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In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Technos Japan Corp was the undisputed king of the beat 'em up genre. Having already revolutionized the industry with Renegade and the iconic Double Dragon series, the developer sought to push the boundaries of urban brawling even further. The result was The Combatribes, a 1990 arcade powerhouse that brought visceral, high-definition sprite work and frantic multi-player action to the forefront of the genre. Known in Japan as ザ・コンバットライブス, the game offered a distinct shift from the traditional side-scrolling mechanics of its predecessors, focusing instead on arena-style combat within dense metropolitan environments.
The game is set in a gritty, near-future version of New York City. The city has been overrun by specialized street gangs, each with their own unique themes and territories. Players take on the roles of three powerful vigilantes—Berserker, Bullova, and Blitz—who have taken it upon themselves to dismantle the criminal organization known as "The Ground Zero."
While the arcade version kept the narrative lean, focusing on the immediate threat of the gangs, the 1992 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) port expanded the lore significantly. In the home version, the protagonists were reimagined as cyborgs, products of a clandestine military project who went rogue to seek justice. This narrative shift added a layer of science fiction to the urban decay, culminating in a showdown with the cyborg leader, Martha Splatterhead, atop a skyscraper.
The Combatribes stands out due to its unique approach to combat mechanics. Unlike Double Dragon, where players often pick up knives or bats, the protagonists here rely entirely on their physical prowess and the environment. The game emphasizes crowd control and brutal close-quarters interactions. Players can grab two enemies by their hair and smash their heads together, or swing an opponent by their ankles to clear out surrounding mobs.
Each of the three characters offers a different playstyle: Berserker is the balanced fighter, Bullova is the slow but immensely powerful powerhouse, and Blitz uses speed and technique to overwhelm foes. The game is structured into several "Acts," each featuring a distinct gang—ranging from clown-themed bikers to roller-skating punks. Unlike many of its contemporaries, The Combatribes focuses more on clearing specific screens or arenas rather than long-form traversal, making for a fast-paced, high-intensity experience.
This game was released on several platforms, including the arcade and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
The Combatribes is frequently cited as the spiritual successor to the Double Dragon series. It represents the peak of Technos’ experimentation with the beat 'em up formula before the genre's popularity began to wane in favor of one-on-one fighting games like Street Fighter II. While it never achieved the same household name status as Billy and Jimmy Lee, it is remembered fondly for its impressive character sprites and unique combat system. The SNES version, despite some technical limitations and the removal of the three-player mode, remains a cult classic and was eventually rereleased for the Wii Virtual Console in North America on November 30, 2009, introducing a new generation to this brutal piece of arcade history.