Ralf Jones

Game series King of Fighters series
First game TNK III (1985)
Voiced by (English) Scott Casey (Maximum Impact)
Voiced by (Japanese) Monster Maezuka
Information
Blood type A
Fighting style Mercenary combat with Heidern style of assassination arts


Ralf Jones (ラルフ・ジョーンズ, Rarufu Jōnzu?) is a video game character appearing in games produced by SNK Playmore (formerly SNK), primarily in The King of Fighters, although he appeared in the earlier Ikari Warriors series, as well as in certain games in the Metal Slug Ralf Jones has been voiced by Monster Maezuka from his debut, who also voices Kyoshiro Senryo, Choi Bounge and Benimaru Nikaido.

Character development

Ralf Jones originally appeared in SNK's 1985 arcade game TNK III (known as TANK in Japan). In this game, the player did not took control of Ralf himself, but rather control the tank driven by Ralf, which is sent to an enemy base to destroy a secret weapon. A sequel was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System titled Iron Tank (Great Tank in Japan), which establishes the setting as World War II Normandy.

Ralf's next appearance was in action shooting game Ikari Warriors, released a year after TNK III. Instead of driving a tank, Ralf now fought his way into the enemy's lair on his own, along with his new partner Clark Still (the Player 2 character in the game). Ikari Warriors was followed by two sequels: Victory Road (also known as Ikari Warriors II) and Ikari III: The Rescue). In the international versions of the Ikari series for the NES and in Iron Tank, Ralf was renamed Paul.

Ralf and Clark would resurface as members of the Ikari Team in The King of Fighters '94, along with their mentor and commanding officer Heidern.

Ralf's attire was changed from the Rambo-like attire he wore in the Ikari and now he wore jeans and a T-shirt, along with a military vest and a red bandanna.Although the Ikari Team has underwent slight roster changes as the series progressed (particularly with the retirement of Heidern, who returned in later games, and the introductions of Leona and Whip), Ralf and Clark are two of the few characters who have remained constant, appearing in every game in the series including KOF: Maximum Impact and its sequel, and the forthcoming The King of Fighters XII. His attire from Ikari appears as alternate outfit for the character in the Maximum Impact series.

Outside the KOF series, Ralf and Clark has also appeared as playable characters in Metal Slug 6, as well as Metal Slug 7, where he appears in his outfit from KOF 2000 and uses his Vulcan Punch as his special ability in the game.

Techniques

In KOF '94, Ralf and Clark shared the same set of Special Moves, with only their Super Special Move being different. His original Special Moves included the Vulcan Punch (a rapid punch attack), the Gatling Attack (a rushing series of punches), and the Super Argentine Back Breaker (in which Ralf tosses his opponent in the air and catches him).

In KOF '95, he gain one new Special Move, the Dive Bomber Bop (急降下爆弾パンチ, Kyūkōkabakudan Panchi?, lit. "Dive Bombing Punch"), in which Ralf jumps in the air and dives towards the opponent. In KOF '97, he gains the Ralf Kick, and in KOF '99 the Ralf Tackle. In KOF 2003, he loses the Ralf Tackle, but gains the Stealth Ralf Kick and the Unblock.

His Super Special Move in KOF '94, is the Super Vulcan Punch, a more powerful version of the Vulcan Punch, while in KOF '96 he gains the Bareback Vulcan Punch, a version of the Super Vulcan Punch in which Ralf pins his opponent into the ground and unleashes a flurry of punches. In KOF '97, he gains the Galatic Phantom, a single but powerful punch which sends the enemy flying into the air. In KOF 2002, he uses the Bareback Galatic Phantom as MAX2 move (a maximum level Super Special move).

Reception

In Gamest's 1997 Heroes Collection, Ralf was voted as the staff's twelfth favorite character.



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