So, it turns out that fighting games don’t always require brawny dudes in skin-tight spandex to duke it out. Enter 'Asuka 120% Final: Burning Fest. Final', a game where school girls are more lethal than a bad batch of cafeteria mystery meat. Set in a prestigious academy where the stakes are as high as a student’s caffeine intake during finals week, the game takes you into the wild world of the 'Club Rivalry Budget Contest Mega Fight'—because who wouldn’t want to settle club budget wars with a well-placed karate chop?
This is a one-on-one fighter, reminiscent of classics like 'Street Fighter II', but with a twist—think high school clubs clashing instead of gangs or ninjas. Players can choose from a variety of fighters, each with unique styles that match their club's theme. For instance, Asuka, our main character from the Chemistry Club, throws chemical beakers like they’re grenades. Your opponents? They summon rallying cries, toss gymnastic ribbons, or swing tennis rackets to knock you back to the science lab. The combat system features a 'clash system' where if two moves hit at the same time, you both go into an alternate dimension (or just the next phase of the attack) without losing health. You know, casual stuff for a school turf war. On top of that, pretty much everyone can go full-on super mode at 120% instead of the regular 100%, because apparently even the game decided our lives need a little extra danger. Nothing says 'get good' like fighting girls who have limitless power for a few moments. However, while the input system may have been revolutionary back when gremlins were still running around the console, it can feel a bit clunky in the modern day. Especially if your friend is hitting random buttons like a monkey at a keyboard. But hey, we don’t just play for the billionth time, right?
If you were expecting high-octane graphics that make you question if you’re in a video game or an anime, then you might be disappointed. The visuals are a nostalgic flip book of 90s graphics, so you’ll get sprites that walk the line between charming and cringe. Picture exaggerated reactions on characters' faces as they get knocked around like they're auditioning for a fast-paced martial arts film directed by someone who had one too many coffee breaks. The backgrounds though? Solid—like surprisingly nice for what this game is.
In a nutshell, 'Asuka 120% Final: Burning Fest. Final' is like the quirky cousin at a family reunion: it somehow steals the show while making absolutely no sense at all. The gameplay may have aged about as well as last month’s sushi, and the graphics may not impress the Gen Z crowders who've never seen anything resembling a 16-bit character. Still, it's an intriguing entry into the fighting genre that's worth checking out if you have a penchant for weird titles. Plus, who doesn’t want to throw beakers at opponents while talking about school budgets? If you want unique fighters with a healthy sprinkle of nostalgia and anime-fueled mayhem, this game is a decent contender. Just don't let your mom walk in during the most intense part—those beakers look suspiciously like they're filled with something volatile.