The Outfoxies

A shadowy figure known only as Mr. Acme has hired seven hitmen to eliminate seven big-time art collectors - and then each other. Why, no one knows, but the exorbitant awards prove to be motivation enough. Strung along by Acme's manipulations, each of the well-trained assassins sets out to destroy the rest, and only one survivor will emerge victorious... to try and claim the final award from Acme himself.

The Outfoxies takes the one-on-one fighting game formula and injects it with a good dose of platform shooter. Characters range from the average joe to a handicapped martial arts master, a well-dressed chimp and a pair of evil twins, each with its own skills, pros and cons. Every stage is a multi-leveled arena where two contestants fight to the death (one player vs. the CPU, or two against each other), seen from a side view that smoothly zooms in and out to keep both players on screen. Scattered throughout the playfield are various weapons, from swords and guns to rocket launchers and flamethrowers, and even hot soup: anything can be used as long as it drains the opponent's lifebar.

The environment itself plays an active role in the fight. Each stage offers its own elements that interact with the player: planes and ships that sway from side to side, destructible objects that can themselves serve as weapons, and hostile creatures from sharks to circus animals. Timed events may radically alter the stage structure, open up new areas and seal off others, like in the marine museum where a bomb goes off and causes the entire stage to flood.

So pick your assassin, spread as much mayhem and bloodshed as you can throughout the varied and interactive levels, and heed Mr. Acme's catchphrase above all: kill your enemy by any means!