STACK #152 Jun 2017

FEATURE GAMES

THE ARMS RACE

Nintendo have put their own spin – in some cases literally – on the fighting game genre with ARMS , one of many fresh, new IPs to hit the Switch. Words Alesha Kolbe A child-friendly fighting game, ARMS features a roster of different characters Being a Switch title, you’ll need to get up and about for this one, and we’re not messing around when we say you should be leaving a lot of leg room nearby. You’ll be using the Joy-Cons to take up arms IN ARMS WAY

Spring Man Remember when you were a kid and your dad asked you to draw a superhero, and for some reason they all had squiggly arms? This is what dreams are made of.

have access to a kind of super attack, which will vary depending on which character you’ve taken up arms with. And don’t forget – when you’re kickin’ arm in-game, you’ll be racking up points to use in the little arcade ARM Getter (no, we didn’t make that up), which will allow you to outfit your cute fighters with more limbs, making you even more well-armed than before. There are different arenas to fight on, too, each with their own environmental obstacles/ enhancements. That’s not to mention the multitude of different single-player and multiplayer modes you’ll have access to. ARMS has its own versions of

to choose from, and then enter into a ring for some arm-to-arm combat. These characters include everything from the seemingly innocent Ribbon Girl to the crazy, Tom Cruise/Brendan Fraser nemesis Master Mummy. There’s also a girl called Min Min who has ramen for arms. Nothing’s off limits for Nintendo. Each of these are uniquely customisable, in that you’ll be able to select from a handful of different types of Arms for your fighters, from speedier, less lethal ones to slower, more dangerous bludgeoning weapons – and even things like boomerangs and rockets. They all have their own characteristics, and advantages/disadvantages according to type, so there are a lot of options available in terms of customisation. Weight also plays a factor in how fast/slow you’ll be hitting, so you’ll need to take a few things into account during the selection process. If the game sounds borderline dangerous, that’s because it is.

Master Mummy

against your opponent, punching (similar to Wii Fit Boxing) and, for lack of a better word, thrashing

He looks like what you’d get if you wrapped the Incredible Hulk in toilet paper – and just as happy about it as you’d expect him to be, too. Mechanica If you’ve played Overwatch , you’ll recognise her as a clunkier D.Va. But Mechanica has charm of her own kind – including rockets. Lots of rockets.

about to get the upper hand(s). Depending on how you hold the Joy-Con, and what extravagant wrist movements you make during the fight, your character will react differently. You can jump around, block and dodge, and even unleash spinning pummel attacks to do away with your nemeses. And if that isn’t enough, once your special meter is charged, you even ARMS is a fighting game, but you won't be ripped limb-from- limb if you fail

volleyball and basketball, as well as a Grand

Prix – a 1v1 battle tournament similar

to Smash Bros Classic mode. ARMS is a fighting game, but you won’t be ripped limb- from-limb if you fail. Being a House of Mario title, there’s no gore, just good old fashioned TKOing. ARMS is quite the handful.

• ARMS is out June 16

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