Review by Jon Donnis
Do you like chaotic 4 player side scrolling beat 'em ups? Do you like cartoon graphics? Do you enjoy games that are just plain fun to play? If you answered yes, to any of those, then perhaps I may have just found the game for you.
From Tanuki Creative Studio comes Jitsu Squad, this is such a fun game, instantly reminds me of classic side scroller beat 'em ups like Streets of rage, but with the crazy, chaotic feel of a Super Smash Bros.
Synopsis
"This is the story of the legendary, hidden Kusanagi Stone and the warriors seeking it. Containing the soul of a powerful demon, The Kusanagi stone can grant godly powers to those who awaken it. Now, the wicked sorcerer Origami, destroyer of worlds and lord of darkness, has summoned ancient warriors to find the stone for him, cursing their souls and turning them into animals in the process. Luckily, a mysterious monk called Ramen manages to save four warrior souls from Origami's call: Hero, Baby, Jazz, and Aros, together are the Jitsu Squad! "
Although advertised as a 4-player game, you can also play solo, and switch between the various characters as you play.
The premise is pretty simple, take on wave after wave of bad guys, collect orbs, level up your characters, take down the wicked sorcerer and save the galaxy! Pretty simple.
The massive combos are always fun and your characters can even become briefly immortal and transform.
As mentioned, this game is chaotic, deliberately so. The sheer number of enemies on screen is just insane, but it is all part of the fun. This truly is a game that you will pick up and just enjoy. I have been playing on the Nintendo Switch Lite, and the game works very well on the small screen. The graphics are clear and colourful, and despite the sheer amount of what is going on on-screen, you will never find yourself lost or confused. The controls are simple and easy to get used to, attacks are also pretty simple, and although you will learn new moves as you progress, you won't really find yourself having to memorise things, as you will just perform the moves through your usual chaotic play. The music and sound effects are all of a decent level.
The Good
The most important thing in any game like this is the answer to a simple question, is this fun to play? And Jitsu Squad ticks all the boxes. This really is just a simple old fashioned fun game, where the developers have created something that although not particularly original, that is just so great to play that you won't care. This game will get your adrenaline flowing. The humour throughout is very good. I enjoyed the music too.
The Bad
I can't really think of anything.
Overall
This is easily one of the best beat 'em up games on the market right now for the casual gamer.
This is a good game, simple as that. I score Jitsu Squad on Nintendo Switch a solid 9/10
Out now on Nintendo Switch at
Collector’s Edition pre-order link