This is another Japan-only crossover Smash-Bros-style fighting game on the Gamecube with characters from Takara, Hudson soft, and Konami. I'll say right out the gate: Like for most of these crossover Smash-style games, if the novelty of the characters doesn't sell you on it, don't buy it. There's a PS2 version that goes for only 20 bucks, but that version doesn't have a 4-player mode, and the Game Cube version runs about 50 bucks, so when you can get D.O.N. Battle Stadium (which I feel is a technically more competent game) for like 10 bucks, this is really hard to recommend for the price.
For reference, the fighting roster is: Power Pro Kun (From the Konami Baseball games), Simon Belmont, Twinbee, Solid Snake, Moai (from Gradius), Optimus Prime, Rika chan (she's basically the Japanese Barbie equivalent), Micro Man (apparently his toy line got a US release in the 80's (?)), Taoka Kun (the Beyblade guy), Azura (honestly no idea what she's from other than the fact she's a Takara toy), Megatron, Momotaro (from Momotaro Densetsu), Adventure Island guy (I can never read his name properly, and that's just what I call him), Mejimaru (the protagonist of Far East of Eden (I think)), Bomberman, Yugo (from Bloody Roar), and Binbougami (also from Momotaro Dentetsu).
Mechanically, it is far more similar to something like D.O.N Battle Stadium than something like Smash Bros. or Playstation All-Stars. There are so many hearts distributed between the lot of you, and you've gotta beat the hearts out of them to lower the amount they have. When someone loses their last heart, it flys out of them really high, and once it's collected they're out. You can recollect it though and get back into the game though, but it's hard to do that because the enemy can potentially just grab it the instant it flies out of you. Definitely my least favorite mechanics out of the 4 games like this I've played.
Despite my earlier comments, this game does control just fine, as it's yet another crossover fighting game from the guys at Eighting (who would go on to make the also great Castlevania Judgment and Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom, and the Naruto Ninja Taisen series). My main problems is that the balance on the characters is ALL over the place, and mechanically it isn't as deep as something like Smash Bros (in most areas). The most notable changes from Smash Bros are less special moves (only a standard and then a direction-you're-facing + special) as well as less normal attacks (though you do have smash-attacks, effectively), and no ducking or block-rolling. The only mechanic which really adds anything is the ability to parry an enemy's attack by blocking at the moment their attack hits you. It does add a different layer to the strategy, but it doesn't really make up for all of the things they omit, in my opinion.
Granted, this game is about as competitive as Smash Bros. Some of the characters just downright suck and there's no reason to use them unless you just really like the character. Binbougami, Megatron, and Moai especially are so fat and slow, they're the (Brawl versions of) Gandondorf, Bowser, and Dedede of this game in how they're bad guys who hit hard but are way to slow to do jack shit when the game revolves around collecting hearts, not just hitting people. Then there are characters like Momotaro who move quicker but have basically no range or attack speed so they're useless as well. Then you have guys like Optimus and Taoka who just have such crazy speed and natural combos that there's no reason not to ever use them if you're trying to win. Again, it's not the biggest problem in the world because it's a party game, but it's just more pronounced than something like Smash Bros because the game is so much more simplified mechanically that the more obviously better characters really stand out. The biggest nice thing I can say about the characters, though, is that they're very simple and easy to unlock. No faffing around with rediculous arcane banalities like Smash Bros Brawl and Melee, just beat the single player mode with everyone, and you'll have everyone unlocked.
Verdict: As I said before, really hard to whole-heartedly recommend for the price you'd have to pay. If that roster sounds like something you'd have fun with and you're okay paying for it, then go right ahead. You'll probably enjoy it about as much as I did (and I did, really, despite all of my complaining). An okay game, but really only stands on its fanservice as mechanically and price-wise it just isn't up to par with the other entries in the genre, let alone on the same console.
For reference, the fighting roster is: Power Pro Kun (From the Konami Baseball games), Simon Belmont, Twinbee, Solid Snake, Moai (from Gradius), Optimus Prime, Rika chan (she's basically the Japanese Barbie equivalent), Micro Man (apparently his toy line got a US release in the 80's (?)), Taoka Kun (the Beyblade guy), Azura (honestly no idea what she's from other than the fact she's a Takara toy), Megatron, Momotaro (from Momotaro Densetsu), Adventure Island guy (I can never read his name properly, and that's just what I call him), Mejimaru (the protagonist of Far East of Eden (I think)), Bomberman, Yugo (from Bloody Roar), and Binbougami (also from Momotaro Dentetsu).
Mechanically, it is far more similar to something like D.O.N Battle Stadium than something like Smash Bros. or Playstation All-Stars. There are so many hearts distributed between the lot of you, and you've gotta beat the hearts out of them to lower the amount they have. When someone loses their last heart, it flys out of them really high, and once it's collected they're out. You can recollect it though and get back into the game though, but it's hard to do that because the enemy can potentially just grab it the instant it flies out of you. Definitely my least favorite mechanics out of the 4 games like this I've played.
Despite my earlier comments, this game does control just fine, as it's yet another crossover fighting game from the guys at Eighting (who would go on to make the also great Castlevania Judgment and Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom, and the Naruto Ninja Taisen series). My main problems is that the balance on the characters is ALL over the place, and mechanically it isn't as deep as something like Smash Bros (in most areas). The most notable changes from Smash Bros are less special moves (only a standard and then a direction-you're-facing + special) as well as less normal attacks (though you do have smash-attacks, effectively), and no ducking or block-rolling. The only mechanic which really adds anything is the ability to parry an enemy's attack by blocking at the moment their attack hits you. It does add a different layer to the strategy, but it doesn't really make up for all of the things they omit, in my opinion.
Granted, this game is about as competitive as Smash Bros. Some of the characters just downright suck and there's no reason to use them unless you just really like the character. Binbougami, Megatron, and Moai especially are so fat and slow, they're the (Brawl versions of) Gandondorf, Bowser, and Dedede of this game in how they're bad guys who hit hard but are way to slow to do jack shit when the game revolves around collecting hearts, not just hitting people. Then there are characters like Momotaro who move quicker but have basically no range or attack speed so they're useless as well. Then you have guys like Optimus and Taoka who just have such crazy speed and natural combos that there's no reason not to ever use them if you're trying to win. Again, it's not the biggest problem in the world because it's a party game, but it's just more pronounced than something like Smash Bros because the game is so much more simplified mechanically that the more obviously better characters really stand out. The biggest nice thing I can say about the characters, though, is that they're very simple and easy to unlock. No faffing around with rediculous arcane banalities like Smash Bros Brawl and Melee, just beat the single player mode with everyone, and you'll have everyone unlocked.
Verdict: As I said before, really hard to whole-heartedly recommend for the price you'd have to pay. If that roster sounds like something you'd have fun with and you're okay paying for it, then go right ahead. You'll probably enjoy it about as much as I did (and I did, really, despite all of my complaining). An okay game, but really only stands on its fanservice as mechanically and price-wise it just isn't up to par with the other entries in the genre, let alone on the same console.