The GHZ Forum

Spikeout is now out of stock on EBGames' website.

So who got a copy of this game?

I'm kind of curious to hear opinions on this, too. I can't imagine what depths of desperation must've driven Sega to fish that unlikely license out of the graveyard, except that this new iteration was too bad to risk the Bare Knuckle name on. It sure looks like a sloppy ass pie with an extra helping of dairrhea.

What's Spikeout Battle Street?

Played Spikeout at a Canadian arcade a couple years ago. While it's not saying much, I'd venture that it was (and still is) the best 3D beat-'em-up available.

It's out? What the shit?

I wouldn't blame you (much) for not knowing. It got pretty much no publicity.

Although if you want a copy you're going to have to resort to either calling up every EBGames in your city (it was an EB exclusive limited release, supposedly under 4000 copies) or eBay.

Spikeout Battle Street,sounds like a volleyball game beat down.Which doesn't sound half bad.

The demo I saw kicked arse!

I looked around and a few other sites and amazon at least lists it as an April 15th release, so maybe they are making more.

I liked the idea of Spikeout in the arcade but at home I don't see the point of it. You can still play multiplayer online, but it just doesn't sound like a good time to me.

I don't know how much Amazon really knows about whether or not Spikeout is a limited release. They'd just gone with EBGames' release date until now, and April 15th is the launch date for Europe...

And how can a beat-'em-up with a friend not be fun?

The clips I've seen look really repetitive and kind of stiff. It looks like Shenmue fighting. Granted, I never played the original Spike Out...

And how can a beat-'em-up with a friend not be fun?

When your friend isn't really there with you? I know Live has that headset thingie but even so, it's not really the same thing. For games like FPS titles that have traditionally put people in "isolated" views of the game, that's fine, but the beat 'em up genre has always been one where you get together with as many friends as the game allows and you play together, right there. If Spikeout is as shallow as most other games like this, then losing that multiplayer aspect, even if there is an "alternative" method (and I think it's great that they include it), it will hurt the game. If I buy a brawler it's so my friends can come over and play it with me, not so they all have to buy it, the console, and the Live subscription, just so we can all play far away from eachother. That's just not what brawlers are for!

Eh, okay, if that's how you feel about it. You do know it has multiplayer on one console, right? Split screen, though.

I've got an online friend in New York whom I only talk to on AIM almost every night, or play Halo 2 on Live very occasionally to never since that's the only Live game we both have and we're both pretty bored with it. So I got 2 copies and plan to mail one to him so we can beat the crap out of nameless thugs.

That was the thing, I thought it didn't? (thanks IGN...) Well never mind then...

Er, yeah, IGN has jack info about this game. I'd recommend checking out TeamXbox for info on any Xbox game you're interested in. They have a nice checklist-style list of features that is usually pretty accurate.

http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox/911/Spik ... tle-Street

They have a review (which IGN also doesn't), too. 7.9/10.

Now, see, if it had scored 8/10, I would've went and bought it.

I'd hold out for an 8.1, myself.

So I finally got home to the Xbox and got to play Spikeout. It rocks hardcore oldschool.

And by hardcore oldschool, I also mean difficulty. The last level on Easy mode is like playing the last level of Streets of Rage 2 on Mania with one life. Compared to Spikeout, Ninja Gaiden is like a baby park.

So it's good, then? I would like very much to think my current analysis is wrong, can we get some more first-hand opinions in here?

Double-S- wrote:Compared to Spikeout, Ninja Gaiden is like a baby park.

Damn.

I retried the final level from maybe around 9:45pm until just now (1:40am). I still haven't beaten it. My bedroom is in danger of being smashed to pieces.

And I'm on Easy mode.


And GG!, the game engine is pretty solid. Solid as a oh-so-slightly supple rock (there are a couple quirks, but they're not big). I feel that if 3D beat-'em-ups live on (which is somewhat doubtful) they really ought to have a block function, because being attackable from 360 degrees is a lot harder to defend against than 2 sides. But everything from grappling to charging your attacks to fat guys who squash you when you try to throw them is here.

I've only played the Story mode, which, as should go without saying (but I'll say it), is not exactly the main point of the game. But I was having a blast the first few levels just by myself, and so can only imagine a multiplayer session with a couple of friends would be a lot of fun. The only big complaint I have about the game is that the environments are nowhere near as lively and robust as the places you'd brawl in Streets of Rage. Also the music sure ain't Yuzo K tracks, and there's no custom soundtrack support. Boo.

Of course, graphics/visual whores will hate this game. As ought the friendless. But I might dare call it a worthy beat-'em-up successor.