Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling 2 : 3-4 Budoukan -NCS-1995 A bitman16 FAQ guide 2004 Outline- Introduction Starting your game Pick your wrestler Play Some of my favorites (character movelists) -Dr Death -Johnny ACE -Jun Akiyama -Kenta Kobashi -Stan Hansen Final thoughts INTRODUCTION- This game is the finale of the All Japan Pro Wrestling series for Super Famicon. It all started 1993 with the smooth but simple Zen Nihon Pro Wrestling. Then the updated version "Dash" was released with new performers, tag team wrestling moves, a 4 way elimination match and the odd bug. 'Budoukan has the same basic look as the first 2 but everything has been re-drawn. The roster is bigger (19) and the gameplay is deeper with more moves and a submission system. The AI is programmed to keep the action in the ring so your wrestlers will not be flying to the floor with every suplex or slam. The music which was excellent in the previous games has been improved further. It is stunning to compare the tracks in this title to the wretched MIDI of WWF 16 bit offerings. But all the beauty and the true to life Exploders and Orange Bombs come at a price. There is slow down in tag matches (when all 4 men are in the ring) and there are recurring move priority bugs. Example; Masa Fuchi and Doug Furnas lockup in a grapple. Fuchi tries an enziguri but he is hit by Kroffat and he falls. But a second later Furnas falls because a "ghost" has kicked him in the back of the head. Every tag and 4-way match has a few of these ghost episodes. So to fully enjoy tag matches play the older All Japan titles. The priority bug and the AI's hyper agressive interference on submissions and pinfalls make it really annoying. Singles matches are OK. The 4-way matches inspite of the bug and some slow down are quite fun due to the unpredictability of the action. STARTING YOUR GAME- Menus- Press a "A" to bring up START or OPTION START will send you to the Budoukan show where you can watch the CP players and/or join in the fray. This mode will end when the entire card has been played. The manual has pictures suggesting there is a score to be gained by pleasing the crowd. Empty ring side seats are a bad sign. If you are doing things right the seats will be full and the crowd will the stomping and cheering. OPTION has 6 play modes designated by 2 rows of 3 icons.They are- singles title tag title tag tournament singles tournament player 1 vs player 2 4 way elimination battle The game has 4 levels of difficulty "Biginner" to Hard. PICK YOUR WRESTLER- Complete Roster with page reference in game manual Giant Baba p14 Jumbo Tsuruta p15 Mitsuharu Misawa p16 Toshiaki Kawada p17 Akira Taue p18 Kenta Kobashi p19 Masa Fuchi p20 Jun Akiyama p21 Takao Omori p22 Stan Hansen p23 Terry Gordy p24 Dr Death Steve Williams p25 Dan Spivey p26 Johnny ACE p27 Patriot p28 The Eagle p29 Danny Kroffat p30 Doug Furnas p31 Joel Deaton p32 PLAY- Gameplay and controls- Y=punch, weak grapple, pick up downed opponent B=kick, medium grapple, climb top rope, enter/exit ring A=power, strong grapple X=run, whip in grapples L=pin R=taunt (taunting is limited though) The Stamina Bar?- There is no stamina bar in this game. The clock is also absent. To calculate damage and remaining health you must observe other factors. Crowd noise, wrestler posture ( wounded players slump and hold their ribs) and the Flash Bulb Level are good indicators. If you do a big damage move the cameras at ring side should light up. Also note the count in the falls and how long it takes an opponent to shake off a submission hold. There are submissions in "Budoukan" so win with them if you can. The Front Facelock- To put someone in a front face lock win a grapple with Dpad up plus the Y (punch) button. You will lock the opponent. From there you can move him to another spot in the ring. You can take the locked opponent to your corner to tag or put him down by pushing the Y, B, A, and X (usually with a DDT or a vertical suplex). It is a good tool for setting up a double team attack or top rope move. Tag Team moves- Tag team moves are used the same way as in "Dash". A double front grapple by your tag team, then push Y,B or A to execute a move. Or push the run button (X) to execute a tag team running move. The most striking new move is the Midnight Express Flap Jack. This can be used to hot shot an opponent off the ropes for more damage. EDIT teams can also use tag moves now unlike "Dash". Power Moves Non-Grapple- These moves are done on a standing (best if stunned) opponent. Tap the A button ONCE. You should reach out and touch the other wrestler. Now enter your next command, direction plus Y, B or A button. Almost all of the most effective moves are accessed this way. Top Rope Moves- Climb the to the top with direction plus the B button. Use B to start the attack. Knowing what your attack is and the range of it are very important so experiment. Tap down twice on the Dpad to get down. If you are caught up top by another wrestler he will grab and slam you to the mat. Rear Grapples- Rear grapples happen by fluke if the other wrestler doesn't turn to face you quick enough (this occurs automatically) or in a move reversal where your opponents back is exposed. A good example would be Kenta Kobashi ducking under a clothesline to counter with release back drop suplex or a jumping face crusher bulldog. Other common rear grapples are the back suplex or the clubbing clothesline. These moves are too hard to do. To increase your chances of seeing them play in a lot of 4-way battles. SOME OF MY FAVORITES- Character Movelists- Dr Death Steve Williams- this savy veteran is loaded with dangerous looking grapple moves. Others are quicker but few are stronger. Y grapples- Y= bodyslam B grapples- up+B= vertical suplex B= military press slam down+B= brainbuster A grapples- up/down+A=flip suplex left/right+A= Oklahoma powerslam X grapple- hold down on the Dpad then press X to do the Oklahoma Stampede (corner to corner charge then powerslam) Non grapple Power Moves (when you are close to a standing opponent push the A button ONCE to reach out and start the attack. Then tap the dpad and/ or desired button for your move) A, Y= elbow smash A, down+Y= snapmare A, up+B= knee strike A, B= belly kick A, down+B= cobra twist (submission) A, up+A= Dr Bomb (gutwrench into a sit out powerbomb) A, A= powerbomb A, down+A= back drop pin suplex Running attacks- Y= big boot B= drop kick A= clothesline Running counter attacks- Y= big boot B= football tackle A= powerslam w/pin Ground Moves- at head- B= stomp A= knee drop at mid section- B= elbow drop A= knee drop at feet- B= stomp A= single leg crab (submission) seated- B= back kicks A= sleeper (submission) Top Rope move- NONE Johnny ACE- an innovative foreign worker with a good fan following. Armed with his devasting ACE Crusher he's a contender. Y grapples- Y= bodyslam down+Y= piledriver B grapples- B= vertical suplex down+B= gutwrench suplex A grapples- A= powerbomb Non grapple Power Moves (when you are close to a standing opponent push the A button ONCE to reach out and start the attack. Then tap the dpad and/ or desired button for your move) A, Y= forearm hit A, down+Y= snapmare A, B= belly kick A, down+B= forearm smash A, up+A= rocker dropper A, A= ACE Crusher! A, down+A= Dr Bomb (pin) Running attacks- Y= shoulder block B= drop kick A= clothesline Running counter attacks- Y= big boot B= back body drop A= clothesline Ground Moves- at head- B= stomp A= knee drop at midsection- B= stomp A= knee drop at feet- B= stomp A= half crab (submission) seated- B= kicks to the back A= sleeper (submission) Top Rope move- Top Rope Clothesline (standing opponent, mid ring ,near adjacent rope) Jun Akiyama- a young, technical wrestling star in AJPW. Y grapples- Y= bodyslam B grapples- B= vertical suplex down+B= northern lights suplex (pin) A grapples- up+A= cobra twist (submission) A= DDT down+A= exploder suplex Non grapple Power Moves (when you are close to a standing opponent push the A button ONCE to reach out and start the attack. Then tap the dpad and/ or desired button for your move) A, Y= forearm hit A, down+Y= snapmare A, B= belly kick A, down+B= fisherman suplex (pin) A, A= back suplex A, down+A= exploder suplex Running attacks- Y=(short run)= forearm smash (long run)= shoulder block B= drop kick A= high knee attack Running counter attacks- Y= back elbow B= drop kick A= hip toss Ground Moves- at head- B= stomp A= leg drop at midsection- B= stomp A= stomp at feet- B= stomp A= half crab (submission) seated- B= kicks to the back A= sleeper (submission) Top Rope move- missile drop kick (standing opponent, close to your climbed post) Kenta Kobashi- considered by many as one of the best wrestlers in the world. He has innovative offense with good aerial attacks and submissions. Y grapples- Y= forearm hit down+Y= bodyslam B grapples- up+B= piledriver B= vertical suplex down+B= DDT A grapples- up+A= Orange bomb (pin) A= neck chops down+A= pump handle powerbomb (pin) Non grapple Power Moves (when you are close to a standing opponent push the A button ONCE to reach out and start the attack. Then tap the dpad and/ or desired button for your move) A, Y= forearm hit A, down+Y= snapmare A, up+B= pump handle powerbomb (pin) A, B= rapid chest chops A, down+B= cobra twist (submission) A, up+A= powerbomb with flip over, bridge pin A, A= neck chops A, down+A= powerbomb Running attacks- Y= shoulder block B= drop kick A=(short run)-flying shoulder attack (long run)-clothesline Running counter attacks- Y= back elbow B= back body drop A= hip toss Ground Moves- at head- B= stomp A= leg drop at midsection- B= stomp A= stomp at feet- B= stomp A= half crab (submission) seated- B= kicks to the back A= rear choke Top Rope move- Kobashi has 2 top rope attacks. If the opponents head is facing Kenta's corner he will do a LEG DROP. If his feet point to Kenta's corner he will do a MOONSAULT. Stan Hansen- this angry Texan means business. With his trademark yell and cruel looking power moves he will beat up anyone in his way. Y grapples- Y= forearm hit down+Y= bodyslam B grapples- B= vertical suplex down+B= piledriver A grapples- up+A= cobra twist (submission) A= shoulder breaker down+A= powerbomb Non grapple Power Moves (when you are close to a standing opponent push the A button ONCE to reach out and start the attack. Then tap the dpad and/ or desired button for your move) A, Y= hard clubbing blow A, down+Y= snapmare A, up+B= knee hit A, B= piledriver A, down+B= belly kick A, up+A= Texas sized powerbomb A, A= lariat (clothesline from HELL!) A, down+A= back suplex Running attacks- Y= shoulder block B= drop kick A= lariat Running counter attacks- Y= back elbow B= football tackle A= lariat Ground Moves- at head- B= stomp A= knee drop at midsection- B= stomp A= Hansen elbow drop at feet- B= cover with head punches (ow!) A= half crab (submission) seated- B= Hansen body kicks A= driving elbow strike with sleeper (submission) Top Rope move- second rope splash (pin) FINAL THOUGHTS- 'Budoukan is a good wrestling game for 1995. It isn't as deep as Super Fireprowrestling X but it is easier to play. It has better action than the New Japan Battlefield 94. It is certainly more interesting than a WWF Raw or Royal Rumble. Its only big flaw is in the tag wrestling but that just gives you an excuse to buy the original ZNPW or "Dash". If you import such things track this game down and have fun. bitman16 2004