Zen Davis
04-15-2007, 10:53 PM
www.gamerslives.com (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/Gamerslives.com) - "If we don't review it, it's not worth playing."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTfRjciJEVY
Released in Japan on 07/20/06, Battle Stadium D.O.N is an anime based fighter (with characters from Dragonball Z, One Piece, and Naruto) resembling Super Smash Brothers and Jump Superstars. With sales of 157,250 on the Playstation2 and 90,000 on the Gamecube, the title was one of the best selling fighting games of 2006 in Japan.
WHAT’S GOOD
The game plays like a faster, more frantic, version of Super Smash Bros. Although there are many comparisons to Jump Super Stars and Jump Ultimate Stars, I find that these comparisons unwarranted; at least in the States. Sure Jump Ultimate Stars has hundreds of characters to play with compared to the twenty in Battle Stadium D.O.N, but it’s next to impossible to find a friend who'll also be willing to shell out the 50$ import rate that most sites and stores ask, especially for a DS game. Even with the wi-fi, Jump Ultimate Stars will ultimately wear itself out unless you have another friend to play it with.
Battle Stadium D.O.N circumvents these issues by including a four player multi-player mode that’s an absolute blast and among the best on the Gamecube and Playstation2. The rate of enjoyment you’ll experience is exponential in regards to how well you know the characters, but the knowledge isn’t a requirement. If you watch the shows and you’re a fan, the game will quickly rise to the top of your multi-player choices.
The fact that it plays a lot faster than Super Smash Bros. is a great plus. The controls are tight and are intuitive (Attack, Special Attack, Super Move, and Jump). The gist of the fighting centers around collecting orbs in order to fill up the bar at the top of the screen in a tug of war type fashion. When you have collected roughly 90% of the orbs, your character will receive a boost in power that will help you to finish off your opponents. Usually that’s around the time when everyone gangs up on you…
WHAT’S BAD
The single-player mode is vapid. There’s just not a whole lot there, which can pretty much be said of the majority of modern fighters (ala Tekken). Unlocking characters/levels is done through an extremely redundant slot machine mini-game that comes up every time you beat the single player mode. You spend the money you earn from mission levels on the slot machine until it goes to a secondary slot-machine stage (with its annoying own music). Then if you’re lucky enough, you may be able to unlock a character or level. The concept is idiotic. Let me earn the character. Don’t leave it to luck. Very bad design choice.
WHAT ELSE
Frankly, you’ll play this game for the multi-player. If you’re a loner who doesn’t have any friends, you’re better off with something else. However, if you just happen to like having any kind of fun with your friends, then this game is definitely worth picking up. Although there are a few balancing issues between characters, it’s nothing major and you’ll easily look past it as you kill countless nights kamehameha-ing each other into oblivion. Good times!
Gameplay – 9.2
Everyone controls smoothly and intuitively with the controls being basically the same as a faster Smash Bros., only with super moves.
Audio – 8.7
Character voices and theme music from their respective shows are included. The in-game music is lame though.
Graphics – 8.4
The game is very colorful and all the characters are replicated faithfully. The stages are a little plain however.
Replay – 9.5
Extremely fun multi-player and quite frankly, the only reason to own the game. Don’t bother if you don’t have any friends.
Overall – 9.2
$64.90 Play Asia (GCN) : http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-48-49-en-70-1c7d.html
$64.90 Play Asia (PS2) : http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-40-77-1-49-en-15-battle%2Bstadium-70-1byg.html
$??.?? Ebay (GCN/PS2) : http://video-games.search.ebay.com/battle-stadium_Video-Games_W0QQcatrefZC12QQfromZR40QQsacatZ1249
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTfRjciJEVY
Released in Japan on 07/20/06, Battle Stadium D.O.N is an anime based fighter (with characters from Dragonball Z, One Piece, and Naruto) resembling Super Smash Brothers and Jump Superstars. With sales of 157,250 on the Playstation2 and 90,000 on the Gamecube, the title was one of the best selling fighting games of 2006 in Japan.
WHAT’S GOOD
The game plays like a faster, more frantic, version of Super Smash Bros. Although there are many comparisons to Jump Super Stars and Jump Ultimate Stars, I find that these comparisons unwarranted; at least in the States. Sure Jump Ultimate Stars has hundreds of characters to play with compared to the twenty in Battle Stadium D.O.N, but it’s next to impossible to find a friend who'll also be willing to shell out the 50$ import rate that most sites and stores ask, especially for a DS game. Even with the wi-fi, Jump Ultimate Stars will ultimately wear itself out unless you have another friend to play it with.
Battle Stadium D.O.N circumvents these issues by including a four player multi-player mode that’s an absolute blast and among the best on the Gamecube and Playstation2. The rate of enjoyment you’ll experience is exponential in regards to how well you know the characters, but the knowledge isn’t a requirement. If you watch the shows and you’re a fan, the game will quickly rise to the top of your multi-player choices.
The fact that it plays a lot faster than Super Smash Bros. is a great plus. The controls are tight and are intuitive (Attack, Special Attack, Super Move, and Jump). The gist of the fighting centers around collecting orbs in order to fill up the bar at the top of the screen in a tug of war type fashion. When you have collected roughly 90% of the orbs, your character will receive a boost in power that will help you to finish off your opponents. Usually that’s around the time when everyone gangs up on you…
WHAT’S BAD
The single-player mode is vapid. There’s just not a whole lot there, which can pretty much be said of the majority of modern fighters (ala Tekken). Unlocking characters/levels is done through an extremely redundant slot machine mini-game that comes up every time you beat the single player mode. You spend the money you earn from mission levels on the slot machine until it goes to a secondary slot-machine stage (with its annoying own music). Then if you’re lucky enough, you may be able to unlock a character or level. The concept is idiotic. Let me earn the character. Don’t leave it to luck. Very bad design choice.
WHAT ELSE
Frankly, you’ll play this game for the multi-player. If you’re a loner who doesn’t have any friends, you’re better off with something else. However, if you just happen to like having any kind of fun with your friends, then this game is definitely worth picking up. Although there are a few balancing issues between characters, it’s nothing major and you’ll easily look past it as you kill countless nights kamehameha-ing each other into oblivion. Good times!
Gameplay – 9.2
Everyone controls smoothly and intuitively with the controls being basically the same as a faster Smash Bros., only with super moves.
Audio – 8.7
Character voices and theme music from their respective shows are included. The in-game music is lame though.
Graphics – 8.4
The game is very colorful and all the characters are replicated faithfully. The stages are a little plain however.
Replay – 9.5
Extremely fun multi-player and quite frankly, the only reason to own the game. Don’t bother if you don’t have any friends.
Overall – 9.2
$64.90 Play Asia (GCN) : http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-48-49-en-70-1c7d.html
$64.90 Play Asia (PS2) : http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-40-77-1-49-en-15-battle%2Bstadium-70-1byg.html
$??.?? Ebay (GCN/PS2) : http://video-games.search.ebay.com/battle-stadium_Video-Games_W0QQcatrefZC12QQfromZR40QQsacatZ1249