Sunday vs. Magazine: Shūketsu! Chōjō Daikessen

Sunday vs. Magazine is a fighting game that features dozens of characters from two of Japan’s most popular Shonen manga magazines, Shogakukan’s Shonen Sunday and Kodansha’s Shonen Magazine. It is a cel-shaded locked-view fighting game, similar to Street Fighter IV, with over a dozen characters from each publisher’s catalog, including current series and older classic titles. There are three main modes in the game. The first mode is an arcade, which pits the player against seven randomly chosen characters in order. Following that is quest mode, which plays more like a scrolling beat-em-up and tasks the player with completing various time-limited objectives such as destroying targets or collecting keys, and can be played solo or with up to three friends in wireless co-op. The final mode is a free battle, in which the player can fight unrestrained against the computer or a friend via local wireless play. The game system is pretty straightforward; characters have limited moves that can be customized per character. Each character can be upgraded by purchasing new activities with orbs earned in quest mode. Each character has super special and regular exercises, requiring a unique bar that fills as the player lands blows. As the game progresses, the player unlocks assist characters, which can be assigned to surfaces to provide special assist moves. A database mode is also available, where the player can read introductions to each playable and assist characters. The complete list of featured series is provided below. Characters from Zettai Karen Children by Takashi Shiina, Shij Saiky no Deshi Kenichi by Syun Matsuena, and Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi appear in Shonen Sunday. Kenjiro Hata’s Hayate no Gotoku! Kekkaishi, created by Yellow Tanabe, Masami Yuuki’s Kykyoku Chjin R, Kyoichi Nanatsuki and Ryoji Minagawa’s ARMS Tsubasa Fukuchi’s Law of Ueki, Kazuhiko Shimamoto’s Hon no Tenksei, Nobuyuki Anzai’s Flame of Recca, Kazuhiro Fujita’s Ushio to Tora, and Gosho Aoyama’s YAIBA. Characters from Hajime No Ippo by George Morikawa and Air Gear by Oh! Great, and other works appear in Shonen Magazine. Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail, Ken Akamatsu’s Mah Sensei Negima! Eiji Nonaka’s Cromartie High School Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba’s Ashita no Joe, Yuya Aoki and Rando Ayamine’s Get Backers, Tatsuya Hiruta’s Kotaro Makaritoru!, Akimine Kamijyo’s Samurai Deeper Kyo, Ikki Kajiwara and Naoki Tsuji’s Tiger Mask, Go Nagai’s Devilman, and Shotaro Ishinomori’s Cyborg 009.