is a
fighting video game developed by
Capcom
is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...
based on
Hirohiko Araki
, better known as , is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his long-running series '' JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'', which began publication in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' in 1987 and has over 120 million copies in circulation, making it one ...
's
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
of
the same title. The game was developed by the same team who was responsible for the ''
Street Fighter III
is a 1997 fighting game in Capcom's ''Street Fighter'' series, originally released as a coin-operated arcade game. The game, which was designed as a direct sequel to ''Street Fighter II'' (1991), initially discarded every previous character exc ...
'' series.
It was originally released in the
arcade
Arcade most often refers to:
* Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game
** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game
** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware
** Arcad ...
in
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
on the
CP System III (CPS-3) arcade board; this version was known outside Japan as ''JOJO's Venture''. An updated version of the game was released in
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
as , becoming the sixth and last game released for the CPS-3 board.
Console
Console may refer to:
Computing and video games
* System console, a physical device to operate a computer
** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device
** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
ports for the
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
and
Dreamcast
The is the final home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was released in Japan on November 27, 1998, in North America on September 9, 1999 and in Europe on October 14, 1999. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, prec ...
were also released that year. A high-definition version of the game was released digitally for
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...
and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...
in August 2012.
The game combines ''Capcoms
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
-inspired graphics, as seen in the ''
Darkstalkers
''Darkstalkers'', known in Japan as , is a fighting game series and media franchise created by Capcom. The series is set in a pastiche gothic fiction universe with characters based on monsters from international folklore, and features a stylized ...
'' series, with the colorful characters and events of Hirohiko Araki's creation, resulting in a highly stylized and detailed visual style. It also features many of the gameplay mechanics seen on previous Capcom fighting games, such as the use of power gauges for super moves, as well as a brand new
Stand
Stand or The Stand may refer to:
Other
* To assume the upright position of standing
* Forest stand, a group of trees
* Area of seating in a stadium, such as bleachers
* Stand (cricket), a relationship between two players
* Stand (drill pipe) ...
Mode, consisting of the series' signature guardian spirits that accompanies almost every character and can be summoned or dismissed at will by the player, resulting in variations in the character's move list and abilities.
Original author Hirohiko Araki served as a consultant for the game and created exclusive pieces of artwork for its promotion and packaging; most notably, he developed from scratch a new character design for Midler, since Capcom was interested in using her in the game and she had been only shown from the waist-down in the original manga.
Plot
Based on the manga's third main story arc, ''
Stardust Crusaders'', the game follows a Japanese teenager named Jotaro Kujo, who has developed a supernatural ability known as a "
Stand
Stand or The Stand may refer to:
Other
* To assume the upright position of standing
* Forest stand, a group of trees
* Area of seating in a stadium, such as bleachers
* Stand (cricket), a relationship between two players
* Stand (drill pipe) ...
". Approached by his grandfather, Joseph Joestar, Jotaro learns that this power is the result of the influence of the sworn enemy of the Joestar family, a vampire named
Dio. As his mother's life is put in danger when she starts developing a Stand that she can't control, Jotaro and Joseph go on a quest to destroy Dio so they can cure her.
Gameplay
Gameplay in ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'' follows most basic fighting games, in which two fighters battle against each other using a variety of attacks, techniques, and special moves to deplete their opponent's health bar. A super meter which increases as fighters deal and receive damage can be used to perform character-specific
super
Super may refer to:
Computing
* SUPER (computer program), or Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer, a video converter/player
* Super (computer science), a keyword in object-oriented programming languages
* Super key (keyboard butto ...
moves.
The unique feature of the game is the inclusion of "Stands", powerful projections of a fighter's energy that are unique to each fighter. Whilst Stands are generally integrated into a fighter's moveset, most characters possess an active Stand, which they can bring into and out of battle using the "Stand" button. While a Stand is out, the fighter can increase the power of their attacks, use unique techniques, receive enhancements such as double jumping, and even have their Stand attack separately from the fighter character. However, attacking a fighter's Stand will also cause damage to the fighter, which brings a risk to using Stands, and the damage inflicted is doubled if the Stand is far away from its user. A Stand's presence on the field is determined by a Stand Gauge, which decreases if the Stand is attacked and refills whilst the Stand is withdrawn. If the gauge is depleted, a "Stand Crash" will occur, which leaves the fighter temporarily stunned and open to attack. Other features of Stands include "Blazing Fists" matches, where two Stands clash against each other, requiring the fighters to mash buttons to overcome their opponent, and the ability to program Stands to perform a series of attacks, which can be combined with a player's own attacks for extensive combos. Some characters instead possess "passive" Stands, which are treated as parts of their movesets, and Young Joseph lacks a Stand entirely, relying solely on his non-Stand powers, the Hamon, from the Battle Tendency arc.
Along with general modes such as Versus, the game features Story Mode, a single player campaign which follows each character as they face off against various opponents, loosely following the story of the manga. In between certain matches, unique special stages may occur based on scenes from the manga, such as a side-scrolling sequence in which the player has to find and defeat the assassin N'Doul while avoiding his water-based Stand Geb's attacks, or a special battle against the Death 13 Stand. Super Story Mode is a single-player mode exclusive to the PlayStation port of the game. The mode follows the story of the manga, taking the player through a series of fights as the story progresses. This mode also features various mini-games the player must complete in order to progress, such as driving a car or playing games of chance. The HD versions feature optional graphical filters and online multiplayer.
Playable characters
The original arcade game features 13 playable characters, whilst ''Heritage for the Future'' and subsequent ports added nine additional characters, bringing the total to 22. In the English versions, some characters are renamed to avoid copyright infringement in Western territories:
Versions
Arcade
The initial arcade release of ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'' was December
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
. An English-translated version was released in Asia under the shortened title of ''JOJO's Venture'', which predates the officially licensed English adaptations of the original manga and anime (hence the name change). It was followed by a fully revised version titled ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future'', released in September
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
, which featured eight additional playable characters. An English version that was released in Europe is simply titled ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'', the original Japanese title.
Console
Two console versions were produced. The
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
PlayStation
is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
version is based on ''JOJO's Venture'', but features the additional characters from the second version of the arcade game and an exclusive "Super Story Mode", which covers the entire ''Stardust Crusaders'' story arc. The
Dreamcast
The is the final home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was released in Japan on November 27, 1998, in North America on September 9, 1999 and in Europe on October 14, 1999. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, prec ...
version, also released in 1999, features both the original and revised versions of the arcade game in their original forms. In 2000, an updated version featuring online multiplayer was released for the Dreamcast exclusively in Japan. In 2012, a high-definition port of the Dreamcast version developed by Capcom was released digitally on
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...
on August 21 and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...
the next day.
This version’s features include graphic filters and online multiplayer, though it does not feature the Super Story Mode of the previous PlayStation port. The game was delisted from the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade storefronts on September 11, 2014, a few months after the release of ''
All Star Battle''.
Reception
In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed the arcade version in their February 1, 1999 issue as the most-successful arcade game of the month. The magazine also listed ''Heritage for the Future'' in their November 15, 1999 issue as the most-successful arcade game of the month. It went on to be the third highest-grossing arcade software
of 1999 in Japan, below ''
Virtua Striker 2'' and ''
Street Fighter Alpha 3
''Street Fighter Alpha 3'', released as in Japan, Asia, South America, and Oceania, is a 1998 fighting game developed and published by Capcom for arcades. It is the third and final installment in the '' Street Fighter Alpha'' sub-series, which ...
''. On home consoles, the game was a best-seller in Japan, having sold more than 300,000 units by March 2000.
The Dreamcast version received favorable reviews, while the PlayStation and HD versions received "mixed or average reviews", according to the
review aggregation websites
GameRankings
GameRankings was a video gaming review aggregator that was founded in 1999 and owned by CBS Interactive. It indexed over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 video games. GameRankings was discontinued in December 2019, with its staff bei ...
and
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
.
Scott Steinberg of ''
The Electric Playground'' gave the Dreamcast and PlayStation versions each a score of 7.5/10, saying that they are "without a doubt the most advanced (and strangest) of Capcom's 2D fighting games, but by no means the most addictive." D. Smith of ''Gamers' Republic'' praised the Dreamcast version, calling it the best port of the game. He praised the game's diverse and strange cast of characters, comparing the game's weirdness as comparable to the fighting game ''
Groove on Fight''. Although he said the game was "not the most technical of fighters", it can still be a valid alternative to ''
Street Fighter III
is a 1997 fighting game in Capcom's ''Street Fighter'' series, originally released as a coin-operated arcade game. The game, which was designed as a direct sequel to ''Street Fighter II'' (1991), initially discarded every previous character exc ...
''. Toxic Tommy of ''
GamePro
''GamePro'' was an American multiplatform video game magazine media company that published online and print content covering the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software. The magazine featured content on various video ...
'' said in its March 2000 issue that the PlayStation version "is best taken as an entertaining change of pace. You won't find it as challenging as other Capcom side-view fighting games, but at least you and your homies should bust a few good laughs during JoJo's wacky combat circus." An issue later, Jake The Snake said of the Dreamcast version: "Fighting-game fans will either love or hate this game's weird characters and attacks, so rent before buying." ''
Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
'', however, gave the same console version five out of ten, saying: "Almost every aspect of
he game
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads
* He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English
* He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana)
* Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...
is a discourse for the devout. For that reason, this is a title for fanatics alone. Perhaps that was Capcom's intention." Kyle Knight of ''
AllGame
RhythmOne , a subsidiary of Nexxen, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel.
Blinkx was founded in 2004, went public on the Alternative Investment Market, ...
'' gave the same console version two stars out of five, calling it "an interesting game to play, if only for its decidedly odd look and feel. But the game doesn't have the fine-tuning that makes a fighting game last as a permanent part of a fighter fan's collection. The game's good for a few laughs, but not worth it in the long run." Joe Ottoson of the same website gave the PlayStation version two-and-a-half stars, saying that "While greatness may not be in the cards of JoJo this time around, at least he puts up a solid battle against the towers and empresses of the world. The only problem is, he's bound to get lost in the shuffle." Jeff Lundrigan of ''
NextGen'' in his early review called the same PlayStation version "An oddity for Capcom completionists only."
In Japan, ''
Famitsu
, formerly , is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly f ...
'' gave the Dreamcast and PlayStation versions each a score of 31 out of 40.
Alex Rhoades of ''GameZone'' gave the HD versions a score of six out of ten, saying that the game "had a chance to shine for its 25th anniversary. Unfortunately the exorbitant price combined with the niche market appeal will doom it from the start. Although the gameplay is nearly untouched from the Dreamcast version, only huge fans of the manga will likely pick this game up." However, Joe Walker of ''Push Square'' gave the PS3 version five stars out of ten, saying, "''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure HD Ver.'' is tragic in a way, because while the game itself is still solid and fun to play, there's just too little on offer to justify the price tag."
See also
*''
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle''
Notes
References
External links
''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure''by Capcom
''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future''by Capcom
*
*
*
*
*
{{JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
1998 video games
Arcade video games
Capcom games
CP System III games
Dreamcast games
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure games
PlayStation (console) games
PlayStation Network games
2D fighting games
Video games developed in Japan
Video games set in Hong Kong
Video games set in Egypt
Virgin Interactive games
Xbox 360 Live Arcade games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Shoot 'em ups
Poker video games
Video games about video games