Welcome to our review of the newest fighting game on Nintendo Switch, SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy.
Play online or with friends as SNK’s iconic heroines in the brand-new 2 vs 2 fighting game, SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy! Activate Special Moves with a single button, and make use of special items to change the tide of battle! However, the fight isn’t over the moment you’ve chipped enough health away. Once your opponent is on the ropes, utilize your Dream Finish technique to win the match! Spectate on other battles online, use your winnings to buy voice clips and accessories in an all-new costume system, and customize your favorite heroine to your heart’s content!
There really is a lot to say about this game and not everything is all sunshine. The game I played had some flaws. I will get those out of the way prior to sharing how the game felt to me. I often had what I’d call micro delays in going from 1 cutscene to the next screen, so often and pretty much at every time annoying me more than I’d like to admit.
Another thing, this game is based on the mechanic that you need to clear out the health and then only the special attack can take out the enemy fighters. This entire system, while novel in mind, is just so flawed. I had one point where I kept fighting the final boss, often breaking him to the point of being able to do the attack. But as soon as I managed to do the attack, he had recovered and I was unable to beat him 9 out of 10 tries.
I am quite good at 2D fighting games. I really am. I love the entire feel and atmosphere to them. SNK Heroines is a great attempt and without this system, this game would be a hit. I mean really, fight with all gorgeous ladies and it is a decent fighting game at heart. Sadly the imposed way to win a fight is wrong. Sure, you can tag in your partner, make them go for the special attack right away. But there is just no feeling of “this is fun” when I do it like this.
I want to like this game, but I simply can not. It did everything possible to prevent me from liking it. I had a friend over too, a guy who like me, loves 2D fighting games and we get together often to play games. He thought the game was horrible, you could keep pummeling the opponent and still lose in the end. Something a normal fighting system does not have. it just felt wrong to the both of us.
What we did like, the personalization aspect of the game. Every battle earns in-game currency which can be used for items like headgear, backpacks, new costumes, … The choice was abundant and usually very well presented. Again, every silly refresh had those micro delays I spoke about. While impressive in the amount of choices given, it failed to be fluent.
Graphics are stunning and probably the big selling point of this game. They all look amazing. Simply stunning really. The backgrounds are really befitting a game like this, the interactions, the fighting, the contacts, moves like the backdrops or simple kicks, all very well presented.
So what did I think?
Quite simple, remove that imposed finisher and you got a great fighting game, but now, it just becomes a chore and just not fun anymore. That is the main point about fighting games. To really have fun or be challenged. Sure, this game does challenge you very much, I remember the time I faced the final boss at the middle setting and could not even get a single hit in at one game.
When I think about everything this game brings, I am disappointed with the decision to enforce this on players. There are so many good fighting games out there on all of the platforms. We even got the fighter of the year still to come. Even the limited line up of Blade Strangers felt more of a fighting game to me. That is just all that is wrong.
Regardless of how elaborate you make a game, when you stop having the idea a game is fun, that is when you stop playing it. I honestly doubt I will go back to this game anytime soon, maybe if they release a patch?
In conclusion, a bad fighting system paired with great graphics, personalization and that is about all I can say. I think this game might not be for everyone.
