Survival Arts

Overview

Survival Arts is a 2D weapon-based fighting game developed by Scarab and released by Sammy for arcades (using SSV hardware) in October 1993.

Combining elements of Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat, Survival Arts is a traditional fighting game known for its very large character sprites (similar to Art of Fighting), its use of digitized actors, the ability for characters to pick up and use weapons (including guns and swords), and its use of excessive violence (as performing certain attacks for the "final hit" causes fatal effects, such as dismemberment and electrocution).

Scarab later created a spiritual successor to Survival Arts with the 1995 game Battle Monsters.

Gameplay

Survival Arts is a six-button fighting game, with three punch and three kick buttons (each of different strengths). It plays like a traditional fighting game, namely Street Fighter II.

One unique part of this game is the ability to pick-up and use special weapons that can be found in each stage. There are three melee weapons (Sword, Bat, and Mace) and one ranged weapon (Handgun), all of which make use of the Heavy Punch button. They are picked up by pressing down and any Punch button, and can be discarded by pressing all three Punch buttons at once. Not every character can pick up every weapon, and the Handgun is lost after six shots.

Characters

The game includes either playable fighters and one unplayable boss.

• Viper - A street fighter who wants to use his martial arts to become wealthy. Along with a diving punch attack and slide kick, he has a unique spinning kick with various options (both on the ground and mid-air).

• Gunner - A former police officer who infiltrates Survival Arts after becoming suspicious of its founder. Like his namesake, his special moves involve shooting from his own handgun. He cannot pick up the Handgun weapon.

• Hanna - A member of a desert gang, who enters the Survival Arts to get revenge against the man who killed her family. She is the only fighter with a forwards dive kick and quick forwards and backwards dashes. She also has a telepathic throw that can be done from any distance.

• Hiryu - A member of the ninja "Cobra" faction, who enters to learn techniques to defeat the rival "Tiger" faction. His unique techniques include multiple smaller mid-air jumps (up to five in one jump), the ability to cling to the edge of the screen, forward ground rolls, and a slow evasive dash that bypasses his opponent. He can also control his shuriken projectile directly and has multiple attacks with his own sword, although he cannot pick up the Sword weapon.

• Tasha - Like Hiryu, she is a member of the ninja "Cobra" faction, who enters to learn techniques to defeat the rival "Tiger" faction. Her unique techniques include a single mid-air jump (which she can attack out of into a diving stab), crouch-walking (which can be cancelled into a slide kick), and a jumping reverse kick. She is also the only fighter with a jumping uppercut attack and has multiple attacks with her own sword, although she cannot pick up the Sword weapon.

• Mongo - A former soldier who lives through combat. Along with a unique rope-swing kick, he uses a variety of advanced weaponry in battle, including his assault rifle (which also delivers electric shocks and has a built-in flamethrower), grenades (both standard and flashbang), and a missile barrage. He cannot pick up any weapon whatsoever.

• Kane - A hulking alien of mysterious origin who wants to know his place in the human world. Despite his slow stature, he has multiple charge-in attacks, one of which is a throw.

• Santana - A villainous masked wrestler who wants to break his limit. Along with a close-ranged grapple special move, he can perform a rolling attack that can turn into a leaping roll.

• Dantel - The mysterious founder of Survival Arts and the unplayable final boss of the game.

Stages

• Museum - At each ends of the stage is a breakable statue, the left one containing a Sword and the right one containing a Handgun.
• Warzone - Two weapons are dropped onto the center of the stage (Bat after 10 seconds, Mace after 20).
• Underwater - One Handgun is dropped at each end of the stage.
• Desert - One Sword is dropped at each end of the stage (left one after 5 seconds, right one after 10).
• Armory - Two Swords and one Handgun are dropped onto the center of the stage.
• Garden - At each ends of the stage is a breakable lantern, both of which contain a Sword.
• Bazaar - One Mace is dropped at the center of the stage.
• Factory - At the center of the stage is two barrels, with the left one containing a Bat.
• Boss Stage - Only used for the boss battle. No weapons.