Ranma 1/2: Chougi Ranbu Hen

"Chogi Ogi what? Oh, the Ranma game that doesn't suck."

Like all the others, let me start out telling you how much I love (insert anime here).I'm not crazy enough to decorate my room with it, or endure the torture and beatings I'd get for it, but i'm a big fan. Now (insert anime here)has always sucked at video games, but this somewhat decent fighting game is here to change all that. To the point

Presentation/Quality: 7/10
Graphics/Animation: 8/10
Music/ Sound: 7/10
Gameplay/Control: 8/10

Chogi Robi, or whatever its called, is Super Battle, the Ranma game that never made it to our shores, ironically. Some will mistake it for some broke Street fighter clone, especially if you've never heard of the show. Actually, its more like a Ranma edition fighting game. It lampoons the genre brilliantly. The series, despite its martial arts characters, is about love, not being a SF knock off.
Where was I? Oh yeah, if you hated those dry beef faced Street Fighter characters, then this is great. It has just as much moves (and the now famous Super Special), just as much characters ( with 10x the personality), and just as much strategy. Plus, its fun to do AND watch specials.
Think of it this way:

Street Fighter: you'd be some hairy, scratched up, half naked Russian guy who wrestles in some wacky cage.
Ranma: a cute chick from China in a dragon dress on the beach.
Street Fighter: roll finger all around the control to shove the guys head in you crotch and slam him.
Ranma: press up, down+X, sit back, and enjoy the fireworks.
And it goes on. Not even SF2's Ryu is safe. Ranma not only has a fireball and uppercut, but a lightning speed punch and two special kicks of his own. Plus he's cooler.
If you're wondering why I keep chewing out SF2, its because I heard that it was the greatest 16 bit fighter, and I know most would agree that Ranma was more fun to play. There are minor problems, however. The tag battle doesn't induce head trauma, but its just as fun as falling headfirst in the long run. Its not horrible, it just kinda sucks. No tag moves (you can't really expect it though) or switching on the fly, you have to wait. Might as well just fight one round matches and do a character change.

Finally, supers are a welcome and strategic change. I've always wondered how fireballing the guy 50 times and taking a kick in the mouth would give you the strength to super fireball him. In Ranma, you press L to taunt, giving you the ability to super. they can hit you in this time period, so its tricky.
As unique as the other 2 games were, SF style is much better. It proves that(insert anime here)can live up to its name as far as games go.The catch? Well, its a little dry, even with a friend.Its also really hard to legally obtain the cart.It's still not worth those insane prices they'll ask you for it. Lastly, the games not so good now. Street Fighter has managed to outmatch it over the years. Even SFA2 for snes is much better. Anyway, if you can e-mail me and tell me in any way how SF2's better, whether its World Warriors, Turbo, Super, or Super dash Turbo X Champion Edition, I'll send you a Coke. But you can't, so the coke's all mine.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/26/03, Updated 05/26/03