Ranma 1/2

~ RANMA 1/2 ~

NCS/Masaya

CD-ROM

1990

Well, I suppose this one can be considered a single-plane, side-scrolling "beat 'em up." The controls are terribly sloppy: the gameplay is fast but very loose, and there isn't really any way to avoid bumbling into at least some of the enemies as you speed through the levels. Sometimes you'll be forced to defeat a particular foe, but rarely will this demand more than exploitation of one or two simple "techniques," be it a matter of repeated heel stomps, simple duck-and-kicks, or plain old button mashing.

But the focus isn't on the action. Not really. In fact, exempting the eighth and final level (most of which takes place in a building with multiple floors), total play time for a one-life clear doesn't far exceed five minutes. The cinematics are the main draw, and Ranma fans will love how closely the events here mirror the first (and best) season of the show (up until the end, at least, when the game's story takes a weird turn). You get the best of the early Ranma plot points (including the famous scalping of Akane) in cinemas that are humorous and fairly well done.

They did try to spice up the gameplay just a bit by giving you a variety of tasks to complete. Aside from the standard punching-and-platforming stuff, you'll also have to escort Akane to school, win a race, and defeat some of Ranma's longtime adversaries, including the ever-lost Ryouga. Almost all of it is a breeze to get through, and the sloppiness will repel most players immediately, but there is goofy, kitschy appeal to the gameplay (similar to how Night Creatures can be appealing), and those acquainted with the anime will definitely get a kick out of the interludes and level concepts.