Power Instinct (1994). Play online

Summary

Power Instinct on the Super‑Nintendo packs a quirky take on 2‑D fighter action. You pick from eight oddly charismatic fighters (plus a boss) and can double‑jump, run and even attack while running – a trademark that sets it apart from the Street Fighter crowd. The SNES version adds a handful of fresh play options: a Versus Battle mode, a solid Practice arena, a brisk Time Attack, and a “Life Attack” survival challenge where you beat as many opponents as possible on a single health bar. The North‑American cartridge trims a few oddball extras the Japanese original had – the karaoke lyrics, in‑game character bios, the opening demo and Oume’s pre‑fight monologue disappear, and the Japanese endings are swapped for a simple “congratulations” screen with the character portraits. Even with those cuts, the game delivers its signature humor and a surprisingly deep move set.

Storyline

Power Instinct, known in Japan as Gōketsuji Ichizoku, drops you into the Gōketsuji clan’s quinquennial fighting tournament. Every five years the sprawling family gathers for a one‑on‑one showdown to decide who will succeed the 78‑year‑old matriarch Oume Gōketsuji as clan head.

Players choose from eight colorful fighters—Italian strongwoman Angela Belti, English aristocrat Annie Hamilton, playboy Keith Wayne, Shaolin monk Thin Nen, ninja Saizo Hattori, Native American White Buffalo, construction‑worker Reiji Oyama, and the clan’s own Otane Gōketsuji, who seeks revenge on her abusive older sister. Each character brings a personal motive, from love and pride to a quest for power, while Oume herself appears only as an unplayable boss, a palette‑swap of her younger sister. The tournament’s story unfolds through each fighter’s ending, revealing their quirks and ambitions as they battle toward the ultimate prize: control of the Gōketsuji legacy.