Nintendo has released a couple of NeoGeo ports on their newest console, the Switch. Dubbed the ACA NEOGEO-series, it offers players to experience some popular Japanese arcade games with some extra tools to tweak the gameplay. In this review, I will talk about Waku Waku 7.
Waku Waku 7 is a typical arcade fighting game, featuring unique playable characters and a simple plot. Each of all the characters carries one magical Waku Waku ball and are on a quest to gather all seven of those balls in order to make a wish. It is up to you to pick a character and defeat the others to reach the end of the story. The plot isn’t that memorable or fleshed out, but it gives enough explanation as to why everyone is fighting each other in this world.
Confusing buttons
The gameplay itself is fairly simple if you can get past the convoluted controls. When you boot up the game it shows you a slide that explains the controls and what button on the Switch are assigned to the virtual NeoGeo buttons. This is confusing at first since both the Switch and the NeoGeo use letters to identify their buttons. For example, the ‘Y’ button on the Switch activates the ‘A’ button on the virtual NeoGeo. However, after a couple of matches, I got the hang of it and started to enjoy the game. Just be warned that it’s confusing at first.
HaraHara attack
Like many other fighting games, Waku Waku 7 equips the characters with special abilities. These can be activated by charging up the meter on the bottom of the screen. The higher the charge, the more powerful ability you can activate. A fully charged meter can execute a ‘HaraHara’ attack, which is a character-specific super move that has a long warm-up time but deals a lot of damage. Don’t be afraid to use them, but also don’t rely too much on them, since it can leave you vulnerable to enemy attacks.
Pretty colours
Waku Waku 7 also features some colorful graphics and cartoon-like character designs, my favourite being Politank-Z. The visuals are great to look at, especially on a tv-screen. You can even tweak the display settings a little to make it look like you’re playing on an old CRT-screen.
Conclusion
Waku Waku 7 is a fun little fighting game that most people can enjoy. The extra options in the port are a nice addition and can improve the experience for some. The controls are confusing, but after a couple of games, you’ll get the hang of it.
