Ralf Jones

General CVG character


name=Ralf
caption=
name=Ralf Jones
firstgame="Ikari Warriors"
series="King of Fighters" series
appearsinkof=94-XI
artist=
voiceactor=Scott Casey (Maximum Impact)
japanactor=Monster Maezuka
inuniverse=SNK character
bloodtype=A
fightingstyle=Mercenary combat with Heidern style of assassination arts
likes=Collecting knives, Baseball
dislikes=Snakes|

:"Not to be confused with Ralph Jones, an American football coach."

nihongo|Ralf Jones|ラルフ・ジョーンズ|Rarufu Jōnzu is a character from both the "Ikari Warriors" and "King of Fighters" video game series. He is believed to be inspired by Sylvester Stallone's role Rambo. He is also a playable character in Metal Slug 6, where he has the ability to use his punch to knock out vehicles, and being able to survive two shots. In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Ralf was voted as the staff's twelfth favorite character.Cite book | year=1997 | editor=Gamest | title=Gamest Game Hero Collection 1997; issue 208 | pages=240 | language=Japanese | publisher=Shinseisha ]

Like Mario and Luigi, Ralf and his fellow agent (and presumed good friend) Clark Still started out as palette swap characters in Ikari Warriors. In "KOF '94", Ralf and Clark were very similar in looks and move repertoire, but By 1995, Clark got a newer stance and win pose, while Ralf retained his old ones. In every new installment of the KOF series, Clark seems to be further and further differing from Ralf, while Clark is a powerful grappler, Ralf is more of a power player, making use of some very efficient long-range attacks. Both characters were redesigned in "KOF '99". He has feelings for Leona.

In first King of Fighters XII locktest, Ralf does appear as a playable character, with drastical physical and gameplay changes. He looks like a huge muscled soldier, with a new suit including a grenades belt. He doesn't seems to have previous moves like "Ralfe Tackle", "Ralf Kick", "Gattling Attack" or "Argentine Backbreaker"; his new moves consists in close combat using bombs, and it seems to reveal Ralf had never fire powers, instead exploding grenades in his fists in order to use techs like the "Vulcan punch". He also features grenade-based new moves, with a style resembling Kevin Rian's, altough Ralf new size grants him more reach, compensating his moves' changes.

Ralf Jones has been voiced by Monster Maezuka from his debut, who also voices Kyoshiro Senryo, Choi Bounge and Benimaru Nikaido.

History

Ralf Jones is a member of the "Ikari Warriors", an elite mercenary-for-hire agency.

Ralf and Clark Still first met Commander Heidern during a secret operation in the Amazon jungle in Brazil. Their mission to reach the village of Ikari was stopped short by an aircraft (prop-plane) malfunction which landed them deep into enemy territory. The two were forced to venture alone into the jungle. The two would complete their mission, but had lost radio contact with their squadron. With all attempts to radio in futile, and their rations running short, the two were close to giving up hope. Luckily for them, Heidren managed to find them during a sweep of the area. Impressed with their abilities, when Heidren was invited to the The King of Fighters '94 and was to form a team, Ralf & Clark were the first on his list.

In King Of Fighters '96 Ralf and Clark were introduced to their new team-mate Leona Heidern who was replacing her adoptive father in their "Ikari Warriors Team" and the team were sent to investigate Southtown crime-boss Geese Howard who entered that year's tournament (as part of the popular "Boss Team") the following year Leona (and Iori Yagami) went into the "Riot Of Blood" (an instigated process by which a member of the Orochi bloodline becomes a powerful berserker) Leona became very depressed and wanted to commit suicide, and it was Ralf who gave her the will to continue, and gave her his trademark bandanna to re-tie her hair.

After the "The King of Fighters '97" , Ralf and his friends focused more on other operations. However, Commander Heidern soon assigned the "Ikari Warriors" to investigate the new force behind the tournament this time around. The team also was joined by a new recruit, simply named Whip.

The "Ikari Warriors" began a deep investigation on the NESTS cartel once they found out their involvement in the latest "King of Fighters" tournament. Once Ralf and his teammates arrived at Southtown, the Ikari Warriors try to contact Heidern, but to no avail. Sensing something wrong, Ralf goes to the designated reunion point, given by Ling. Once there, located in an abandoned factory in the industrial zone, Ralf finds his commander badly wounded, but alive. Heidern informs his soldiers that Ling was just a fake, and that he was really Clone Zero, a high-ranked NESTS agent. The team attempts to stop Zero, but are forced to retreat, as the Zero Cannon has already been fired towards Southtown. The Zero Cannon impacts on Southtown, leveling the whole city to ruins.

Back at the Ikari Warriors headquarters, Ralf, Clark, Heidern, and Leona find a video addressed to them in Whip's room. In it, Whip bids her former comrades farewell, apparently to go off and reunite with her brother K'.

The operation to dismantle NESTS quickly begins as the tournament ends. The team raid and attack several buildings where NESTS operations are supposed to take place but the majority of the installations were deserted. Clark attends a meeting called by his commander, Heidern, in which he tells everyone that Whip has informed them that NESTS will finally "play their hand" in the next King of Fighters tournament as the new hosts, eventually ending in the defeat of Zero and his superior, Igniz.

In King of Fighters 2003 Leona’s Orochi bloodline caused her to go into a rage and badly injure Ralf and Clark.

He and Clark can now be played in Metal Slug 7.

Related characters

* Clark Still
* Heidern
* Leona Heidern
* Whip
* Marco Rossi
* Fio Germi
* Tarma Roving
* Eri Kasamoto

References

External links

* [http://kofaniv.snkplaymore.co.jp/english/index.html The King of Fighters 10th Anniversary Official Website]