Mushiking: The King of Beetles (甲虫王者ムシキング, Kōchū Ōja Mushikingu) also called Mushiking: Battle of the Beetles, is a Japanese combination of an arcade game and collectible card game developed by Sega. The game involves battles between cards describing various beetle species. The cards can be scanned in by a Mushiking arcade machine, which will both carry out battles and dispense new cards. As of 2008, more than 100.000 tournaments have been held, and 20 million cards have shipped. The game made in the Guinness Book of World records with the highest numbers of tournaments held [1]
3 base versions have been operating until the July of 2013, with a new version with new cards that can't be used on previous machines, releasing in 2015.
A Game Boy Advance Mushiking game has been released, which has sold over 569,000 copies in Japan.[2]
On July 24, 2007, to commemorate the five year anniversary of the franchise, Sega released a Nintendo DS version of the game in Japan. The package comes with a scanner in which the player can use their existing cards from the arcade game and new and/or exclusive cards to the game. The game also comes with a starter deck which includes 7 cards, three of which give a random beetle in a specialized section every time they are used(rock, paper, and scissors). The game supports all of the arcade modes and includes a Wi-Fi mode to play against unseen players across Japan. Due to a significant difference in power between the Nintendo DS and the arcade machines, there is a noticeable difference in the graphics textures of the beetles and the environment as well as framerate when compared to the arcade version.
There was a Mushiking anime, produced by TMS Entertainment and broadcast by TV Tokyo, from April 6, 2005 until March 3, 2006. Pro Wrestling Noah, a Japanese professional wrestling organization, has given a Mushiking related gimmick, "Mushiking Terry", to one of its wrestlers, Kotaro Suzuki. Mushiking Terry feuds with his rival Mushiking Joker, portrayed by Ricky Marvin.
A long time ago, there was a forest full of trees that are inhabited with insects and fairies. A fairy, named Popo, was a friend of the insects of the forest. He refers to the Japanese Beetle as "Mushiking" but the Japanese Beetle is modest with Popo's remark.
One day, giant beetles arrived in the forest. No one knows where they came from but they wreaked havoc in the forest. A Tarandous Beetle approached Popo and Mushiking, Mushiking orders Popo to run while Mushiking battled with an Acteon Beetle. As Popo tried to escape, a Hercules Beetle named Spike blocked Popo's path. Mushiking came to save Popo and got knocked out by Spike.
Popo enlists the help of the insects in the forest to figure out who was the mastermind of the attacks. It was Adder, a wizard who was expelled from the forest probably of evil deeds he has done in the past. He believes that he should rule the forest and doesn't care about anything good as long as his gets to rule the forest.
Popo battles with him in four waves and Popo stood victorious, despite the experimentation that Adder did to make the beetles obey him. It seems that Popo has gotten the upper hand but it seems that Adder still has a chance because men (humans) have actually brought the foreign beetles to the forest. Popo couldn't believe it as Adder promises that he'll be back for revenge. Adder escapes by teleporting while Popo screams out "Adder!".
Popo has decided to protect the forest by searching for Adder's lair and it is only a matter of time before he confronts Adder. The task you're doing is to rescue the forest and help Popo.
Gameplay
Developed in 2001, Mushiking's gameplay is simple yet very challenging (especially against a human opponent). It uses the concept of rock-paper-scissors by pressing a button corresponding to the type of skill. Rock represents "Hitting", scissors represents "Pinching" and paper represents "Throwing". Players scan their cards with the card scanner in the middle of the machine.
Every time a player inserts their credits in the machine, the machine will dispense a random card of either a skill or beetle card. Rare cards also get dispensed in the machines as well. When the card is retrieved, the player has to decide to play a one-player game or a two-player game. One-player games will pit the player against four computer-controlled beetles in either Easy or Hard Mode. Two-player Mode is divided into Tournament (the original two-out-of-three match) and the Tag Battle introduced in Version 6.
It is important that the player must take the card out as soon as it comes out. If it is not taken out from the machine for a very long time, the machine would register the situation as a "stuck-up card" and halt the game for an attendant to check the machine. Also, the game will not run if there are no cards left inside the machine.
The player scans a beetle card first, then the player scans one skill card to each of the three skill type; totalling of four cards to scan. The player may wish not to scan cards when he/she lacks particular cards. When a match begins, a countdown timer will begin counting down to zero while the player decides his/her move. An enlarged skill icon in the screen indicates the beetle's finishing attack. This can cause major damage when the player wins with such move.
The following things can happen during a battle:
If a player has a move that beats his/her opponent's move (i.e. Rock beats Scissors), the winning player's beetle shall execute the skill learned for that type of move.
If both players pick the same move, a tie will result and both players' beetles lose 10% of their total stamina.
If either player has chosen his/her move and the other player has not selected a move within the time limit, the other player's move will be automatically selected to lose against the winning player's move.
If a player loses to his/her opponent, the opponent gets to attack the player's beetle.
Whoever knocks out their opponent's beetle to 0 wins the battle.
One player mode
When the One Player Mode is selected, the player can choose between Tournament and Tag Team.
Tournament: You only have one beetle and you lose if it dies.
Tag Team: You have two beetles and the enemy have two beetles too.(for more info see Tag battle mode)
After that, you can select between Wasteland Forest and Mutant Beetles (mutant beetles is a bit harder)
Wasteland Forest: There are 4 stages and 1 secret stage(marked with a ?)
Mutant Beetles: There are 5 stages and 1 secret stage
After you beat all the stages, the game will calculate your speed(how fast you press the button) and accuracy(if you win or not)
Accuracy 1st and speed 3rd = 3rd
Accuracy 1st and speed 2nd = 2nd
Accuracy 1st and speed 1st = 1st
Accuracy 2nd and speed 2nd = 2nd
Accuracy 1st and speed 3rd = 3rd
(and vice versa)
If you get 1st, then you will head on to the secret stage.After you have beaten that stage, you will be awarded a secret password that you can use to access the other story lines at the official website of Mushiking(http://www.mushiking.com)
Two player mode
Prior to Version 6, there are two Two Player Modes available for the players to choose. This includes the Tournament (the original Versus mode with the two-of-out-three rule) and the Tag Battle.
Tournament mode
This is the mode where the original two-of-three rule is applied. In this mode, each player must scan his/her beetle and skill cards before the first round. Once the first round begins, the players must eliminate his/her opponent's beetle. Once a player has lost his/her beetle, that player can scan for a second beetle card with skills as well. However, the player who lost their first beetle cannot use the same beetle they have used previously (i.e. Player 1 used a Caucasus Beetle and makes an attempt to scan it again but receives a notice that the beetle cannot be scanned anymore). Who ever make two wins the battle. Players can win with only one beetle if they are skillful enough.
Tag battle mode
This is the mode where each player can utilize tagging as a means of battling. Each player scans his/her two beetles and skill cards before the battle commences. Once all the beetles have been scanned, an introduction of each player's beetles is viewed with the compatibility screen. A new element added in the mode is a "Tag Compatibility" between the two beetles. The beetles can perform a "Dual Attack" that just deals the same damage as their regular attack with a special animation of two beetles picking on one beetle (the animation will depend on the "Tag Compatibility"). A tag can only occur when a player makes an attack by the 7 or 2 counting mark. When the inactive beetle is wounded (from the battle then tagged with its partner), the inactive beetle will slowly recover stamina each passing turn.
The following can happen when a player attempts a tag:
If the attack is successful, the Tag is successful and a "Dual Attack" can occur depending on the Tag Compatibility between the player's beetles. Once the attack is done, the beetles switch places and the battle continues.
If the attack is unsuccessful, the Tag is unsuccessful and the player's second beetle will receive a non-damaging blow from the opponent, disabling the player from attempting a tag on the next turn. The opponent's beetle then delivers the attack on the player's beetle as normal.
If a tie is encountered, nothing happens as the game continues normally.
Once a player's beetle is defeated, the remaining beetle takes over to continue. The winner is decided on whoever defeats either players' beetles first.
A "perfect tag compatibility" is possible but it can only work under "matching" conditions.
Cards
There are different cards to collect and use in order to play Mushiking. The barcodes are located on the long edges of the cards for the player to scan them in the machine. If a player scans a card at the wrong moment, the game will inform them what the error is. New editions and cards get released at certain periods of time for collectors to collect. There are three type of cards that are used in the game.
Beetle cards
These cards represent the "character" for the player. This is first scanned when a player scans his/her beetles and skills. Each beetle is unique in the following traits:
Basic information (name, Latin name, description, location, length and character.)
Finishing Attack Type
Finishing Move
Strength in Hitting, Pinching and Throwing skills
Stamina
Skill point
Base power
The Character affects the beetle's attributes in its strengths and stamina. The base power affects the skill point.
The Finishing Move indicates the beetle's "favored" move. When learned, it can cause major damage to the opponent if the player wins through a Finishing Move.
The rare beetle cards are printed with a holographic background and is colored in either Bronze (for 160 Base power), Silver (for 180 Base power) or Gold (for 200 Base power).
There are also "evil" version cards of the beetles known as the "Adder Collection". They have the red eyes of Adder's beetles and are introduced with Adder's voice instead of Popo's.
Parallel Editions are beetle cards with altered images and designs. All Parallel editions have a special stamp either colored in gold or silver. Common cards (base power of 100 to 140) are the only cards that can have Parallel Edition counterparts. This is to probably make these common cards to have rare versions. Parallel Editions were last seen in Version 7 and is replaced with the "Adder Collection."
Different editions have different information formats that make them look different. Often, new editions may include new beetles.
Skill cards
This represents the "moves" the beetle can do. Skill cards are scanned after a beetle card has been scanned. A player can only scan one skill card per skill type.
In every skill card, there is a number that represents the skill point's requirement. If the number is equal to the beetle's skill point, the result will be a perfect compatibility. If the beetle's skill point is lesser than the skill point of the card, the result will a bad compatibility. If the beetle's skill point is greater than the skill, the result will be a good compatibility.
Compatibility will raise the beetle's base power to show how powerful it can be. An easier way of telling compatibility between a beetle card and a skill card is to put a beetle card on top of a skill card and connect the red "arrows" in the bottom of each cards. The orange-colored block of the beetle card tells which block in the skill card corresponds to. There are three different shapes in the skill card that represent the compatibility.
A triangle will lead to a bad compatibility
A circle will have a good compatibility
A "double-circle" will have a perfect compatibility
Special Skill Cards are skill cards that may give a player the advantage over his/her opponent aside from doing a fancy, damaging move. The skill point of Special Skill Cards is marked with an Exclamation Point ("!") and is between good or perfect in compatibility to certain beetles. Special Skills are activated when the prerequisites have been met, such as pressing a move on the first count of the countdown, experiencing a tie, etc.
Prior to Version 4, there are rare skill cards with "upgraded" versions of the beetle's Finishing Moves if the move matches the Beetle's indicated Finishing Move. If the right skill card is scanned with the right beetle, the result with be a "Super Max" Compatibility and will give the beetle tremendous damage if used. The upgraded skill cards are moves used by beetles with a Base Power range of 100 to 120. This gives the weaker beetles a fighting chance against the rare and (naturally) strong beetles like Hercules Beetle, Saturn Beetle, Blue Hercules Beetle, Actaeon Beetle.....
License cards
These are cards that give the player a "title" while he/she plays. This is scanned before the beetle card is scanned and is optional to scan. Official Mushiking Tournaments hand over License Cards as a trophy for the competitor that wins an official tournament, which means that machines do not dispense these cards.
The following companies can release License Cards:
Sega of Japan
Quantum Amusement Corporation [2] - For the Official Tournaments in the Philippines
Manga Version
Mushiking: The King of Beetles ~ Zach Adventure Series ~ is a manga series written and illustrated by Ooseyoshi. It has been serialized in the monthly CoroCoro Comics from February, 2005 until October, 2006 and in the Bessatsu CoroCoro from April, 2004 until February, 2008. The manga have a total of 8 volumes.
The story follows the adventures of the protagonist, Zach who is continuously searching for a treasure in a fiction planet, Dekaiya, while at the same time another protagonist, Kabuto Maru, is aiming for Mushiking, the story then grow to the fighting of each protagonist with their rival and enemy characters.
Part 1
In the big world of Dekaiya, a legend has been passed down from far ancient times. [One should climb up the Heaven Tree in the Insect Island. If one do so, there lies the power of god, one could be the King of Beetles ...].
Asked Treasure afforded the world treasure hunter Zack meets Samurai beetles and cabbage round chance that during the Treasure looking for more. Kabuto-ask "せっしゃ to インセク Island sky trees take wants Zach. Was one of beetles chasing legends champion Kabuto circle also travels from the old （ Musik ）. But Zach showed interest so beetle King of legend, was available Kabuto round looking for Treasure and calculative decided to travel.
Part2
Zack who finished the fight with part 2 [edit] メッサーノ meets mystery old insect "Chan-G". Chang G, and あつめれば champion to three gems can become the muck, Zack who get Nikki Nova. And the further, do not collect mucking around three gems, reluctant to muck, Earth to ruin approximately one year after the fact to know.
New partner appeared in Zack travels and adventures of Zack and Kabuto Maru, Yamaha, Zhang G ear who begins again.
Characters
Zach
Hero. Hunter （ treasure ） treasures to travel the world. Boy dreaming to become a treasure hunter in the world, and aspire to reach Edentia. "I", the first person.
Narwhal Kabuto Maru's father is called "ossan".
Age is perhaps early teens, but with the age, calculating, and Oni personality. Early rotation of the head, superb insight, that much is demonstrated experience of thin cherrysite even. Kabuto-Maru and later would be his BeetlesMaster.
"TSE-champion, whose real name is Zach = Coburn is revealed. Father: "O van = Coburn is known as an excellent adventurer". Zach is hating on father O van from the mother's death, and father of childhood memories carved heart strongly now. Japan also has conflict in mind, looking for a reason still allows father.
Elements of a tsundere and glimpses behavior.
The origin of the name "（ coins ） zakzak" "Frank" from.
Kabuto-Maru
Another Hero. Samurai from the Hinode village aims to muck, beetles.
Hinode village chieftain narwhal's son, said, "father" narwhal. To father narwhal trying to defend the village of Hinode, he thinks and is disowned his father also desperately Hinode home village wants to defend. Meet Yamaha became the vassal Hinode village at an early age, in the first section of the "Heavenly tree Ed", and also had a confrontation with the Yamaha father feels that "even mucking do not". However and is reconciled with the Yamaha, you decided to become a together a muck.
First-person, "me". Saying "a bamboo basket". Type is the beetle. The horned × inscribed with the coat of arms of mark.
Saved the river flows with trapped Beetlescards, Zach. Call the later met Zack, Zach "Zach" and.
If no follow Zac's personality does not allow bent in the quantity of heat, and therefore stick head actively to someone else, would hardly encountered avenge a previous defeat.
Weakened progressing both combat and personality from the village of Hinode home "champion card series", after.
A watermelon dish, shed tears when was served as a pamper, Zach was pleased.
Good ナゲわざ, "ナゲわざ tornado throw" is extremely deadly technique.
Narwhal
The chieftain of the village of Hinode. Kabuto-Maru's father. Disciple of Zhang-G one. (Why apprentice concerned, Zhang roushi said. )
Thinks the hated "Musik not shitty", in certain circumstances, Shizuko is should be a novice in weak still.
Thinks and reasons why it considers that are disregarded and crappy puzzle Musik, and son is still a callow, son Musik also do not want.
Further, Beetlesmastar's son Zach and coward are this言i様stunned. However, taught the young Yamaha came to village of Hinode son as part of to subordinates and (reasons in order to rehabilitate the son Yaniv became the vassal,. ) The scene seems to be yet was familiar with the young son of his father, also. However, amulet, such as the village of Hinode as are deprived of when the monument with the village of Hinode メッサーノ dark Beetlesmastar group I. (Prima facie seems to have 守れて, Hinode village. )
That thought, but that never went out once the node village is a place of birth of the son, and desperate to protect son Kabuto round putting Hinode village abandoned and disowned him, hates the son violently. However, until you forgive from Zach and son, son and son's feelings "Hinode village defense wanted to" power yet and don't know anything and was still a little premature son that like as a real. For these reasons, he is opinionated and.
And sons, Zach and his son ドナテルロ et combat burst when the finally know the feeling "just not in want muck and just want to protect the village of Hinode" that his son had been unaware I lose things to combat de shabera Shimo and Zeno Empire to gain skills and to bring from Zack interact with Zhang G after "diary" Nova"stone I Hinode village ドナテルロ, in the middle of the battle ドナテルロ et （ comes to know during the battle, also son horned. ）, and allowed it to little peace defeat et ドナテルロ et son and Zach, and then give ZAK and sons and adventures in found out about son's feelings.
Incidentally seems told first-person, "ossan" and Zack "Eagles".
Adventure aimed at mucking round cabbage with Zach contoured duo, now started.
O and Van-Coburn
The father of a rucksack.
He is Dora.
A son and a wife are forsaken for a certain reason, and home is left.
But in practice, in order to make a wife fine, a trip was taken, and the last was pushed down on the beetlesmastar screw of the Zeno empire.
Furthermore, the pendant which O and Van were bringing was taken by the screw, and also as for the son rucksack, a father did not know the reason for having left home and having taken a trip, etc. to a certain time.
