Friday Night Fights #1 - Strip Fighter II

WARNING: The content ahead is NSFW and contains images not suitable for minors.

While Capcom's first Street Fighter failed to capture much attention from gamers in 1987, when Street Fighter II hit arcades in 1991 -- a legacy was born. It wouldn't be long until every company under the sun was pushing out 2-player, 1 vs. 1 fighting games. Some had great success (SNK's Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting and King of Fighters games), others held infamy (Data East's Fighter's History that spawned a lawsuit from Capcom) and finally some were just plain horrible, such is the case with Strip Fighter II -- a blatant rip-off if there ever was one released on the PC Engine in Japan in 1993. The game was developed and produced Games Express, the PC Engine department of Hacker International. Strip Fighter II was just another title in their unlicensed library of adult orientated games, READ: porn.

Still better than WWE Divas.

Right from the opening title screen you can tell this was a Street Fighter knock-off with the similar font (same goes for many portions including the Continue screen). It was so brazen that Games Express basically gave the middle finger to Capcom while fucking their mom. Dane Cook's stolen jokes are often talked about in the same sentence as Strip Fighter II. Wait a second, II? Does that mean it's a sequel? Nope, to further capitlize on the Street Fighter II legend; Games Express skipped right to the second installment (and then later a fourth, but we'll get to that). 

The cast of the game is all "female", and I use that term loosely because some of them resemble blown out sex dolls while another I am certain is a man. You have 6 of them to choose from, but don't expect a deep fighting system. It requires a 6 button controller to play properly (otherwise one of your attacks gets mapped to the RUN button) with Light, Medium and Heavy attacks exactly like Street Fighter; and the same goes for the special moves. Many of the use quarter-circle motions; but you'll be damned if you can successfully pull any of them off. Really, any controller you use is just an exercise in frustration as you would have an easier time using a spiked-drink to get these ladies to do what you want on screen.

The "balanced" roster.

Why these ladies are fighting is unclear, but in all honesty anyone who plays this game isn't playing it for any story. As the women jiggle about the screen, you are treated to nipples, crotch shots and uncomfortable, boner-killing moves. That dude from American Pie wouldn't even stick his dick into this. I have been on sexier trips to the grocery store in the health and beauty section. If you can somehow beat the opponents flawlessly, in the first round you are treated to a woman in her underwear or bikini, get past the second and all the clothing comes off with pixelated nipples and a crotch blur. To make things even more unsettling, the woman (who looks NOTHING like the one you just defeated) has a one frame animation of her winking. It's the wink of a woman encased in wax after a serial killer has finished with her corpse; the stuff of nightmares.

Not even furries can fap to this.

The sound is as terrible as one would expect, and graphics don't fare much better. What really kills the game, if you could call it as much -- is the game play. The control is stiff (and that's the only thing that will be while playing), and the moves unbalanced. One character has a move called the "Tickler" that dizzies opponents and keeps them that way. In another not-so-surprising twist, one can actually press one button and make their way through the entire game for all that delicious pixel-booty. Basically put, don't expect a Strip Fighter II tournament at the next EVO.

The only ending to the game gives you images of all the girls stripped down, there's not even an M. Bison type boss. It's as shameless as a Street Fighter II clone can get -- and believe me when I say there are some bad ones (that we'll be covering in future #fridaynightfights). I can find at least one thing to redeem any Street Fighter clone, but in Strip Fighter I cannot. Even when released in 1993 there were easier ways to get your hands on pornography; and considering many didn't even know about this game until the Internet was in full swing -- well what are you doing? 

I can't read Japanese, but I am pretty sure it
says you are a disappointment to your
family.

If you want to experience the game yourself (God forbid), it's easily found in ROM form online. The actual HuCard for the PC Engine will set you back minimum $100 USD, and there's absolutely no reason to hunt for it much less buy it. Let me put it this way, you're not breaking any laws emulating an unlicensed game -- except decency ones. 

As previously mentioned, there was a sequel -- Strip Fighter IV on PC, created by Studio S who are known for their lewd games. It's basis is of course Street Fighter IV -- even going as far as to have Super and Ultra versions with more characters and enhanced game play mechanics (and copious amount of pornography). Oddly enough, it's a decent game considering the content; and maybe we'll touch on it at a later date. 

Actually, I don't think I will.