Rival Schools

"The perfect fighting game. Ever. Really."

This game must be the most super-duper ultimate mega happy fragilisticly cool game ever to hit the Playstation. It's a fighting game. A really good one. About fighting schools. And even more, IT HAS A PLOT. Praise the mazza. And the sound is good. Very good. Capcom really made it with this one.

Control: 10/10
The control is perfect. It uses the same system as Street Fighter, which was never bad in the first place. You must do button combinations to do moves, which can be simple and hard, from Down-Diagonal Down Left-Left-Square to Down-Diagonal Down Left-Left-Diagonal Up Left-Up-Diagonal Up Right-Right-Square. It isn't laggy at all, and delivers on the mark.

Gameplay: 10/10
Here is where the game shines. There are gorgeous specials and team combinations, training modes, innovative characters and weapons such as a baseball bat, a soccer ball, a volleyball, a disco ball, and many others. I have yet to find a fighting game that lets you use a clipboard as a weapon. You can unlock characters and endings. Most of all, the game is challenging, but not so-challenging-you-will-rip-your-hair-out in the Street Fighter style. best gameplay I've seen of a fighting game yet, even tying with the wonderful modes of Soul Caliber. You can play as students from different schools, and strive to be the best. Top marks to this category.

Sound: 10/10
The sound is right, as the music is crisp and fits the theme of the battle. The way the characters sound in battle is nice, because they don't sound constipated like in most other fighting games.

Story: 10/10
There is a story. For each of schools, there is a different plot for the trio of characters. The plots aren't just ''I must find the ultimate competitor!'', as you will see characters like Batsu try to find his father. The endings are great too, as they are comical and funny.

Graphics: 10/10
For a 3d game, it can't get any better. The animation was designed perfectly, with no blocky characters to take up space on the screen. The characters actually look like they should in the selection screen. And since Capcom usually does 2d fighters, it's come a long way.

Overall: 10/10
Precisely speaking, Rival Schools is probably the best fighter on the Playstation currently in my opinion. Perhaps another will top it, but I don't think it will come soon.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/04/01, Updated 04/04/01