Rage of the Gladiator

Genre: First-Person Fighting Game

Players: 1

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Review:

Rage of the Gladiator, released on Wii’s WiiWare shop in 2010, ported to mobile devices in 2012 (both since delisted), and then brought to Nintendo 3DS in 2013, is a game that is at least nominally a First-Person Fighting game where players take the role of a gladiatorial fighter in combat with various fantasy-themed opponents. However, if you strip off the game’s theming, mechanically what this game is underneath is a unique take on Nintendo’s Punch-Out!! Series of Boxing games.

The presentation here is really fantastic, with 3D visuals of both characters and the arena, each with a good amount of detail, and the characters featuring some excellent animation. What’s more, these characters are fully-voiced, and have a lot of personality. All of this is backed by a cinematic-style instrumental soundtrack.

Right from the first battle, it’s clear that this game isn’t going to rest on its laurels and just be a safe and easy Punch-Out!! clone. Enemies mix up their attacks, transform as the battle progresses, and even have some delightfully inventive ways of changing up the battle. However, it’s not just the enemies that change – over the course of the game, players will earn cash they can use to upgrade their own character, both in buying new and better equipment, and in upgrading their skills and getting new special attacks. I never knew I was missing RPG-style upgrades in Punch-Out!! until I played this game.

Yet even with all the bells and whistles, the core gameplay still remains strong, with players given some good options for attacking, and battles often calling for them to use these options. You have left and right swings with your weapon, left and right kicks, a shield to fend off attacks, left and right dodges, and a jump-dodge move. Enemies forecast their attacks of course, but players will need to have proper timing and use the right dodge to avoid those attacks, as well as making good use of their attacking moves to do damage in return.

Honestly, there just isn’t much to complain about in Rage of the Gladiator. I suppose I could point to the frequency that the battle switches to an in-game cinematic as your opponent taunts you or to direct the player’s attention to a new threat, but even these add personality to the game, and they can always be skipped.

I’ll just say it – this is the best Punch-Out!!-style First-Person Fighting Game I have ever played, and it is so well-crafted that it even gives Nintendo’s franchise a run for the money, with some really excellent features that make this stand out from its inspiration. What’s more, for $7, this game is an absolute steal, and the fact that all other versions of the game are no longer available means that Nintendo Switch owners should absolutely grab this game while they still can, because when the Nintendo 3DS eShop closes in March 2023, it’s gone forever. Don’t miss out on one of the best hidden gems on Nintendo’s handheld!

tl;dr – Rage of the Gladiator is a Punch-Out!!-style First-Person Fighting Game with a fantasy gladiatorial combat theme. This game has an excellent presentation with a lot of personality, solid gameplay, and some great additions to Nintendo’s formula such as an RPG-style progression system. All of this makes Rage of the Gladiator a game so good that it rivals its inspiration. Plus, with the absurdly low $7 price tag, Nintendo 3DS owners should absolutely snatch up this game while they can – the 3DS version of the game is the last digital storefront still carrying this game, and once it closes in March 2023, it’s gone forever. Do not miss this one!

Grade: A

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