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Hippodrome

Arcade

Arcade

You are the human competitor in the medieval gladitorial challenge. Fight a variety of mythological beings to the death in your quest to become the champion. There are a variety of weapons and armor that can be bought. There are only eight opponents and you are allowed to choose your weapon an...

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Developer
Data East

Released on
1989

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Fighting

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

You are the human competitor in the medieval gladitorial challenge. Fight a variety of mythological beings to the death in your quest to become the champion.

There are a variety of weapons and armor that can be bought. There are only eight opponents and you are allowed to choose your weapon and the opponent fight order so you can have the right amount of strength and weaponry.

The game has nine different selectable colosseums, each with a different opponent to face. The game ends after all nine respective opponents in all nine respective colosseums have been defeated:

Pandemonium – Cawnus the Lamia Noble
Gehenna – Gran the Gargoyle
Tarterus – Norfolk the Lizard Man
Gadsheim – Sharon the Armor Dragon
Archeron – Daldnoa the Scorpion Man
Elysium – Solomon the Wizard
Twin Paradises – Charry Steve The Assassins
Abyss – Pon the Giant

Hippodrome

Overview & History

Released by Data East in 1989, Hippodrome (known as Fighting Fan in Japan) is a dark, mythical arcade action game that blends one-on-one fighting mechanics with platforming exploration. Set in a desolate, colosseum-themed fantasy realm, the storyline follows a proud warrior named Marr (or Saru depending on the version), who is betrayed and cursed by evil sorcerers, then forced to battle through a gauntlet of grotesque monsters and corrupted champions in deadly arenas. Rather than a standard tournament fighter, Hippodrome plays out as a side-scrolling action title where players traverse stages, defeat grotesque sub-bosses, and collect mystical items before facing the area's main champion in an enclosed ring.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike traditional brawlers, Hippodrome introduces a weapon-upgrade system and a stamina meter that forces tactical pacing. As players defeat enemies and progress through the blood-soaked arenas, they collect gold and magical orbs. These can be used at merchant shops between levels to purchase drastically different weapons—such as heavy broadswords, long-reaching spears, and devastating morning stars—each altering the protagonist's attack range, speed, and animation frames. The combat relies heavily on timing, featuring distinct crouching strikes, leaping aerial attacks, and defensive blocks. The character moves also include context-sensitive special maneuvers executed by combining directional inputs with the attack buttons, allowing players to unleash sweeping energy arcs when armed.