Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E.
A fighting game with eight characters and a rare Gold Edition.
Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E. (released in Japan as *Kinnikuman: Muscle Tag Match*) is a fighting game for the NES, developed by Tose and published by Bandai. The Japanese version draws from Yudetamago’s *Kinnikuman* manga and anime, but the North American release skipped that connection since the series was obscure outside Japan. Instead, it tied into Mattel’s M.U.S.C.L.E. toy line, which itself was a rebrand of the *Kinnikuman*-based Kinkeshi toys. The game features eight fighters, each with a unique special move.
**Gameplay** Two modes are available: one pits the player against a computer opponent, the other lets two players fight each other. The A button makes the character jump, while B throws a punch or triggers a special move after grabbing an energy ball tossed randomly by the “trainer.” Moves include punch, jump, drop kick, shove, shove into ropes, a flying body attack (jump into ropes and rebound), a lariat or clothesline (shove the enemy into ropes, then press A), and a back drop or suplex (press B while close behind the enemy). Though the game can continue indefinitely, it officially has 255 rounds. After that, the player reaches round 0 (completing the 8-bit variable for round number), where the speed resets and the time per round returns to 30:00 (from round 100 onward, it had been reduced to 10:00).
**Release** Japan got the game on November 8, 1985, and North America followed in October 1986. The Gold Edition of the Japanese Famicom version is a highly sought collector’s item, often called the “Holy Grail” of Famicom collections. In 2017, it was valued at ¥2,000,000 (about $18,200 USD).
**Reception** The game sold 1.05 million units in Japan. In a retrospective review, Christopher Baker of AllGame described the graphics, sound effects, and gameplay as “primitive, even for an early NES title.”
- Developer
- Tose
- Publisher
- Bandai
- Platform
- Nintendo Entertainment System
- Japan release
- November 8, 1985
- North America release
- October 1986
- Units sold in Japan
- 1.05 million
- Playable characters
- 8
Lore & Background
The game was released in Japan on November 8, 1985, and in North America in October 1986. The Japanese edition is based on Yudetamago's manga and anime series Kinnikuman, but the North American edition was not due to the source material being not well-known outside Japan. Instead, the game was released as a tie-in with Mattel’s M.U.S.C.L.E. toy line, itself a rebranding of the Kinkeshi line of Kinnikuman toys. It has eight playable characters, each with his own special move. The game was followed by a 1987 Japan-only sequel for the Famicom Disk System titled Kinnikuman: Kinniku-sei Ōi Sōdatsusen.
Reader's Guide
Tag Team Match: M.U.S.C.L.E. is significant as an early NES fighting game that sold 1.05 million units in Japan, indicating strong commercial success despite its primitive design. The Gold Edition of the Japanese version has become a highly sought-after collector's item, considered the 'Holy Grail' of the Famicom collection, valued at ¥2,000,000 ($18,200 USD) in 2017. The game's legacy includes its dual identity: a Kinnikuman adaptation in Japan and a M.U.S.C.L.E. toy tie-in in North America, reflecting the different marketing strategies for the two regions. Retrospective reviews, such as Christopher Baker of AllGame, described the graphics, sound effects, and gameplay as 'primitive, even for an early NES title.' The game also features a unique endless structure with 255 official rounds, after which the player enters round 0 with reset speed and time.
Did You Know?
- The game has 255 official rounds, after which the player enters round 0 with reset speed and time.
- The Gold Edition of the Japanese version was valued at ¥2,000,000 ($18,200 USD) in 2017.
- The North American edition was a tie-in with Mattel’s M.U.S.C.L.E. toy line, not the Kinnikuman source material.
- The game sold 1.05 million units in Japan.
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