Capcom has produced some of the best fighting games of all time, with the Street Fighter games being only the most well known. The company has also released classics like Darkstalkers, Rival Schools, Cyberbots, Power Stone, and more. One thing notable about Capcom’s fighters is the publisher’s willingness to have its franchises cross over and experiment while doing so. This brings to mind a game that deserves far more attention, in the form of Pocket Fighter. While Capcom’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure game is beloved for its refinement of fighting game mechanics, Pocket Fighter is loved for its irreverence and unique take on fighting games.
Pocket Fighter, or Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix as it was also known, was a fighting game like no other. This was a Capcom crossover game featuring characters from Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter III, Darkstalkers, Red Earth, and more. The game featured the chibi (super-deformed) versions of the characters that were first seen in the title Super Puzzle Fighter II and pushed things further. Despite giving the game a bit of a kiddie appearance, Pocket Fighter was anything but a kid’s game. There was an incredible amount of depth within and was great for people new to fighting games due to its design setup and a unique control scheme that was easy to learn but difficult to master.
The game used different types of characters, such as all-around, skill, and power types, and also used a unique gem system somewhat similar to Marvel vs Capcom Infinite. The game was whacky and zany, such as including character transformations like cosplaying as other characters during their moves. These include Chun Li appearing as Jill Valentine, and Felicia dressing as Mega Man among others. Even more than most fighting games, Pocket Fighter was fun and extremely energetic, which earned it the approval of longtime Capcom fans and new fighting game players alike.
There was something unusually addictive about the game, probably due to its easily accessible nature. The game was undoubtedly a Capcom game but felt like an alternative take on the formula. Moves could be even more over the top, and the gem system really did impact the gameplay in a good way. It also helps that the game had a lighthearted story, which humorous character endings that would not be something seen in the characters’ mainline games.
Pocket Fighter/Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix was excellent in the arcades and its PlayStation and Saturn releases, but it is a game that needs a modern re-release, if not an outright revival with a new entry. Capcom should not let this game languish in the past, as there are many reasons the game would succeed on modern gaming platforms.
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