Kamen Rider Dragon Knight is one of two fighting games developed by D3 Publisher - one for the Wii, one for the DS - based on the Saturday morning live-action fixture of the same name on The CW's 4Kids TV block (itself in turn based on Kamen Rider Ryuki, the 2003 entrant in the long-standing Japanese metaseries featuring armored warriors kicking things for justice).
The Wii version, borrowing the engine from Japan's equivalent fighter Kamen Rider: Climax Heroes, supports the Classic Controller for use in alternating beat-em-up and one-on-one fighting gameplay. It features a basic Arcade mode, a Vs. mode, and a Mirror mode which lets players choose a character and proceed through a hexagonal grid to get to the next level, moving between 1-on-1 and 1-on-more battles.
Similarly, the DS version (sporting a unique engine) features a Story Mode featuring 50 brawling and vs. missions for each of the series' 13 Kamen Riders, with unlockables including subsequent characters, new attacks, and incidental enemies for use in its free-play "Ventara Mode" (1-on-1 Vs. mode) and "Advent Master Mode" (randomized trial battles).
Common to both games is the use of each Rider's Advent Cards to summon weapons, call assisting creatures, and otherwise turn the tide of battle. Successful attacks and defenses build up Riders' Advent Gauges, with certain cards such as the powerful Final Vents increasing in gauge cost.
Characters
- Dragon Knight: Title character of the game, specializing in fast, short-range melee attacks. Later able to achieve Survive Mode, which bolsters a variety of capabilities.
- Wing Knight: Dragon Knight's rival-turned-mentor, specializing in slower, long-range melee. Can also use Survive Mode, which trades much of his force for speed equivalent to Dragon Knight's.
- Incisor: A scorpion-themed Rider and profiteer, with heavy focus on melee.
- Torque: Antithesis to Incisor, his attacks revolve around a wide assortment of ranged moves.
- Camo: Chameleon-themed Rider with invisibility capabilities.
- Thrust: Rhino-themed hard-hitter whose Confine Vent locks down others' Advent Cards.
- Sting: Asthmatic Stingray-themed Rider boasting formidable speed.
- Strike: Cobra-themed Rider able to call upon up to four Advent Card configurations.
- Axe: Heavily armored Tiger-themed Rider who can paralyze foes with Freeze Vent.
- Spear: Axe's Gazelle-themed opposite, able to summon multiple Contract Beasts.
- Siren: Female opposite to Wing Knight. Lacks Survive Mode, but more agile on the whole.
- Onyx: Enhanced prototype of Dragon Knight. Lacks Survive Mode, but more powerful on the whole.
- Wrath: Phoenix-themed Rider with overwhelming speed and force.
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