Viewtiful Joe

The Good
I've been waiting for a next-gen system to deliver a quality side scroller for a while, and here it is!

The combination of 3D rendered characters playing on a 2D plane looks fantastic. If that weren't enough, Viewtiful Joe has a number of other graphical treats up its sleeve. Slow-Motion, Fast-Motion, and Zoom-In effects (all which are essential to gameplay) create constantly changing environments.

The graphic style, a sort of anime-comic book, is also a tremendous innovation.

The game itself is a definite challenge. You'll probably think back to those early side-scroller games like mega man when it comes to the pre-final boss stage (a series of previous boss refights). Extensively complex gameplay elements, primarily revolving around fighting styles, sets the learning curve a little higher than most games; however, the payoff is worth it.

The cine-story presentation (complete with intentionally over-the-top announcer) moves along the plot in a refreshingly self-aware manner.

Lastly, the inclusion of power-ups based on previous level success is great.

The Bad
There is actually a little lag when the screen becomes consumed -- however, after years with the original NES side-scrollers, it almost feels like it was intentional.

The Bottom Line
One of the Must-Have Gamecube titles.