3 Count Bout

3 Count Bout[lower-alpha 1] is a wrestling arcade game released by SNK in 1993.[1]

3 Count Bout
North American Arcade flyer with art by Shinkiro
Developer(s)SNK
Publisher(s)SNK
D4 Enterprise
(Virtual Console)
HAMSTER Corporation (PS4/Switch/Xbox One)
Producer(s)Eikichi Kawasaki
Designer(s)Hiroyuki Kawano
Yasuaki Uenoyama
Artist(s)Mina Kawai
Nishi Futatsu
T. Maeda
Composer(s)Masahiko Hataya
Platform(s)
Release
Genre(s)Fighting, sports
Mode(s)Single-player, co-op, multiplayer (up to two players)
CabinetUpright
Arcade systemNeo Geo MVS
CPUTMS34010 

Gameplay
Gameplay screenshot showcasing a match with Bomberder facing off against The Gandhara.

Players can play as one of 10 fictional professional wrestlers to fight for the SWF championship title. Along with the standard wrestling match, fights locations include venues such as car parks and factories (turning it into a hardcore wrestling match, with less restrictions and the ability to use weapons). In addition to that, two players can join in together for two-on-two tag-team matches.[2]

One unique feature of this game is its system. Gauges are displayed on the screen when you approach an opponent's wrestler during the match. The player can give priority to the technique by hitting the button repeatedly until the gauge meter is higher than the opponent's. There are also batting techniques in the middle distance, aerial killing from the top rope, dashing techniques from a long distance, and promised foul attack. Not only ordinary classic match rings venues are available, but also the street can be a match location as well.[3]

The game consists of 5 championships with their own stages. The first stage type is a wrestling ring where the opponents can bounce from the edges and can be out of bounds. The second stage type is street wrestling, where there are objects to destroy aand weapons to wield. The last stage is the electricity stage where the borders are harmful and weapons are used. Press the A button to punch. Press the B button to kick. Press the C button to jump. Press the A and B buttons simultaneously for a quick moving retreat. Pull the joystick twice in a direction to rush that way. If the player rushes in the direction of a boxing ring edge, they can bounce back. If the player is down, repeatedly press the A button and pull the joystick left and right to get up. Press the C button to body drop on a downed opponent. Press the A button many times rapidly to use a special attack. Press Button A or B on a downed opponent to grab and wrestle. When the player and opponent clash in a wrestle, press the A and B buttons as fast as possible to push back. Press Button D to pin down a downed opponent and hold him for 3 seconds to win. Alternatively, some fighters have holds which can force an opponent with low stamina to submit.[4]

Characters
  • Terry Rogers
  • Blues Hablam
  • Roy Wilson
  • Leo Bradlay
  • The Red Dragon
  • Gochack Bigbomb
  • The Gandhara
  • Blubber Man
  • Master Barnes
  • Big Bomberder

Story

SWF (SNK WRESTLING FEDERATION) is an organization that stands at the top of the professional wrestling world. The SWF finally decided to hold the "Worldwide Indiscriminate Class Tournament". The tournament is to determine the "true world champion" and allows the world's most powerful wrestlers to freely participate in the indiscriminate class with no weight limit. Moreover, the tournament also incorporates a radical death match, which seems to be the most severe battle in the history of professional wrestling.

And finally the competition starts. Powerful people including the current SWF heavyweight champion from all over the world entered, including some ferocious wrestlers from the dark underground professional wrestling organization "Hole of the Lion".

With the pride and ambition of the fighters hidden in their hearts, the ten men rise up into a ring. Which wrestler has the crown of the "True World Champion" shining on his head?[3]

Development

Release

The game was released for the Neo Geo AES on April 23, 1993. On April 21, 1995 it was ported to the Neo Geo CD.

On October 11, 2018, it was release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Switch.

Reception
Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame(Arcade) [5]
(Neo Geo) [6]
Famitsu(Neo Geo) 24 / 40[7]
GameFan(Neo Geo) 256 / 400[8]
GamePro(Neo Geo) 16 / 20[9]
Consolemania(Neo Geo) 91 / 100[10]
Consoles +(Neo Geo) 94%[11]
GamesMaster(Neo Geo) 83%[12]
Hobby Consolas(Neo Geo) 94 / 100[13]
Joypad(Neo Geo) 83%[14]
Mega Fun(Neo Geo) 80%[15]
(Neo Geo) 80%[16]
Play Time(Neo Geo) 91%[17]
Player One(Neo Geo) 80%[18]
Power Unlimited(Neo Geo) 54 / 100[19]
VideoGames(Neo Geo) 7 / 10[20]

In Japan, Game Machine listed 3 Count Bout on their May 1, 1993 issue as being the tenth most-successful table arcade unit of the year, outperforming titles such as Street Fighter II: Champion Edition.[21] On release,[22][23] Famicom Tsūshin scored the Neo Geo version of the game a 24 out of 40.[7]

Notes
  1. Also known as Fire Suplex (Japanese: ファイヤー・スープレックス, Hepburn: Faiyā Sūpurekkusu) in Japan.

References
  1. "Oh! Neo Geo Vol. 9 - ファイヤー•スープレックス". Beep! MegaDrive (in Japanese). No. 44. SoftBank Creative. May 1993. p. 142.
  2. "3 Count Bout (Game)". Giant Bomb. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  3. "ファイヤー・スープレックス". game.snk-corp.co.jp. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  4. "Three Count Bout FAQ". Archived from the original on 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
  5. Biondich, Paul (1998). "3 Count Bout (Arcade) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  6. Knight, Kyle (1998). "3 Count Bout (Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System) - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  7. "NEO GEO GAMES CROSS REVIEW: ファイヤー・スープレックス". Famitsu (in Japanese). No. 332. ASCII. April 28, 1995. p. 27.
  8. Halverson, Dave; Sgt. Gamer; Stratton, Tom; Cockburn, Andrew (July 1993). "Viewpoint - Neo Geo - 3 Count Bout". GameFan. Vol. 1 no. 8. DieHard Gamers Club. p. 11.
  9. Larry, Scary (August 1993). "Neo•Geo ProReview: 3 Count Bout". GamePro. No. 49. IDG. p. 96.
  10. Rosa, Piemarco (October 1993). "3 Count Bout (Neo Geo)". Consolemania (in Italian). No. 23. Xenia Edizioni. p. 76.
  11. Menier, Marc; Jovanovic, Jean-Loup (June 1993). "Neo Geo Review - 3 Count Bout". Consoles + (in French). No. 21. M.E.R.7. pp. 96–98.
  12. Lowe, Andy (July 1993). "Reviews - Neo Geo - 3 Count Bout". GamesMaster. No. 7. Future Publishing. p. 72.
  13. del Campo, Manuel (June 1993). "Lo Más Nuevo – Neo Geo: 3 Count Bout – Furia De Titanes". Hobby Consolas (in Spanish). No. 21. Hobby Press. pp. 126–131.
  14. Nini, Nourdine; Morisse, Jean-François (June 1993). "Neo Geo: Je Compte Jusqu'a 3!... – 3 Count Bout". Joypad (in French). No. 21. Yellow Media. pp. 154–155.
  15. Noak, Philipp; Schneider, Ulf (June 1993). "Test Neo Geo: 3 Count Bout". Mega Fun (in German). No. 9. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. p. 98. Archived from the original on 2017-12-06. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  16. Noak, Philipp; Hellert, Stefan (August 1993). "Special - Neo Geo - 3 Count Bout". Mega Fun (in German). No. 11. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. pp. 28–30. Archived from the original on 2018-10-21. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  17. Thielen, Armin (July 1993). "Neo Geo - 3 Count Bout". Play Time (in German). No. 25. CT Computec Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. p. 128.
  18. Delpierre, Christophe (June–July 1993). "Tests De Jeux: Neo Geo – 3 Count Bout". Player One (in French). No. 32. Média Système Édition. pp. 66–67.
  19. "Review – 3 Count Bout – Neo Geo". Power Unlimited (in Dutch). No. 2. VNU Media. September 1993.
  20. Bieniek, Chris (July 1993). "Video-Game Reviews - 3 Count Bout (SNK) For the Neo•Geo". VideoGames & Computer Entertainment. No. 54. L.F.P., Inc. p. 58.
  21. "Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル型TVゲーム機 (Table Videos)". Game Machine (in Japanese). No. 448. Amusement Press, Inc. 1 May 1993. p. 25.
  22. "En Portada - Cuando La Acción No Conoce Límites: 3 Count Bout (Neo Geo) - Emociones fuertes". Hobby Consolas (in Spanish). No. 22. Hobby Press. July 1993. p. 26.
  23. "Warpzone – Neo Geo: 3 Count Bout". Video Games (in German). No. 19. Future-Verlag. July 1993. pp. 26–27.


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