Interplay Readies Clayfighter 63 1/3

Fans of Nintendo's systems know Interplay's Clayfighter series. The first game was a hit with gamers who were into the fighting game genre, but also liked a bit of humor in their gameplay. After a sequel that didn't fare as well as the first - C2: Judgment Clay - the team is back and ready with two new Clayfighter titles: Clayfighter 63 1/3 on the Nintendo 64 and Clayfighter Extreme for the PlayStation.

Today, Interplay visited the Lombard, IL offices of EGM and EGM2 with the newest rev of the N64 version of Clayfighter 63 1/3. The game looks like it's coming along rather well, with loads of claytalities and other themed "-alities" and environments that are truly interactive. The game's cast includes old favorites like Ickybod Clay and Taffy, plus some new faces like Kung Pow and Hobocop.

The graphics are all digitized images of clay figures, and the animation is quite smooth (if you've seen the previous two Clayfighter games, the animation is quite similar). The environments you fight in are interactive, allowing you to smash your opponent through walls (called a "breakthrough") to uncover new areas of the game. There can be as many as four fighting areas stemming from the main arena that the battle began in. The fighting arenas zoom in and out, and they look fantastic. Dynamic lighting effects in some stages allow characters to move in and out of the light, and their shading changes appropriately.

A total of four hidden characters can be accessed through a code at the main menu screen, including Shiny's own Earthworm Jim. The voices of the characters have recently been added, and such stellar voice talent as Jess Harnell (Wacko from Animaniacs) and Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson, Earthworm Jim) were brought in to voice some of the characters. Castellaneta is reprising his voice as Earthworm Jim, and he also does the voice of Boogerman in the final game.

As with the previous Clayfighter titles, this game is a spoof of many of the popular fighting games that are on the market now. Fighting fanatics will recognize gameplay elements spoofed from Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct, and more.

Take a look at these screenshots, and expect to be playing Clayfighter 63 1/3 this August on the Nintendo 64. The PlayStation version of Clayfighter Extreme will then follow in September.