Introduction

Welcome to the wild and wacky world of Asuka 120% Excellent: Burning Festival, where high school girls settle scores with fistfights instead of social media drama! Here, rivalries aren't just for the debate club, but for the classroom, the tennis court, and a plethora of other extras that would make even the cheerleading squad blush. Buckle up, because we're diving deep into quirky characters, explosive battles, and some questionable life choices that led to a 'burning festival' that is anything but ordinary.

Gameplay

At first glance, Asuka 120% Excellent mimics your favorite back-and-forth brawlers like Street Fighter II. However, this game takes jabs at conventionality by introducing what can only be described as a 'school club rivalry budget contest mega fight'-try saying that three times fast! You play as Asuka Honda, who, in a plot twist worthy of a telenovela, is coerced into the tournament by her club president, Tetsuko Ōgigaya, because apparently being a teenager isn't hard enough without fighting for the extra funds to buy more beakers or tennis rackets. With a cast of characters who each represent various school clubs, every one of them wields fighting styles that resemble their extracurricular activities. Asuka bends science to her will by unleashing beaker-based assaults, while Tamaki Shindō from the Tennis Club makes sure she serves up plenty of smashes. Let's not overlook the spectacular "clash system" that everyone claims was revolutionary-when both characters hit each other simultaneously, there's no damage, just a glorious grapple until one of them triumphs (because who needs sleep when you can hug it out?). The unique twist that Asuka brings to the table is the meter system; it fills up to 120% instead of the usual boring 100%. Why? Because why not? Once your meter reaches that unattainable mark, you can unleash an onslaught of special moves, leaving your opponent wondering if they signed up for chemistry class or a one-on-one beatdown.

Graphics

Graphically, we're circling around the vintage charm that screams '90s anime aesthetics with bright colors and character designs that might remind you of your middle school crushes. The game struts its stuff with charming 2D sprites, a style that feels comfortably nostalgic for anyone who grew up in that era. Movements and attacks are animated well enough to escape the uncanny valley; well, unless you accidentally enhance your character with some bizarre costumes, in which case, good luck keeping your sanity intact. Asuka's character design by Aoi Nanase packs in every bit of flair needed-from her vibrant costumes that could probably steal the show from any runway in Milan, down to her sidekicks that literally take the phrase "fashionably late" to a whole new level. So while we may not be talking about cutting-edge graphics that the latest AAA titles flaunt today, Asuka's visuals bring back a sense of youth and wildness in its textures and effects, particularly those explosive chemical beakers.

Conclusion

Asuka 120% Excellent, while forgotten among the plethora of fighting games, holds its own eccentric charm amidst the chaos of fighting tournaments. The batshit plot and character arcs tasked with divvying up budget funds lead to moments of sheer hilarity and an unscripted chaos that only high school can provide. With gameplay mechanics that still intrigue fighting fans, quirky visuals that shout '90s nostalgia, and a host of colorful characters (and I mean colorful both literally and figuratively), it's an underdog that surprisingly deserves a spot on your gaming shelf. Yes, it's a melting pot of bizarre plots and headstrong competitors, but the real question remains-who knew school club rivalries could be this explosive? Or maybe the better question is: What's next? Zonks and zaps in 'Asuka: The Reunion'? Only time will tell.

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