Slam Masters, known in Japan as Muscle Bomber: The Body Explosion is a 1993 pro wrestling arcade game released for the CP System by Capcom. The game features character designs by manga artist Tetsuo Hara, famous for Fist of the North Star. The game was followed by an updated version titled Muscle Bomber Duo: Ultimate Team Battle in 1993, and a sequel called Ring of Destruction: Slam Masters II in 1994.
Gameplay
The original Slam Masters plays like a traditional wrestling game, only the game used a view similar to that commonly used in the fighting game genre. The game uses a three button configuration (grab, attack, and jump).
Each character has two special attacks: a non-grappling technique and a finisher. When an opponent’s life meter is depleted, he must either be pinned for a three-count or forced to submit. Defeating all of the other wrestlers results in winning the championship belt, which must then be defended against the entire roster.
There are two game modes: Single Match, where the player fights in a series one-on-one matches against the CPU; and Team Battle Royale, where the player and another partner (controlled by another player or by the CPU) competes in a series of two-on-two matches. The game can be played by up to four players.
Characters
The game features a playable roster of ten wrestlers. Only eight of the wrestlers are selectable in the Single Match mode. The remaining two: Jumbo and Scorpion, are non-playable boss characters in Single Match and selectable only in Team Battle Royale. In the English localization, Capcom changed the names of all the characters and modified much of the backstory. The English names are used in this article, followed by the original Japanese names (when they differ) in parentheses.
- Biff Slamkovich (Aleksey Zalazof) – The main protagonist of the series. In the Japanese version of the game, Zalazof is a Russian wrestler who trained under Haggar alongside his rival, Gunloc. No such character connection is established in the English version, although Biff makes a reference to “Comrade Zangief” in his losing quote. Alex from Street Fighter III bears a strong resemblance to Biff.
- Gunloc (Lucky Colt) – In the Japanese version of the game, Colt is another apprentice of Haggar and Zalazof’s rival, explaining the similar fighting styles. The English version implies that Gunloc is a relative of Guile (from Street Fighter II), a character relation that was mentioned again in the Street Fighter: The Movie arcade game where it is revealed that Gunloc is Guile’s brother.
- The Great Oni (Mysterious Budo) – A Japanese wrestler who dresses with a kabuki-like theme. He is apparently a rival of El Stingray.
- Titanic Tim (Titan the Great) – A huge English wrestler who uses both his size and strength to intimidate his opponents. His backstory explains that he was once a tag team partner to Birdie of the Street Fighter series.
- El Stingray (El Stinger) – A Mexican luchador who amazes the crowds with his high-flying speed and techniques.
- Mike “Macho” Haggar – Originally one of the main characters from Final Fight. The Japanese version establishes that Haggar’s appearance in this game takes place before being elected mayor in Final Fight. However, the English version refers to Haggar as the “former Mayor of Metro City”. His daughter, Jessica (also from Final Fight), sometimes enters into the ring to celebrate with him when he wins a match.
- Alexander the Grater (Sheep the Royal) – An Australian wrestler who has a merciless attitude in the ring.
- King Rasta Mon (“Missing IQ” Gomes) – A wild and feral-like man who acts like a savage beast in combat. He is always accompanied by his pet monkey, Freak, who happens to be his “manager”.
- Jumbo Flapjack (Kimala the Bouncer) – A very large and sadistic wrestler who enjoys making his opponents bleed. He is the right-hand man of the Scorpion who serves as the penultimate sub-boss of the game.
- The Scorpion (The Astro) – The game’s final boss and main antagonist of the series. A mysterious masked wrestler whose true identity and history is shrouded in both mystery and darkness. He is also known to be the leader of the BWA (Blood Wrestling Association).
