Battle Monsters
A Sega Saturn only somewhat-platform based fighter released by an obscure company known as Naxat Soft.
It falls into the category of the considerably large line-up of fighters that are considered Mortal Kombat 'rip-offs'; however, this game only seems to take inspiration from Mortal Kombat aesthetic (dark tones, digitized sprites and a minor amount of blood), but little-to-nothing Gameplay-wise. Ironically enough, this game actually plays more like Street Fighter than Mortal Kombat games; it doesn't even have fatalities.
The selection of characters is very odd, ranging from a headless knight to a ghost to a two-midgets-duo. The game was called Fighting Monsters, so that was to expect.
Tropes used in Battle Monsters include:
- Annoying Laugh - Naga, who does this numerous times when attacking and upon victory.
- Badass Grandpa - Kaf Ka, who is only 48, but his ending (not to mention posture) seems to depict him as 'ancient'.
- Badass Long Hair - Albiole.
- Badass Normal - Shion.
- Barbarian Hero - Makaryudo.
- Be All My Sins Remembered - Albiole, with his ending quote, "Cursed specter though I be, I shiver in the joy of victory."
- Captain Ersatz - Makaryudo. Frequently indicated as a Shao Kahn knock-off due to the helmet.
- Crowning Music of Awesome - Usually noted as one of the best aspects of the game.
- Dumb Muscle - Fangore. "Me win, me surpreme!"
- Elemental Powers - The Big 4 are essentially personifications of water, fire, wind and earth.
- Establishing Character Moment - Anyone's endings. The characters are not given dialogue or, hell, even backstories otherwise.
- Everything's Deader with Zombies - Fangore, Albiole to an extent.
- Evil Laugh - Naga.
- Follow the Leader - Battle Monsters is regularly accused of falling into this trope.
- Finishing Move - The Hungry Cave, the only finishing move in the game.
- Headless Horseman - Harn takes an interesting level in this...
- He Who Fights Monsters - Shion, Makaryudo
- I Just Want to Be Human - Deathmask
- Inevitable Tournament - The backstory of the game itself is that every character in the roster is fighting for a place in the 'Dark Kingdom'.
- Kiai - Shion, during some of his attacks where he belts out something akin to 'NANANANANANA...NAWWWWW!'
- Mighty Glacier - Deathmask
- Most Annoying Sound - The voice clips are rather limited, so they might start getting to you after a while.
- Mirror Match - Is technically the sub-boss.
- Narm Charm - Usually those who like the game mention this as a redeeming factor.
- Rule of Cool - The innovative stage designs, atmosphere and character design are sometimes deemed to fall into this trope.
- Shape Shifter - Harn inexplicably turns into Drethdok in one of his special moves.
- Slasher Smile - Harn's ending.
- Also qualifies for Incredibly Lame Pun.
- So Bad It's Good - According to some. Others genuinely like it.
- Spell My Name with an "S" - Half of the roster have had their names changed in the non-Japanese exports of the game.
- Drethdok = Strawbelly Jam
- Fangore = Ki-Ba
- Headless Harn = Heart Heat Harn
- Kap Ka = Kaf Ka
- La Pa = La Fa
- Skythe = Kuja
- Stupid Evil - Fangore
- Teens Are Monsters - La Fa, as she is apparently 17 and in her ending, takes immense joy in hearing the 'cries of the vanquished'.
- Token Human - Shion, Makaryudo
- Unfazed Everyman - Shion, Makaryudo
- Walking Shirtless Scene - Harn, Skythe, Makaryudo