Ragnagard
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| File:Ragnagard Cover.jpg | |
| Developer(s) | System Vision |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Saurus SNK |
| Composer(s) | Hideki Suzuki |
| Platform(s) | Arcade, Neo-Geo, Neo-Geo CD, Sega Saturn, Virtual Console |
| Release | July 26, 1996 |
| Genre(s) | Fighting |
Ragnagard, known in Japan as Shin-Oh-Ken (神凰拳, lit. "God Phoenix Fist"), is 2D arcade fighting game developed by System Vision and published by Saurus for the Neo-Geo arcade, Neo-Geo CD and Sega Saturn. Although sometimes known as Operation Ragnagard, the name is unofficial and was mistakenly mixed with Operation Ragnarök, the Japanese title of another Neo-Geo title, Zed Blade.
Although Diversions Entertainment's One Must Fall: 2097 and especially Rare's Killer Instinct were possibly influential in featuring 3D-rendered graphics, they weren't released in Japan at all. Other 3D-rendered Japanese fighting games released at the time of Ragnagard's release were Tecmo's Tōkidenshō Angel Eyes and Data East's Avengers in Galactic Storm.
Gameplay
Like most Neo-Geo fighting games, the player controls a character with four buttons and an 8-way joystick. And like most fighting games, the object is to defeat an opponent in a one-on-one battle two times in a row. The player can perform a variety of basic moves in any position, including grabbing/throwing attacks, while the player can perform special moves by inputting a combination of directional and button-based commands. The player uses the joystick to jump, crouch and move the character towards or away from the enemies. The main features of Ragnagard include air guarding, air dashing, multiple types of combos, guard cancelling, rising and downward attacks. Players can even escape air combos. It is possible to escape normal moves, but not special moves.
Ports and related releases
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Ragnagard was later ported to the Neo-Geo AES, the home console version of the Neo-Geo MVS. This version features limited continues and different difficulty settings. This version was later re-released through the Wii's Virtual Console exclusively in Japan. Ragnagard was also ported to the Neo-Geo CD exclusively in Japan, which this version features an improved intro, slightly cleaner background music, and a few other tweaks. This version of Ragnagard was later ported to the Sega Saturn also exclusively in Japan. This version features a few new modes and control customization, while some of the game's graphics and gameplay were improved and altered. Unlike the arcade version, in which the player could play as one of the bosses by entering a cheat code, the Neo-Geo CD and Sega Saturn versions allowed the player to play as the bosses only by entering the versus mode.