JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Overview

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (known in Japan as JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Mirai e no Isan, loosely translated to "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future") is a 2D contemporary-fantasy fighting game developed and released by Capcom for arcades (using their CP System III hardware) on September 13, 1999.

A revised sequel to the 1998 game JoJo's Venture, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure adds several new playable characters to flesh out the original manga's Stardust Crusaders arc while adding a new rank-based single-player mode (Challenge Mode).

The game was later released on the Dreamcast (including the original JoJo's Venture as a bonus) on October 31, 1999 and the PlayStation (featuring an exclusive "Super Story Mode") on March 31, 2000. A high-definition port of the game (by CyberConnect2) was later released for the Xbox 360 (via Xbox Live Arcade) and PlayStation 3 (via PlayStation Network) on August 21, 2012.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is the last of the six games released for the short-lived CPS-3 hardware (which include the game's predecessor, Red Earth, and the Street Fighter III trilogy).

Plot

The story follows the adventures of a Japanese teenager Jotaro Kujo, who, after developing the bizarre supernatural abilities known as the "Stand" and learning from his grandfather Joseph Joestar of its relation with their bloodline and with the ancestral enemy of his family, the vampire Dio Brando, embarks on a quest to defeat Dio and save his mother, whose life is threatened as she's been unable to control the power of her own newly-manifested stand.

In the process, Jotaro is joined by allies such as Noriaki Kakyoin, Mohammad Avdol, Jean Pierre Polnareff, and the stand using dog, Iggy. Jotaro and friends all decide to travel to Egypt to confront Dio in one final battle. However, they get delayed constantly by Dio's assassin's, as his ties to the Joestar bloodline enable him to sense them coming. When they eventually make it to Egypt, they face many problems, including Kakyoin's injury. When the group confronts Dio's, they are shocked by his unique, and immense powers. Dio assaults Avdol along with his 2nd in command, Vanilla Ice, who murders him using his stand. Finally, Dio faces Jotaro in a final battle, but not before killing Kakyoin, who returned to help them defeat Dio. Dio also sucked the blood out of Joseph, becoming incredibly strong in the process. Once Jotaro finally defeats him, he, his grandfather, and the other survivors of the group return to find that Jotaro's mother is recovering.

Stand System

Stands serve as an alternate attack mode or attacks alongside the character. Most characters can switch between Normal and Stand modes. Characters who has Stand mode will have a small blue gauge that represents the Stand's durability. It will regenerate during Normal mode. Certain specials and supers can only be executed in either mode.

In Normal mode, the character's normal attacks are not combo-able. Characters are allowed to use dodge roll. Using a special or super attack will summon the Stand that will act independent of the character's movement and briefly execute a lesser version of the attack. Also, the character will receive chip damage while blocking.

In Stand mode, the character's normal attacks are combo-able. Characters are not allowed to use dodge roll. Special attacks are enhanced but the Stand cannot act independent of the character. The character will not receive chip damage from blocking and it will instead be transferred to the Stand's durability. Most characters are allowed to double-jump during Stand mode. The character will have a larger hit box during Stand mode and can be hit by high attacks even while crouching.

The Stand will receive durability damage if directly attacked or when absorbing chip damage. When the Stand is attacked directly, the character will also suffer that amount in damage. Once durability is depleted, the Stand will disappear and the character will suffer Guard Break and an extended hitstun. Certain attacks can also deplete the entire durability gauge in one hit.

There is also an ability dubbed "Tandem" attack. Using 1 power bar, the Stand can be commanded to execute a series of attacks while the player is free to act. Also, certain characters allow the player to take direct control of the Stand and it can move way from the character. On the downside, the character will be left completely vulnerable to attacks.

Characters

The game includes 16 playable characters, 6 hidden characters and variations (all of which are unlockable through either a cheat code or a time-release system), and two unplayable sub-bosses (3 in the PS1 version).

New Additions

• Hol Horse - One of DIO's assassins. His Stand, The Emperor, takes the form of a gun. He also tends to work with other Stand users, with his default version including abilities from J. Geil's Stand The Hanged Man and his unlockable alternate "Hol Horse & Voing" version including abilities from Voing's Stand Thoth. Neither versions use the Stand mechanic.

• Mahrahia - One of DIO's assassins. Her Stand, Bast, allows her to charge her opponent with magnetic force so that all sorts of metal items can be used as projectiles.

• Pet Shop - A sadistic falcon and the guard of DIO's mansion. His Stand, Horus, can manipulate ice.

• Robber Soul - One of DIO's assassins, who is disguising himself as Kakyoin with his blob-like Stand, Yellow Temperance. Unlockable.

• Kan - A barber and the story's second possessed wielder of the sword Stand Anubis. Unlockable.

• Tower of Gray - A Stand resembling a stag beetle who carries out tragic "accidents". Only appears in the PS1 version's "Special Story" mode as an unplayable opponent.

Returning Characters

• Jotaro Kujo - The main protagonist of Stardust Crusaders, Jotaro is a Japanese high school delinquent who rarely shows emotion, seeking to defeat DIO and save his mother's life. His Stand, Star Platinum, is known for its incredible strength and speed.

• Joseph Joestar - Jotaro's grandfather and the main protagonist of the earlier story arc Battle Tendency, who leads his grandson and the rest of the team to Egypt. His Stand, Hermit Purple, takes the form of glowing vines. His young appearance from Battle Tendency (known in-game as JoJo) is unlockable as a hidden character, which does not use the Stand mechanic at all (with the Stand button using attacks from his empowered clackers).

• Mohammed Avdol - An Egyptian fortune teller who helps Jotaro understand the concept of Stands and joins the Joestar group in their quest. His Stand, Magician's Red, can manipulate fire.

• Noriaki Kakyoin - A transfer student of Jotaro's school initially under DIO's control, who ends up joining Jotaro's crew. His Stand, Heirophant Green, can fire blasts of green energy and shrink down to enter and control bodies. This game includes an alternate "New Kakyoin" version (after his recovery from being blinded by the Stand Geb) as an unlockable.

• Jean Pierre Polnareff - A French assassin initially under DIO's control, who ends up joining Jotaro's crew to avenge the death of his younger sister by one of DIO's minions. His Stand, Silver Chariot, wields a rapier and can shed its armor to increase its agility. This game includes an alternate "Black Polnareff" version (in which he is possessed by the broken blade of the Stand Anubis).

• Iggi - A stray dog who is recruited to Jotaro's crew. His Stand, The Fool, can manipulate sand.

• D'Bo - One of DIO's assassins. His Stand, Ebony Devil, inhabits a strange doll that is powered by D'Bo's hate.

• Midler - One of DIO's assassins. Her Stand, High Priestess, can transform into any mineral substance.

• Chaca - A caravan escort who is possessed by Anubis, a Stand that was forged into a sword that controls those who wield it.

• Alessy - One of DIO's assassins. His Stand, Sethan, manifests as his shadow and can revert the age of those standing in it.

• Iced - One of DIO's most loyal servants, having being turned into a vampire. His Stand, Cream, can turn itself into a devastating ball of nothingness. He serves as the game's sub-boss and while he was unplayable in the previous game, he is playable in this one.

• DIO - The main antagonist of Stardust Crusaders, as well as the antagonist of the earlier story arc Phantom Blood, DIO is a powerful vampire and adversary of the Joestar lineage. His Stand, The World, has the potential to stop time. He is the game's final boss for most characters, where he has two appearances (one in his "unpowered" form used for certain rounds/matches) and is unlockable for play. He also has an alternate "mysterious" version (known in-game as "Shadow DIO") as a hidden unlockable character, which does not use the Stand mechanic.

• N'Dool - A blind assassin loyal to DIO, who uses his Stand, Geb, to control water from a distance. He serves as an unplayable sub-boss in the game's unique beat-'em-up round, where players have a limited amount of time to reach him at the end of the stage.

• Death 13 - A Stand who attacks Jotaro's group in a recurring amusement park dream. He serves as a hidden unplayable sub-boss, who is only fought against with certain characters under a certain condition (without losing a single round, with the final rounds being won by Super Moves).