Super Duper Sumos: A Superb GBA Beat-Em-Up!

[josekortez]

I didn't know today would start Beat-Em-Up Week on DP, or even that there would ever be a Beat-Em-Up Week, but one of the games on my unplayed pile was Midway's Super Duper Sumos for Game Boy Advance. I picked it up at EB Games last week for $4.99. I finally pulled the GBA out of the drawer and tried it tonight. Surprisingly, it's really good.

I think it's based on a cartoon that I've never seen, but they didn't let it suck because of that fact. There are legions of enemies and items you can use to destroy enemies. You can also use super combo moves that you learn as the game progresses. The bosses are odd, ranging from a dinosaur that hides behind trees to a Christmas tree that throws ornament bombs.

It reminds me of Streets of Rage or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (there are even manholes to get stuck in). I guess if you have to imitate older games, it's good that Super Duper Sumos imitates two great ones. It even uses something like Mode 7 to do these transitions between the cinemas.

If I had a complaint, it would be that some overweight people might not like the jokes. All of the reflex mini-games between the stages are based around food, but if you can get past that fact, it's a really good game that most players will overlook (hence the cheap EB price).

[Gamereviewgod]

Wow. All the reviews I read ripped it apart, but if it's got manholes, I'm there!

[josekortez]

That's why I take reviews with a grain of salt. Sometimes, games are good when you consider them in the proper context, not next to all GBA games but other games of that type.

If you try to compare Super Duper Sumos to the Castlevania games or Metroid Fusion or Mario & Luigi, there's no contest. But if I compare it to older beat-em-ups such as Streets of Rage or TMNT IV, then it's good when compared to those games. Most contemporary magazines expect every game to compare to high-profile releases, but sometimes they totally miss the point. Their 10 is a Harmony of Dissonance or Fusion 10. Besides, $5 isn't too much to take a risk on an overlooked title like Super Duper Sumos.

Except in the case of Kabuki Warriors for Xbox. I still have nightmares about the complete lack of gameplay in the game. And Aquaman. I'm still afraid that my system will reject it when I put the disc in...

[ManekiNeko]

Well, THIS reviewer thought that the game wasn't anything special. It was a perfect example of why the beat 'em up genre didn't survive past the nineties... they were just too painfully repetitive for all but the most determined players.

Sure, Super Duper Sumos has a solid game engine, but there's just not much to it. You just run around beating up big chinned thugs and filling your attack meter until you can blast 'em all away with a super attack. The humor is pretty stupid, too... I'd hate to see the cartoon that inspired this game, as I'm certain it would be even more idiotic.

Having said all that, I've got to admit that the game is still a lot better than Mucha Lucha: Mascaritas of the Lost Code. It's so lousy that even the Mexican wrestlers it attempts to pay tribute to wouldn't want to touch it.

JR

[josekortez]

Aren't all beat-em-ups repetitive? Granted, I haven't played Guardian Heroes, which I hear is the best beat-em-up of all time, or possibly others that I haven't heard of that aren't repetitive.

Anyway, Super Duper Sumos is really good for what it is. Once again, though, I didn't pay $30 for it, or $20. For $5, it is a good game that is what it's supposed to be. Makes me wonder if we don't view the classic beat-em-up with rose-colored glasses. That's all I have to say.

[Gamereviewgod]

Ok, Kabuki Warriors wasn't that bad. I actually enjoyed and played through it with my friend....all the way. It can actually get deep if you give it a chance and some of the moves are spectacular. There, I said it.