Title Screen by Team17 and Makingames, Ltd.
Right Time
In 2007, Superman: Doomsday, an animated movie from Warner Brothers Animation, represents an interpretation of the comic book, The Death of Superman. In 2018, Detective Comics Entertainment and Warner Brother’s animation will deliver, on home video, the first of a two- part series, The Death of Superman. How does this happen? Superman: Doomsday capitalized on the success of the comic book, a few years after the phenomenon. The 2018 movies look to get closer to the full comic book interpretation. The point is it takes time to get what you want.
This is similar to Nintendo’s relationship to the beat’em up genre of video games. It takes time for Nintendo to get it to their loyalists. In 2006, Nintendo Wii, while part of the motion control era, did offer games like No More Heroes, Spyborgs, Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire, and others titles in the genre. Whereas in 2012, Nintendo’s Wii U offers so much less. Currently (2018), Nintendo Switch has Die for Valhalla, Fire Emblem Warriors, and in this case, the game Raging Justice.
Back In the Fight
MakinGames, a former Rare developer, and Team 17, have brought a different beat’em up title to the Nintendo Switch. The companies, responsible for games like Overcooked and Yooka Laylee, create a solid, side- scrolling, action game. You play as Nikki Rage, Rick Justice, or Ashley King in a game where you take on a city full of crime and corruption. Players must “punch, kick, and brawl” their way “through the deadly streets, to bring those punks to justice.”
It takes its influences from games like Sega’s Streets of Rage, Capcom’s Final Fight, and other similar games. Nikki Rage acts as the fighter with balance. Rick Justice brings a powerful, brawler’s style to the fight while Ashley King fights with a speedy, Capoeira style. Players, in portable, tabletop, or television modes, use the X and Y buttons to punch and kick. You use the B button to jump. The A button allows players to arrest, grab, and throw massive enemies in the game. Raging Justice, with throwback graphics to game developer Rare’s Killer Instinct (1994) graphic style, is a necessary title for Nintendo Switch owners.
Head in the Game
Raging Justice cannot afford to be mindless. The game controls well. Players’ attacks crush all the enemies on screen, with ease. You can press the X and Y buttons together to activate a special move. Every player starts with seven continues and three lives, with the ability to increase your bounty. While, it is easy to mow down enemies in the game, points and success come from enemy arrest and completion of level goals. Each level has a global, online, leader board. Players on each Nintendo Switch compete for the best scores per level.
The game controls well, but it does not give you an advantage over enemies’ bad intentions for you. For example, enemies use knives, bottles, and bats, along with their own special techniques, to take you down. They can also use these same techniques as a distraction. The game realizes players must accumulate points. If necessary, non-playable characters will take out other non-playable characters to put points, and special items like 1-ups, out of arm’s reach. Multiple enemies on screen will take you and other non-playable characters out in order to take away your lives, and continues. The game has a nice pace and gets faster as it continues.
Conclusion
Raging Justice is a beast. It can be an easy adventure or a grind, but it does represent its ancestors well. You can take this game into a summer. Invite a friend over, travel and battle with a friend, in an outdoor or other location, and really scratch your action itch. The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 hits in June. Nintendo’s fame has never been higher. The Outlast series, Splatoon 2, Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, NBA Playgrounds, Raging Justice, and other great games are available now. Nintendo’s online plan is almost a reality.
What is next? Nintendo fans know it will get better. Smash Brothers for Nintendo Switch is around the corner. A new Pokemon game will come to the console. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus and other big games will come to this system. It will be better.