Godzilla vs Super Famicom: Kaijuu Daikessen All-Out Attack

I’ve been a fan of Godzilla ever since I can remember. These have remained some of my favourite movies of all times, and rank among the few movies I can watch multiple times in short succession. But as a kid, and even now, why do I watch Godzilla movies? Is it for the gripping human drama and interplay? Nah, it’s for the ferocious throw-downs between gigantic creatures. Godzilla movies aren’t titled Human Scientist or Spunky Reporter or the like for a reason. The monsters are the stars, the top billing, and what draws viewers. So a game that cuts to the chase – the monster battles –  must stand out, right? Godzilla Kaijuu Daikessen is that game.

Now, the Godzilla games have sort of an ignominious reputation. From a Nintendo perspective alone (since that’s what I’m familiar with) yes – Super Godzilla isn’t all that it could be, and Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters is an anomaly (but not the complete wash some people would say). I would argue that I liked Godzilla on Game Boy, and that Godzilla: Monster of Monsters on the NES was super legit (though more on that in a later article). And of course now we have Destroy All Monsters Melee and the ilk it spawned to satisfy our monster brawling. But Kaijuu Daikessen was a breed of its own when it was released. And a treat that was waved under Western noses and never delivered.

This game is fairly standard – it offers a single player mode and a versus mode. Eight kaijuu are playable in single player mode, with the bosses playable in VS mode under certain criteria. There are three difficulty settings – Practice, Normal, and Expert. The single player mode allows you to pick the order in which you face each next kaijuu until you come up against the boss at the end of the ladder. This is interesting because it allows you to play into the strengths and weaknesses of your kaijuu and your abilities as a player. I have noted a marked difference in say fighting Godzilla as my first choice and fighting him as my seventh. Some kaijuu definitely have foils, so it’s best to get them out of the way early.
Now, I will admit that I’m not really into fighting games. I’m just not that good at most of them, even though sometimes I’d like to be. So when I say that Kaijuu Daikessen isn’t the most elegant fighter, I am speaking as a laymen. You have two attack buttons – light and heavy, a grapple button, and a dash button. Each kaijuu has a set of special moves built off of this, but the variety of attacks isn’t as wide as some of its contemporaries. The depth arrives when you need to understand how each monster fights – they’re quite different. Understanding move priority, biding your time, taking advantage of the other kaijuu’s restrictions. The game’s elegance is there, but the ferocity is what really shines through.
And you know, that’s what I want from this game. The tide can turn in a moment and I’ve had some truly vicious conquests. This game can get pretty clutch and exciting.

The roster is pretty stellar. Godzilla, Anguirus, King Ghidora, Gigan, Megalon, Biollante, Mothra, and my personal favourite Mechagodzilla I are all playable. Battra (apparently meant to be playable at one point) makes a cameo, and [spoiler]Mechagodzilla II, Super Mechagodzilla, and the Gotengo/Atragon[/spoiler] appear as bosses. I think the most egregious omissions here are Rodan and Hedorah. And for good measure I’d have liked to have seen Titanosaurus. But the roster that’s present is actually really solid, and really varied.

Let’s take a cross-section of the roster. Mothra is soft on defense, can fly, has a low profile so she can avoid attacks, and her powder can really punish beam users. Biollante can’t jump and she’s a huge target, but she can reach out with her vines and can be a total beast when used properly. Anguirus lacks any ranged attacks but he’s got a low profile with some sweeping special attacks, a very physical combatant. So while the roster isn’t huge, it is well executed and allows for a variety of scenarios. At this point it doesn’t seem very balanced, but every monster is capable of defeating every other monster.

The AI is interesting. Sometimes they simply spam their beam attacks. Other times they execute flawless jumps over your rage attacks and deliver a close-quarters beat-down during your cool down phase. It also tends to have perfect timing for blocking, and certain monsters really seem to use the turtle strategy. The single player isn’t that bad in general, but once you’re satisfied there you’ll probably mostly want to break out Kaijuu Daikessen for multiplayer.

Kaijuu Daikessen is an attractive game. The kaijuu look terrific and are really well animated.  The backgrounds are kind of bland but they crumble as you fight so they remain visually interesting. The sound composition is certainly there – the songs are good though I feel they are understated. I think they should be… louder or “fuller?” Precedence is given to the sound effects I think, which would serve to enhance the tooth on bone feeling this game is going for. And the music certainly does have its more driven and inspired bits. I just wish it didn’t feel so… subdued?

Kaijuu Daikessen is a MUST for fans of the Big G or for Super Famicom enthusiasts. For every one of us that grew up wishing we could be bros with Godzilla (without the radiation poisoning). For every one of us that cheered for the Big G as that new vicious monster from the deepest reaches of space tried to overwhelm him. This is the game that was meant for us, and while it didn’t receive release outside of Japan it’s STILL meant for us. Those of us who love the big guy. No matter where we are, where we’re from, or where we’re going to be tomorrow. Godzilla is universal.

It’s fun,  a raw and visceral contest between unearthly creatures. This is a game that pays respect to the series. Fluid and ferocious, it’s a kaijuu eat kaijuu world. And it shows why Godzilla and Godzilla alone is the King of the Monsters.