All-in-all this game is fun if your looking for an easy day out or, if you really don't know much about a fighting game.
The SD or "Super-Deformed" mode was MADE FOR KIDS, plain and simple. That's not to discourage adults and hardcore gamers from the fun little R.P.G. based mode, on the contrary, this is where Tekken and Final Fantasy games meet and have their coffee breaks. You have items that a fighter can collect throughout the game. These items can make a player's character stronger and the items can even level up with enough experience. Some items can even heal your life! That's right, a fighting game that allows to heal your life, wow...finally!
And the characters level up, allowing them to do more super moves. The moves themselves are VERY FUN to do, and some of them would even make you parents laugh; Example: Shouryu's Guru Guru Bang, this attack has him cartwheel into an opponent about four or five times before he kicks off of their belly and flies up in the air before coming down to flatten his opponent with his whole body, it literally makes his opponent a pancake, complete with a cartoon-ish "BOINK." (Now wouldn't you rather see you family members laugh at your game playing instead of worrying about when you're going to snap and deal them a fatality while they sleep, yes Mortal Kombat players, I mean you, no offense btw.)
The controls in this mode are very easy, like "one-button-super-moves" easy, a punch button (button A), a kick button (button B), a super move button (left C-button), two buttons for using items (Top C-button and Right C-button), there's a block button (R button), and two side step buttons (L button, and Z button) The combos in the game are pretty basic, most are at least three buttons, but honestly, a master play can create better combos with the moves she or he has learned with their preferred character just like they were playing the action anime, which was inspired by this game series. In other words, some who loves Anime but is not good at fighting games will be in heaven when they play this game.
Even the sound in SD mode makes it feel like you're playing an episode of one of your favorite Animes or cartoons, boinks, screeches, tone's that are made when you drink healing water, the announcer shouting "Fightu!" in his booming Japanese accent, and Bokuchin's strange shouting makes this game a laugh riot, unless you hate cartoons or strange sounds, then you might find this a little creepy. Also if you are afraid of blocky graphics, this game will give you nightmares, but really, it's not the worst looking game out there.
SD mode is not so bad, when you've decided you've had enough of King Of Fighter "boss syndrome," this game is perfect. Sure, the A.I. may be dumber than a box or rocks at times but that's better than Geese from the KOF series beating your butt repeatedly without even letting you attack. SD mode may not be for the hardcore fighters like "Tekken" or "Street Fighter" aficionados, it was built for the future hardcore fighter, the Tekken players of tomorrow have to start someplace, right?
Now hardcore gamers may find the adult version to be challenging, the computers actually force you to think on your feet, there is no items to help you either, this is strictly a fighting mode, plain and simple. The adult mode grades you and even if you're a master at newer fighting games, good grades are hard to come by in this game. All-in-all this game is fun if your looking for an easy day out or, if you really don't know much about a fighting game.