Gamespot was pretty wrong on this...it's a fun game, even if it isn't groundbreaking
User Rating: 7.6 | Gacha Mecha Stadium Saru Battle PS2
Year after year, Nintendo spins out their collection of party games featuring the titular platform-jumper Mario. Sony system-users get shafted in this area, because the PS2 just isn't designed with a small room full of people in mind like Nintendo systems. Still, Ubisoft and Sony hit with a pretty solid party collection that can be fun for an hour or two. The theme of this game? Apes...a lot of them. Gameplay: Well, they're a bunch of mini-games. They aren't as vast as the ones on Mario Party games, but they last longer and are built to be more solid. You have a lot of arena challenges, some race-type stadiums, and some vehicular assault for a finishing touch. The controls can be pissy sometimes and are a bit unresponsive, but they're completely effective for handling the fast-paced action of a four-man stadium. Graphics: The graphics used here are truly underrated. I can't believe GS rated this a 6. The graphics are crisp, bright, and antialiased. The cel-shading here is comparable to DBZ Budokai 3, and the particle effects are pretty clean as well. If the graphics were used for a bit more, they'd be even better, but they certainly aren't flawed as the GS review might lead you to believe. Sound: The sound is pretty generic. No heavy repetition here, and the music isn't anything special, but there's no major issues to be dealt with here. Value: Play it for a few minutes by yourself, or play it for a few hours with some friends. The monkey mayhem never ends. Finest Moment: Using the slingshot to knock a monkey off the edge of an arena.
