It bugs me to no end that SNK hasn’t revisited its King of the Monsters series. Originally born on the Neo-Geo, it was an absolute go-to- franchise when you wanted to smash large creatures, either alone or with friends, while tearing the city to pieces. The game and its sequel have seen a fair share of re-releases, but we have yet to see a new entry.
In the meantime, however, we have GigaBash, a surprisingly enjoyable romp from Passion Republic Games that easily fills that void. It’s all about smashing stuff with some really cool monsters – including Godzilla, who’s available in a separate DLC pack. And who can resist that? Not me.
The game is built more for multiplayer joy, as the single player campaign is over in a flash (like, surprise, King of the Monsters). But if you’ve got some friends that are down to trash Tokyo (or wherever you end up), you’ll find GigaBash to your liking. It’s just the kaiju brawler you need right now.
Pick Your Monster
The game features ten different kaiju types – not including Godzilla and his buddies in the DLC pack – and then sets you out to destroy others in a 3D city setting of some kind. From there, you’ll combine light and heavy attacks to show them who’s boss, while also being able to hurl opponents and other items around like Frisbees. There’s also some solid defensive tactics here, including blocking and dashing, which are useful to avoid incoming moves.
But the big thing here? Your giga energy attack, which you can build up over time. Once you unleash this, you’ll create a devastating technique that serves in your favor, knocking them back or even taking them out completely, depending on their energy. These are probably the most fun to watch, though you can also unleash a good throw or combo.
Overall, the gameplay feels great, and it’s really simple to get into. And what’s surprising is how fun it is to play as the new kaiju, along with Godzilla and company.
That said, however, it’s better suited for multiplayer romps. The game does have a single player component, but it’s over in a matter of hours, and most of the missions follow the same plotline. It is fun to get through, and will give you a better feel for your kaiju, so consider it a warm-up for the main event that waits against others. Get your friends and prepare for a monster mash.
Now That’s a Good Lookin’ Kaiju
The team at Passion Republic Games clearly knows its monster movies, and it shows with GigaBash. Each of the kaiju here are finely represented with good animations and neat, flowing effects with their giga moves. And, yes, Godzilla and his squad are done justice as well, so please don’t fret that. (1998 Godzilla this ain’t.) I’m also a fan of the city design and the destructive levels you and your fighting kaiju can reach, though I still prefer the way War of the Monsters’ buildings crumble. Still, this ain’t bad at all.
Throw in some solid kaiju sound effects, themed music and other stuff that captures that kaiju vibe, and you have a game that will suit your visual and aural senses. Even more so if you grew up with any of the givenGodzilla films. (Again, not 1998.)
Last Monster Standing
I wish more had been done with GigaBash’s story campaign, either with length or diversity in missions to challenge your utmost kaiju skills. But as it stands, it’s still a terrific romp for monster fans, with a fine variety of monsters (and Godzilla!), as well as solid gameplay that anyone can get into. The presentation is good fun as well, really capturing the aspect of what these big monsters are all about.
If you’re a fan of Godzilla or other monsters of this type, you’ll absolutely love this. Just make sure to bring some friends along to help you trash the world. No monster is an army, after all.
GAMERHUB RATING: 4 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
(Thanks to Passion Republic Games for providing review code!)
