"A game worthy of Beast Wars"

I have always been a fan of Transformers. When Beast Wars came about I was dubious, but the show proved me wrong. It came with the classic Transformers action, some unexpected humor, and characters that really stick to you. Now comes a GBC game based on it's Japanese counterpart, and it is awesome.

Graphics 8/10--Not the GBC's best, but you have to admire what's there. Each character is easily recognizable, with clear cut specials and attacks. Plus, when they transform, the animation really isn't too far off from the way it's supposed to be. My biggest gripe is stylistic. They went with a Mega Man look, but even so, that's only noticeable in the Victory shots anyway.

Sound 7/10--Nothing awful, but nothing that really stands out either. Sound on game boy is always notoriously tinny anyway.

Game play 9/10--This really is the important part of a game, so I'm going to spend the most time here. It is standard KoF, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It has basics, specials, supers, and super desparation moves. This isn't really surprising as Takara, the Japanese company that created Transformers, is also the company that handled the Gameboy translation of King of Fighters '95 (one of the best GB fighters there is, by the way). The biggest plus here, however, is that every character is two characters in one. They all have an alternate mode (usually a Beast Mode, but there are a couple of vehicles as well.) that is accessable with the select button. The other mode plays completely different to their robot counterparts. This more than compensates for the small list of characters (eight, with 2 secret). After all, how many other fighters have a Tank as one of the playable characters? The characters used are fitting as well, with Leo Convoy (visually my favorite Beast Wars commander), Convoy (That's Optimus Primal, not Optimus Prime), Cheetor, Megatron (The T-Rex), and Galvatron (Leo Convoy's enemy) just to name a few.

Replayability 7/10--this game has several modes, including an interesting mode that aparently has you beating out a bunch of Energon crystals out of a mountain, and codes that are found by beating the game, but like most GB fighters, has no individual endings. That hurts replayability in a fighter worse than people give it credit for. Still, it has quite a bit going for it considering that it's such a small package.

Overall 8/10--There are better fighters out there, obviously, but this is still a sweet game, especially for a Transformer fan. It has a definate old school feel to it, but the ability to transform anytime in battle is a definate plus. There's just something to be said about seeing a lion thrash a tank, or a triceratops sticking its horns into a large robot. It's catered more to Transformers fans, obviously, but if your into old school tournament fighting, I say go for it.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/17/04