Combatribes, The

[Discoalucard]

www.hardcoregaming101.net/combatribes/combatribes.htm

I only ever played the SNES version. Never felt like a particularly noteworthy game, but it fleshes out Technos' presence in the beat-em-up scene.

[zzz]

Nice to see this go up. As a HUGE Technos fan, it's also nice to see every non-DD beat-em-up of their represented at this site.

admin said:

I only ever played the SNES version. Never felt like a particularly noteworthy game, but it fleshes out Technos' presence in the beat-em-up scene.

It isn't a great game, but it isn't bad either. Though, it does get a little better after you've played it a few times. After you become accustomed its combat, things move along at a slightly better pace.

The whole reason that the game even exists is obviously because Technos were trying to make a version of Renegade that didn't suck. To that end, they were successful.

Also, second paragraph, last sentence:

"Regardless of how many areas a level has, they all take place in the same location - a dance club/bar, fairground, or baseball stadium - and you automatically move along after finishing with a group of foes."

That may have been my fault, but it makes it seem like there are only three levels. I'd put "like" in front of "a dance club/bar, fairground, or baseball stadium".

[steven]

I'm probably the biggest SNES Combatribes supporter you could ever find. No, the game is far from perfect, but with 2 players I find it a hell lot of fun -- moreso than many other 2P beat em up's for whatever reasons. Also, I have a lot of fond memories renting this game (both the import and NA versions) like a bajillion times from '92-'97.

I briefly played the arcade many moons ago. I always thought the SNES port to be damn fun stuff

[Ganelon]

I liked the AC version for its time. The SNES story is way too cheesy for me.

[Ryu the Grappler]

The arcade version does have an ending, albeit a very half-assed one. Basically the heroes walk away from a dead Martha Splatterhead, while the narrator basically tells us that the "Combatribes disappeared, but will return in case the city ever needs them again" (read: whenever we get around making a sequel). The only Technos games that have lamer endings were River City Ransom and Super Double Dragon (the latter having been rushed for release before the cut-scenes could've been placed into the game).
www.vgmuseum.com/end/arcade/a/comba.htm

Even though Berserker ("Berzerker" in the US SNES version, because we all know its hip to replace yor "s"s with a "z"s) was the leader, I always preferred using Bullova over those other two guy. There isn't much differences between the three, but Bullova's attacks were much cooler and his swings had five revolutions instead ofb three or two. Not to mention Berserker and Blitz look too much like Billy and Jimmy Lee from Double Dragon.

They reproduced the gameplay faithfully, the SNES version still managed to deviate from the arcade original in terms of presentation. Not only is it missing the weapons and a few areas are missing, but they also certain enemy characters (such as the knife-wielding commandos in Stage 5). Not to mention the plot line in the SNES version gives the game a whole different feel from the original. Technos home ports always managed to deviate from their arcade originals in one way or another for some reason. Just look at the Double Dragon games for the NES, as well as Renegade, Super Dodge Ball and V-Ball.

I do commend Technos for trying something original, but I think they should've spend more time releasing a properly completed version of Super Double Dragon before porting Combatribes to the SNES.
The Combatribes guys were actually supposed to cameo in Double Dragon Advance, but they were not added to the final version.

EDIT: BTW. Am I the only one who noticed that Martha Splatterhead shares her name with the woman zombie mascot of the Seattle-based punk band The Accussed?

[zzz]

jonny2x4 said:

The arcade version does have an ending, albeit a very half-assed one. Basically the heroes walk away from a dead Martha Splatterhead, while the narrator basically tells us that the "Combatribes disappeared, but will return in case the city ever needs them again" (read: whenever we get around making a sequel). The only Technos games that have lamer endings were River City Ransom and Super Double Dragon (the latter having been rushed for release before the cut-scenes could've been placed into the game).
www.vgmuseum.com/end/arcade/a/comba.htm

What the hell? I didn't get jack shit when I finished the game.

Oh, and the ending to RCR was freaking divine comedy.

Am I the only one who noticed that Martha Splatterhead shares her name with the woman zombie mascot of the Seattle-based punk band The Accussed?

Martha Splatterhand is the name of the character from the game. Interesting, regardless.

[Ryu the Grappler]

zzz said:

What the hell? I didn't get jack shit when I finished the game.

It happened to me as well once. Either I was playing a bootleg version or its a glitch in the game

Martha Splatterhand is the name of the character from the game. Interesting, regardless.

Nope. She's called Splatterhead in the game. At least according to the Japanese version and the soundtrack listing of the game.

Its been awhile since I played the US SNES version, so they probably changed her name there to avoid copyright infringement.

EDIT: She's called "Splatterhead" too in the magazine ad, so its probably just you.
www.kidfenris.com/cyborgs2.html

[Discoalucard]

Oh! A place with the magazine ad. Gotta grab that. Thanks!

[zzz]

jonny2x4 said:

Nope. She's called Splatterhead in the game. At least according to the Japanese version and the soundtrack listing of the game.

I'm 100% positive that I saw it as Martha Splatterhand somewhere. It's possible that some jackass called it Splatterhand outside the game, and I mixed the two up.

About the ending, here is a rewording of the original comment about the lack of any ending:

This doesn't make a damn bit of sense, and Technos probably didn't care in the slightest - they didn't make even the least bit of effort to explain any of it in the ending. When you beat the game all you get is a lone frame, with accompanying text that says "The battle is over. They've disappeared and nobody knows where they went. But if the shadow of violence again falls on the city, they will return. They are "The Combatribes"!".

You could put this screenshot in if you need another.

Also, in the paragraph about the SNES version, "There's even an ending" could be changed to "They changed the ending slightly".

[Ryu the Grappler]

I wouldn't call the ending "slightly" different. The ending arcade version simply has our heroes leaving Splatterhead for dead, while the SNES ending is a bit more sympathetic to her. The only thing in common is the whole "they disappeared" thing in the end.

Anyway, this game can unfair. Aside from the cheap hits enemy gets, the timer doesn't reset when you insert additional coins to regain energy, so any precious energy you got for your money will be put to waste. At least its not as bad as Double Dragon 3 with the whole shopping system.

[Gen]

My god, I used to play this in Vegas arcades when I was younger. God bless this site.

[aggroger]

I remember this game in the arcade.Nothing memorable anyway.

[zzz]

Did you forget to post this and a bunch of other recent things up on the main section of the site? Dragon Quest is there, but not any of the other recent write ups that have gone up.

[Discoalucard]

Nah I haven't forgotten, I'm just staggering the updates. I'll put up all of these before Christmas, this way I have the rest of the week to play with all my new stuff instead of worrying about working on this.

[squidburger]

aggroger said:

I remember this game in the arcade.Nothing memorable anyway.

I disagree