JoJo's Venture

Overview

JoJo's Venture (known in Japan as JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken, which translates to "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure") is a 2D contemporary-fantasy fighting game developed and released by Capcom for arcades (using their CP System III hardware) on December 2, 1998.

A fighting game adaptation of the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, JoJo's Venture is based on the series's third story arc (known as Stardust Crusaders). The game's story is set in the late 1980's and stars Jotaro Kujo, a teenage Japanese delinquent who must use his bizarre supernatural powers (known as the "Stand") to defeat an ancestral enemy to his family: the vampire DIO.

While the game is a four-button fighting game that plays similarly to Capcom's Darkstalkers series, JoJo's Venture features a unique gameplay mechanic related to the story's use of supernatural "Stands". Each character has their own unique Stand "mode", which is toggled using a dedicated Stand button and makes use of the Stand Gauge (which depletes as the Stand is attacked and replenishes when it is withdrawn). While the Stand is active, certain offensive and defensive abilities are empowered.

The game later received a revised sequel a year later as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and was included as a bonus in the sequel's Dreamcast port. It is the fourth of the six games released for the short-lived CPS-3 hardware (which include the sequel, Red Earth, and the Street Fighter III trilogy).

Characters

The game includes 10 playable characters, three hidden characters (younger Joseph and both versions of DIO, all of which are unlockable through either a cheat code or a time-release system), and three unplayable sub-bosses.

• Jotaro Kujo - The main protagonist of Stardust Crusaders, Jotaro is a Japanese high school delinquent who rarely shows emotion, seeking to defeat DIO and save his mother's life. His Stand, Star Platinum, is known for its incredible strength and speed.

• Joseph Joestar - Jotaro's grandfather and the main protagonist of the earlier story arc Battle Tendency, who leads his grandson and the rest of the team to Egypt. His Stand, Hermit Purple, takes the form of glowing vines. His young appearance from Battle Tendency is unlockable as a hidden character, which does not use the Stand mechanic at all (with the Stand button using attacks from his empowered clackers).

• Mohammed Avdol - An Egyptian fortune teller who helps Jotaro understand the concept of Stands and joins the Joestar group in their quest. His Stand, Magician's Red, can manipulate fire.

• Noriaki Kakyoin - A transfer student of Jotaro's school initially under DIO's control, who ends up joining Jotaro's crew. His Stand, Heirophant Green, can fire blasts of green energy and shrink down to enter and control bodies.

• Jean Pierre Polnareff - A French assassin initially under DIO's control, who ends up joining Jotaro's crew to avenge the death of his younger sister by one of DIO's minions. His Stand, Silver Chariot, wields a rapier and can shed its armor to increase its agility.

• Iggi - A stray dog who is recruited to Jotaro's crew. His Stand, The Fool, can manipulate sand.

• D'Bo - One of DIO's assassins. His Stand, Ebony Devil, inhabits a strange doll that is powered by D'Bo's hate.

• Midler - One of DIO's assassins. Her Stand, High Priestess, can transform into any mineral substance.

• Chaca - A caravan escort who is possessed by Anubis, a Stand that was forged into a sword that controls those who wield it.

• Alessy - One of DIO's assassins. His Stand, Sethan, manifests as his shadow and can revert the age of those standing in it.

• DIO - The main antagonist of Stardust Crusaders, as well as the antagonist of the earlier story arc Phantom Blood, DIO is a powerful vampire and adversary of the Joestar lineage. His Stand, The World, has the potential to stop time. He is the game's final boss for most characters, where he has two appearances (one in his "unpowered" form used for certain rounds/matches), and is unlockable for play. He also has an alternate "mysterious" version as a hidden unlockable character, which does not use the Stand mechanic.

• N'Dool - A blind assassin loyal to DIO, who uses his Stand, Geb, to control water from a distance. He serves as an unplayable sub-boss in the game's unique beat-'em-up round, where players have a limited amount of time to reach him at the end of the stage.

• Iced - One of DIO's most loyal servants, having being turned into a vampire. His Stand, Cream, can turn itself into a devastating ball of nothingness. He serves as an unplayable sub-boss.

• Death 13 - A Stand who attacks Jotaro's group in a recurring amusement park dream. He serves as a hidden unplayable sub-boss, who is only fought against with certain characters under a certain condition (without losing a single round, with the final rounds being won by Super Moves).