplace	United States
Fighting style	Contact-style martial arts combined with Heidern style of assassination arts

Clark Still (クラーク・スティル^?) is a player character in video games produced by SNK, primarily in the The King of Fighters series of fighting games, although he was originally from the military-themed action game Ikari Warriors, and has also appeared as a character in certain installments of the Metal Slug series.

Character development

Clark was originally the Player 2 character in SNK's 1986 shooting action game Ikari Warriors (known simply as Ikari in Japan). In this game, Clark and his partner Ralf, are mercenaries sent to an unnamed hostile nation and destroyed the enemy's base. Ikari Warriors was followed by two sequels, Victory Road (1986, also known as Ikari Warriors II) and Ikari III: The Rescue (1989). In the Ikari series, Clark's attire consists of military pants and a bandanna, with only the color of his attire distinguishing from Ralf's. In the international versions of the Ikari games released for the NES, Clark was renamed Vince.

Clark, along with Ralf, would resurface as members of the Ikari Team in The King of Fighters '94, along with their mentor and commanding officer Heidern. Like in the Ikari series, Clark wore the same attire as Ralf's (which now consisted of jeans, a white T-shirt, and a vest), only this time he wore a blue cap and sunglasses to distinguish himself from Ralf. Although the Ikari Team has underwent slight roster changes as the series progressed (particularly with the retirement of Heidern, who returned in later games, and the introductions of Leona and Whip), Ralf and Clark are two of the few characters who have remained constant, appearing in every game in the series including KOF: Maximum Impact and its sequel, and the forthcoming The King of Fighters XIII.

Outside the KOF series, Ralf and Clark has also appeared as playable characters in Metal Slug 6, as well as Metal Slug 7, where he appears in his outfit from KOF '99 and uses his Super Argentinian Backbreaker as his special ability in the game.

In video games

Gameplay

Originally Clark shared the same set of special techniques as Ralf in KOF '94, with only their respective Super Special Move distinguishing them. His original set of Special Moves included the Vulcan Punch (a rapid punch attack), the Gatling Attack (a rushing series of punches), and the Super Argentine Back Breaker (in which Ralf tosses his opponent in the air and catches him). In KOF '95, he gains the Super Arabian Back Breaker, which is similar to the Argentine Back Breaker, only Clark uses his knee to strike the landing opponent. His move set was revamped in KOF '96, where he lost the Super Arabian Back Breaker and Gatling Attack, but gained various grappling techniques such as the Frankensteiner, the Rolling Cradle, the Napalm Stretch, and the Flashing Elbow. In KOF '99, he gains the Mount Tackle, the Clark Lift, the Slipper Lift, and the Flashing Launcher. He also loses the Vulcan Punch, but regains the Gatling Attack. He loses the Vulcan Punch again in KOF 2002, which is replaced by the Shining Wizard and in KOF 2003, he gains the Spiral DDT. His original Super Special Move in KOF '94 was the Ultra Argentine Back Breaker, a more powerful version of the Super Argentine Back Breaker. He gains the Running Three in KOF '97. In KOF 2002, his MAX2 move is the Running Pirates.

In other media

Reception

In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Clark was voted as the staff's 27th favorite character, sharing the spot with Kizuna Encounter character, Kim Sue Il.^[1] He also ranked at #38 in Top 50 Characters of 1994.^[2]

References

1. ^ Gamest, ed (1997) (in Japanese). Gamest Game Hero Collection 1997; issue 208. Shinseisha. p. 1. 
2. ^ Ishii, Zenji; Pigu (January 1995). "第８回 ゲーメスト大賞". Gamest Magazine (136): 40. http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~dummy/gamest/magazine/gamest/v136.html#TOKUSYU. Retrieved 2008-12-25. 

External links

• Clark Still at The King of Fighters 10th Anniversary Official Website