Rival Megagun may fall short of the standards set by genre masterworks like Cave's Ketsui, Seibu Kaihatsu's Raiden Fighters Jet or Raizing's Battle Garegga. But those are some of the finest pieces of game design of all time, and failing to meet their lofty standards doesn't stop Spacewave's creation being a tremendously fun and rather distinct shmup that really does offer something fresh, and serves as a great demonstration of the Switch's multiplayer prowess in the process.
Rival Megagun joins the growing numbers of retro-styled shoot'em ups on the Nintendo Switch catalogue and adds a whole new dimension to the experience: a gameshow component, after shooting aliens. This makes for an interesting main game mode, despite the game's appeal being rather limited for solo experiences. Overall the multiplayer component is more attractive than going solo and it's only legitimate to expect that the game's online community will grow in the near future.
Rival Megagun plays like a shmup but has the soul of competitive puzzle games like Super Puzzle Fighter II. Undoubtedly fun to play with others, it loses its charm when played against the AI. It's a neat idea that's been imperfectly executed, but still manages to provide a few hours of head-to-head fun.
Rival Megagun isn’t a perfect package, but it offers a unique gameplay experience that nobody else is trying to create right now. Shoot ’em ups are blood-pumping adrenaline adventures, and adapting that into a competitive game is a feat that Rival Megagun does impressively well. While some gameplay balance issues and a bland story mode tarnish the final product, Rival Megagun is still an engaging title worth checking out if you and a loved one need a new way to settle your arguments.
The competitive aspect of Rival Megagun works really well, and shooter fans who are interested in the local competitive experience might find a lot to like about this game. The online leaderboards and collectable cards add some long-term play, too. However, the lack of players online, the random unlocks, and the pedestrian shoot-‘em-up stages leave a lot to be desired. Some may find good value here, but I can’t wholeheartedly recommend Rival Megagun to a general Switch audience.
By mixing the shooter genre will the old versus fighting mechanics, Rival Megagun delivers an interesting experience that might seem curious to players looking for a brand new old-school experience. With its tiny roster falling short, Rival Megagun will still deliver fun duels, thanks to its fury gauge that will make each fight different and interesting. Too bad its short solo mode and terrible character design weighs down the game, which still delivers beautiful 2D sprites and background.