We take NIS America’s SNK Heroines for a spin in our SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy review. We break down the fighting and the extra elements on offer such as the customization and scene creation modes. Is the game worth the asking price though?
Today we’re taking a look at the NIS release of SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy which appears on the Switch and PS4. The Switch version sees a physical release in the West whereas the PS4 version is digital only. The premise here is a selection of ladies from the SNK series are kidnapped and then transported to a pocket dimension. A male character called Kukri aims to merge his dimension with the real world. He insists the ladies fight each other if they wish to escape. However, this is just a rouse for him to gather their energy and perv at them for good measure. It also appears his aim is to collect sand versions of the females to add to his personal collection. So… there is a good reason to fight then and thwart his evil plans.
On the surface SNK Heroines is not your typical fighting game in the sense that it opts for an all-inclusive approach. The fighting process is a much more simplified version of past glories which enables newcomers to button mash their way to victory. What this means is one-touch attacks and easily performed specials. No real input commands are required here, rather players simply chain together moves using buttons and directions. There is obviously an opportunity for a bit of flair for advanced players but it’s not in the same league as SNK’s other offerings.
There are a few modes on offer such as a 7 match story mode and as the name implies you get to choose two ladies to fight with. The idea here is that one player attacks whilst the other (trapped in sand) offers support. Now you can tag characters in and out at will which is good. What is interesting is the support character can aid the other by using items the attacking character collects during the fight. These range from health increases, extra stamina, traps, poison and bombs. Items which can give you the edge during each round. The main tactics aside from being accomplished at performing moves, blocking and evading lies with your stamina meter. Stamina allows you to perform special attacks and finishers. However, this depletes quite quickly and if used frequently, attacks then become weaker. Players have to balance careful use of stamina draining attacks all the while avoiding the opposing player’s increasing stamina when they are being hit. So, it’s quite easy for the player getting a beating to turn the tables.
The system here is neat filled with flamboyant visuals and moves fans will be familiar with. It all works well in combination of tagging in and out and using the items. A fighting game tug of war so to speak. Victory comes from performing a “Dream Finish” which requires a certain amount of stamina and the opponent’s health gauge to be in the red. If you keep beating them down then you can stun them for an easy victory.
The other modes include training, tutorial, survival and versus against human or AI. There is also an Online component for those who wish to test their mettle against others. However, one of the more fleshed out parts of the game comes in the form of character customisation and image creation. It is here where coins earned by winning fights across all the modes can be spent on new costumes and accessories. There are three costumes per character with several colour versions of each and there are a total of 14 characters at present. It’s not clear whether any more will be added as DLC although the character select screen does look like there is plenty room for more. There are quite a number of accessories to add to your chosen model so it’s possible to create some interesting variations. It’s not the most extensive of systems though despite the amount of options available.
The image creator is where things become more interesting. Aside from being able to use your custom edited creations in the other modes, you can create photo scenes. Sadly, this is limited to just one character per scene which is odd given the title’s tag-team emphasis. You can select a pose, zoom in, pan and generally place the model where you like on the screen. There are quite a number of poses to purchase with the coins you earn. As you would expect the poses provide plenty of opportunity to check out panties shots and cleavage. It seems this is perhaps a big part of the game of which SNK makes no bones about it. Players can select various background art which include images from the game and even a few photos from SNK which is a nice touch. Frames can be added alongside an assortment of stamps which means there are enough options here to get your artistic juices flowing. It’s actually quite neat messing around with it after fighting away for hours. Screenshots can easily be shared on PS4 as well which makes for a decent way of sharing wallpapers.
In terms of visuals, the characters, stages and the presentation in general is of a high standard. During fights there are plenty of cool visual flourishes which make the screen awash with vibrant colours. The game also runs very smoothly at 60 frames per second with no dipping. Audio is also good with a creepy announcer for English speakers, but what’s neat is once you learn the ropes you can change the announcer to Japanese using one of the ladies instead. Obviously, there are English subtitles available if you choose this option.
For longevity and the lone player then as mentioned, there are plenty things to spend earned coin on in the customisation mode. A few more accessories and outfits would be nice though considering the full price tag. There are unlockable movie scenes from the Story which are gained by teaming up specific characters. In this regard there are a fair number of combinations to grind through. That said, 14 characters does feel a little bare-bones considering other fighting games boast huge rosters, including SNK’s past offerings. Players should be well entertained with what is on offer here but mostly if you are gripped by the customisation and scene creation tools. There is less to master here than with other fighting games, but at least the CPU AI difficulty can be changed for extra challenge. Then there is versus human or online to get your kicks.
SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy is very much a fan-service game that won’t appeal to everyone. This is squarely aimed at players who simply enjoy the female combatants and like viewing them up-close and personal. Serious fighting fans might come away a little disappointed as the approach here isn’t standard fare and aimed at easing in less-skilled players. Whilst that isn’t a bad thing, it just means the game’s onus shifts towards a different market. So, if you like ladies, a bit of titillation and don’t care about the SNK males, then this is worth checking out. It’s by no means a serious fighting game and comes across as a good excuse to ogle the female combatants, the fighting is a bonus.
Score – 7/10
