So, we finally got our hands on Joy Mecha Fight. I heard Nintendo R&D1 had a blast making this, but honestly, I’m bracing myself for something… let’s say… ‘unique.’ Shall we give it a whirl?

Absolutely, let’s dive in! I mean, we control robots composed of floating segments. What’s not to love? But don’t get too excited. There’s a reason this game hasn’t become a household name.

They start playing the story mode, laughing at the rudimentary animation of Sukapon.

Alright, here we are, controlling Sukapon. I have to say, the segmented, floating body parts are… innovative? Or perhaps just weird. It’s like playing with an action figure that’s missing half its joints.

Innovative is a generous term. But let’s focus – the story’s pretty straightforward. Evil scientist Warunachi has gone rogue, turning all robots evil. Typical mad scientist stuff. But hey, at least we have Dr. Eamon on our side. Move over, Mega Man.

You can tell they’ve aimed for a Street Fighter II vibe, but it’s more ‘Joy Mecha Fright’ than ‘Fight.’ These special move controls are rough. Look at this one – a quarter circle forward and punch to execute a spin attack. It feels more like playing a piano concerto than a fighting game.

Keep at it! But you’re right, the controls aren’t exactly intuitive. Side note, did you know the folks at R&D1 also worked on Metro—whoa, did you see that move? Ridiculous. Anyway, same team with Metroid creds. Go figure! They must have felt wild about experimenting.

Considering the Metroid legacy, this is definitely the wild uncle at the family reunion. What did EGM say? That it’s the ultimate robot fighting game… if you’ve never played another?

Too true. And look, we can unlock new robots! Defeat them, and they join our cause. It’s a decent concept, unlocking progression. I like it. Almost like an RPG element there.

They progress through the stages, laughing and trying different robots.

I’ve got to say, I am warming up to this quirky battle system. You can switch tactics once you unlock different robots like Santler with his spinning ranged attacks. If you can bear the clunky controls that is.

Yes, the charm is there, in a clunky, 16-bit way. Oh, and just a tech tidbit – did you hear CompuServe just launched its new online service? Imagine playing a game like this over the internet one day. Mind-blowing, right?

Ha! We’d need better controls for that. Maybe they’ll invent something like a ‘joypad’ for online fights. Now, check this out, entering the final stage!

*Warning: Spoilers!*

The ending! After slogging through all the stages, we finally face Dr. Warunachi’s ultimate weapon. This boss is like a budget Godzilla from a bad 50s film. He’s clunky, tough, and completely out of place in the game’s scale.

Oh man, this boss fight is hilarious. It’s frustrating but also strangely satisfying. Kind of like figuring out Rubik’s cube. Did you see that celebratory animation? The segments try to form a victory pose but fall apart.

Endearing but obviously the ending doesn’t pack much punch. Warunachi just seems baffled and then… game over. Still, overcoming those absurd challenges was worth a laugh.

Joy Mecha Fight is an acquired taste, a mixture of bizarre design choices and half-baked execution. Perfect in small doses, like watching a cheesy B-movie. Those looking for a serious fighter might as well leave this on the rental shelf.

Couldn’t agree more. It’s not all bad. If you revel in retro and can tolerate control quirks, there’s some fun to have. Plus, it might go from worst game to guilty pleasure. Just remember to practice those special moves!

And a final tip: Always practice your quarter circles and don’t give up! You might just save Japan, one floating robot segment at a time.

Ready for another game round?

Maybe later. For now, let’s see what else they have in the latest issue of GamePro. I saw a preview of Secret of Mana!

You can also read the Villain View of Joy Mecha Fight here!

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