Have you ever played one of Koei Tecmo and Omega Force’s many Musou games? You probably know them better as the Dynasty Warriors , Samurai Warriors , One Piece: Pirate Warriors , or even Hyrule Warriors line. They’re essentially our generations’ interpretation of the early Streets of Rage style beat’em ups. One person goes in with an occasionally lavish or unorthodox weapon and beats up hoardes of enemies.
This is also exactly what happens in one of the two new games to arrive in the 3DS StreetPass Mii Plaza – Battleground Z . Each of these minigames samples gameplay from a different genre, and Battleground Z is the first to tap into the “whomp anything that moves” category. Zombies have appeared and invaded, and your Mii is the only one capable of fighting back against them, saving other survivors and clearing out neighborhoods.
The survivors are, of course, the Miis of people you StreetPass. Meeting up with one gives you access to a weapon that can be used to attack foes. For example, the tutorial starts you off with a Wii Remote, and my first StreetPass survivor provided a tablet that let my avatar attack with webpages and unleash a special attack that was a package delivery. They may even stick around to aid in the fight.
What struck me, though, is how similar Battleground Z is to the Musou/ Warriors formula. It’s really one against the world, with waves of enemies coming in. The goal is to clear them out to reclaim territory. There’s always one enemy who’s going to be the captain, and thus slightly stronger and more formidable than the other foes. You’re going to find allies, but they’re largely decorative since all the heavy lifting goes to you.
Most importantly, Battleground Z ‘s Musou leanings will likely improve its lifespan. With many of the StreetPass Mii Plaza games, there’s nothing left to do when you’re done. If you collect all of the varieties in Flower Town , conquer the world twice in Warrior’s Way , or escape the mansion in Monster Manor , you’re pretty much done. There’s no real reason to go back. But Battleground Z ‘s nature means it will be more like Mii Force , and provide an experience one may not mind repeating in the hopes of obtaining better times or scores. It’s another trait it shares with Musou, since replaying a battle or scenario is often desired there in the hopes of obtaining a different, better result or gathering more money, weapons, or experience for a hero.
Good-Feel did a good job with Battleground Z . While some may pause at the higher price tags of these new StreetPass Mii Plaza games, this one feels like it could well be worth the $4.99 buy-in. It has the kind of gameplay and merit that touches a chord in people, especially those familiar with the sweeping Musou series, and those willing to opt in will appreciate that.