Game Preview: Bakugan Battle Brawlers

I recently had the opportunity to test out Bakugan Battle Brawlers for the Nintendo Wii. For those not familiar with the title, the game is based on the Japanese action adventure anime series, directed by Mitsuo Hashimoto.

Much like Bakugan’s predecessors, Yugioh and Pokemon, Bakugan features teenagers who compete tournament style with their chosen “monsters,” in this case they’re called Bakugan. The Nintendo Wii version puts you right in the heart of the Bakugan world as a new Bakugan competitor. In the story adventure mode, you can choose to create your own character or have the computer randomly create one for you. Bakugan star character, Dan, joins you throughout the game as a coach. You will have the opportunity to team up with Dan and play against him as your rank increases. Your first Bakugan is an original game character, named Lianitus. He’s a Bakugan with an attitude and is dying to fight other Bakugan.

The game expands on elements from the Sega Toys and Spin Master strategic game, now one of the hottest selling toy store items in the United States. Gamers throw down their Gate Card to start the game. Then they role their Bakugan, aiming to land on their G-Card and utilize the card’s elemental boost, or land on an opponent’s G-Card. The battle starts when two Bakugan land on the same card. Battle is determined by comparing the G-Power of each Bakugan. For an additional G-Power boost, gamers will have also access to over 200 Ability or Trap cards throughout the game. Players can choose to bring any combination of three cards into a battle scenario. In order to keep the game dynamic, the design team has added in several mini games to help you boost your G-Power and get an edge on your opponent. Mini games range from Wii-waggle power boosts to shooting the other players Bakugan.

Animated cut-scenes throughout the game are presented with vibrant visuals similar to that of the Anime series. Activision also got the Voice Cast from the Anime to voice the characters in the game, so you won’t have to worry about suffering through poor knock-off actors. There are also several locations pulled directly from the series that will be featured in the game, such as the Park you begin your adventure in.

Unfortunately, Activision left out online play from this release. However, there will be multiplayer competitive local play. Between September and October, the Bakugan franchise also kicked off the Bakugan Roll Across America Tour so gamers can gather to test out their Bakugan proficiency. Hopefully, there will be more of these tournaments so gamers can have the opportunity to face off against a larger pool of opponents.

If you’ve ever played Bakugan, this definitely looks like it will be a great game to pick up for the holiday season. Battle Brawlers may tote the kid friendly flag, but if you’ve got an open mind and are into games like Magic the Gathering, Bakugan Battle Brawlers may be worth a look. It’s also shaping up to be a fun game for parents to play with their children.

This Wii release is gearing up to give the Bakugan franchise a G-Powered boost. Bakugan Battle Brawlers comes to the Nintendo Wii on October 20.

Pre-Order Bakugan Battle Brawlers for the Nintendo Wii