I. Game Background
1.1 World Setting
The story of Knights of Valour Plus is a faithful adaptation of Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Following the perspective of the Shu Han kingdom, the game chronicles an epic journey from the rescue of Liu Shan to the final campaigns against Cao Cao and Sima Yi. The game reimagines classic battlesโsuch as Mount Dingjun, the Battle of Red Cliffs, the Flooding of the Seven Armies, and the final showdown at Xuchangโin a classic arcade beat 'em up format. Players can choose legendary Shu generals like Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun to fight their way through the chaos.
The narrative is concise and impactful: each stage features clear historical context and objectives. While the cutscene text and character dialogue are brief, they effectively capture the heroic spirit of the Three Kingdoms. Building on the original plot, the Plus version adds hidden stages and branching paths, where player choices directly influence the progression, offering a "branching narrative" experience rarely seen in arcade games of that era.
1.2 Development History
Knights of Valour was developed and published in 1999 by Taiwan-based International Games System (IGS), running on their proprietary PGM (PolyGame Master) arcade hardware. The PGM was created to challenge the dominance of SNK's Neo Geo MVS in the Asian arcade market. It featured a Motorola 68000 CPU @ 20 MHz, a Z80 sound CPU @ 8.468 MHz, and an ICS2115 32-channel PCM sound source, supporting a resolution of 448ร224 and up to 4 simultaneous players.
The game was crafted by an all-star IGS team: Executive Producer Ray oversaw the project, with co-directors Zhong Rengao, Keith Young, and Andy Chu. The programming team included core members like Alf, Why, and Fred Liao, while the art was led by Joseph Chang and Muta Chen, with music and sound effects by Eddie Yao and Dean. This team later went on to create other classics like Oriental Legend.
After its 1999 release, Knights of Valour became a massive hit in arcades across Asia, cementing its status as one of the most influential Chinese arcade games ever made. Plus is the fourth major version of the series, introducing two character variants ("Magic Zhang Fei" and "White Armor Huang Zhong"), refining the combo system (introducing forward-dash, turn-around, and crouching combos), modifying hourglass usage rules, and unlocking hidden characters (Diao Chan, Zhang Liao, and Xu Zhu) by default. Some players consider the Plus version a "testbed" for the subsequent Knights of Valour 2, allowing players to adapt to more complex combo mechanics.
In April 2023, the IGS Classic Arcade Collection was released on Nintendo Switch, featuring 8 classic PGM games including Knights of Valour Plus, with a Steam version launching simultaneously.
II. Character Overview
Knights of Valour Plus boasts an incredibly diverse roster. With the 6 original characters, 2 new variants in Plus, and 3 hidden characters, there are 11 playable warriors in totalโeach with unique move sets, item affinities, and combat styles.
Base Warriors
Guan Yu โ Default
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Speed | โ โ โโโ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โโ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โ โ |
- Pros: Highest single-hit damage in the game; the Green Dragon Crescent Blade offers massive reach. His "Flying Dragon" special move deals devastating damage.
- Cons: Slow movement and attack speed; easily "kited" by agile bosses like Xiahou Yuan.
- Verdict: A standard "heavy tank." Perfect for players who love one-hit-kill power. In the hands of an expert, Guan Yu is a clearing machine, but beginners may find themselves overwhelmed if they don't master positioning.
Zhang Fei โ Default
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Speed | โ โ โ โโ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โโ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โโ |
- Pros: The Serpent Spear has great reach, and his normal attacks have excellent pushback, allowing him to pin enemies against the screen edge.
- Cons: High recovery frames on moves; easily countered if missed. Requires mastery of "animation canceling."
- Verdict: A balanced character, great for beginners. His roar-based skills provide strong crowd control despite their limited range.
Zhao Yun โ Default
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โโ |
| Speed | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โโโ |
- Pros: Highest mobility and combo fluidity. His spear attacks are fast, and his combos are long and hard to counter. His "Pear Blossom Stab" is an excellent gap-closer.
- Cons: Lower single-hit damage; takes longer to whittle down large bosses.
- Verdict: The most popular character and the top recommendation for beginners. Zhao Yun is always the most requested character in arcades. His smooth combo feel makes him the best choice for learning the "4-hit 1-finisher" system.
Ma Chao โ Default
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โโ |
| Speed | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โโ |
- Pros: The most "crisp" combat feel. His spear attacks have low frame counts and a fast rhythm. Special moves are great for mid-range zoning.
- Cons: Attack range is relatively focused; struggles more than Guan Yu or Zhang Fei when surrounded.
- Verdict: A speed-based spearman, sitting between Zhao Yun's agility and Guan Yu's power. Ideal for players who know the system and want a higher skill ceiling.
Huang Zhong โ Default
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โโโ |
| Speed | โ โ โ โโ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โโ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โ โ |
- Pros: The only character with reliable ranged attacks; his bow can chip away at enemies from safety. Special moves are excellent for juggling airborne enemies.
- Cons: Weakest melee combat; almost no defense if enemies get close.
- Verdict: An expert-tier character. Huang Zhong requires excellent spacing and distance control. In multiplayer, he is best positioned in the back row to provide cover fire.
Zhuge Liang โ Default (Requires Input)
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โโ |
| Speed | โ โ โ โโ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โ โ |
- Pros: The ultimate item userโhis effectiveness with "Heavenly Books" is doubled. Possesses the unique "Call the Wind and Rain" screen-clearing move. His rage skill deals massive damage.
- Cons: Mediocre normal attack damage; combat effectiveness drops significantly without items. Low survivability.
- Verdict: The most unique characterโmore of a "mage" than a warrior. He relies on books and items to deal damage. Experts can pull off spectacular effects with him, but beginners often die before reaching the first boss.
Plus Version New Characters
Magic Zhang Fei
A red-colored variant of Zhang Fei. The core difference lies in his special skills, which now feature fire-based elemental properties. His item affinity is also different, dealing increased damage when using Heavenly Books. Verdict: If normal Zhang Fei is a "Physical Warrior," Magic Zhang Fei is a "Magic Knight," sacrificing some normal attack stability for explosive item-based damage.
White Armor Huang Zhong
A white-armored variant of Huang Zhong. Compared to the original, his bow fire rate is faster, his melee attacks are slightly buffed (though still weak), and his item usage speed is increased. Verdict: More beginner-friendly than the originalโthe slight boost in survivability shifts him from "extreme expert" to "general expert" territory.
Hidden Characters (Unlocked by Default in Plus)
Diao Chan
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โโ |
| Speed | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โ โ |
- Pros: Highest agility in the game with extremely short animation frames and high combo density. Her special moves are dance-based and cover her entire perimeter.
- Cons: Lowest attack and health. Can be defeated in just a few hits.
- Verdict: A beautiful "assassin" type. Her combos are among the most stylish, but her margin for error is razor-thin. Recommended for experts who have mastered the basics and want a challenge.
Zhang Liao
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Speed | โ โ โ โโ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โโ |
- Pros: Powerful, wide-reaching sword strikes. His "Whirlwind" special move has excellent hit detection, making him a master of crowd control.
- Cons: Slow movement speed; can be passive against ranged bosses.
- Verdict: A strong, balanced character. Zhang Liao is stable with no obvious weaknesses, making him a very practical hidden character.
Xu Zhu
| Attribute | Rating |
|---|---|
| Attack | โ โ โ โ โ |
| Speed | โ โโโโ |
| Combo Ability | โ โ โโโ |
| Difficulty | โ โ โ โ โ |
- Pros: The highest single-hit damage in the game. His hammer range rivals Guan Yu's blade, and his guard-breaking ability is immense.
- Cons: Painfully slow movement; the slowest in the game. Huge recovery frames on all moves.
- Verdict: An extreme power-type character, a "walking siege hammer." His playstyle is binaryโeither crush a boss in three hits or get taken out by a boss combo. Not recommended for beginners; a true toy for masters.
III. Controls
3.1 Basic Controls
Knights of Valour Plus uses an 8-way joystick and 4 action buttons, making it one of the most complex arcade beat 'em ups:
| Button | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | Attack | Press repeatedly for normal combos; combine with directions for different moves |
| B | Jump | Press A while jumping for aerial attacks |
| C | Item Select | Cycle through equipped items |
| D | Use Item | Use the currently selected item (Heavenly Books, Stones, Iron Lotus, etc.) |
| โโ | Dash | Dash forward; press A while dashing for a dash attack |
| โโโ + A | Special | Unique character special move; consumes Rage |
| โโ + A | Super | Powerful move; consumes more Rage |
3.2 Core Combat: The "4-Hit 1-Finisher" System
This is the most iconic and unique combo system in the series, deeply influencing the design of subsequent Chinese arcade beat 'em ups:
Rules:
- In one combo, you can land up to 4 "hits" (normal attacks or special move segments) and 1 "finisher".
- Once the 4-hit 1-finisher sequence is completed, the enemy is forced to the ground and becomes briefly invincible.
- If the enemy blocks or you miss, the counter resets.
Practical Application:
- It's not just "AAAA" spamโonce the sequence ends, the enemy falls, and you must find a new opening.
- Experts maximize damage within those 4 hits: e.g., Zhao Yun can use "Jump A โ Stand AAAA โ Pear Blossom Stab" for high-damage combos.
- The Plus version introduces "dash combos," "turn-around combos," and "crouch combos," allowing you to reset parts of the counter by changing directions, enabling higher output density.
3.3 Rage System
Similar to fighting games: Rage builds when attacking or taking damage. Once full, you can unleash special moves (โโโ+A) or super moves (โโ+A). In Plus, Rage builds slightly faster than in the original.
3.4 Item System
One of the features that distinguishes Knights of Valour from Capcom's beat 'em ups:
| Item Type | Examples | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Heavenly Books | Fire, Ice, Wind, Thunder | Full-screen magic damage; doubled effect for Zhuge Liang |
| Throwables | Iron Lotus, Stones, Discs | Ranged attacks to interrupt enemies |
| Weapon Upgrades | Fire/Ice/Electric Swords | Replace current weapon, change elemental damage |
| Consumables | Wine (Rage), Meat/Chicken (HP) | Restore resources |
| Special | Hourglass (Reset cooldowns), Flags | Tactical items |
Items are cycled with C and used with D. Item management is the core skill for high-difficulty runsโknowing when to clear the screen, when to save the Fire Sword for a boss, and when to use an hourglass to reset combos is vital.
IV. Stages and Boss Strategy
Knights of Valour Plus features about 7-8 main stages. Branching paths and hidden stages ensure every run feels different.
4.1 Stage 1: Rescue A Dou
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Setting | River battle on swaying ships. Enemies are mostly Wu sailors. |
| Boss | Xiahou DunโOne-eyed general. Attacks include heavy overhead slashes and spinning slashes. |
| Strategy | As a tutorial boss, his wind-up is obvious. He charges his heavy slash for 1 secondโthe perfect time to get behind him. Don't get greedy in front of him. Recommended: Get behind him, land a 4-hit 1-finisher, back off, and repeat. |
4.2 Stage 2: Battle of Dingjun
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Setting | Open battlefield. Watch out for archers on the screen edges. |
| Boss | Xiahou YuanโExpert archer. Uses multi-arrow volleys and back-dashes. |
| Strategy | The first "kiting" boss. Don't run in a straight line as his arrows track. Use dash attacks to close the gap. He will back-dash after you hit himโpredict his landing spot to continue the combo. |
4.3 Stage 3: Might of Hanzhong
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Setting | Canyon battlefield with destructible rock traps. |
| Boss | Xu Zhu (if not selected) or Cao Ren. |
| Strategy | Against Xu Zhu: Don't fight head-on; his hammer creates shockwaves. Use his recovery frames to attack from behind. Against Cao Ren: He blocks frontal attacks; use jump attacks or get behind him. |
4.4 Stage 4: Red Cliffs / Loss of Jingzhou (Branch)
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Setting | Fire ships or Jingzhou city. Branching paths affect later boss lineups. |
| Boss | Lu Bu (Hidden) or Zhang Liao. |
| Strategy | Lu Bu is one of the toughest bosses. His attacks have almost no wind-up. Use a Z-pattern to approach him and strike during his 0.5-second recovery. Use Heavenly Books and Iron Lotus to interrupt his combos. Do not get greedy! |
4.5 Stage 5: Heavenly Books / Flooding the Seven Armies
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Setting | Dark ancient tombs or open riverbanks. |
| Boss | Sima Yi or Lu Meng. |
| Strategy | Sima Yi teleports, disrupting combos. Dash in immediately after he finishes teleportingโthat's his most vulnerable moment. |
4.6 Stage 6: Showdown at Xuchang
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Setting | Final palace battlefield. High enemy density. |
| Boss | Cao CaoโTwo phases: Mounted (high mobility) and Foot (high damage combos). |
| Strategy | Phase 1: Stay behind the horse. Phase 2: Keep your distance. Use all your saved Heavenly Books and the Fire Sword here. Zhuge Liang excels in this fight. |
V. Tips and Advanced Strategy
5.1 Survival Tips
- Never stand in the middle of a crowd: Even the strongest character will lose HP if surrounded. Use a "Move โ Attack โ Move" rhythm.
- Learn to "lure": Don't run into the middle of the screen. Stay at the edge and pull 2-3 enemies at a time.
- Items are tools, not luxuries: Don't hoard them. Use them to survive.
- Elemental Weapons: Fire swords are great against Wood-element enemies but weak against Water-element bosses. When in doubt, use the default weapon.
- Hourglass loops: Use a book, then immediately use an hourglass to reset the cooldown and use it again.
- Jump attacks break crouch-blocking: If an enemy is blocking low, jump in with an attack.
5.2 Multiplayer Tips
- Team Composition: Ideally: a Heavy (Guan Yu/Xu Zhu) to tank, a Speedster (Zhao Yun/Diao Chan) to DPS, a Ranged (Huang Zhong) for cover, and an Item Expert (Zhuge Liang) for burst.
- Combo Relay: When one player finishes their 4-hit 1-finisher, the next player should immediately start their combo to keep the boss locked down.
- Item Sharing: Distribute items based on character strengths (e.g., Books to Zhuge Liang).
- Don't stand on the same line: Spread out to avoid taking group damage from boss AOE attacks.
5.3 Advanced "4-Hit 1-Finisher"
- Starter moves: Dash attacks and jump attacks are the best starters.
- Mid-combo optimization: Use turn-around or dash-cancels to reset the counter and squeeze in more hits.
- Finisher choice: Use Super moves for max damage, or normal specials to save Rage.
5.4 Trivia
- Plus is harder: Bosses and enemies are tougher, and score rewards are lower.
- Hidden stages: Require specific conditions like killing bosses within time limits or using specific items.
- Arcade Culture: Zhao Yun is the most popular character. If you master Huang Zhong, you can usually play for hours without anyone waiting for your machine.
VI. Legends and Lore
6.1 IGS's Legacy
IGS is one of the few Chinese companies to compete head-on with Japanese arcade giants. The PGM hardware and Knights of Valour are considered national treasures by Chinese arcade gamers.
6.2 Fighting Game DNA
The "4-hit 1-finisher" system was heavily inspired by Capcom's Street Fighter and SNK's King of Fighters, blending fighting game precision with beat 'em up chaos.
6.3 The "Book" Bug
Legend says Zhuge Liang's doubled book damage was originally a programming bug that the developers decided to keep because it was fun.
6.4 Zhao Yun's Popularity
Zhao Yun's selection rate exceeds 40%. He embodies the "perfect warrior" archetype in Chinese culture.
6.5 White Armor Huang Zhong
What started as a simple color swap became a cult favorite, with hardcore players challenging themselves to "1-credit clears" using this variant.
6.6 PGM Hardware
The PGM was so well-regarded that even Japanese developers like CAVE released games on it, a rare feat for non-Japanese hardware.
6.7 2023 Revival
The IGS Classic Arcade Collection brought the series to Switch and Steam, marking its first official home console release after 24 years.
6.8 Mobile Life
Knights of Valour lives on through mobile adaptations, keeping the legacy alive for a new generation.
