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POCKET FIGHTER
SLPS 01360
Copyright © Capcom
Sony PlayStation, 1-2 players
Fighting (sort of)
Available Now
¥5800
—by Charles McCarter
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First there was STREET FIGHTER, a regular
fighting game. Then came PUZZLE FIGHTER, with
SD Capcom characters engaged in a TETRIS-style puzzle fight. Now there's POCKET FIGHTER, a combination of the two previous games.
In POCKET FIGHTER, you select an SD version of a character from either the DARKSTALKERS or STREET FIGHTER
franchises. Then you are pitted against another fighter in a typical
STREET FIGHTER-esque contest (best of three
rounds). But there are differences here. For example, when you hit your
opponent, gems will sometimes fall out of them. Get them, as they will
increase the power level of your special attacks. Characters' moves are
similar to their full-size versions in other games (e.g., the fireball
motion is still the key for success in many instances).
Characters include Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Sakura, Zangief, Dan, and
Gouki from STREET FIGHTER, as well as Morrigan and
Felicia from DARKSTALKERS. There is also a new
character, Tabasa, who is, of course, a witch.
However, this game isn't so much about smashing your opponent
as beating them with style and a sense of humor. Each character has a
"rushing attack" where they will rush forward and attack, changing
costumes and/or weapons a number of times. For example, Chun-Li uses a
wide variety of weapons, starting with a pistol and ending with a
bazooka. These attacks are more amusing than really damaging.
Of course, there are Super attacks, which are mostly the same
as they are in the regular games. For example, Ryu has his fireball,
Ken has the flaming Dragon Punch, and Morrigan has her specials intact
as well. However, there are also some rather interesting special attacks,
such as Lei-Lei's umbrella attack or Tabasa's mecha attack.
Controlling the characters is easier than usual because there
is only one punch button and one kick button. The other two buttons are
reserved for taunting (which is nearly useless) and special attacks.
Other than that, the Capcom 2D fighting game
engine is intact, including even super jumps.
Another interesting aspect to this fighter is the power-ups.
Since the object of the game is to get as many gems as possible to
increase your power level, there are multiple ways to accomplish this.
The first is, of course, by hitting your opponent and knocking gems out
of them. Busting open treasure chests will also yield a number of gems.
But perhaps most interesting of all are the little critters who ride on
the clouds above the fighting. Taken from the Chinese Goku mythology
(the same one that inspired DRAGON BALL), there is
a princess, a monkey, a kappa (a turtle-like creature), and an oni
(demon). Hitting them will result in different power-ups such as gems,
food (which translates into extra life), or spheres that unleash ice,
lightning, or bombs. However, hitting the oni results in a nasty
electric shock.
Another added bonus is trying to discover the secret moves
available for the different characters. For example, just try to get
Chun-Li to do the "love letter" move. It's not an easy thing, but once
you figure it out, it's a riot. This game is full of little secrets
just waiting to be discovered and put to use.
The graphics are good, but there is a small amount of load
time between battles. Nothing too serious, just enough to be
noticeable, though. Everything else seems to be in order, and there
aren't any major flaws that will keep players from enjoying this
game.
While the gameplay is not incredibly complex, this is a very
fun game, especially if played with a group of friends. The emphasis
here is on fun, and playing this game in groups elicits a lot of
yelling and laughter. Another success for Capcom. And the US version
is available now as well. 
Rating: *** out of 4 |
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