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Pocket Fighter (PlayStation) artwork

Pocket Fighter (PlayStation) review


"WARNING: This game is completely barking mad! "

WARNING: This game is completely barking mad!

If you have no sense of humour, then DON'T play this game. If you like abit of light-hearted Japanese lunacy in your gaming then read on....

This is a fast-paced Capcom 2-D beat'em up. A collection of Streetfighter characters and some from Darkstalkers do battle across a number of surreal landscapes full of Streetfighter and Darkstalkers cameos. Each character has a storyline to follow in Arcade mode, there is no reason to do this as the only secrets are easily obtained without finishing the game. But as the story's are all so ridiculous you may want to complete them once just for a laugh.

We musn't also forget the ''Create a Fighter'' Option. You can Take Tessa's quiz, where she asks a series of loopy questions then assesses your personality. You then take control of a character and pit it against the others to win rpizes which can be equipped to increase your power. As the battle are fought by the CPU you need to plan your character set-up carefully to be triumphant. Its a nice touch on top the main game itself.

Capcom stalwarts, Chun Li, Akuma, Dan, Zangief, Morrigan, Hsien Ko, Felicia, Sakura, Ryu, Ken, Ibuki and Tessa all appear in super-deformed form. The graphics are very cartoony and run fast and smoothly. The screen is constantly exploding into a riot of colour and if you aren't careful you may fid yourself watching the backgrounds more than the fighting. You may spot bicycle riding pandas and gun polishing lions to add to the distraction. Is that Blanka poking out of a fishes head? did M. Bison just Ice Skate past? It's madness!!

The actual gameplay is pure simplicity, which has made it another ''after pub favourite'' with my gaming friends. There are three attack buttons, punch, kick and special move. One button is purely for taunting your opponent (Excellent!). As you hammer the attack buttons ludicrous props and costume changes appear in the blink of an eye. For example one punch, punch, kick, kick combo would see Felicia turn into Mega Man, a parasol, a piece of Tofu and bone wielding prehistoric cat…or something. It's hard to tell, the game moves so insanely fast.

Try doing the proper Streetfighter moves with Ken and as you struggle to remember his Dragon punch, Tessa will have tied you to a giant firework and shot you into outer space!

Ibuki has a nifty balalika attack, Zangief can Cossack dance on you, Chun -Li can metamorphose into Jill Valentine from Resident Evil, Akuma can bore you into a K.O and Ken can run you over with a donkey. Believe me when you opponent wins a round by squishing you flat with a frying pan you will know the meaning of anger - but in a good way.

There's plenty of tactical stuff in the game for the more serious fighter (boo!), there are counters, reversals, special moves that can be triggered by collecting gems out of boxes, clouds or your opponent.

This is a game that appeals to all ages, young kids can play grizzled Tekken experts and have just as much chance of winning such is the often hilariously cruel nature of the game. However you won't get mad, soon you'll be too busy laughing as the next move you trigger sees you split into several versions of yourself, form a chorus line and kick your opponent along the screen! The funniest beat 'em up ever, a must buy.



falsehead's avatar
Community review by falsehead (March 08, 2004)

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