Line #67 VideoGame/PowerInstinct


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13	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/family_portrait250x350_419.png]]
14	[[caption-width-right:250:No doubt, only the strongest will survive this TV Tropes page!]]
15
16	Known in Japan as ''Gōketsuji Ichizoku'' ("Gōketsuji Clan"), ''Power Instinct'' is a FightingGame series by Creator/{{Atlus}}. Essentially a parody of the fighting game genre at the time (the series begin in TheNineties, at the rise of ''Videogame/StreetFighterII'''s fame) it eventually evolved into its own silly series. The plot focuses on the Gōketsuji family who usually hold a tournament every few years to decide their leader. No real stakes beyond that front and all the members are as quirky as they come.
17
18	The games in this series are the following:
19	[[index]]
20	* ''Power Instinct'' / ''Gōketsuji Ichizoku'' (1993; Arcade/Genesis/SNES)
21	* ''Power Instinct 2'' / ''Gōketsuji Ichizoku 2'' (1994; Arcade/[=PlayStation=][[note]]this console version is a mixture between this game and ''Legends''[[/note]])
22	* ''Gogetsuji Legends''[[note]]sometimes called ''Power Instinct Legends''[[/note]] / ''Gōketsuji Gaiden: Saikyou Densetsu'' (1995; Arcade)
23	* ''VideoGame/GrooveOnFight'' / ''Gōketsuji Ichizoku 3: Groove on Fight'' (1997; Arcade/Saturn)
24	* ''Matrimelee'' [[note]]also known as ''Power Instinct Matrimelee''[[/note]] / ''Shin Gōketsuji Ichizoku: Toukon Matrimelee'' (2002; Arcade/Neo-Geo)
25	* ''Shin Gōketsuji Ichizoku: Bonnou no Kaihou'' (2006; [=PlayStation=] 2)
26	* ''Gōketsuji Ichizoku Matsuri Senzo Kuyou''[[note]]called by fans as ''Power Instinct 5''[[/note]] (2009; Arcade)
27	[[/index]]
28
29	The series also produced two SpinOff: ''Purikura Daisakusen'', an {{Isometric\|Projection}} ActionGame released for arcade and Platform/SegaSaturn in 1996, and ''CR Goketsuji Ichizoku'', a card-reader pachinko game in 2010.
30	----
31	!!This series features examples of:
32
33	* AllForNothing: Otane lampshades this in part 2 when beaten. Stating she was kidnapped by Oume's vassals, thrown into the sea and barely managed to make it back before the winner of the tournament was crowned leader of the clan. Only for her efforts to come to naught after she was defeated.
34	%% * AffectionateParody: of most other fighting games at the time.
35	* AnswerSong: Reiji's theme, ''[[https://youtu.be/BdM13GSBdMI Otoko no Karate Michi]]'', is about how he became strong by following a thorny path and training endlessly. Rin's theme, ''[[https://youtu.be/FJ02xQX7Ir0 Otome no Karate Do]]'', starts with how the thorny path can screw off as she wants to be strong while also enjoying the schoolgirl life.
36	* ArabianNightsDays: Saham Asram Ryuto is an ArabOilSheikh who lives in a [[{{Qurac}} modern version of "Arabian Nights"]] as seen in his stage in the second game, also having a GenieInABottle who helps him in fights.
37	* BigScrewedUpFamily: Almost all fighters in the series are members of the Goketsuji clan. The Goketsuji clan favors strength over anything else. Every 5 years the clan holds a tournament, whose winner will be the leader of the clan until the next tournament. This leads to a bunch of rivalries among the clan members, most prominently between Oume and Otane.
38	* TheClan: The Goketsuji family, of course, which has spread all over the world. The Japanese Reiji, American Keith, British Annie, Arabian Ryuto, and almost all other characters are members of the clan. Being a member of the clan is also the prerequisite to enter the Goketsuji tournament, no matter how distantly related you are to the main branch.
39	* {{Crossover}}: The {{guest fighter}}s from ''VideoGame/RageOfTheDragons'' appeared in ''Matrimelee''. On the other hand, Kurara appeared in a ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter''-esque Platform/PlayStation game, ''Heaven's Gate'', while the song ''Let's Go! Onmyouji'' (and its corresponding stage) appeared in ''VideoGame/OnTaMaRaMa''.
40	* CuttingOffTheBranches: Canonically, Otane Goketsuji is the winner of the first game and Kanji Kokuin the winner of the second.
41	* DarkerAndEdgier: ''Groove on Fight'' attempted this, removing the sillier elements and what not for a more gritter tone. It didn't go over well with the fans. So when ''Matrimelee'' came around, it returned back to its usual wacky tone.
42	* DecompositeCharacter: In ''Legends'', Super Clara and Poochy are playable as their own characters, as opposed to being the transformations for Clara and Kinta, respectively.
43	* EarlyBirdCameo: Prince first appeared in ''Matrimelee'' and ''Bonnou no Kaihou'' in some endings to be later a proper character in ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou''.
44	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first game is missing several series staples that are introduced in the second game, such as the [[SourceMusic BGM performers in the background]], the [[FaceDoodling face doodles]] on the losers, and the lack of [[ManaMeter Stress Meter]] and [[LimitBreak Stress Shots]].
45	* EnergyAbsorption: Otane, Oume, Elizabeth, and Sandra have grabs where they absorb life energy from enemies in order to transform into their younger selves.
46	* ExpressiveHealthBar: The arcade versions of the first games before ''VideoGame/GrooveOnFight'' have the character's side face with the health bar, which changes from normal to being-hit animation when [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin you were hit by the opponent]]. This got more dramatic in the first game, where the portrait's backgrounds also change of colors from blue to red when you got hit and the character's face got more agitated when the health bar is low.
47	* FaceDoodling: A stable of the series in the win-lose portraits after a fight. With the loser getting their face scribbled on.
48	* FinalBoss: Each game in this series has one:
49	** ''Power Instinct'': Oume Goketsuji
50	** ''Power Instinct 2'': Otane Goketsuji
51	** ''Gogetsuji Legends'': Chuck
52	** ''Groove On Fight'': Bristol-D[[note]]A demonic form of Bristol Weller[[/note]]
53	** ''Matrimelee'': Princess Sissy
54	** ''Bonnou no Kaihou'': Bobby Strong
55	** ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou'': Shinjuro [[spoiler:Goketsuji]]
56	* FullFrontalAssault: True to his namesake, Kintaro fights wearing only a full-body bib, which has the side effect of leaving his genitals visible in some attacks. It's that kind of a game.
57	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Several in ''Matrimelee'', because of the SourceMusic tendency of the series and the songs themselves having funny lyrics themselves.
58	** When ''Bokura no Himitsu'' is playing, the aliens are singing about how they came just to play and not to experiment on humans. In the background there's a screen showing the aliens experimenting on a boy.
59	** In the middle of ''Chiisana Shiawase'', the singer lets out a big "YAMETEEEEE" scream. While this is funny in itself, in the stage you can see the singer's own anguished expressions.
60	** The song ''[[https://youtu.be/-xfSs0InGqM Shinobi Ai Goketsuji]]'' is about a man and a woman who are in love in each other but has to fight each other in the Goketsuji tournament. During some parts of the song, the singers are actually hitting each other. In the international version where the song isn't used, the developers have the singers keep fighting all the time.
61	%% * WolverinePublicity: Goketsuji Publicity, Otane and Oume themselves.
62	%% * {{Gonk}}: Prince.
63	* GuestFighter: Jimmy, Lynn, Elias, and Mr. Jones from ''VideoGame/RageOfTheDragons'' are playable in ''Matrimelee''. They did not return for the later games, sadly.
64	%% ** So did Bobby Strong in the Platform/PlayStation2 semi-sequel ''Bonnou no Kaihou'', though the ROTD characters did not return, sadly.
65	* {{Kid Appeal Character}}s: This series is one of the few ones with children as part of almost all titles of the franchise: Kintaro Kokuin and Kurara Hananokōji in ''Power Instinct 2'', Popura Hananokōji [[note]]Kurara's [[StrongFamilyResemblance daughter]][[/note]] and Remi Otogiri in ''VideoGame/GrooveOnFight'', Princess Sissy in ''Matrimelee'', and Takumi Hattori and Rin Oyama in ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou''.
66	* KissingCousins: Until ''Groove On Fight'' the playable characters were all members of the Goketsuji family and some of them were depicted together as couples (such as Keith and Annie, who even have a son in that same game) and others such as Thin Nen show no qualms at flirting with opposite sex opponents even when they're presumably relatives of theirs. The game is vague on how related the cast members are to each-other.
67	* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: One of the defining features of the series is that many of the stages have characters in the background actually singing or dancing along with the music. (Though ''Groove On Fight'' is the only one in the series that omitted them. And the International releases of ''Matrimelee'' omitted the songs since they were under a record label. Necessitating some background changes as well).
68	* LimitBreak: A few characters in ''Matrimelee'' and up had a level 3 Forbidden super move.
69	%% * [[spoiler:LohengrinAndMendelssohn: Whoever defeats Sissy in Matrimelee will proceed to marry her... NOT!]]
70	%% ** [[spoiler:Or if you're a girl, then you can marry with [[{{Gonk}} Prince]]... Ick!]]
71	* LimitedLyricsSong: Angela's theme in the second game, ''[[https://youtu.be/ypJyGlQimMs Give Me Money]]'', has 90% of its lyrics composed of "give me money!". It's remixed in ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou'' as ''[[https://youtu.be/BhhnmMbw8g0 Mottainai]]'', which, again, has a majority of its lyrics composed of "mottainai".
72	* LyricalDissonance:
73	** ''[[https://youtu.be/jFp4DSgN0yA Binbou Ningen Kanenaijaa]]'' from ''Matrimelee'' is an upbeat, catchy song that wouldn't sound out of place in a super sentai or super robot anime. It's actually about a middle aged man who just got laid off from his company.
74	** ''[[https://youtu.be/bOKYUK0cZkM Kintaro's theme]]'' in ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou'' (a remix of his theme in the second game), is a cheerful children song about aliens who love war and violence and is planning to attack humans.
75	* ManaMeter:
76	** Introduced in ''Power Instinct 2''. Getting hit or striking a blocking opponent builds this up.
77	** ''Groove on Fight'' introduced multiple levels of the meter, which shows up in later games.
78	* MelancholyMusicalNumber: The song ''[[https://youtu.be/t-FphVJ7uuI Chiisana Shiawase]]'' from ''Matrimelee'' is a slow, sad song about...french fries. Apparently, having the waitress clean up your dish before you finish the fries is a SeriousBusiness to the singer.
79	* OddballInTheSeries: ''VideoGame/GrooveOnFight'', which has notably bleaker tone than the colorful backgrounds of the other games. It also throws out all the series regulars save Oume and Otane, and puts in completely new characters in their stead. It's also the only game along with ''Matrimelee'' not to have character transformations, but at least ''Matrimelee'' has the other series standards.
80	* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Prince. No other name is provided.
81	* OnlyOneName: There're various characters in the franchise that are only known for just one name: Kuroko, Chuck, Falco, M.A.D. (subverted; his name is Max Ax Dax) and Maruta[[note]]non-player character ''and'' literal training dummy[[/note]].
82	** A game example is ''Matrimelee'', which is the name more known for this title, especially between Neo Geo fans who don't know about the series or previous titles.
83	%% ** There's a related [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PumFnlu9EIY the unlockable music video for it]] for it: onmyoji Yabeno Hikomaro, shrine maiden Kotohime, and three backup monks (referred to only as the Bozu Dancers) dance in the background to a surprisingly catchy tune. The song and video became something of a meme.
84	* PrettyBoy: Several during the series:
85	** First [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys Keith Wayne]] and [[ArabianNightsDays Sahad Asram Ryuto]] in the first three games, both being handsome and posing as TheCasanova, using the tournaments to get into women.
86	** ''VideoGame/GrooveOnFight'' got the ActionDuo of [[HotTeacher Larry Light]] and [[LikeFatherLikeSon Keith Wayne]], both also [[WalkingShirtlessScene being shirtless in the game]].
87	** Intetrestingly, [[{{Gonk}} Prince]]'s alternate form in ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou'' thanks to Belti sisters that gave him a magic potion that makes him handsome for a short time.
88	%% * RedOniBlueOni: Most like "Green Oni, Blue Oni" with the Kuno brothers Shintaro and Buntaro.
89	%% * TheRival:
90	%% ** Oume and Otane.
91	%% ** Oume/Otane and the Belti sisters.
92	* RemovingTheRival: Oume kidnaps her rival Otane and throws her to the sea in ''Power Instinct 2''.
93	* SailorSenshiSendUp: Kurara/Clara, a MagicalGirl that received magical powers from a wand given to her by a wizard, and with that she participates in the Gouketsuji tournament. Apart of the traits based on ''Manga/SailorMoon'', her voice was made noneless by [[Creator/KotonoMitsuishi Usagi Tsukino herself]]. Also, [[LegacyCharacter her daughter Popura]] inherits the wand for the DistantFinale title, ''VideoGame/GrooveOnFight''.
94	%% * SeriesMascot: Prominently Goketsuji sisters (which are {{Mascot Villain}}s), but also Clara serves this as well since ''Power Instinct 2'' (in ''Matrimelee'' she's [[LesYay accompanied by Sissy]]).
95	%% * {{Shotoclone}}: Reiji and Keith, more or less. In ''Groove On Fight'', it's Larry and Chris. Annie also qualifies.
96	* ShoutOut: Keith's stage in ''Legends'' looks suspiciously like one to musicals starring delinquents such as ''Film/{{Grease}}''.
97	* SoundtrackDissonance: Some of the background songs are really weird choices for a fighting game. For example, [[https://youtu.be/t-FphVJ7uuI a slow sad song about french fries]], [[https://youtu.be/xNOe210vjh8 a calm song about love]], or [[https://youtu.be/miE58X1nhKI a kindergarten song]].
98	* SourceMusic: The background musicians, source to the background music, are usually visible in each stage.
99	%% * SNKBoss: Oume in the first game, Bristol D. and Princess Sissy. '''Especially''' Sissy.
100	* SpellMyNameWithAnS. Inconsistent spelling all the way during the series:
101	** Oshima is spelled Osima in ''Power Instinct 2''.
102	** ''Gogetsuji'' instead Goketsuji in ''Legends'''s game name.
103	** Look what ''Matrimelee'' [[DubNameChange did to some of the characters' names]]:
104	*** Annie -> Anny
105	*** Kurara -> Clara
106	*** Kuroko [[labelnote:(non-player character)]]He's also playable in ''Gogetsuji Legends'' under the name "Ninja Boy" when it comes to that game's American version.[[/labelnote]] -> Enabler
107	*** Otane Gōketsuji -> Tane
108	*** Oume Gōketsuji -> Ume (these two make sense, since the initial "O" in women's names is sometimes used as a sort of [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseHonorifics honorific]])
109	*** Thin Nen -> Chinnen
110	** ''Bonnou no Kaihou'' is also known as ''Bonnou Kaihou''.
111	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: The song ''[[https://youtu.be/oZsPeQySFBY Bokura no Himitsu]]'' in ''Matrimelee'' is sung by aliens who insist they come in peace only to play, and they are not there to do experiments, kidnap, erase memories, or anything like that whatsoever.
112	* TagTeam: In ''Power Instinct Legends'' (1995) and ''Groove On Fight'' (1997), you fight in teams of two.
113	* TauntButton: ''Matrimelee'' introduced a button that serves no tangible gameplay function, but is included for atmosphere. In case both players taunt at the same time, they must proceed to a "Bloodline Battle", where they'll press a correct button to respect each other until either fighter makes the wrong move.
114	%% * TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Angela (ButchLesbian) and Annie (LadyOfWar).
115	%% ** In addition from ''Matrimelee'' onwards, Hikaru ({{Bokukko}}) and Sissy (GirlyBruiser).
116	* TournamentArc: The story of each game revolves around a tournament:
117	** ''Power Instinct'': It's latest iteration of the every-5-year tournament of the Goketsuji family to determine the clan's head.
118	** ''Power Instinct 2'': Oume hatched a plan to get rid of the last tournament's winner, Otane, to launch another leadership tournament early.
119	** ''Legends'': Kanji Kokuin (canonical winner of the second game) threw a tournament, this time just for fun.
120	** ''Groove on Fight'': Another latest iteration of the Goketsuji tournament, set in the DistantFinale.
121	** ''Matrimelee'': The King of Certain Country holds a tournament to find a husband for Princess Sissy.
122	** ''Bonnou Kaihou'': The King of Certain Country holds another tournament, this time to cheer up Sissy.
123	** ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou'': It's time for the Senzou Kuyou (commemmoration of ancients) festival, and Oume held another festival, promising the winner to meet with the PhysicalGod of the family.
124	* {{Transformation Trinket}}s: Shown in the ''Gogetsuji Legends'' intro are Clara's wand and Kinta's bib, which respectively turn them into Super Clara and Poochy.
125	* UnseenNoMore: Belti sisters, Elizabeth and Sandra, are {{rival}}s of [[MascotVillain Goketsuji sisters]] since decades and only they were mentioned in the backstory of the first game, being represented by Sandra's granddaughter Angela Belti. Finally both sisters appeared as selectable characters for the last game of the franchise, ''Matsuri Senzo Kuyou'', being effectively {{foil}}s for the Goketsuji, both being Western witches compared to Oume and Otane's evil YamatoNadeshiko.
126	* YouDontLookLikeYou: Various classic characters get a complete new look for ''Matrimelee'' and onwards, mostly Keith and Annie. Saizo is a special case, who just only [[HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic takes off his famous helmet]].
127	----
128	!! ''Purikura Daisakusen'', the RunAndGun-esque spin-off, contain examples of:
129	* AlliterativeFamily: The Apricot sisters, Ku''rara'' Apricot, Ki''rara'' Apricot and U''rara'' Apricot.
130	* {{Animorphism}}: The Apricot sisters' projectile attacks, many which turns enemies into animals instead of destroying them outright. The transformed onscreen enemies can even be collected for points.
131	* ArtificialStupidity: It's either a programming flaw, or deliberately coded since your enemies are "mindless" robots...
132	** When facing enemies in narrow bridges and railings, expect enemy robots to randomly walk off the sides and falling to their deaths.
133	** The second stage has an area where you face those red hopping mecha enemies while trying to cross between two platforms via a bridge, and with some nice timing (getting on the bridge and then backtracking) you can actually trick those robots to jump forward... never mind the distance being far too wide for them. You'll convince most of the robots to jump to their quick demise immediately.
134	* AttackDrone: Many of the Scrap Empire robots are hovering drones who can blast the players while floating everywhere.
135	* BeastMan: Grey O'Brien, the only playable character who's a dog-man, owing to the Scrap Empire's conversion on him being incomplete. When executing his special attacks, Grey can [[HumanityEnsues momentarily revert back to his human form]], just for a short while.
136	* BreakoutCharacter: Kurara from this game is none other than Clara Hananokoji from the ''Power Instinct'' series, now a protagonist headlining her own game.
137	* FlashOfPain: Visible on all the bosses, as indicator that the player's hitting the right spot.
138	* FloatingContinent: The entire game is set on a floating fortress, with an entire city below in the background.
139	* GiantCrab: Death Scissor, a huge crab mecha which attacks the main characters with it's PowerPincers. It's main claw is also invincible, deflecting all your shots, and it's only vulnerable when it raises it's claws to smash you down (allowing you to target it's front).
140	* TheGreatSerpent: The second-to-last boss fought by the players is a gigantic mechanical serpent, with it's sole weakness being it's head.
141	* HomingProjectile: In the form of magically-summoned stars that chases after enemies, since the game is set in a fantasy world without firearms.
142	* HoppingMachine: Another minor mook enemy, red robots on spring-loaded legs which it uses to hop around the area.
143	* MagicWand: The Apricot sisters uses magic wands capable of blasting energy bolts as their weapons, instead of firearms seen in similar RunAndGun-type games.
144	* MechaMooks: All the onscreen enemies sent by the Scrap Empire are robotic, and comes in a variety of sizes.
145	* SmartBomb: The Apricot sisters and Grey O'Brien all have a special attack that damages all onscreen enemies, clearing the screen of robots in an instant. It deals plenty of damage on bosses too.
146	* SmashedEggsHatching: Very frequently, the players will come across gigantic, human-sized eggs in the game. Which breaks open immediately after being shot or smashed - and releasing several chicks, that can be collected for points.
147	* SpreadShot: A power-up available for all players, which turns their energy bolts into spreads covering an arc.
148	* WeakTurretGun: The Scrap Empire have plenty of mechanical turrets which activates instantly and fires on the players, but they go down really easily in just a couple of shots. They're even easier to beat compared to the robot mooks due to being immobile.

Context VideoGame / PowerInstinct