Tag Team Match: MUSCLE

Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E.
Cover art of M.U.S.C.L.E.
Developer(s)	TOSE
Publisher(s)	Bandai
Platform(s)	Family Computer/NES
Release	JP: November 8, 1985 NA: October 29, 1986
Genre(s)	Action Wrestling
Mode(s)	Single-player Multiplayer (up to two players)

Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E. (キン肉マン マッスルタッグマッチ, Kinnikuman: Massuru Taggu Matchi, "Kinnikuman Muscle Tag Match") is based on characters from Yudetamago's manga and anime series Kinnikuman.

It has eight playable characters, each with his own special move. The game was followed by a 1987 Japan-only sequel for the Famicom Disk System titled, Kinnikuman: Kinniku-sei Ōi Sōdatsusen (キン肉マン キン肉星王位争奪戦, Kinnikuman: Scramble for the Throne).^[1]

Gameplay

Singles mode (one on one bout) Two-on-Two tag team wrestling match. One Player or Two Player Versus. The A button jumps, and B punches or activates a special move after collecting an energy ball that is randomly thrown by the boy called "Meat". Moves that can be done, punch, jump, drop kick, shove, shove into ropes, flying body attack (jump into ropes and rebound), lariat aka clothes line, shove enemy into ropes and then hit A, back drop aka suplex (press B close behind your enemy).

Round 0 By Rogelio Ariza: Altough the game goes on endlessly, it officially has 255 rounds, after those rounds, you enter round 0 (completing the 8 bit varible for rounds number), on which the speed level resets and the time per round returns to 30:00 (from round 100 reduced to 10:00). It is believed that the maximum score you could get from this game is 99,999,999 points, but it is unknown what will happen afterwards, but it will probably return to 0 as well.

Characters

Kinnikuman (North American version – Muscleman)

Finisher: Kinniku Driver, carries opponent and jumps off screen straight up and comes down. One of the if not the most damage inducing moves in the game.

Terryman

Finisher: Bull Dog Headlock, basically a speedy version of the lariat move in the game without having to rebound off the ropes and can be done repeatedly.

Ramenman

Finisher: Leg Lariat, basically a faster longer version of the regular drop kick move.

Robin Mask

Finisher: Tower Bridge, Argentine back breaker (Lex Luger's torture rack) from pro-wrestling

Buffaloman (North American version – Terri-bull)

Finisher: Hurricane Mixer, for a short distance he can burst charge you with his horned head.

Warsman

Finisher: Bear Claw, covers longer distance than the hurricane mixer

Ashuraman

Finisher: Ashura Buster

Brocken Jr. (Japanese version only)

Finisher: Nazi Gas Attack

Geronimo (North American version only)

Finisher: Apache War Cry

Note that Brocken Jr. and Geronimo are the same in this game, just slightly different graphics.

Release

The game was released in Japan on November 8, 1985.^[2] It was released in North America on October 29, 1985.

The Gold Edition of the Japanese version of the game has been a sought after collectors item, and is considered the "Holy Grail" of Famicom collection. In 2017, the Gold Edition of the Famicom version has been valued at ¥2,000,000 ($18,200 USD).^[3]

References

• M.U.S.C.L.E. at MobyGames