Little Karnov fact I learned years ago:

There is a character in one of the Shantae games that is very clearly Karnov, from the design of the character to the music that plays when you are speaking with him.

But because Wayforward doesn't have the rights to Karnov they obscured all of his features.

There used to be a video about these references here on YT but it seems to have disappeared.

Karnov looks very similar to the wrestler Abdullah the Butcher, who was also the inspiration for Heart from Fist of the North Star.

It would be nice to see Karnov, Chelnov, and the Fighter's History characters back in an independent revival. There's quite a bit to like about the series as it's just got tight controls and a smooth feeling. It's a cult classic and I can see G-Mode either making a small 4th entry or license it out to indie fans instead.

I would say this is a quaint little series I enjoyed this video

Dance dance karnov

That interstitial was sumthin'!❤

I have seen this game's name before, but never the game itself. It looks interesting.

Also, I agree that games are way too standardized now. Heck, even the UI is becoming standardized and bland, and I hate it. Just look at the Resident Evil Remakes compared to their original counterparts. The soul in the UI is just gone in the new games.

Russia is literally bordered by Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China. There's actually a lot of asian looking Russians in those border areas. So I can totally see Karnov being Russian while looking a bit asian.

He's a commie lol

In all seriousness I miss seeing the Soviet Union everywhere and feel really nostalgic for the era.

Another Data East title featuring the theme is the excellent Chelnov, Atomic Runner. Its home port for Gen/MD is also superior to the arcade

Will old frog have a talking animation ?