Bloody Roar Extreme, Nintendo GameCube

As far as the beat-em-up genre is concerned, originality has become a scarce quality. We've played 2D fighter after 2D fighter, and we've mastered Tekken and Virtua Fighter. Is there anything else beat-em-ups can offer us? We think there's a little innovation to squeezed out yet, and Activision's Bloody Roar for GameCube is a good example. As one of the first beat-em-ups for the purple/black vanity case (it's your choice, dear shopper) Bloody Roar is likely to come under considerable scrutiny. At first glance, Bloody Roar looks like nothing more than a standard, Tekken/Toshinden clone. All you have to do is choose a fighter, climb into the ring and take your opponent down. But veterans of the series will know there is more to Bloody Roar then meets the eye. As you fight, a gauge slowly fills at the bottom of the screen. Press the appropriate button once the gauge is full, and something completely unexpected occurs - your character transforms into a wild beast! Now your attacks become stronger and deal more damage than ever before. It's getting used to two unique fighting styles with a single character that makes Bloody Roar so compelling to play and such a challenge. Bloody Roar: Primal Fury has a flexible and fluid combination engine that allows chains (linking together normal attacks) that are cancellable into special and super moves. You can even juggle your opponent as they fall to the ground or bounce off the walls. Many spectacular and difficult combos can be mastered if you are prepared to practice. Bloody Roar still retains the same classic play mechanics as the first three instalments, but improves on the formula with visually appealing, fully-interactive environments and new super beast power-ups. Combatants can throw one another through walls or other structures and then follow them through to finish them off. And it's all demonstrated by the graphical prowess afforded by the GameCube hardware.

Buy Bloody Roar Extreme for 7.99 GBP

Pitfall: The Lost Expedition
For those of us (depressingly) old enough to remember the original Pitfall, the prospect of a contemporary remake is certainly an attractive one to say the least. Back when bytes were by the K, bits were the things you sprinkled on ice cream, and Hertz was a European car hire company, Pitfall had us all glued to our TV sets, hunched over our Atari 2600s for hours on end with its addictive, jungle-...
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat Pak
Feel the beat of a completely new gaming experience as you drum through an incredible jungle adventure with Donkey Kong! DK has to brave the dangers of the jungle to rescue his simian pals! Grab a set of DK Bongos and use them to guide Donkey Kong through wild jungle environments brimming with ravenous enemies and challenging obstacles. The control is in the bongos - tap the bongos, do a drum roll...
Resident Evil 2
In 1996, Capcom revived a near dead survival horror genre when it unleashed a surprise hit on PlayStation. That game was Resident Evil. It quickly became one of the industry's most prominent game series and, quite rightly, went on to sell millions. A sequel was inevitable, and despite a series of setbacks and re-designs, finally got its eagerly awaited release in March 1998. Again, millions of cop...
Goblin Commander: Unleash the Horde
This latest RTS from Jaleco is possibly one of the first of its kind not to make an appearance on the PC, having been designed specifically for the current crop of home consoles. As a result, the game places more of an emphasis on fast, arcade-style combat and features an easy to master control system, geared more towards the common control pad rather than your typical keyboard/mouse setup. As the...
FIFA Football 2003
Another year, another edition of FIFA Football, but this time on a spanking new platform, the Nintendo GameCube, and, we're assured by Electronic Arts, a new 'built from the ground up' playing experience. Verily, FIFA Football 2003 breaks the odd number hoodoo suffered in the 1999 and 2001 versions and is set to take on all-comers for premier status in footy fans' hearts. Think of the FIFA series,...
SpongeBob Squarepants: Lights, Camera, Pants!
SpongeBob, the earnest square-trousered burger bar employee has become what grown-ups like to term a media phenomenon. That means everybody thinks he's ace, though Plankton still doesn't seem to be convinced. As well as being the star of his own hit Nickelodeon cartoon shows, the daft sponge has been the star of a bewildering procession of videogame spin-offs. Now he's back, with Squidward, Mr. Kr...