Based on popular anime and manga One Piece, the upcoming DS title One Piece Gigant Battle’s battle system details just got released. Unlike the previous One Piece offering, One Piece:Gear Spirit for the DS, this game will feature 3-man teams and have an upgraded multiplayer component. Developed by Ganbarion, Gigant Battle is set for a September 9 release date. More details and on these and screenshots after the jump.
Ganbarion is known for creating Jump Super Stars, a crossover fighting game for the DS that included a wide variety of manga characters from Shounen Jump. Considering the developer's highly successful pedigree, they're perfect for this game.
Players can customize their teams with up to three different characters. However, it seems that players will be rewarded for choosing the right combination of characters with the compatibility system they’ve implemented. By creating teams of characters as they are matched up in the anime, the team can receive bonuses like more strength or poison resistance. From the screenshots, the game's support character system will be similar to Jump Ultimate Stars, where an assist can be called by tapping the lower screen.
There’s a big emphasis being put on the team gameplay. Players can mark one member of the team as the key character, giving that member a bonus. These can include more health for a certain character or the support characters’ gauge recharging faster. Hopefully, the game will be deep enough so that players will actively need to think about whom to assign the key role to during what fights.
The game will also feature interactive stages, which will include items and weapons that players can use, such as barrels and whatnot. More interestingly, players will be able to plow through the game’s “Great Pirate Grand Prix” mode with friends through wireless play. Sadly, there was no mention of wi-fi compatibility.
Pretty interesting to see fans encouraged to use combinations from the anime, because most games tend to just throw in a scene or two of fan service and call it a day. While most of these features are in other games as well, such as the interactive stages and items in Super Smash Brothers, if the developers can pull this off well, we’ll have a fun fighting game for the DS on our hands. In the meantime, check out the official site here.
[Source: 4Gamer.net]