Body Blows

When the world went crazy for fighting games in the early nineties, the Amiga was not allowed to be without its champion either. Body Blows from the British studio Team17 was the home computer scene's answer to the arcade fever surrounding combat games, and on its machine it was among the best-executed representatives of the genre. For Amiga owners it was a chance to measure their strength against a genre that until then had reigned mainly in arcades and on consoles.

The gameplay relied on the proven formula. You pick one of a gallery of fighters, each with his own look, special punches and style, and progress through a tournament against the rest of the roster. There are kicks, punches and special techniques triggered by combinations of directions and buttons, and of course a two-player duel is not missing either. On the Amiga the fluidity of animations and the size of the characters were above average, which made the fights a satisfying spectacle.

Body Blows was created at Team17, which built a strong name for itself on the Amiga and later became famous for the Worms series. The team was among the most active and capable developers on the platform, and Body Blows was proof that even the demanding fighting genre could be handled with honor on a home computer. The game received further installments that developed the series.

The title's cultural significance lies in the fact that it brought the fighting game phenomenon to players who did not have access to arcades or consoles. In an era when the genre defined the whole playing field, Body Blows was an important title for the Amiga community and a source of pride that their machine too could keep pace.

Today Body Blows remains an interesting testament to how the Amiga coped with the trends of its time and how capable developers managed to squeeze the maximum out of its hardware.

Why play: For a proper dose of fighting action in the style of the early nineties and for a reminder that the Amiga could keep pace even in the fighting genre.