Guilty Gear X Advance Edition

Sammy and developer Arc Systems Works have brought players the fun and excitement of Guilty Gear to the GBA. While the game isn’t perfect, those looking for a very playable, button smashing fighter, will want to grab a copy of Guilty Gear X: Advance Edition.

As I have mentioned in other reviews of fighters, this is not one of my favorite genres. Mainly due to the fact that I can smash buttons as fast as possible and progress through the game without having to continue much. If I ever feel the need to learn the moves and combos and I play against another human player, I find that I get my butt kicked if they are button smashing. However, I will not hold this flaw against Guilty Gear X: Advance Edition.

Players take control of one of over 14 characters. While the on-screen sprite based characters are not as detailed or large as the larger screened consoles, developer Arc Systems Works has done a great job in converting the game to the small screen with only losing a few of the animations that are found in the above mentioned versions. Each of the levels are very detailed as well as the characters. And they do all of this without any slowdown too!

There are several modes of play to choose from, including Arcade, VS, 3 on 3 Tag, Survival, Training, and more. And because none of these modes are unique to Guilty Gear X Advance Edition, I will not go into detail about each of them.

The game is presented much like the classic 2D fighters of old. You select your character of choice, begin to fight, and once you win, you will see a hand drawn image of your winning character “talking smack” to the defeated. Personally, I feel this type of gameplay is very repetitive. But since there aren’t many good fighters on the GBA, I won’t hold this against Guilty Gear X: Advance Edition.

As I mentioned above, the key to controlling the game is to hit the buttons and move the d-pad as fast as possible. Not only is this your key to victory, it will also make your fingers numb and people around you made from you making loud noises banging on the GBA. Despite the button smashing, the controls are very good. However, everything is based on the same control scheme that has been used in 2D fighters for ages.

Overall, Guilty Gear X: Advance Edition is a great purchase for fighting fans that are looking for a game on their favorite handheld system. However, for those of you who are casual fans of the genre, I would recommend a rental before purchasing. You may find that a few days of smashing the buttons are enough for you.