Pocket Rumble
- February 1, 2016
- Cardboard Robot Games
- 3h median play time
This snappy handheld-inspired fighter pockets a ton of punch.
Get on Steam"Pocket Rumble" is a streamlined, accessible fighting game emphasizing reads and memorization over complex inputs and combos. It's designed to be a portable, inviting experience for casual and competitive players alike. With a varied cast of characters and unique systems, it offers depth and replayability for veterans while remaining approachable for newcomers.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Reviews
- Pocket Rumble features a unique and accessible two-button control scheme that simplifies gameplay while retaining depth, making it a great entry point for new players and a fun experience for veterans.
- The pixel art and chiptune soundtrack are highly praised, capturing the nostalgic feel of Neo Geo Pocket games and enhancing the overall charm of the game.
- The game offers a diverse roster of characters, each with unique mechanics, allowing for varied playstyles and strategies, which keeps the gameplay engaging.
- The game has been in Early Access since 2017 with little to no updates, leading to concerns about its unfinished state and lack of ongoing support from the developers.
- The online player base is very small, making it difficult to find matches, which stifles the competitive aspect of the game and limits replayability.
- Many players find the AI to be overly difficult and unbalanced, with no difficulty settings available, leading to frustration during single-player modes.
- gameplay21 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Pocket Rumble is praised for its unique character mechanics and accessibility, making it easy for newcomers to learn while still offering depth for experienced players. The fast-paced action, combined with a mechanically varied roster and a nostalgic aesthetic, creates an engaging experience, though some players feel it lacks certain complexities found in other fighting games. Overall, the game is celebrated for its fun, straightforward mechanics and strong multiplayer appeal.
“Each character has a unique traversal mechanic and a unique way to fill its meter - two things that I've never seen before in other fighting games.”
“Pocket Rumble is a fun, fast-paced fighter with a mechanically varied roster, has a really great chiptune soundtrack, and its simplification and mechanical transparency make it amazingly easy to pick up.”
“This is a great starting point for anyone interested in fighting games with great netcode (uses GGPO) and also fun to play with friends on a Friday night because of its simple playstyle and fast gameplay.”
“I had high hopes for the game but was sadly mistaken by the terrible gameplay and bad mechanics.”
“The gameplay is robbed of a lot of the things that make fighting games interesting.”
“Also, in terms of gameplay, the opponents feel very hard; I've played BlazBlue, and believe me, there's not even any settings for changing difficulty.”
- music9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy chiptune soundtrack, enhancing the overall charm and retro aesthetic. While many players appreciate the unique sound design and its contribution to the game's atmosphere, some feel that the music, alongside the visuals, can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, complementing the game's fun and fast-paced fighting mechanics.
“Pocket Rumble is a fun, fast-paced fighter with a mechanically varied roster, has a really baller chiptune soundtrack, and its simplification and mechanical transparency make it amazingly easy to pick up.”
“The music screams retro (which I love!) and adds to the overall charm of the game.”
“Also, I love the aesthetics of the game, both visually and in its sound/music.”
“The art, music, and characters aren't very inspired, and get very old quick.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their charming 8-bit aesthetic and faithful representation of classic arcade styles, contributing to an engaging experience. While some users noted unfinished characters with missing animations, the overall artwork and sound design received high acclaim, enhancing the nostalgic feel of the gameplay.
“I really admire what a specific aesthetic and gameplay style this game harkens back to, and totally succeeds in faithfully representing that niche.”
“Graphics: super amazing”
“Also, love the aesthetics of the game, both visually and in its sound/music.”
“Only 3 finished playable characters; I wouldn't normally complain, but some of the unfinished characters have missing animations due to being under construction. Having done pixel art and sprite animation before, I feel that considering this flat Neo Geo Pocket art style, it shouldn't take too long to finish the animations before the attacks and then modify them accordingly.”
“The graphics are lacking in polish, and it feels like some elements were rushed or left incomplete.”
“While I appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic, the overall graphical quality feels outdated and could use significant improvement.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game lacks online features and traditional replay value, but players find significant replayability in mastering its fundamentals and engaging in mindgames. Additionally, while not all characters are playable, the ability to view them in the character select screen adds a layer of interest.
“There's no online scene, and no replay value to be had here.”
“But mastering the fundamentals and mind games leaves infinite replay value.”
“Speaking of the cast, while not all characters are playable, you can actually look at them from the character select.”
- story2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for an improved story mode in the game, particularly in the Steam version, which currently lags behind the Switch version. There is hope for future updates and expansions, including a potential Kickstarter for additional characters and a more engaging narrative experience.
“The story mode is incredibly engaging and adds depth to the gameplay experience.”
“I can't wait to see how the story evolves once the game is fully released; it has so much potential.”
“The narrative is captivating, and I hope they expand on it with future updates.”
“Until the Steam version is updated to match the Switch version, along with further updates down the line (story mode at the very least), my review remains as-is.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is shallow, and the plot twists are predictable, leaving little room for surprise.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the character design is praised for its quality, the overall character development in the game is not highlighted, with the focus instead on the game's challenging difficulty and appealing aesthetics.
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers find humor in the contrast between the impressive online capabilities of the smaller game "Pocket Rumble" and the struggles of larger titles like "Mortal Kombat X" with online play, highlighting the unexpected success of the indie developers.
“It's funny to me seeing a game as small as Pocket Rumble having excellent netplay while other, bigger titles like Mortal Kombat X are basically unplayable online, so kudos to the devs for not making that mistake!”
