[IGS] The Gladiator/Road of Sword/Shen Jian

Arcade (2003)
1-2 players



Controls:
button 1 - attack/pick up items
Down, Down/Forward, Forward & 1 - special
Down, Forward(really have to not get that diagonal in there) & 1 - special 2
button 2 - super(there's a meter below the health bar that fills up. When you can do this move depends on if there's a number greater than 0 next to the bar, up to 5. Fighting fills it up)
Forward & 2 - super 2(if the character has it)
Up & 2 - super 3(if the character has it)
Down & 2 - super 4(if the character has it)
Down, Down/Forward, Forward & 2 - super 5(if the character has it)
button 3 - jump
button 4 - dash(used to close the distance between your character and the enemy, or to escape)
3, 1 - jump attack
double tap Left/Right - run(you can combine with the jumping attack, but it's the same move)
run, 1 - running attack

"Entering coins" is a little different with this game. You have to hold the coin button down for a couple seconds, then let go, before it accepts a "coin." As for the super moves, they're not stronger in any particular order, it's just that some characters have that move, and others don't. For example, one character has all except super 4, while another character may have super 4, but not some of the one the first character has. You level your characters up as you progress, and you'll see what improves upon level-up as it happens. On top of strength/defense, you may get an extra use of the super moves. Cards dropped by some enemies may give your character new super moves. Some bosses have QTE's to give, or avoid taking, greater damage(hard to tell what's going on, as the screen is usually filed with enemies. Usually you're just alternating between Up & Down). Sometimes between stages you can choose between paths to take(usually between normal or challenging). During character select/continue, you can choose manual or auto. Other than a palette change, auto also gives your characters a longer combo, rather than having to figure out how to stretch a combo out with special moves for yourself.

You may want to re-arrange the control scheme(luckily M.A.M.E. allows you to do this for individual games) for this one, as having the super move right next to regular attack may feel awkward. Let alone jump being either above, or 2 buttons to the right of attack.

This is a damn good one. IGS is a name to take note of, as they brought 2D beat 'em ups back to arcades between the late '90's to about the early-'10's, though mostly through 2 hack 'n slash series, while we're lucky this one slipped into the mix.

I should note that M.A.M.E. has it listed as "working with problems." As far as I know, it's playable from start to finish, but not perfect(maybe occasional graphic glitches, or perhaps the sound is off somewhere, or something).