The fighting game genre has seen a massive resurgence in recent years, with fans being spoiled for choice.
Developers have really stepped up their game with the likes of Dragon Ball Fighter Z, Blazblue and Guilty Gear to name a few.
Amongst these titles is Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid which brought together our favourite rainbow coloured defenders in a fully-fledged fighter.
Now after three season passes and some special inclusions, developers nWay will follow fighting game tradition and compiled all their bonus content into one complete version, namely Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid Super Edition.
If you grew up in the 90s then there is a strong chance that you came across Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in one form or another.
Whether that was watching the TV show, enjoying the movies or purchasing the endless supply of memorabilia it was a big part of that decade.
Everyone wanted a piece of this cash cow, so it wasn’t long before they were adapted into video games and there's quite a few of them.
Normally taking the form of a side-scrolling beat-em-up, there has been a Power Rangers game on almost every console.
Then came Power Rangers: Legacy Wars and even though it was a mobile phone game, developers nWay had laid the groundwork for Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid.
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid Super Edition is a 2D 3-on-3 tag fighter that features twenty-three different playable characters from the series’ twenty-five-year history.
Remarkably this edition also includes Ryu and Chun-Li from Street Fighter who have been granted power coins allowing them to transform into rangers.
Battle for the Grid’s fight system is really accessible allowing players to jump in from the get-go. It uses a four-button combat system that features light, medium, heavy and special attacks.
Unlike other fighters that require specific input commands for special moves, players can simply perform them by shifting the stick in a direction while pressing one of the four buttons.
Ryu and Chun-Li are special as they retain their move set and classic input commands from Street Fighter as well as being playable with the Battle for the Grids controls
The fighting system adds extra depth with the inclusion of EX and Super moves alongside the all-powerful Ultra attack that will summon one of the giant Zords or Mega Goldar.
Battle for the Grid also utilises a tag mechanic that works similar to titles like BlazBlue Cross Tag.
Players will be able to call in an assist and have the option to play as them after they attack. This adds an extra strategic element to the game allowing players to mix up combos in so many different ways.
The fighting system may seem very simple but mixed with the wonderful tag mechanic, the game begins to feel somewhat like a competitive fighter.
Part of the fun of tag games is finding the best ways for your team to complement each other or work in synergy.
There’s a great mix of characters that are really diverse and well designed to satisfy different fighting game styles.
Battle for the Grid comes with three single-player modes. Arcade and Verses are self-explanatory with the bonus of all characters being available.
Story mode is a sixteen chapter adventure written by Boom! Studios’ ace Kyle Higgin, who adapts the famous Shattered Grid Saga featuring all the characters in the game.
If that wasn’t enough, a lot of the original actors such as Jason David Frank and Austin St. John to name a few, return to voice the characters.
This mode is filled with plenty of nostalgic fan service that will be a fulfilling experience for fans of the comics and TV shows.
Fighting games can live or die by their online mode and when Battle for the Grid first came out in 2019 it was plagued with issues that made it almost unplayable.
Thankfully nWay has been busy with updates and online mode ran really smoothly this time around which was great to see.
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid Super Edition is sadly let down by its underwhelming visuals.
Character models aren’t disastrous but lack a bit of flare. Stages can feel really bland and lifeless but not all of them. It all just looks like a slightly upgraded version of Power Rangers: Legacy Wars.
VERDICT
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid Super Edition is certainly a big improvement from when it was initially released with the expanded roster and voice acting in battles being fully welcomed.
It has all the makings of a great fighter but just feels slightly sluggish in several areas.
Although this is a nice first step in what could be a promising series from developers nWay and I look forward to what they do next with this franchise.
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid Super Edition is out now for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows and Xbox One
