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Parody games have never done particularly well - not least because a lot games don't take themselves seriously. So Divekick, which has a pop at fighting game conventions, could well have been a complete trainwreck. Its fighting roster features fourteen characters - including Johnny Gat from Saints Row - who by by and large are parodies of existing fighting games. And it also only features two buttons - dive, and kick. Yeah.. not a good sign.
But surprisingly, Divekick is actually one of the best fighting games out there at the moment. Not only is it genuinely funny but it's a great fighting game in its own right. Boiling down gameplay into two basic moves - plus two special chargeable special abilities for each character - actually makes the game more about strategy. You're not assured victory if you hammer all the buttons or learn a series of super combos.
So how does it work? Well, hitting the jump button launches your character into the air, and dive brings them down again, but you can also jump back and forth. Also, each character has a slightly different jump angle, so it becomes a case of trying to get the better attack angle. Why is this so important? Because one single hit will knock your opponent out, which is Divekick's second concession to simpler gameplay.
Daft as it sounds, this also works. The winner is the first to gain five knockouts, and ensures games don't devolve into fireball slinging matches or cheapness. There is potential for rubbing your victory in your opponent's face, however... the game yells 'Fraud Detection Warning' if your opponent loses four times in a row. And as Johnny Gat, you can also run your opponent over with a car using your special move. The graphics are also superb, with an HD cartoony appearance that suits the game perfectly.
Divekick is a ridiculous game, a concept that you'd swear blind wouldn't work and, indeed, began life as a bit of a mickey-take of fight games. But it's great fun to play, you don't need to be a fighting pro to play it, and it takes the frustration out of fighting games. Even if Street Fighter 4 is more your thing, Divekick is well worth the price of admission.
Score - 8 out of 10
Pros:
It's a blast to play.
The simplified controls/fighting really work.
Anyone can play it.
Cons:
Serious fighting fans might miss their fancy special moves.
But surprisingly, Divekick is actually one of the best fighting games out there at the moment. Not only is it genuinely funny but it's a great fighting game in its own right. Boiling down gameplay into two basic moves - plus two special chargeable special abilities for each character - actually makes the game more about strategy. You're not assured victory if you hammer all the buttons or learn a series of super combos.
So how does it work? Well, hitting the jump button launches your character into the air, and dive brings them down again, but you can also jump back and forth. Also, each character has a slightly different jump angle, so it becomes a case of trying to get the better attack angle. Why is this so important? Because one single hit will knock your opponent out, which is Divekick's second concession to simpler gameplay.
Daft as it sounds, this also works. The winner is the first to gain five knockouts, and ensures games don't devolve into fireball slinging matches or cheapness. There is potential for rubbing your victory in your opponent's face, however... the game yells 'Fraud Detection Warning' if your opponent loses four times in a row. And as Johnny Gat, you can also run your opponent over with a car using your special move. The graphics are also superb, with an HD cartoony appearance that suits the game perfectly.
Divekick is a ridiculous game, a concept that you'd swear blind wouldn't work and, indeed, began life as a bit of a mickey-take of fight games. But it's great fun to play, you don't need to be a fighting pro to play it, and it takes the frustration out of fighting games. Even if Street Fighter 4 is more your thing, Divekick is well worth the price of admission.
Score - 8 out of 10
Pros:
It's a blast to play.
The simplified controls/fighting really work.
Anyone can play it.
Cons:
Serious fighting fans might miss their fancy special moves.
I keep meaning to give this a go. It looked as much like a rhythm action game as a fighter to me.
Good review.
Good review.
Parody games have never done particularly well - not least because a lot games don't take themselves seriously. So Divekick, which has a pop at fighting game conventions, could well have been a complete trainwreck. Its fighting roster features fourteen characters - including Johnny Gat from Saints Row - who by by and large are parodies of existing fighting games. And it also only features two buttons - dive, and kick. Yeah.. not a good sign.
But surprisingly, Divekick is actually one of the best fighting games out there at the moment. Not only is it genuinely funny but it's a great fighting game in its own right. Boiling down gameplay into two basic moves - plus two special chargeable special abilities for each character - actually makes the game more about strategy. You're not assured victory if you hammer all the buttons or learn a series of super combos.
So how does it work? Well, hitting the jump button launches your character into the air, and dive brings them down again, but you can also jump back and forth. Also, each character has a slightly different jump angle, so it becomes a case of trying to get the better attack angle. Why is this so important? Because one single hit will knock your opponent out, which is Divekick's second concession to simpler gameplay.
Daft as it sounds, this also works. The winner is the first to gain five knockouts, and ensures games don't devolve into fireball slinging matches or cheapness. There is potential for rubbing your victory in your opponent's face, however... the game yells 'Fraud Detection Warning' if your opponent loses four times in a row. And as Johnny Gat, you can also run your opponent over with a car using your special move. The graphics are also superb, with an HD cartoony appearance that suits the game perfectly.
Divekick is a ridiculous game, a concept that you'd swear blind wouldn't work and, indeed, began life as a bit of a mickey-take of fight games. But it's great fun to play, you don't need to be a fighting pro to play it, and it takes the frustration out of fighting games. Even if Street Fighter 4 is more your thing, Divekick is well worth the price of admission.
Score - 8 out of 10
Pros:
It's a blast to play.
The simplified controls/fighting really work.
Anyone can play it.
Cons:
Serious fighting fans might miss their fancy special moves.
But surprisingly, Divekick is actually one of the best fighting games out there at the moment. Not only is it genuinely funny but it's a great fighting game in its own right. Boiling down gameplay into two basic moves - plus two special chargeable special abilities for each character - actually makes the game more about strategy. You're not assured victory if you hammer all the buttons or learn a series of super combos.
So how does it work? Well, hitting the jump button launches your character into the air, and dive brings them down again, but you can also jump back and forth. Also, each character has a slightly different jump angle, so it becomes a case of trying to get the better attack angle. Why is this so important? Because one single hit will knock your opponent out, which is Divekick's second concession to simpler gameplay.
Daft as it sounds, this also works. The winner is the first to gain five knockouts, and ensures games don't devolve into fireball slinging matches or cheapness. There is potential for rubbing your victory in your opponent's face, however... the game yells 'Fraud Detection Warning' if your opponent loses four times in a row. And as Johnny Gat, you can also run your opponent over with a car using your special move. The graphics are also superb, with an HD cartoony appearance that suits the game perfectly.
Divekick is a ridiculous game, a concept that you'd swear blind wouldn't work and, indeed, began life as a bit of a mickey-take of fight games. But it's great fun to play, you don't need to be a fighting pro to play it, and it takes the frustration out of fighting games. Even if Street Fighter 4 is more your thing, Divekick is well worth the price of admission.
Score - 8 out of 10
Pros:
It's a blast to play.
The simplified controls/fighting really work.
Anyone can play it.
Cons:
Serious fighting fans might miss their fancy special moves.