Hippodrome

Overview

Hippodrome (known outside of North America as Fighting Fantasy) is a 2D sword-and-sorcery fighting game developed and released by Data East for arcades in 1989.

A simplistic one-on-one fighting game, Hippodrome has players control a mysterious warrior as he enters the titular "Hippodrome": a once-a-year competition between numerous beasts to determine the world's strongest warrior. Along the way, he can spend gold to acquire new weapons (from his standard longsword to a morning star, battle-axe, and long-ranged halberd).

Gameplay

Shop

Between rounds, players can spend gold they earned to purchase one of several weapons and items:

Weapons

There are four weapons in the game, with players starting with a simple longsword. Players can purchase three additional weapons, which remain with them throughout the game:

• Hammer (800 gold)
• Battle-Axe (800 gold) - Shorter range. Usually stronger.
• Halberd (3000 gold) - Longer range. Usually weaker.

Each weapon can vary in their attack power depending on the character they're fighting (with some being more damaging). Players choose which weapon to equip at the start of each round.

Items

Can be used for the next match to increase their damage or restore their vitality. Unlike Weapons, these are not one-time purchases.

• Potion (500 gold) - Increase attack damage for next match.
• Pendant (3500 gold) - Restores the player's vitality.

Characters

The game includes eight opponents, with the first three fought in any order and the second three fought in any order:

• Cawnus (Lamia Noble) - Fights with a Short Sword and has a longer-ranged tail whip and charging stab. Cannot jump.
• Gran (Gargoyle) - Fights with his claws and a boomerang-like orb. Can use his wings and long jumps for quick agility.
• Norfolk (Lizard Man) - Fights with a Scimitar. Uses a large buckler to negate attacks, which can be broken with enough strikes.

• Sharon (Armor Dragon) - Gigantic opponent who attacks with its tail, its wings, and its longer-ranged fire breath. Cannot jump.
• Daldnoa (Scorpion Man) - Fights with a long-ranged Trident and has a Poison Tail ability and "Gum" (which sticks to the hero and makes him immobile).
• Solomon (Wizard) - Fights with a variety of long-ranged magical attacks. Cannot jump.

• Charry & Steeve (Assassin) - Armed with twin crescent-swords. Can guard and perform charging attacks. Fights as a pair in a 1v2 match.

• Pon (Giant) - Final boss. Gigantic opponent with a spiked buckler (which he throws at long-range and retrieves with a chain). Can perform a powerful charge attack. Cannot jump.