Weird SNK fighter Savage Reign is back to brawl on modern platforms

DC Comics would like a word…

Another SNK release is headed over to modern platforms this week courtesy of Hamster, as little-known one-on-one fighter Savage Reign makes its return on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Released in 1995 for the arcade and Neo Geo platforms, Savage Reign was one of a number of fighting games that failed to make even a dent on a market that was now fully controlled by titles such as Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and even SNK’s own King of Fighters. In Savage Reign, ten unusual characters, including gymnast Carol and a criminal clown straight up called “Joker”, fight it out in the amazingly titled “King’s Lion Battle of the Beast God Tournament”.

Savage Reign features the tell-tale signs of many SNK fighters, including huge, colorful sprites, a camera that zooms in-and-out of the action, and a weapon system similar to Samurai Shodown’s. Though conceptually interesting, the simple fact of the matter is that Savage Reign just falls between the cracks of a myriad of mid-90s fighting titles, as predicted by critics on release. It was followed up a year later by Kizuna Encounter.

Still, even today this forgotten title can raise an eyebrow with its wacky roster and odd visual concepts. Savage Reign is available now on PS4 in Japan and on Xbox One and Nintendo Switch worldwide, priced at around $8.