Jackie? That you?
Gang Wars is a 1989 Beat 'em Up arcade action game developed by SNK and ADK.
In a gameplay format practically ripped off from the then-recent Double Dragon, the players assume the roles of Mike and Jackie, a pair of greasers and expert brawlers in the rough streets of New York, out to rescue their friend Cynthia, who has been kidnapped by the leader of a local gang, Jaguar. To reach her, they must pummel their way through the alleys of Manhattan, the Shaolin Temple branch based in Chinatown, various factories and docks before reaching Jaguar's headquarters for a final showdown.
The 1990 beat-em-up Ninja Combat, also by ADK, is considered to be an unofficial sequel of sorts.
This game contain examples of:
- All Monks Know Kung-Fu: The temple stage has monks as enemy mooks, all of them who know kung fu.
- Amazon Brigade: The Shaolin Temple level contains surprisingly buff, muscular female mooks as enemies.
- Cave Mouth: The temple's exit is shaped like the mouth of a tiger, which opens when Mike and Jackie defeat every single remaining enemy in the level.
- Crate Expectations: Like every good brawler, this game has assorted crates Mike and Jackie can smash for weapons or points or lift and throw at enemies.
- Greaser Delinquents: Mike is dressed up as such, with his leather jacket and gloves. One of the bosses is clad in a similar getup.
- Grievous Bottley Harm: Glass bottles are one of the first pickups Jackie and Mike can use to smash them in mooks' faces.
- I Shall Taunt You: The mooks in this game simply love taunting the player. Whenever Mike or Jackie gets knocked off their feet or they're out of range from getting beaten up by the heroes, they'll let out a "huh-huh-huh-huh" from a distance with their arms on their waists as they laugh.
- Magnet Hands: There are stages where the next area can only be accessed by climbing ladders. In the case where Mike and Jackie are currently armed with weapons, when they climb ladders their items then disappear… and then reappear in their hands the moment they reach the next area. Even applies to the long and heavy guandao in the Shaolin Temple level.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: The Player 2 hero on the front cover looks like Jackie Chan, even sharing a name, but he's totally not that Jackie Chan (or is he?).
- Panthera Awesome: The Temple has a Wolfpack Boss being a trio of fierce tigers.
- Power Fist: To enter the innermost sanctum of the Shaolin Temple, the players must beat up a boss, a muscular fighter wearing steel gauntlets for fists.
- Rooftop Confrontation: The game's final stage has Mike and Jackie confronting Jaguar and his mooks on a helipad.
- Scary Black Man: The scary-looking black mooks wearing shades and dressed up like Mr. T will pummel the snot out of Mike and Jackie if they have the chance.
