Astral Bout
Super Famicom fighting game inspired by Fighting Network Rings, featuring a mix of real fighters and one fictional character.
Sougou Kakutougi: Astral Bout, a Super Famicom title, draws its fighting styles from the Japanese combat sport organization Fighting Network Rings. The game is seen as an early forerunner to modern mixed martial arts promotions and pay-per-view events such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Players can choose from nine distinct martial arts: professional wrestling, boxing, karate, sambo, muay thai, kung-fu, judo, kickboxing, and lucha libre. Like in arcade fighters, each player has a set number of continues; using them all results in a game over. Three modes are available: single-player, two-player, and a player-versus-CPU sparring session. Health meters are split into three sections per round, tracking damage to the arms, legs, and the rest of the body. Difficulty can be set to low, medium, or high. Rope breaks, similar to those in professional wrestling, are possible. All matches end via a ten-count fall rather than a three-count pin. Rounds have a predetermined time limit, ranging from one-minute bouts to endurance matches.
The game features nine fighters, each with a unique style: Barnov Gainer (sambo grappler, Georgian Republic), Somchai Pet Noi (muay thai, Thailand), Akira Maeda (professional wrestler, Japan), Masaaki Satake (karate, Japan), Shiro Kimura (judo, Japan), James Taylor (heavyweight boxing champion, America), Lee Wang-Yu (kung-fu master, China), Billy J. Gibson (kickboxing champion, America), and Spell Falcon (lucha libre star, Unknown). While most fighters are based on real RINGS competitors, Spell Falcon is a fictional character created for the game.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Astral Bout
- Developer
- A-Wave
- Publisher
- King Records
- Genre
- Fighting
- Platforms
- Super Famicom
- First Release Version
- Sougou Kakutougi: Astral Bout
- First Release Date
- 1992
- Latest Release Version
- Sougou Kakutougi Rings: Astral Bout 3
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Sougou Kakutougi: Astral Bout features nine fighters, each with a distinct fighting style. The roster includes Barnov Gainer (sambo grappler from Georgian Republic), Somchai Pet Noi (Muay Thai fighter from Thailand), Akira Maeda (professional wrestler from Japan), Masaaki Satake (karate expert from Japan), Shiro Kimura (judo expert from Japan), James Taylor (heavyweight boxing champion from America), Lee Wang-Yu (kung-fu master from China), Billy J. Gibson (kickboxing champion from America), and Spell Falcon (Lucha Libre star from Unknown). Note that Spell Falcon is a fictional character, not a real RINGS fighter.
Reader's Guide
Sougou Kakutougi: Astral Bout is significant as an early video game representation of mixed martial arts, predating the rise of modern MMA promotions. Its gameplay includes health meters divided into three parts (arms, legs, rest of body), rope breaks similar to professional wrestling, and matches ending in a 10-count fall rather than a pin. The game offers three difficulty levels and multiple modes, including one-player, two-player, and player vs. CPU. The title was scored 21 out of 40 by Famicom Tsūshin on release. Its legacy lies in its connection to Fighting Network Rings and its role as a precursor to later MMA-themed games and events.
Did You Know?
- The game is based on fighting styles from the Japanese combat sport promotion Fighting Network Rings.
- Matches end in a 10-count fall instead of a 3-count pin.
- Health meters are divided into three parts: arms, legs, and the rest of the body.
- The game includes a fighter named Spell Falcon with a Lucha Libre style from an unknown origin. Unlike the rest of the roster, Spell Falcon is a fictional character, not a real RINGS fighter.
More in Fighting games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced