Jump! Ultimate Stars: In and out of a 'koma'

Smash Bros. fans looking for a portable fix have been out of luck. Nintendo shows no signs of publishing a DS rendition of the title, and there really haven't been any suitable alternatives. Well, except in Japan.

Based on the immensely popular Shonen Jump set of manga, Jump! Ultimate Stars and its predecessor, Jump! Super Stars, play a lot like the mascot title, and it's no surprise: it's published by Nintendo. Stages are ‘koma', or comic frames, and players knock out their opponents or send them flying through walls.

The gameplay isn't as complex or precise as Smash, but it incorporates a few elements that make it an experience on its own. Minor characters can be called on to perform signature moves, switching between two or three characters with separate life bars adds an element of strategy, and some destructible environments cause the battlefield to change while fighting.

The vast roster of fighters comes into play while making "pages" to battle with. Playable characters take up a lot of space, and bonus-granting sidekicks fill in holes. Deciding whether to use one very strong combatant or three weaker ones is part of the game's charm.

Jump! Ultimate Stars has all the polish of a first-party Nintendo title - because it is. This will never see a stateside release though, since too many different companies own the U.S. rights to pieces of the game's roster.

Oh well. That just makes it an ideal import.

Overall 5/5 - Purchase

Lost In Translation

Jump! Ultimate Stars is relatively accessible. The game's story will be lost to non-native speakers, but it's told in short cutscenes before each world, so it's not that big of a loss. Once players get used to the menus, there's not much of a problem.

Import File

Title: Jump Ultimate Stars
Platform: DS
Publisher: Nintendo
Country: Japan
Plays Like: Super Smash Bros.
Barrier to Entry: Low
Why it won't make it stateside: Licensing issues

Oct 23, 2007 - 5:46 pm | 2 comments
Graham Russell