In Truth, a Most Honorable Game
Salt the sumo ring, because this game has guts. It wasn't the best mind you, but hey, any game with fat guys and ninjas can't be all bad, right?
This game will be a real treat for fans of the cartoon. It's the best way to step into the three sumo's towering miwashis and wreak some over-sized havoc. You might recognize some of the situations the sumos get themselves into, such as the city turning into a jungle, a trip back in time to medieval Mongolia and (from one of my personal favorite episodes) a trip to the woods.
Similarly, your adversaries are plucked from the series. You encounter killer fish, mutant bunnies, evil bees, robotic dinosaurs, obese accountants and, of course, those pesky BAD Inc. ninjas.
Along with the villainous Dr. Stinger, B.S., Ms. Mister and Genghis Fenghis, all three sumos are immediately playable. Each sumo retains his signature move from the show, perhaps the most devastating being Booma's (not Boomer) "Gluteus Maximus" attack.
The only holes in this game are the slightly annoying mini-games and the length. Beyond the initial game there is not much to do. I guess I've just come to expect more from a handheld game. This is over pretty quick, but what's there is pretty sweet. Nice graphical touches (the sumo's eyes bulge as their girth becomes stuck in manholes) and the sumos move list and enemy types are more spacious than you'd expect. But once past the initial game, there is nothing left to do except replay your favorite levels. This is kind of like "I Ninja" except with sumos and on a Game Boy.
Your devotion to the series could affect your enjoyment of the game. People who aren't really fans might consider this and average game and subtract a star. Of course, die-hard fans of the show (those who've had plastic surgery to look like Booma's posterior) will claim that this is the greatest thing ever made, and give it an easy five stars. But for those of us in the middle, this game is definitely worth it. So, on your next stop to the all you can eat sushi buffet, bound off and buy this game.
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