Zoids Wild Blast Unleashed is a fantastic new arena brawler based on the newest iteration in the Zoids franchise. Zoids is an anime series where heroes and villains alike run around in mechanical beasts and fight each other. The animal mechs are living creatures and can even autopilot themselves if they don’t have an owner. Zoids Wild Blast Unleashed is filled with heart and is pretty fun too.
Zoids Wild Blast Unleashed is an arena battler. Players will run around arenas shooting, striking, and defending. They will fight using numerous mechanical monsters, battling it out for glory. The monsters each their vibe, and the characters match it. The different mechs have their strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes the battles can be harder simply because one is faster than the other. The pairs have special attacks that can change the course of a battle. These attacks not only boost the Zoid’s power but give them a finisher of sorts. It’s a good idea to use this right at the end of a battle as the character often taunts the foe. This game is a flashy fighter, and the characters want nothing more than to win. While Arashi’s Liger is a fan favorite, he is the first character players will use. Other characters can be just as fun, like Battalia and her poison spewing Scorpion Needle or Numb Lock and his powerful Gorilla Dragz. The characters are all different and have powers that make them all worth trying out. Their final attacks highlight this and it’s cool to see how much spirit they all have.
Players can jump into battle mode and take on a friend in battle mode. They can also battle against the CPU, which can be quite fun when the CPU tries. It can be a lot of fun playing against both, but sometimes it is easy to steamroll the CPU and clear the battle perfectly. At least with friends, players can psyche out their opponent. Mission mode is where players will spend a solid amount of playtime. They can jump in first with practice to learn how to play the game. This mode is chock full of practical information and is perfect for beginners. This mode has its own basic story too, that helps tie the player into Arashi’s journey of becoming the best he can be. That is a beautiful thing as this game would be perfect for a newer gamer. Continuous battle is another fun mode where players need to take down seven different battles, one after the next. This mode can be tricky, but players who play through the practice mode will know all they need to know. Continuous battle is a lot of fun though, as players won’t know which foe they are facing next, and they will battle through multiple fights.
Story Mode is great for the uninitiated. In this mode, players can learn about the characters and see how their stories play out. Players will move along a map, battling every time and learning about the events that take place in the anime. This adaptation is pretty good, and even though I haven’t watched the anime, I found myself growing attached to the characters. Each character has their story arc that guides players through a map. As players play through Arashi’s story, they will gain access to other story arcs. Players can play through both a dark and light side story before embarking on the stories involving the main villain and Arashi’s leader. It’s quite cool playing through these stories as players earn rewards and feel a sense of completion as the percentage bar rises.
Zoids Wild Blast also gives players a lot of incentives to play the game. Players can earn music tracks, voice clips, and art. These are all viewable in gallery mode. This mode is great because it houses all of the collectibles in one easy to find location. I always appreciate a gallery because it allows for all the goodies to be accessed easily. While it might not do much, it’s still nice to have a trophy room of sorts. This game has voice acting too, which is a little surprising. It’s usually just a little bit here and there, but any voice acting is good with me. I always enjoy imagining what a character sounds like, but this game gives the characters voices instead. The voices match the characters and give them all just a little more gusto.
The only big thing that can be tedious is the wait times. Sometimes the game takes just a little bit too long. The menus load a little too slowly for my tastes, but it isn’t the biggest deal. The fights flow at just the right pace, and everything works as it should. It would be nice if the waits weren’t so long, but it won’t hamper the fun.
Zoids Wild Blast is a great arena battler, and it brings me back to the past. The original Zoids anime was one of my favorites, and even though this game has new characters, it’s still just as cool as I remember. Zoids Wild Blast Unleashed is a fantastic Zoids arena battler and one that new and old fans will likely enjoy. Arashi has to guide his team to victory; will the player jump into the cockpit and help him save the world?
Disclaimer: A review key was provided