Tokyo Beat Down Hands-On

The white suit, the '80s hairdo, and instructions such as "Beat down crime and restore peace!" are what Tokyo Beat Down is all about. This arcade beat-'em-up is set in the streets of Tokyo, and you play from the viewpoint of three different cops. It's full of hilarious references to video games and bad cop shows, and the dialogue is very well done to convey the over-the-top attitudes of the beast cops. These go-get-'em law enforcers are labeled as such because of their questionable approach to fighting crime. However, in their defense, they do what it takes to get the job done so that justice is served.

You initially play as Lewis Cannon, a cop who refuses to drive, ignores the details on arrest warrants, and fights crime with his bare hands--and other assorted weapons that he may pick up on the street. Constantly chided by his colleagues and superiors for his reckless behavior and slightly excessive use of force, Cannon, however, is completely focused on giving the bad guys what they deserve--a knuckle to the face. Tokyo Beat Down is a classic side-scrolling beat-'em-up, similar to Double Dragon, where opponents will show up from either side of the screen and you button-mash your way to victory. As you clear each screen, an arrow pointing to the right blinks with the word "Go!" It's exactly like playing old-school 2D side-scrollers as you make your way through the streets of Akihabara and Shibuya, kicking oil cans and telephone booths to uncover items. There's no girlfriend or princess to save--at least from what we've played--but there is the lovely Rika Hyodo, a cop with a bare midriff and extra-short shorts to give the game a bit of a feminine touch.

Fighting is easy to pick up since it's so basic, and the game does a good job of introducing new techniques as you progress. The Y and X buttons are for punching and kicking, and if you hold down the R button with Y or X, you can execute a more powerful move. Double-tapping left or right on the D pad will let you dash, and you can move up and down to quickly get out of the way if a thug fires a gun at you. The B button is to jump, and A is to pick up weapons and restorative items, such as hamburgers and sandwiches, along the way. If you time your attacks correctly, you can fire off your gun, which won't cost you any bullets. Otherwise, there are a variety of weapons you can obtain to mow down criminals. Don't worry, though; the bullets are made out of rubber. To fire, you have to bring out your weapon with the L button and hold it while tapping Y or X. Cannon is much quicker with his fists, and because of the delay in drawing your weapon, it's not that handy unless you're relatively clear and can fire from the other side of the screen. Shotguns and rocket launchers are fun, though, so there's no reason to dismiss them entirely.

The story unravels in between your police work with amusing telephone conversations and reprimands at the office. Think of cheesy cop shows from the '70s and '80s as these beast cops go around town and get down to business. Cannon will utter classic lines like "Looks like I have a date with...justice!" and once you complete a level the words "You beat them down!" will appear across the screen. As you progress through the game, you'll learn more about the seedy underbelly of Tokyo and find that there are multiple paths to follow, which will lead to different game endings. After briefings with your boss you can choose to go fight some crime or check out other districts of Tokyo and talk to the locals. The neighborhoods you'll wander through convey the feel and vibe of the diverse metropolis, and they're a blast to go through while laying down the law. Atlus does another fantastic job with the localization; there's a lot of great dialogue, and outrageous one-liners will make you laugh because they're so absurd.

Leave it up to Atlus to localize another offbeat game that would otherwise go unnoticed unless you like to import your DS games from Japan. Tokyo Beat Down is a lot of fun without taking itself too seriously. You'll have to check it out if you like arcade beat-'em-ups, because it's much more convenient to play without coins. Keep that Lewis Cannon in check, because your date with justice is set on March 31.