Red Earth

Overview

Red Earth (known in Japan as War-Zard) is a 2D fantasy fighting game developed and released by Capcom for arcades (using their CPS-3 hardware) on November 21, 1996.

Set sometime in the 14th century, the world of Red Earth is invaded by large, unnatural monsters. Four heroes set off to rid the world of the monsters: cursed warrior-king Leo, martial artist Mai-Ling, curious witch Tessa, and elite ninja Kenji.

The game is primarily focused on one-on-one single-player fights (known as Quest Mode) against eight "boss enemies", where players gain experience points, level up their fighter, gain new special moves, and increase their attack and defensive powers. Players can then return to their progress on the arcade machine using a ten-digit password system, and challenge other players with their character progress in Versus Mode.

Red Earth is the first of the six games released for the short-lived CPS-3 hardware (which include JoJo's Venture, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and the Street Fighter III trilogy). Although the game is obscure, since it is the only one of the six CPS-3 games to not be released for home consoles or compilations, some characters do appear in other fighting games. Tessa returns as a playable fighter in Pocket Fighter and SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom. Leo and Kenji (as well as the enemies Hauzer and Hydron) later return as playable fighters in Capcom Fighting Evolution. Some characters also appear in character endings for Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Gameplay

Characters can level up through two types of experience: Experience is gained from fighting the gigantic monster opponents, and experience from fighting other players. New special moves are learned when the player reaches a certain level. Versus mode experience can make certain special moves more powerful (ex., Tabasa/Tessa's reverie sword.)

There is a handicap option for if a player of a higher level is fighting a player of a lower level, but the maximum you can handicap yourself is four levels, so if the opponent is of much lower level it really doesn't work out very well.

As a side note, there are a few special KO animations in the game: Mukuro/Kenji has a command throw which, if used to kill the opponent, results in their heart being pulled out. If used at other times, it stuns the opponent.

Treasure chests also appear while you are fighting opponents; these can contain life-up items, bonus points, or magic spheres. These spheres have different elemental properties (ice, fire, etc.) and can be broken to cast powerful magic.

Playable Characters

There are four selectable heroes to play as in Red Earth, each with their own unique abilities and story:

Leo

The warrior king of Savalia, Leo has been cursed into a half-man, half-beast from when an unknown force invaded his kingdom. Returning to his fallen kingdom and slaying the monster Hauzer, he must now investigate the whereabouts of his kidnapped people.

Although Leo does not have as many unlockable special moves as the other characters, he is the only fighter in this game who has upgradable weapons, which give a visual indicator of his attack level (sword) and defense level (shield). If the player unlocks a secret weapon, he/she can switch between them using the sword change command: D, DB, B + K.

• Sword: Normal -> Bronze (Level 3) -> Steel (Level 10) -> Diamond (Level 19) -> Legend (Level 32 and 5000 VS Points)
• Shield: None -> Wooden (Level 6) -> Steel (Level 14) -> Diamond (Level 25) -> Legend (Level 30 or higher and 3000 VS Points)

Special Moves

• Cronos Rush (D, DF, F + P)
• Mars Slash (F, D, DF + P)
• Achilles Rush (D, DF, F + K) (unlocked at level 8)
• Achilles Revenge (B, DB, D + K while Ultimate Guarding) (unlocked at level 20)
• Gaia Driver (360 + P) (unlocked at level 31)

Mystic Breaks

• Heracles Rush (D, DF, F, D, DF, F + P)
• Gigas Driver (720 + P) (unlocked at level 31)

Secret Weapons

• Elemental Sword (Flaming, Frozen, or Thunder) - Defeat Ravange at level 16 or higher using the Mystic Magic move (fire for Flaming Sword, ice for Frozen Sword, and thunder for Thunder Sword) in less than 80 seconds. The sword is found in the statue of the next bonus stage.
• Demon Axe - Defeat Ravange at level 26 or higher in less than 100 seconds with Leo's life gauge almost empty. The axe is found in the statue of the next bonus stage.

Endings

• Wise King Ending - Complete the game using less than 20 Continues, while not performing a finishing move that dismembers Blade. A special variant is used when using no Continues.
• Cursed Lion Ending - Complete the game using less than 20 Continues, while performing a finishing move that dismembers Blade.
• Basic Ending - Complete the game using at least 20 Continues.

Kenji

Known as Mukuro in the Japanese version, Kenji is the leader of an elite ninja squadron who serves the shogun of Zipang. When the shogun, Naosuke, sends the ninjas to investigate the mysterious invading airships, Kenji accepts reluctantly, sensing a different agenda with the shogun.

Special Moves

• Ichi-Monji (D, DF, F + P)
• Rasen-Kyaku (D, DB, B + K)
• Tsumuji (B, D, DB + P) (unlocked at level 3)
• Kumo-Gakure (U while in the air) (unlocked at level 6)
• Baku-Ryusho (F, D, DF + P) (unlocked at level 10)
• Enma-Zuki (F, DF, D, DB, B + P) (unlocked at level 14)
• Kagerou (B, D, DB + K, finish with P) (unlocked at level 19)
• Utsusemi (F, D, DF + K) (unlocked at level 25)
• Kimo-Yaburi (B, DB, B + K while Ultimate Guarding) (unlocked at level 28 or higher after earning 2000 VS Points)
• Rasetsu-Jin (B, DB, D, DF, F + K) (unlocked at level 32)

Mystic Breaks

• Jyuu-Monji (D, DF, F, D, DF, F + P)
• Homura-Tsumuji (D, DB, B, D, DB, B + P) (unlocked at level 16 or higher after earning 1000 VS Points)

Endings

• Dishonor Ending - Complete the game using less than 20 Continues, and picking "Yes".
• Honor Ending - Complete the game using less than 20 Continues, and picking "No".
• Basic Ending - Complete the game using at least 20 Continues.

Tessa

Known as Tabasa in the Japanese version, Tessa is an intelligent magician from the Icelarn who, after noticing unnatural flurries of thunderstorms, investigates the sign of approaching danger.

Special Moves

• Chakura Wave (D, DF, F + P) (improved at level 22 or higher after earning 2000 VS Points)
• Reverie Sword (F, D, DF + P) (improved at level 28 or higher after earning 2500 VS Points)
• Air Chakura Wave (D, DF, F + P while in the air) (unlocked at level 3) (improved at level 22 or higher after earning 2000 VS Points)
• Glace Cannon (D, DF, F + K) (unlocked at level 6)
• Fiasma Cannon (B, D, DB + K) (unlocked at level 10)
• Electron Cannon (F, D, DF + K) (unlocked at level 14)
• Jamming Ghost (F, DF, D, DB, B + P) (unlocked at level 25)
• Death Phenomenon (F, DF, D, DB, B + K) (unlocked at level 32)

Mystic Breaks

• Tricicle Edge (D, DF, F, D, DF, F + P)
• Hyper Cannon (D, DF, F, D, DF, F + K) (unlocked at level 19)

Secret Weapons

• Sun Wand - Defeat Ravange at level 30 or higher in less than 100 seconds with full health. The wand is found in the statue of the next bonus stage.

Endings

• Seal the Creature Ending - Complete the game using less than 20 Continues, and picking "Seal it now".
• Study the Creature Ending - Complete the game using less than 20 Continues, and picking "Bring it to your lab for study".
• Basic Ending - Complete the game using at least 20 Continues.

Mai-Ling

Known as Tao in the Japanese version, Mai-Ling is a skilled martial artist from Gora. After returning from winning a martial arts tournament, she finds her home village in ruins. She must now investigate the "black shadow" streaking across the land while rescuing the children of a nearby village.

Special Moves

• Kuujin-Ken (D, DF, F + P)
• Enryuu-Kyaku (F, D, DF + K)
• Koukaku-Shuu (B, D, DB + K) (unlocked at level 3)
• Idaten (F, F while in the air) (unlocks at level 10)
• Koen (F, DF, D, DB, B + K) (unlocked at level 19)
• Kokuu-ha (B, DB, D + K while Ultimate Guarding) (unlocked at level 22 or higher after earning 1000 VS Points)
• Kuugeki-Shou (F, DF, D, DB, B + P) (unlocked at level 25)
• Tentsui-Ga (360 + P) (unlocked at level 32)

Mystic Breaks

• Cho-Kuujin-Ken (D, DF, F, D, DF, F + P)
• Cho-Enryuu-Kyaku (D, DF, F, D, DF, F + K) (unlocked at level 14)

Endings

• Training Ending - Complete the game using less than 5 Continues.
• Traveling Ending - Complete the game using between 5 and 19 Continues.
• Basic Ending - Complete the game using at least 20 Continues.

Bosses

As previously stated, the object of the game is to defeat a number of giant monsters. Depending on which character you pick, you fight them in a different order, although the final two are always Blade and Valdol.

• Hauzer, a dragon who resembles a tyrannosaur
• Kongou (aka. Kongoh), a gigantic Oni
• Hydron (aka. Nool), a squid-monster from the Northlands
• Ravange (aka. Secmeto), a statue of a sphinx/chimera hybrid brought to life.
• Lavia (aka. Ruan), a Chinese harpy.
• Gi Gi (aka. Gigi), an Aztec robot with faces on both sides of his body.
• Blade: An animated suit of armor. Blade is really nothing more than the green crystal in the chest. He wields a giant, rotating lance/club... thing.
• Scion (aka. Valdol), an evil wizard responsible for Blade's creation and Leo's curse. After being defeated once, he mutates in to a large brain-like being. He is accompanied by two dragon familiars; their properties are seemingly random each time the game is played (fire/ice/lightning/etc.)