Giant Gram: All Japan Pro Wrestling 2 in Nippon Budokan Japanese Pro-Wrestling for the Sega Dreamcast! Pseudo-FAQ v.001 for Non-Japanese speakers written by Alvin Muolic (orion@nospam.hooked.net) remove 'nospam' to reply, 'cause I hate spam ----------------------------------------------------------------------- First, a FAQ writer's tradition! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Legal Disclaimer Giant Gram All Japan Pro Wrestling 2 in Nippon Budokan (C)1999 Sega. Sega Dreamcast (C)1999 Sega. All rights reserved. Entire contents of this document (C)1999 Alvin Muolic All text in this document (C)1999 Alvin Muolic All rights reserved. Permission to post this FAQ in its entirety on your web page or web site is granted as long as the contents of this FAQ, including the entire body of text, the legal disclaimer, and the copyright information are not altered or modified in any matter. Non-electronic reproduction in whole or in part without the express written permission of Alvin Muolic is prohibited. This FAQ is not to be used for profitable or promotional purposes, which includes the following: being used by publishers of magazines, guides, books, etc. being incorporated into magazines, guides, books, etc. in any way or form, or being used by retailers as an incentive to sell their product. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Whew! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Alvin's Disclaimer If you can read/speak Japanese, then this may well not mean much to you at all! A lot of FAQs that exist for import titles are written to help those that can't speak or read Japanese. This is one of those types of documents. The funny thing is, I can't speak or read Japanese at a level of proficiency that I'd like to be at, but I can get by. This FAQ is intended to be a play guide of sorts, and does not aim to be a movelist, though that might happen eventually. This is going to contain a lot of stuff that I've posted to rec.games.video.sega, so if you get that sense of deja-vu, then there's a glitch in the program, Neo. Also, my writing style is a bit loose, so bear with me (and be prepared for a lot of comments within a set of parenthesis, just like this). FAQ writers don't get paid for what they do, and I'm trying to have some fun with this so that you can have fun with your game. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Last updated: 06/25/99 version .001: 06/25/99-What's new? This FAQ! Featuring stream-of-consciousness mode. This FAQ is rated TV-14 DLV, just like Monday Night! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (06/25/99) Giant Gram (GG) is the first of hopefully many Sega Dreamcast (DC) pro-wrestling titles. Coming out soon will be the next installment of Yukes' excellent Touken Retsuden series. Supposedly, there is also a version of Acclaim's WWF Attitude rumored to be in development. Variety is good, ne? Giant Gram is the sequel to the ST-V/Saturn All Japan Pro Wrestling Featuring Virtua. Both titles feature AJPW superstars, as well as Virtua Fighter characters. Both games are excellent wrestling games in their own right, though I'll probably have problems trying to play the first AJPW game again--Giant Gram pretty much supercedes it in every possible way. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This section is under construction. Main Menu/Options Translations How To Play Reversals and Blocking Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys? Wrestling In Shadows VMS info ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Main Menu/Options Translations-- After the game boots up, the introduction plays. The fifteen wrestlers in the game all get to strut their stuff in real-time, glorious, high-res, 60 FPS 3D-action! Quick! Buy the game now if you haven't! :) The text on the screens shows the wrestler's name, nickname or "catch-copy", signature moves, and other nifty stuff that you or I can't quite read. After the intro, you'll be taken to the title screen. Push Start, and the main menu appears. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Main Menu Translation/Quick Reference: Arcade Mode You and maybe a friend versus seven random opponents in either singles or tag-team competition. If you want your friend to play, he'll have to push Start, too, just like in the arcade. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Tournament Mode You and you alone versus 15 pre-determined opponents in singles-style competition. This mode is hard enough without friends getting in the way. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- VS Mode You and up to 3 other friends versus the CPU or each other in either singles or tag-team competition. Who's next? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit/Making Mode You and your imagination get to create a wrestler for use in either singles or tag-team competition. If you smell-la-la-la-la..... ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Practice Mode You and your chosen wrestler get to practice all those neat moves you see on Monday Night in either singles or tag-team competition. No crotch-chops, though. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Watch Mode You and your entire household can watch up to four CPU-controlled wrestlers take on each other in (wait for it) singles or tag-team competition. Soap opera not included. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Backup You and your VMS get to save or load your options settings and the progress you've made through singles or tag-team competitions here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Options You and your preferences get to decide a whole host of things not covered in this sentence. And believe it or not, this affects things in singles or tag-team competition. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- What does this all mean? --Arcade Mode-- The first option is Arcade Mode, where you take on seven different opponents or teams in either singles-style or tag-team competition. Just like the arcade version (I presume), you and a friend can take on the CPU until you beat all seven opponents or teams, or until you realize that your partner's not cutting it and you turn heel and throw him through the Booty Man's barber shop and quit playing. I've yet to see an "ending" to this mode, but I'm not so sure. This game continues to surprise me with stuff that the VMS unlocks. After beating all of your opponents, you get to enter your name into the name entry screen, if you've scored high enough. Quick Fact: Your numerical score is at the end of a match is actually the amount of fans whose love and admiration you've earned. :) Fans love longer matches, BTW. Certain moves and actions will cause the fans to cheer for you, and thus, increase your "fighting spirit" gauge. Quick Fact: Most wrestlers have four outfits. The default outfit is selected by choosing your wrestler with the "A" button. Buttons "X", "Y", and "Start" choose the alternate outfits/colors. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Tournament Mode-- The Tournament Mode is a single-player only, singles-style only tournament where you take on fifteen pre-determined opponents. The line-up seems to be in a pecking order that only avid fans and watchers of AJPW might be familiar with. Your first opponent is the, uh, real Wolf Hawkfield, and your last is Giant Baba. After defeating Giant Baba, you may once again enter your name in the name entry screen, and then, if you've been a good boy and played your VMS alot, you get to face off against the hidden characters that you've unlocked. If you haven't downloaded the "Giant Channel" mini-game into your VMS, wipe out those Sengoku Turb and July saves now, baby! Giant Channel is well worth the loss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Versus Mode-- If you've played any sort of wrestling or fighting game before, then this mode should be obvious. If not, then let me take the time to explain. You and up to three friends can take on each other or the CPU in either singles or tag-team competition. You can set up different types of versus combinations: you versus the CPU, you versus a friend, you and a friend versus the CPU, you and a friend versus another friend and the CPU, etc. If you do a lot of multi-player gaming with your friends, then this will be the mode you play in the most. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Edit/Making Mode-- This section is under construction. Here's what I consider the heart of the game (that is, besides the game play itself). Creating your own wrestler is probably the coolest feature in this game! I've gone through many other wrestling games' create/edit wrestler options, but this feels the most personal to me. Aside from picking a base wrestling archtype, the fact that you need to train against someone/mentor under somebody to learn moves just feels a lot better than going through and assigning a laundry list of moves to them (though I have nothing against that!). After selecting this option a screen with three menu options appears. The first option is to create a new wrestler. The second is to load an existing wrestler. The last is to go back to the main menu. When you first create a wrestler, you'll be asked to select his body type. The body type also determines the wrestling style. As you scroll through the six or so bodies available, keep in mind that the first type is "technical" (the excellence of execution), the second is "power" (look at that gut!), and the third is "submission" (you're in the zone, baby). After picking your wrestler's body, you'll be asked to enter his name. If you can't read kana, and you just pushed the A button and then start twice, your wrestler will probably be named "ah" or something like that. ;) (inside joke for those that can read kana). After entering a name, you will proceed to select the "catch copy" for your wrestler. Think of this as a nickname or alias. e.g. , "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, "Booker Man" Hulk Hogan, etc. A whole range of commonly (in Japan, at least) used wrestling-associated words is represented here. If you don't read Japanese, you could randomly select some words and you could be known as the wrestler "ah", AKA "100% Killer Bee" :) After picking the first word, you will have to choose between wanting that word to be something of reference/complimentary to the next word, or having that word be a part of the next word. e.g., the first word I pick is "Dragon" (ryu), and the next word I pick is "Fist" (ken). By going the first route, my nickname is Ryu no Ken, or "Fist of the Dragon". If I choose the second option, my nickname is "Dragon Fist". See the difference? No? Well a Japanese thing, then. :) Once this is all done, you are asked if you want to keep this wrestler. Here's where it would be best to learn and recognize some really commonly-used words: "yes" and "no". The choice that looks like it has a set of two curvy "I"s in a row is "iie", which is Japanese for no. The other which looks lie it has only one curvy "I" followed by a character that looks like a cross with a loop at the bottom is "hai", Japanese for yes. Once you've created your wrestler, the following options are available to you. From left to right, they are: Train Wrestler Shop Save Load Delete Exit Mode Train Wrestler is the meat of this mode. Once you select it, you have the choice of choosing who you wish to mentor under. As you get schooled by your mentor :), you learn moves from them. When you learn a move, a lightbulb that proclaims "learning!" in Japanese flashes on the screen. Your stamina, power, speed, etc., are all affected by this mode, so, uh, learn wisely. I'll analyze this at a later point... Shop is where you get to outfit your wrestler with--well, nothing! :) Actually, there's lots of stuff to be earned via the VMS game, so get cracking and play Giant Channel now!. For now, all you can do is change your wrestler's trunk colors, elbow pads, boots, etc. Eventually, though, you too can be Jushin Thunder Liger! (or the green equivalent of him). FYI, your appearance options start out at rank "E". This rank improves as you play the VMS mini-game. Mine's currently at "SS", which I suppose is better than plain' old "A" (shades of Real Bout Fatal Fury!). The other options should be obvious. Save allows you to save your wrestler to memory. Load lets you load in your saved wrestler in the state you last saved him at. This is useful if you "learn" a move you don't want, or your wrestler's stamina gets screwed up, or you just don't feel right about something. Delete will delete your wrestler if you're not careful, or if you don't like him any more. Consider this jobbing him out, permanently. :) These options will usually ask you to confirm, so try and remember what "hai" and "iie" look like and mean. You don't want to lose all your hard work, do you? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Practice Mode-- This section is under construction. Just like other games' practice modes, you get to train against a non-aggressive opponent. Useful for figuring out your moves, of course. Unfortunately, unlike AJPWFV, your moves aren't listed! Time to fish out that technical manual and that Japanese dictionary! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Watch Mode-- Simply put, this mode is here so that you can watch the CPU battle against itself. Want to see four Misawas duke it out for the Triple Crown? Uh, maybe, but you can do it here! I've found this mode most useful to learn moves and see how their done. Also. seeing as there are at least four hidden wrestlers, this will be the mode to see just to check out how their moves work at all! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Backup-- When you select this mode, the options you see are the following: to the left is "Save", and the option to the right is "Load". It might help to remember that the kana symbol for "Load" has a square-shaped character at the beginning of it. Saving is necessary to save your scores and option preferences. If you've unlocked anybody, this information is saved as well. Quick fact: The game does NOT auto-load your save status upon boot-up, so be sure to load up your save game first before doing anything else. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Options-- From top to bottom, they are: Level: Set the CPU to Easy, Normal, or Hard. The default is Normal. Stamina (1P-4P): Set the particular player's stamina from very low (50%), to very high (150%). The default is 100% Stamina Gauge: On/Off. The default is ON. Reversal Point: On/Off. The default is ON. This determines where or not "Reversal" flashes onscreen or not. Time Limit: 30/60/No Limit. Default is 30. Screen: Normal/Wide. Default is Normal. Wide is intended for widescreen televisions. Sound: Takes you to a sub-menu: Audio: Stereo or Monoraul. Default is Stereo. Sound Test: SE (sound effects) Crowd Announcer BGM (background music) Volume: SE (sound effects) Crowd Announcer BGM (background music) **OFF turns off effect, while scale ranges from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest)** Key Assign: Takes you to a sub-menu involving key assignments. This lets you change the settings for your controller. Giant Channel Download: Downloads the Giant Channel VMS mini-game into your VMS. Requires 128 blocks of memory. Reset Options: Sets Options back to default settings. Finish: Exits Options menu with all options set. Quick Fact: If you haven't realized it by now, "A" is the main selection button for any option or mode, and "B" is the cancel button. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --How To Play-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This section is under construction. Disclaimer: Everything is relative to your wrestler's facing. The manual assumes that you are facing your opponent while standing to the left, and that he is facing you from the right. Basic Controls: D-Pad/Cross-key: controls wrestler X: attack A: hold B: throw Think of X as your punch/kick button. A is used to grapple with your opponent. B is used to do all those high-impact throws. Grappling is done by pushing A. If you're winning the grappling contest, pushing Down and A will move you from a front grapple to a back grapple behind the opponent. Conversely, pushing Up and A will take you to your opponent's side for a side grapple. The technical manual lists a lot of moves to do while at particular positions. These positions will be explained in detail in a later update. The game is based on a rock-paper-scissors system: Attack (X) Hold (A) Throw (B) Attack is greater than Throw. Throw is greater than Hold. Hold is greater than Attack. Since your CPU opponent is always trying to combo you to death with attacks, always going for the hold is a good thing. I can't say the same about human opponents. :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Reversals and Blocking-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Reversals are done by pushing "A" at the right moment. No other joystick motions or button presses are necessary. The manual stresses timing, and it's right! The "reversal" indicator is a good help, but it usually tells you that you should have done the reversal as the word had flashed, not after! :) After playing for awhile, you'll know when to execute a reversal for each of the moves. You've probably been in this situation before: someone climbs up the turnbuckle to execute a Missle Drop Kick, Flying Lariat, or whatever and manages to damage you. You've probably noticed that "reversal" is flashing rapidly on-screen at this time. I've never managed to reverse during this period, but I instinctively push the A button rapidly anyway. Anyhow, after your opponent gets on top of the turnbuckle, he begins to leap off the turnbuckle towards you, his intended target. Notice the reversal indicator flash once around this time? If you had pushed the reversal button at the exact moment the indicator flashed, you most likely would have gotten out of the way. Chances are, you pushed it after it flashed and got hit. Since there is an option to turn off the reversal gauge, I gather that the developers figured that you would learn the proper timing/moments for reversing moves. Blocking is done by pushing towards your opponent and "A". You should see a Tekken-style hit spark. You take no damage from this type of block. There's another form of blocking done by pushing away from your opponent and "A". You take damage here, but I think that the recovery time for your wrestler is quicker, and allows you to counter quicker. A mistake I used to make when attempting to grapple was to push towards my opponent and push "A". Bad idea. :) The game wants and recognizes simple button commands/inputs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --How to Break Bones-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- You'll know you did some damage to a bone when you hear a loud boom and see the screen turn into a negative image of itself! The "Danger" graphic with the appropriate bone attached is a big clue, too. :) Here are some basic moves that I've done that usually do bone breaking damage when I execute them. I can't say these'll work for you, as I've built up my edit wrestler pretty well--but these are stock moves for most wresters. Front Grapple to Side Grapple to Arm Breaker A ---> Up, A --> Towards opponent (e.g., Right), B Front Grapple to Side Grapple to Knee Crusher A ---> Up, A --> Down, B Dragon Screw Reverse an opponents kick Of course, most wrestler's power moves will usually do some sort of bone breaking damage e.g., Johnny Ace's Mexican Ace Crusher (done after a Hammer Throw). It pretty much depends on who you're using, and who you're fighting against. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Where Does He Get Those Wonderful Toys?-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: How do I do Misawa's Tiger Driver '91? or Q: How do I do multi-part moves? The move is done in parts. First, you have to set your opponent up for the, uh, "normal" Tiger Driver (while facing opponent, push toward (opponent), down, then B. Then, as the move is being done, to turn the Tiger Driver into the Tiger Driver '91, push down, then B. Your "Fighting Spirit" gauge has to be at MAX to do the '91 version. Timing is critical! I've only been able to do the '91 version once so far, and I can't say when the exact time to push down, then B is. All I can tell you is that the moment in-between when Misawa hoists his opponent up then brings him down is the period you're aiming for to do the action in. A lot of the multi-part moves are done in this manner (e.g., German Suplex into Rolling German Suplex). Watch the wrestlers carefully; eventually you'll get a feel for when the proper transition period is. e.g., my edit wrestler can transition a Backdrop into the more brutal Dangerous Backdrop. A Backdrop for my character is done by pushing B while grappling my opponent from the back. As my wrestler starts to do the backdrop, he momentarily "pauses" before performing the move (like he's putting all of his energy into the move). This is the time for me to hit down, B for a Dangerous Backdrop. It took me awhile to learn the timing, but now it's almost second-nature. Of course, transitioning/linking moves gives the opponent more opportunities to reverse the move! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --Wrestling In Shadows-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This section is under construction. Hidden Characters After defeating Giant Baba in tournament mode, you enter your name in the name entry screen, and then, if you've managed to unlock them via the VMS... ....you face off against the hidden characters. These wrestlers are represented by the question-marks in the wrestler select screen. There are four hidden wrestlers in total, but I've only managed to unlock three so far. When you fight the hidden wrestlers, you fight in a non-time-limit, no-audience, "Underground" wrestling ring, complete with steel cage! You can't pull a Mick Foley, though I'm sure he appreciates the thought. :) The intros for these "underground" matches take place are pretty cool, and have a proper, sinister feel to them (you'll see when you get there)... The three characters I've unlocked thus far are "Diablo", "Grace", and "Tiger". Diablo is a wrestler that seems to be the closest thing to Goldberg in this game (I got jackhammered, what can I say?). He's got dreads, a mean stare, and walks to the ring with a chain! Grace looks like one of those UFC guys (is he?), and every one of his move combos looks to break a lot of your bones. Ever see a UFC fight? He captures the spirit of that really well. When you see him take you down to the mat and bash your head with rapid fire punches, well... Tiger seems to be an homage/offshoot to Misawa's Tiger-Mask character. Tiger is deadly in the right hands. One of his power-bombish moves (that I saw the CPU do, of course) takes you literally 50 feet into the air, then drops you back onto the mat, rapidly sending four of your bones into the danger zone! Quick Fact: Giant Gram is actually the name of one of the killer moves that Tiger does! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --VMS info-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This section is under construction. (cribbed from my usenet postings; will expand much later) Quick Fact: Beating Tournament Mode only unlocks the hidden characters if they've previously been unlocked by the VMS! So you've downloaded "Giant Channel" into your VMS. After starting it, you are presented with two options. Pushing "A" will take you to the TV portion of Giant Channel, and Pushing "B" will take you to the "Puroresu" portion. The TV portion of Giant Channel is pretty cool. Synched to your clock, a scheduled series of pseudo-TV shows will play throughout the day and evening. Everything from news to drama to variety is represented here. This is a pretty funny recreation of your typical Japanese TV channel (haven't caught any anime yet, though). The TV shows are simple-frame animations that loop for a set amount of time. Some shows involve Giant Baba, hence the name, "Giant Channel". Two particularly amusing shows are "Puroresu Shogun", and my current favorite "King of Plancha". I won't spoil the gags, but they're worth a laugh or two. Every now and then, during a "show", you'll hear a tone, and something will be seen travelling across the screen. What you need to do when this occurs is push the "A" button rapidly, until you "collect" the object. There are four different types of objects that float across the screen. I can't really explain what they all are, but they are the key to unlocking things in the main game. Also, after some period of time, messages will scroll across the top of the screen. Sometimes, it's the VMS asking you a question (it's alive!), or it's the VMS telling you that something cool has occurred (can't read Japanese). The other mini-game, "Puroresu", is a version of rock-paper-scissors with wrestling involved. The game works as follows: you have a set amount of scissors, rock, and paper. Your enemy has a set amount as well. You need to out-guess your opponent in a series of five matches. For example: I have 4 scissors, 3 rocks, and 3 paper. My enemy has 1 scissors, 1 rock, and 3 paper. I choose to put into play this particular order of items: rock, paper, scissors, scissors, scissors. After the bell "rings", I get to see the results of my choices. Rock > Paper Paper < Scissors Scissors > Paper Scissors > Paper Scissors < Rock I won three of the five matches, so I win the contest! A draw also counts as a victory for you (at least against the CPU). All this is played out with two wrestlers (Baba and a masked wrestler) going at it in the foreground. According to the manual, you can set up combos/moves based on the order you play your items... ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (C)1999 Alvin Muolic -----------------------------------------------------------------------