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Martial Masters

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At the end of the Qin's Dynasty, the government weakened by corruption was attacked by foreign influences. The people were flung into misery and became quite unsatisfied with the situation. They did not believe in the government anymore and turned their faith back to religion. The White Lotu...

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Developer
International Games System

Released on
1999

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Fighting

Publisher
Andamiro Entertainment

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

At the end of the Qin’s Dynasty, the government weakened by corruption was attacked by foreign influences. The people were flung into misery and became quite unsatisfied with the situation. They did not believe in the government anymore and turned their faith back to religion.

The White Lotus sect saw this as an opportunity and took over. They claimed to help the government to defeat foreigners and bring peace to the world. Their Ideology was quickly adopted. Everything related with the Western world was killed or destroyed. Anyone against this principal was considered an enemy and accused of being bound with the devil. Dragon of Martial Master and Master Huang of Po Chi Lam could not accept these outrageous actions so they band together in order to prevent much bloodshed.
One day the leader of White Lotus Sect sent an invitation to Dragon and Master Huang but Dragon’s disciples saw this as a trap and recommended that they wait for Master Huang, who was out of town collecting medicine. The Master did not want to miss this opportunity to make peace and went alone. Unfortunately, he was captured and put in prison. Both parties started confrontations and have struggled since then.

Now dangers are hidden all over the place. Who is capable of resolving the situation? Let’s find out!

Martial Masters

Overview & History

Released in 1999 by IGS (International Games System), Martial Masters is a cult-classic 2D arcade fighting game heavily inspired by traditional Chinese Wuxia cinema, Hong Kong action films, and supernatural folklore. Often celebrated as IGS's answer to Capcom and SNK's dominant fighting franchises, the game stands out for its gorgeous, hand-drawn high-resolution sprites, fluid animation, and dramatic voice acting. Set during a tumultuous era of dynastic decline and rising dark forces, the storyline follows a diverse cast of martial artists, monks, thieves, and exorcists who must cross paths to stop the resurrection of the malevolent Netherworld Prince. Despite its limited initial distribution outside of Asia, the game has earned a legendary reputation among retro fighting game enthusiasts for its relentless pacing, cinematic flair, and demanding execution.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Martial Masters operates on a fast-paced, four-button arcade layout utilizing Punch, Kick, Throw, and Taunt inputs. Mechanically, it introduces several distinct systems that elevate its competitive depth. Players can execute 'Chi' fueled super moves, chain together dizzy states, and perform dynamic air recoveries. A standout feature is the weapon-retrieval and interactive environmental mechanic, allowing certain characters to pick up dropped items or weapons mid-combat. The roster features iconic archetypes, such as Master Huang (loosely inspired by Wong Fei-hung), the nimble drunken master drunkenly swaying across the stage, and Crane, who utilizes blindingly fast aerial kicks and claw strikes. The game is notoriously unforgiving, featuring aggressive artificial intelligence in the single-player arcade mode and a steep combo-learning curve that rewards precise timing, instant-blocking, and aggressive positioning.