Multiplayer fighting games... Power Stone I choose YOU!
Buying Super Smash Bros. Brawl made me realize that I'm not as much of a fan of the series as I had previously thought. In fact, I'm losing interest in playing the game altogether. I thought getting it would give me the multiplayer fighting fix I've been looking for, something on par with Power Stone, but it's just not the same. Instead Smash Bros. made me want to reboot my Dreamcast to play the game, and its sequel, and even eventually buy Power Stone Collection for my PSP. Basically, Smash Bros, has me longing to reexperience the underrated Power Stone, a series I enjoy moreso than Nintendo's melee fighter.
Not that I'm knocking the Smash Bros, it's a good series for what it is. But all the fan service in the world, won't make me a devout follower. It's entertaining in the sense that you have all these well known characters squaring off, but I don't find it nearly as strategic as Capcom's once exclusive Dreamcast fighting series. Why'd I buy Smash Bros. again?
For it's online mode and well, the hype... I gave in to the hype, and the fact it features Sonic the Hedgehog. Plus, the series is pretty popular at the Penny Arcade Expo, so I figured I may as well train up.
I always found Smash Bros. a little on the basic side. A game that's easy to pick up and doesn't require much from the player, even though people have said there's depth to the fighting system, I really don't see it. It's very button mashy. The fighting mechanics on a 2d plane works for the type of game that it is, but it feels limiting, and repetitive. It lacks the dynamic of the third-dimension which makes Power Stone all the more versatile. Also I'm not too crazy about the Smash Bros. level design, and the floatiness of the characters, but that's just me nitpicking.
Released around the same time in 1999, Power Stone (Dreamcast), and Super Smash Bros.(N64) introduced a fresh multiplayer fighting experience to gamers. One featured well-known game characters from Nintendo titles, while the other featured anime characters that most people weren't familiar with at all. Of course Nintendo with its massive fanbase easily overshadowed Sega, delivered a game the fans would go crazy for.
Capcom knows fighting games, plain and simple. With Power Stone they demonstrated their abilities developing a fully 3D arena fighting system, where players can interact with the environment, while using various items including power ups to defeat their opponent. Players could jump off walls, and execute combination attacks, on top of all the other attacks in a very arcadey brawl style.
I think I will play some Power Stone. Here's hoping that another one is in the works. Anything's possible these days... especially since NiGHTS made a come back...
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