Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel Review

Japanese game gurus EXAMU and XSEED have teamed up for Nitroplus Blastez: Heroines Infinite Duel, a fighting game that brings together some of the most unique characters to grace the world of anime. Do you want to play as a cute anime girl? You probably already know the answer to that.

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel Review

The fighting engine powering the world of Nitroplus Blasterz should be familiar to anybody whose ever visited an arcade. Super moves, quarter-circle motions and assists take the best elements of tag-team fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom and The King of Fighters. However, the inputs have been simplified a good deal in this game. Using a four-button set up with three buttons dedicated to attacks, special attacks are streamlined into the intensity you wish to dish them out. Paired with the simplified inputs for meter-draining attacks, and you’ve got something that is far easier to pick up and play as opposed to, say Virtua Fighter. Conversely, this also means it has less depth.

However, for what it lacks in depth it makes up for in sheer chaos. Between the two characters and their two assists, up to six anime girls can be on the screen at once. These assists shoot lasers, send out bees, dish out darkness, and generally add to the mayhem. If Nitroplus can be summed up in one word, it would easily be flashy. Seriously, there should be a seizure warning at the beginning of the game.

As for the roster, its appeal largely depends on your love of semi-obscure anime and video game series. Saber from Fate/Stay Night and Sonico from the Super Sonico line make an appearance, as do characters from Senran Kagura, Arcana Heart and Saya no Uta. Completely lost on these franchises? Not to worry – each of the 14 characters (after DLC) has enough personality to please even the most clueless of anime fans. It’s a shame that there aren’t more characters, but the ones that are present are unique enough to stand out on their own – no clones here.

Those looking for things to do outside of the arcade-style Story Mode in Nitroplus Blasterz will be a little disappointed. There is a visual novel-like “Another Story” mode that lasts about two hours, along with a score attack mode, practice mode and a bare-bones online component (albeit with strong netcode). Features like a more fleshed out online mode or more in-depth tutorials would really give the game extra legs. As it stands right now, the modes here are serviceable but not extraordinary.

Nitroplus Blasterz is one of those games that caters to its audience quite well. Those looking for gratuitous anime fanservice or solid fighting action will eat this game right up, but those wondering what a “Super Sonico” is will be left scratching their heads in confusion.