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For the FOX television series, see Killer Instinct (TV series).

For the reference to the human behaviour, see Killer Instinct (human behaviour)

For the Acclaim Comics comic book, see Killer Instinct (comics)

Killer Instinct<tr><td colspan="2" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center;">Image:Killer Instinct flyer.jpg</td></tr>
Developer(s)	Rareware <tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Publisher(s)</th><td>Nintendo, Midway</td></tr>
Release date(s)	1994
Genre(s)	Fighting
Mode(s)	Up to 2 players simultaneously
Platform(s)	Arcade, Super NES, Game Boy <tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Input</th><td>Joystick; 6 buttons</td></tr><tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Arcade cabinet</th><td>Upright</td></tr><tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Arcade system(s)</th><td>Ultra 64</td></tr><tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Arcade display</th><td>Horizontal, Raster, standard resolution (Used: 320 x 240)</td></tr>

Killer Instinct is a fighting game by Rare and Nintendo. Initially released in arcades in 1994, and claiming to use an "Ultra 64" hardware engine. The game received a high profile launch on the Super Nintendo, as well as on the Game Boy^{[citation needed]}. There is a sequel by the name of Killer Instinct 2.

Developed using high-powered SGI computers and 3D modeling software from Alias, Killer Instinct was considered a graphical leader when it was released. It featured animated backgrounds that were a pre-rendered movie which changed angles depending on your location and complex animated characters. This technique causes the backgrounds to have an unprecedented three dimensional look, yet look far better than was possible at the time in real time three dimensional rendering. Bram Stoker's Dracula for the Sega CD later used this technique. Killer Instinct was also the first arcade game with an internal hard disk.

Contents 1 Combos 1.1 Standard Flow 1.2 Combo breaking 1.3 Hits designation 1.4 Efficiency 2 Story 3 Characters 3.1 Black Orchid 3.2 Cinder 3.3 Fulgore 3.4 Glacius 3.5 Jago 3.6 Riptor 3.7 Sabrewulf 3.8 Spinal 3.9 T.J. Combo 3.10 Chief Thunder 3.11 Eyedol 4 Art Style 5 Version Differences 6 Trivia 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Combos

[edit] Standard Flow

It is important to keep in mind that the player may finish the combo after any part by simply not inputting any move, using a non-designated special attack, or using a standard move that is not designated as an auto double in the current sequence (the latter two could be considered 'finishers' in their own right), in addition to the sequences below. Finally, if the opposing player's lifebar is in critical condition, the player can use an Ultra (a super-long auto-combo, similar to Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3's Brutalities) or Ultimate (one of the character's finishing moves) combo ender at any phase following the first auto-double. These function as 'instant-kill' moves, similar to Guilty Gear XX or Samurai Shodown V.

1. Opener (either designated specials moves, jump-in attack, or "top attack.")

2. Auto-double (a specific strength button that is determined by which strength special attack the player used.) If it is after a jump-in attack, it will always be one strength lower then the jump-in attack. If it is after a top attack, it will always be Medium.)

3. At this point the player has two possible choices. S/he end the combo with an end special, which is a specified special attack (which will result in a special finisher.) Or, the player could use a linker, which is a single special move of certain strength.

4. At this point, again, the player has two possible choices. S/he could use an end special (as noted above) or a second auto-double (which will follow the linker, and therefore always be a punch or kick of certain strength, since the linker is always a fixed special attack of certain strength.)

5. End special (a specified special attack.)

Additionally, players can create speed-up, slow-down, and shadow combos by using certain moves, though generally these are graphical changes that result in little gameplay difference. Finally, players have found certain moves or combinations of moves that can be incorporated into or instigate combos outside of this system. Some of these do, in fact, lead to infinites as seen in other fighting games. There is little doubt that these moves were probably not pre-planned.

[edit] Combo breaking

The opposing player may break out of the combo by inputting a "combo breaker." The combo breaker is a designated special move of the player's character. A combo can be broken at either the auto-double or linker stage. To successfully break an auto-double, the player must use the breaker move at a strength lower then the auto-double itself (i.e. for a player to break a Medium auto-double s/he must use a Quick breaker.) The combo can also be broken at the linker stage. At this stage the player can use any strength of breaker, making long combos a risky affair.

[edit] Hits designation

After a combo is successfully completed without being broken, bonus points are awarded based on the number of hits:

• 3 hits - Triple combo
• 4 hits - Super combo
• 5 hits - Hyper combo
• 6 hits - Brutal combo
• 7 hits - Master combo
• 8 hits - Awesome combo
• 9 hits - Blaster combo
• 10 hits - Monster combo
• 11 hits - King combo
• 12+ hits - Killer combo

If an Ultra (18+ hits) or Ultimate ender is used, the combo receives that designation instead.

[edit] Efficiency

While combos have the potential to be damaging due to the initial difficulty required to 'break' out of one, it is important to note that they are quite dangerous to use. They can only be initiated by fairly high-risk attacks, and can be broken fairly easily if they become too long. Additionally, damage scaling is very severe, meaning that the damage of every successive hit will become smaller. Beyond the fourth or fifth hits, subsequent hits will do negligable, if any, damage (but instead, they reward big points).

[edit] Story

Ultratech is a very powerful company which organizes a tournament called Killer Instinct. Along with regular participants, experimental creatures created by Ultratech also fight in the tournament. Ultratech also discovers a technology to make bridges between dimensions, and to also release from his dimensional prison a two-headed monster called Eyedol, an ancient warrior that was locked away along with his rival.

[edit] Characters

The game features ten characters, all of which are owned by Rare after the acquisition:

[edit] Black Orchid

Hired by Ultratech as a secretary, she is actually a spy working for an unknown party and, along with Jago, appears to be the heroine of the game franchise. She is famous for a finishing move wherein she flashes her opponent, causing the male opponents' eyes to zoom out of their head cartoonishly before they die, or, if fighting another Orchid, simply causing the opponent to fold her arms defiantly. If she performs it on TJ Combo, Combo stammers before dying. If she performs it on Saberwulf, Saberwulf will babble humourously "Hummina hummina hummina!"

[edit] Cinder

A criminal who was promised early release by Ultratech in exchange for participating in chemical weapons research. As a result of an accident during testing, his body is composed entirely of flame. He is promised a return to his original form if he is able to defeat Glacius in the tournament. In the early development stages of the game his name was Meltdown, but this was soon afterwards changed to Cinder.

[edit] Fulgore

Fulgore is a cyborg, part of a cybernetic project developed by Ultratech, the masterminds behind the Killer Instinct fighting tournament. Fulgore was entered into the tournament to test its fighting capabilities. If successful, the Fulgore unit would be placed in mass production. During the first Killer Instinct tournament, Fulgore met its end at the hands of Jago. A newer version of Fulgore was produced for the second fighting tournament. He can be considered as Killer Instinct's poster boy, since he appears in many of the game's promotional merchandise.

[edit] Glacius

An alien who was captured by Ultratech and promised freedom if he wins the tournament. He gets his nickname from his body's icy liquid composition and ability to shape-shift. He appears to be influenced by the T-1000 from the Hollywood film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, as he is able to turn into a puddle of liquid and transform his arms into blades.

[edit] Jago

A Tibetan monk following the Tiger Spirit. He considers the defeat of Ultratech as his destiny. He is considered Killer Instinct's version of Street Fighter's Ryu.

[edit] Riptor

A genetically engineered velociraptor-human hybrid created as a prototype by Ultratech. The tournament serves to test its abilities as a killing machine. He is intelligent and very deadly; one of the deadliest creatures in Killer Instinct.

[edit] Sabrewulf

Count Von Sabrewulf is stricken by lycanthropy, and is promised a cure by Ultratech if he wins the tournament. This is a semi-cameo appearance of Sabre Man, known from their 1984 game Sabre Wulf. Sabrewulf fights in his inherited castle as his home level, with biting and claw attacks, and the ability to howl and use his Flaming Bat.

[edit] Spinal

An Ultratech minion. He is a product of cell regeneration; a living skeleton of an ancient warrior. He seems to fight for sheer enjoyment. He carries a sword and shield, and has the ability to teleport and physically morph himself into a grayscale version of his opponents during combos. He has an odd quirk in that, in order to perform certain moves, he must gather energy (represented by tokens shaped like skull under his life bar in the SNES version, and by skulls floating around his person in the arcade) by either absorbing opponents projectile energy attacks, or performing combo breakers. Despite requiring these tokens, his special moves are not particularly stronger than normal special attacks. He can "store" up to 5 skull tokens. Spinal was a homage to the film Jason and the Argonauts.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] T.J. Combo

A former heavyweight boxing champion for 5 years. He was stripped of his title and kicked out of the circuit due to sheer brutality towards his opponents, and because he was using cybernetically enhanced arms. Ultratech promises him to return his title if he wins the tournament. He is similar to Balrog of the Street Fighter series and to Major Jackson Jax Briggs of the Mortal Kombat series, but this may be simply because they are both based on similar premises.

[edit] Chief Thunder

A Native American Chief, armed with twin tomahawks, who enters the tournament to find out what happened to his missing brother Eagle in the previous year's tournament.

[edit] Eyedol

A two-headed, ancient mystical warlord who was trapped in a dimensional prison in the distant past. Ultratech released him to be the final combatant in the tournament. It is shown in Killer Instinct 2 that the person Eyedol was trapped in combat with was Gargos, the final boss of that game.

[edit] Art Style

Unlike many other fighting games, especially its contemporaries, Killer Instinct takes place in a modern/futuristic setting. Most stages are quite dark and the game's palette is composed generally of dark, rich colours, which highlight this. The attacks of the game are covered in a comic book style starburst. White starbursts designate hits that have connected, while red ones designate blocked hits. This style is similar to the flashes that appear in later fighting games such as Tekken, Soul Calibur, and Bushido Blade. The amount of blood in the game is actually quite low, especially considering the title of the game. While there is slightly more blood in Killer Instinct than Street Fighter II, generally speaking it is in a realistic amount and never approaches the levels of the Mortal Kombat games.

The music of the game contains a variety of genres and differs heavily between each stage. Of special notice is that when a player's life is in critical status, the music tracks changed to a small loop of the current track, a la Street Fighter II. However due to the flow of the game this only occurs once per match and only at the very end, as opposed to two to three times in Street Fighter II, allowing the original track to play much longer.

[edit] Version Differences

• The graphics of the SNES version are considerably different from the arcade due to memory constraints.
• In the first arcade version of the game the Danger moves were called No Mercy. This was changed for all later releases in the arcades and the SNES port.
• Cinder was called Meltdown in the first version of the game.
• Some of the older arcade games allowed a glitch that caused Fulgore's teleport move to make his graphic appear much smaller in size.
• For the later versions of the game one had to select Cinder and press a certain button combination in order to play as Eyedol, whereas in the older releases you were required to select Riptor instead.
• An earlier arcade version glitch - In Orchid's frog finishing move, instead of squashing the opponent, you can bring them back and perform a combo or do her flash move afterwards.
• The Game Boy version uses fewer attack buttons, does not have Cinder or Riptor, and is missing several other features due to technical limitations.
• The SNES version replaces the "versus" videos with still images of the characters taken from the videos.

[edit] Trivia

• The original planned title for the game was Brute Force.
• The Super Nintendo version of the game was packaged in a black case in both Europe and the United States; unusual, as most SNES games used a standard grey shell. It also was packaged with a 16 track music CD entitled Killer Cuts featuring arrangements of music from the game. Killer Cuts was later sold through Nintendo Power's Super Power Supplies mail order service in both CD and cassette form.
• The fighting system of Interplay's Clayfighter 63 1/3 has striking similarities to Killer Instinct's, mainly in terms of the automatic combo system that that game also employs.
• Killer Instinct's "aftermatch" moves seem to have a direct similarity to the Mortal Kombat games. Interestingly, in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance references to KI characters are included. For example, Reptile has a combo entitled "Rip-Tore" and Cyrax has one called "Full-Gore".^{[citation needed]} However in terms of actual gameplay Killer Instincts system seems to bear a resemblance of Street Fighter II.
• The end boss character Eyedol's ending clearly parodies Blanka's ending from Street Fighter II.

[edit] References

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[edit] External links

• KLOV entry for Killer Instinct
• dmoz listing for Killer Instinct Series
• Killer Instinct Series at MobyGames
• Killer Instinct at Nintendo.com
• Killer Instinct (Game Boy) at IGN
• Killer Instinct at GameFAQs
• Killer Instinct Fansite with Videos, FAQs and Online Communityde:Killer Instinct

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