The Rumble Fish

Infobox VG
title=The Rumble Fish


developer=Dimps
publisher=Sammy
engine=Atomiswave
version=
released=2004
genre=2D Versus fighting
modes=Up to 2 players simultaneously
platforms=Arcade (2004), PlayStation 2 (2005, Japan only)
media=DVD-ROM x1

"The Rumble Fish" (ザ・ランブルフィッシュ) is a 2D fighting game for the Atomiswave arcade platform. It was produced by Dimps and published by Sammy. A sequel, The Rumble Fish 2, has since been developed.

tory

As the 20th century fades into the 21st century, a large-scale natural disaster tears through the eastern side of a certain country, destroying its economical and political operations and taking a total of 158,000 lives.

The conglomerate known as PROBE-NEXUS begins its reconstruction of the east side, as well as moving its base of operations there. The rebuilt area flourishes again as it becomes a wealthy and busy city known as Zone Prime, erected as a symbol of a new age.

However, all is not well as an unknown incident occurs in the slums in the western block of Zone Prime.

Black envelopes are handed out to 9 contenders, inviting them to an underground tournament known as the Fight for Survival, or F.F.S.

Gameplay and System

The Rumble Fish uses a unique 2D fighting system with the ability to easily create combos. Weak attacks can easily chain into slower, stronger attacks, a common system shown in games like Guilty Gear and Melty Blood. There is also a button dedicated to multiple evasive maneuvers.

The game also introduces the division of the power gauge into Offense and Defense. Advanced techniques are available to the player, at the cost of either gauge.

Offense

The Offense gauge fills as the player delivers attacks. As seen in its name, it is used to mount offensive attacks, such as super moves called Offensive Arts. Special techniques exclusive to this meter include the Jolt Attack, which is an unblockable attack that leaves the opponent vulnerable to potentially high-damaging combos, at the expense of a full Offense gauge.

Defense

The Defense gauge is filled as the player receives and guards against attacks from the opponent. Super moves called Defensive Arts are available only to this gauge; though they are not often as strong as an Offensive Art, they can be used in tactical situations (for example, while guarding an attack or while lying prone on the ground) to stop an opponent's offense. An advanced technique that uses the Defense gauge is the Impact Break, which breaks a player's guard after successfully blocking an attack to allow a counter-offensive.

When both the Offense and Defense gauges are full, they merge into a Critical gauge. The benefits of both meters are still available, but each characters' strongest skill is only available at the Critical point.

A new graphics engine was used to animate the various limbs of each character separately, allowing for more fluid animation. This engine also allows the clothes of each character to rip from wear and tear as they take more damage throughout a match.

Characters

*Zen - A stoic man fighting for himself. He is an all-rounded character who is beginner-friendly.
*Hikari - Kaya's sister, she is kind and gentle. She is an adept at defending and countering attacks.
*Typhon - A young fighter who is quick and agile and has a range of projectile attacks.
*Garnet - A playful woman who mainly attacks with her legs. She has a somewhat long reach and has a variety of attacks for different situations.
*Orville - A 6 ft 11 in tall, large-framed man who is an adept at grappling and rushing attacks.
*Boyd - A short, elderly man who can emit shots of energy from his fingertips.
*Viren - A mysterious, intimidating fighter who uses a wide array of weapons to fight, including a chain, a stungun, and Molotov cocktails.
*Kaya - Hikari's sister, she is somewhat cold, stoic, and serious. She has a versatile range of attacks and defensive maneuvers.
*Aran - A womanizing man, he is useful at almost any range, with projectile attacks and close-range rushing attacks.
*Greed - A large man with a white mane of hair. He is a merciless fighter who has taken the lives of many people. He has a rather long reach and has several rushing attacks.
*Sheryl "(PlayStation 2 version only)" - A bonus character from The Rumble Fish 2. She is an assassin whose fighting style is based upon wires and setting traps across the screen.
*Hazama "(PlayStation 2 version only)" - A bonus character from The Rumble Fish 2. He works under PROBE-NEXUS' CEO. He has strong attacks and a somewhat long range.

Trivia

*The strange title is also the name of a S.E. Hinton book, a film and a Korean pop group.
*The Rumble Fish is also known as the Siamese Fighting Fish, a fish famous for attacking its own reflection in a mirror.

Related games

*The Rumble Fish 2

External links

[http://www.dimps.co.jp/rumblefish/index.html Official Japanese site (Arcade version)] [http://www.dimps.co.jp/rumblefish_ps2/index.html Official Japanese site (PlayStation 2 version)]