Jump Ultimates Stars is a Japanese only release that features characters from throughout Shonen Jump's long publication history. If you don't know what Shonen Jump is, then chances are that you're not in the group of people that will get the most out of the game, although the game is solid on its own merits. Jump Ultimate Stars is fan service at its best, collecting characters from over 40 different manga and placing them in a Super Smash Bros. style fighting game. For a western audience the price of admission is a bit steep, as there is much more text in the game than one would expect, but the game proves well worth the effort.
It seems pertinent to first address what alot of people are probably wondering: who all is in this game? The game covers many properties (47 total) from obscure to world famous, so I'll just mention the few that will excite most people: Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Fist of the North Star, Yu Yu Hakusho, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Rurouni Kenshin. If the idea of pitting characters from these manga against one another is exciting to you, then this game will no doubt please. If not, you may find the required guesswork associated with playing a game in a different language too much.
As mentioned, the game is in the same vein as Super Smash Bros., with up to four players battling it out in a 2D arena with platforms scattered around. The arenas are set up as manga panels, and after punching through the side of the panel, players can knock opponents out of bounds for an easy kill. However, unlike SSB, characters have a finite life bar that can be depleted for a KO. Each character has 3 main types of attack, a normal attack, a special attack, and a super attack. The normal and special attacks can be changed depending on if a direction is held, just like SSB. Additionally, each character can block, guard break, and force another player to change characters, much like in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. The action can become a bit repetitive if played for too long (as simple, cheap tactics seem to always work on the computer), but overall the gameplay is solid. The characters you take into battle are determined by a 4 x 5 grid that players make between fighting. Players are tasked with filling the grid with three different types of panels: assist, support, and battle (these are not the actual terms in the game, but rather what I personally approximated them to be (and I have no knowledge of Japanese)). Players need at least one of each type, but for the most part, players are free to create a grid as they please outside of this small restriction.
The main types of play are Story, Mission, and VS., with story being the place where most will spend their time playing solo. Story involves traveling from asteroid to asteroid, with each one being associated with a Jump property. Once an asteroid is selected, players need to complete varying objectives, from collecting coins to straightforward deathmatches. After completing these objectives, players unlock character panels associated with each property. These panels can be developed in Evolution mode. Each panel starts as support, meaning it boosts the stats of the battle character associated with it. From there, it can potentially develop into a support character or battle character. A support character is like an assist in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, where the character appears for an attack and then leaves. A battle character is the character you actually control in the field. These assists and battle characters can be further developed to become stronger as well. However, not all character panels have the ability to become assist or battle characters. Mission mode features certain levels that are unlocked from Story mode that can be replayed for competitive scores, and VS. features combat either against AI or human opponents.
The graphics in this game are perfect for the setting, and they do a good job of offering a medium between many different drawing styles. The backgrounds are also drawn well, and feature locales from several of the properties in the game.The sound leaves something to be desired, as there are plenty of memorable themes from the anime that these manga spawned, but then again this is a game about the manga, not the shows, so its unclear whether the licensing was properly available for that.
Jump Ultimate Stars is a labor of love from Shonen that rewards fans with an entertaining game featuring their favorite characters in impossible fighting scenarios straight out of fan fiction. For Americans willing to invest the time into figuring out which menu does what by memory, Jump Ultimate Stars is a gem of an import.
Overall: 8.8 out of 10
Recommended price: I'd say the full $30 most domestic games cost. Import at your leisure though
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