About

<h2>Overview</h2><figure data-align="right" data-img-src="https://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/7/75011/1450230-time0001.png" data-ref-id="1300-1450230" data-size="small" data-ratio="0.625" data-width="384" data-embed-type="image" style="width: 384px"><a class="fluid-height" style="padding-bottom:62.5%" href="https://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/7/75011/1450230-time0001.png" data-ref-id="1300-1450230"><img alt="No Caption Provided" src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_small/7/75011/1450230-time0001.png" srcset="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/7/75011/1450230-time0001.png 384w, https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_small/7/75011/1450230-time0001.png 320w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" data-width="320"></a></figure><p>Time Killers is a 2D weapons-based fighting game developed by <a href="/incredible-technologies-inc/3010-507/" data-ref-id="3010-507">Incredible Technologies</a> and published by <a href="/strata/3010-7193/" data-ref-id="3010-7193">Strata</a> for <a href="/arcade/3045-84/" data-ref-id="3045-84">arcades</a> on November 1992.</p><p>One of the earliest examples of a <a href="/slashing-weapons/3015-6669/" data-ref-id="3015-6669">weapon-based</a> fighting game after the launch of <a href="/street-fighter-ii/3025-1795/" data-ref-id="3025-1795">Street Fighter II</a>, Time Killers takes eight fictional warriors <a href="/time-travel/3015-73/" data-ref-id="3015-73">from different time periods</a> (both past and future) and pits them in a battle royale to gain <a href="/immortality/3015-282/" data-ref-id="3015-282">immortality</a>.</p><p>Released around the same time as the original <a href="/mortal-kombat/3030-15743/" data-ref-id="3030-15743">Mortal Kombat</a>, the game is known for its optional <a href="/extreme-violence/3015-1042/" data-ref-id="3015-1042">excessive violence</a> as fighters could have <a href="/dismemberment/3015-2417/" data-ref-id="3015-2417">their arms sliced off</a> (and still fight) and can become <a href="/decapitation/3015-1452/" data-ref-id="3015-1452">decapitated</a> through special "death moves", prematurely ending the round. It's also known for having the attack buttons corresponding to specific limbs (a mechanic later used in the <a href="/tekken/3025-333/" data-ref-id="3025-333">Tekken</a> series).</p><p>It is one of the few action-oriented arcade games from Incredible Technologies (who went on to make sports-oriented arcade games, primarily the <a href="/golden-tee-golf/3025-924/" data-ref-id="3025-924">Golden Tee Golf</a> series). After the game's release, they would soon develop the game's <a href="/spiritual-successor/3015-425/" data-ref-id="3015-425">spiritual sequel</a>: <a href="/bloodstorm/3030-30428/" data-ref-id="3030-30428">BloodStorm</a>.</p><p>The <a href="/super-nintendo-entertainment-system/3045-9/" data-ref-id="3045-9">Super Nintendo Entertainment System</a> and <a href="/genesis/3045-6/" data-ref-id="3045-6">Sega Genesis</a> were intended to receive ports of the game by <a href="/thq/3010-15/" data-ref-id="3010-15">THQ</a> subsidiary <a href="/black-pearl-software/3010-1605/" data-ref-id="3010-1605">Black Pearl</a> at late 1993, but were shelved. The Sega Genesis version would later receive a release in July 1996 as part of THQ's "Arcade Classics" series.</p><h2>Gameplay</h2><figure data-ref-id="1300-1502899" data-img-src="https://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/10/106662/1502899-tk3.jpg" data-size="small" data-align="right" data-ratio="0.625" data-width="1440" data-embed-type="image" style="width: 1440px"><a class="fluid-height" style="padding-bottom:62.5%" href="https://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/10/106662/1502899-tk3.jpg" data-ref-id="1300-1502899"><img alt="No Caption Provided" src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_small/10/106662/1502899-tk3.jpg" srcset="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/10/106662/1502899-tk3.jpg 1440w, https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_super/10/106662/1502899-tk3.jpg 960w, https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/10/106662/1502899-tk3.jpg 480w, https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/scale_small/10/106662/1502899-tk3.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" data-width="320"></a></figure><p>Time Killers plays like a traditional fighting game with five attack buttons. Unlike other games of the era, each button represents a limb of the character's body at the perspective towards the play screen: Head, Front Arm, Back Arm, Front Leg, and Back Leg. Pressing both Arm buttons or both Kick buttons simultaneously give stronger Arm and Kick attacks. Blocking can be done by either holding back on the joystick or by holding down both Back buttons simultaneously.</p><p>If enough damage is dealt to a character's arm, that arm would be <a href="/dismemberment/3015-2417/" data-ref-id="3015-2417">cut cleanly</a> from the character's body and most attacks using that arm's corresponding button would be futile. In rare occasions, both arms can be cut off in the same round. If the player wins the round with no arms, they receive an "ARMLESS WIN".</p><p>Players can prematurely end the round if they <a href="/decapitation/3015-1452/" data-ref-id="3015-1452">decapitate</a> their opponent character's head using a special "Death Move", which can be done by pressing all five attack buttons simultaneously. If the enemy character is dizzied after a barrage of successful attacks, the player can use the "Death Move" at close range for a special variant of the attack (with a flourish that also dismembers the opponent's character).</p><h2>Characters</h2><p>The game includes eight playable characters from various <a href="/time-travel/3015-73/" data-ref-id="3015-73">time periods</a>, each with their own backstory (which were only included in the game's handbook and the manual of the Genesis version). After defeating all eight characters, the player confronts the unplayable <a href="/final-boss/3015-1537/" data-ref-id="3015-1537">final boss</a>: Death himself.</p><ul><li><b>Thugg</b> - A primitive <a href="/caveman/3015-3335/" data-ref-id="3015-3335">caveman</a> from the <a href="/stone-age/3015-5726/" data-ref-id="3015-5726">stone age</a> (circa 20,000 B.C.) who wields a stone <a href="/axe/3055-437/" data-ref-id="3055-437">axe</a> in battle. In his backstory, Thugg has previously led a fierce war against an alien race known as the Troglodytes, who had been enslaving humanity for centuries.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Leif</b> - An adventurous <a href="/viking/3015-1543/" data-ref-id="3015-1543">viking</a> during the <a href="/norway/3035-1075/" data-ref-id="3035-1075">Nordic</a> conquest (circa 829 A.D.) who wields a large <a href="/battle-axe/3055-2214/" data-ref-id="3055-2214">battle axe</a> in battle. In his backstory, Leif fought continuously against the mysterious plague of evil known as the Black Army.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Lord Wülf</b> - A courageous <a href="/knight/3015-1291/" data-ref-id="3015-1291">knight</a> from medieval <a href="/england/3035-192/" data-ref-id="3035-192">England</a> (circa 1202 A.D.) who wields a <a href="/broad-sword/3055-2191/" data-ref-id="3055-2191">broadsword</a> in battle. In his backstory, Wülf seeked vengeance against the corrupt Count Morbid, ruler of the town of Spinstershire.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Musashi</b> - An agile <a href="/samurai/3015-216/" data-ref-id="3015-216">samurai</a> from <a href="/feudal-japan/3015-6789/" data-ref-id="3015-6789">feudal Japan</a> (circa 1455 A.D.) who wields <a href="/dual-wielding/3015-135/" data-ref-id="3015-135">twin</a> <a href="/katana/3055-690/" data-ref-id="3055-690">katanas</a> in battle. In his backstory, Musashi is a brilliant strategist who had faced his greatest threat: the powerful Yofune'-Nushi <a href="/dragons/3015-551/" data-ref-id="3015-551">dragon</a>.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Rancid</b> - A defiant <a href="/punks/3015-5904/" data-ref-id="3015-5904">punk</a> from post-modern <a href="/chicago/3035-293/" data-ref-id="3035-293">Neo Chicago</a> (circa 2024 A.D.) who wields a large <a href="/chainsaw/3055-168/" data-ref-id="3055-168">chainsaw</a> in battle. In his backstory, Rancid was a streetwise loner who was <a href="/framing/3015-2268/" data-ref-id="3015-2268">framed</a> for a series of crimes known as the "X Murders", surviving a fatal battle with the true killer.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Orion</b> - A legendary <a href="/bounty-hunter/3015-6234/" data-ref-id="3015-6234">outlaw</a> from the <a href="/space/3035-50/" data-ref-id="3035-50">Last Frontier</a> (circa 2885 A.D.) who wields an <a href="/lightsaber/3055-70/" data-ref-id="3055-70">electric saber</a> in battle. In his backstory, Orion was an aspiring space traveler who was <a href="/convict/3015-3773/" data-ref-id="3015-3773">on the run</a> from authorities after finding his <a href="/space-station/3035-1695/" data-ref-id="3035-1695">space station</a> home was attacked by mysterious shadow creatures (which he confronted).</li></ul><ul><li><b>Matrix</b> - A <a href="/cybernetics/3015-2944/" data-ref-id="3015-2944">cybernetic</a> soldier from a terraformed <a href="/mars/3035-4/" data-ref-id="3035-4">Mars</a> <a href="/colony/3015-3754/" data-ref-id="3015-3754">colony</a> (circa 3297 A.D.) who wields both a <a href="/lightsaber/3055-70/" data-ref-id="3055-70">photon blade</a> and her <a href="/bionic-arm/3055-1263/" data-ref-id="3055-1263">bionic arm</a> in battle. In her backstory, Matrix grew up in (and later ended) the Cyber Wars after a mysterious force reprogrammed all <a href="/hostile-ai/3015-726/" data-ref-id="3015-726">A.I.</a> to go berserk and destroy humanity.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Mantazz</b> - A savage <a href="/xenomorph/3015-4530/" data-ref-id="3015-4530">creature</a> (resembling a <a href="/mantis/3015-3250/" data-ref-id="3015-3250">mantis</a>) from an <a href="/alien-invasion/3015-408/" data-ref-id="3015-408">alien-invaded</a> <a href="/earth/3035-65/" data-ref-id="3035-65">Earth</a> (circa 4002 A.D.) who wields her <a href="/saw-blade/3055-502/" data-ref-id="3055-502">serrated</a> forearms in battle. In her backstory, Mantazz is the queen of the Mantazz race who was leading an overwhelming destruction of humanity. Her disappearance is a mystery; as without her, the invasion ended quickly and the two species were able to live peacefully.</li></ul><ul><li><b>Death</b> - A <a href="/demon/3015-557/" data-ref-id="3015-557">demonic</a> being and the game's unplayable final boss, who wields his <a href="/scythe/3055-95/" data-ref-id="3055-95">scythe</a> in battle. He can not be <a href="/dismemberment/3015-2417/" data-ref-id="3015-2417">dismembered</a>, and must be <a href="/decapitation/3015-1452/" data-ref-id="3015-1452">decapitated</a> to be defeated.</li></ul>