(warning: non-graphic but still rather startling image of a car crash below)
before even beast wrestler - but in april 1991, on the neo geo - there was this. and still is this, currently on switch for you all to enjoy, at the price of $7.99. or you could find an emulator, i'm not a cop.
is this it? the very first playable lizard game on our lizard protagonlist? so far, i'm going to have to say yes. answers on a postcard if you run into anything earlier.
developed by the notorious SNK for their own arcade console, you'd think this would flow better than it does. after all, we have SNK to thank for some of the best fighting games out there. sadly king of the monsters is no king of fighters, but it is probably the best game i've reviewed so far, not that that's saying much.
still, full confession: i bought this for switch, because playing switch games means i don't have to lean over a computer, and i had fun with it. it's about 30 minutes of fun, given the infinite credits available to you through mashing L1 - and you will need them, because this gameplay system is unfair. regardless, the freedom to keep pumping in virtual quarters (sorry fellow brits, "virtual 20 pees" doesn't quite have the same ring, does it) for as long as you like is quite intoxicating.
anyway, king of the monsters is, as you might have guessed, a Legally Distinct Kaiju Knockoff. the fighters include a number of monsters, from the godzilla-expy geon and the king kong-like woo to a beetle guy, a rock guy, a toxic waste guy, and a spandex-wearing superhero-type guy. we've got all the guys.
of course we choose geon, because that's the lizard. and a very good lizard, too.
so, this is very much like beast wrestler (which i played first, can you tell) in that you roam around a mostly 2D arena (with some jumping), then beat on your opponent until their HP is depleted and you can pin them. unlike that game, it has life bars, which is a blessed relief. you also get a variety of throws and a couple of other special moves, making this one of the more full-featured fighters so far. it feels clunky - it's no sf2 - but it's playable.
also, the soundtrack kinda slaps in parts?? woo's theme in particular is an absolute banger, with full-on vocal lyrics, which i did not expect of a game of this era. you can check it out here.
you might notice something about geon here, that being he's in a different colour every round. by collecting "P" bubbles and filling the P meter on the left to full, you can power up your monster, making them stronger and also turning them different colours.
possibly you also noticed the backgrounds look the same a lot. they actually are different cities, though they look similar, and quite interactable, or at least destructible. every throw and slam wrecks parts of the landscape, and monsters can even grab passing trains and attacking aircraft to throw at their opponent. at the beginning of each stage, you overhear the nervous chattering of emergency services, advising citizen to flee. along with the foreboding music, it gives quite the authentic kaiju feel.
since you can feed this game infinite credits, it's not exactly difficult, but even then the AI is quite punishing. you'll see the game over screen quite often, and it's a bit curious in all honesty.
is that a car crash? but this happens if you lose! so this is like... your kaiju didn't destroy the city, leading to vehicle wreckage everywhere. sure, i guess.
still, it's chaotic fun for a while. tossing the various monsters across the landscape is quite satisfying, as are the creatures' expression on being tossed. the copters and tanks add a bit of extra conflict, plus you can grab them and throw them at your opponent. sadly the game loops very quickly, meaning you end up fighting the same half-dozen monsters through the same half-dozen cities until you win.
is it a "good game", in that you'll replay it and learn strategies for it? probably not. is it worth a download? depends on whether you really like kaiju stuff. it's a historical landmark, is what it is, but ultimately i played it so you don't have to. there are better fighters, and better godzilla games, out there. but for 1991, it's not too bad.
now onwards... to beast wrestler
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