Pocket Rumble
- February 1, 2016
- Cardboard Robot Games
- 3h median play time
Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.
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
Windows
Reviews
- Pocket Rumble features a unique 2-button fighting system with a rich move set and diverse characters, making it accessible for beginners while still offering depth for veterans.
- The pixel art and chiptune soundtrack are highly praised, contributing to the game's charm and nostalgic feel reminiscent of Neo Geo Pocket games.
- The game is fun for casual play and serves as a great introduction to fighting games, with simple controls that allow players to focus on strategy and fundamentals.
- The game has been in Early Access since 2017 with little to no updates, leading to concerns about its unfinished state and lack of player support.
- The AI difficulty is criticized for being unbalanced, making single-player content frustrating and less enjoyable, especially for new players.
- There is a significant lack of online players, making it difficult to find matches, which stifles the competitive aspect of the game.
- gameplay42 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 7 % 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 traditional fighting games. Overall, it is considered fun and enjoyable, especially for casual play with friends.
“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.”
“A dozen hours after that, my buddy and I keep learning new nuances to the gameplay.”
“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 (just don't forget the cookies).”
“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.”
- music18 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its retro chiptune style, enhancing the overall charm and aesthetic appeal. While many reviewers appreciate the soundtrack and its contribution to the game's atmosphere, some feel that the music, along with other elements, can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a strong point, complementing the game's vibrant pixel art and engaging 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!) but the game is just annoyingly difficult.”
“Also, 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.”
“The graphics, music, & characters?”
“The art, music, and characters aren't very inspired, and get very old quick.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their charming 8-bit aesthetic and faithful representation of classic arcade styles, with many users expressing admiration for the artwork and sound design. However, some players noted that certain characters are unfinished, lacking animations, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the visual and auditory elements contribute significantly to the game's nostalgic appeal.
“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. I have done pixel art and sprite animation before, and considering this flat Neo Geo Pocket art style, it shouldn't take too long to finish the animations before the attacks and then modifying it accordingly.”
“The graphics, music, and characters feel incomplete and lack polish.”
“While I appreciate the aesthetic, the execution leaves much to be desired, especially with unfinished animations.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game lacks online multiplayer options, which diminishes its overall replay value for some players. However, those who enjoy mastering the fundamentals and engaging in mindgames find significant replayability, as these elements can lead to endless strategic depth.
“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.”
“There's no online scene, and no replay value to be had here.”
“There's no online scene, and no replay value to be had here.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % 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 additional content, including a more engaging narrative and more characters, once the game exits its alpha stage.
“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.”
“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.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the character design is praised for its quality, the reviews do not provide significant insights into character development, focusing instead on the game's aesthetics and difficulty. Overall, the character development aspect appears to be overshadowed by other elements of the game.
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find humor in the irony of a smaller game like Pocket Rumble offering excellent online play, contrasting it with larger titles like Mortal Kombat X, which struggle with netplay. This highlights a comedic appreciation for the developers' success in creating a well-functioning online experience despite the game's size.
“It's funny to me seeing a game as small as Pocket Rumble having excellent netplay while other, bigger titles like Mortal Kombat X being basically unplayable online, so kudos to the devs for not making that mistake!”
