Tecmo Knight
Tecmo Knight, released in 1989, is an arcade beat ’em up by Tecmo. In Japan it’s known as Wild Fang. You control Tecmo Knight and can ride two helpers, Smokeman and Tiger. A change button lets you switch between them. Smokeman fights with strong punches and kicks, while Tiger offers a long‑range spiked ball and chain attack. If you collect dragon skulls, you can summon the Flying Dragon, which makes Tecmo Knight immune to attacks and lets its breath instantly kill most enemies, including bosses. You can use an Access Attack to jump onto enemies with Smokeman or Tiger. If Tecmo Knight is low on life, a weak foe can kill Smokeman or Tiger, leaving you with a much weaker attack. Bosses appear in pairs, except for the final boss Deglomes. There are extra life skulls and map items like bombs and stone-rollers you can use. The game is very challenging and rewards patience over button-mashing. The continue screen is memorable: if you don’t continue in time, a monster swallows Tecmo Knight and shouts “NO FUTURE!” before Game Over.
The Japanese version has a deeper story: in the ancient kingdom of Valdik, the Beast Demon Army attacks to revive Deglomes, and knights Duke and Fleet, aided by Smokeman, Tiger, and Dragon, become wild fangs to stop them. The American arcade flyer keeps the plot simple—Tecmo Knight battles Wild Fang’s monsters. In July 1989, Tecmo Knight was listed as a successful table arcade unit in Japan.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 01:45 (CET).