Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!! (Switch/PS4/Steam) May 28 2020, Rubbering Battle Action

[sol-alpha]

3rd update:

As seen on the official website: https://swninfo.success-corp.co.jp/general/umihara-bazooka/teaser/

Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!! will release on May 28th 2020 in Japan.

The game will cost ¥2800 excluding tax (¥3080 total). It is available physically and digitally.

Language Options: Japanese, English,
Chinese (Traditional and Simplified),
Korean

2nd update:

Was busy so I forgot to post the new gameplay footage.

Video: https://youtu.be/9fe0nw6mhM8

Kondo and the other host start playing the game 23 minutes into the video, skip to the 28 minute mark to see them playing a stage.

Don't expect any professional gameplay, it's mainly a tutorial since there was a playtest the day after for people who attended in Japan.

There seems to be 21 characters so far and 17 stages.

Update:
Source: https://twitter.com/success_g3/status/1172043023577862144?s=19

Translation from Gematsu:
https://gematsu.com/2019/09/umihara-kawase-bazooka-announced-for-ps4-switch-and-pc

Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!! (title tentative) and will launch for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam in summer 2020, publisher Success Corporation announced at Tokyo Game Show 2019. It will support Japanese, English, and Chinese language options.



Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!! is a "rubbering battle action" game with support for up to four players in online multiplayer. It will feature original playable characters in addition to Success and Studio Saizensen characters from games like Sayonara Umihara Kawase, Doki Doki Poyacchio, and Cotton.

Original post:
Source: (there is a picture teasing the new title)
https://twitter.com/success_g3/status/1170935852093935616?s=19

Translated by Gematsu: https://gematsu.com/2019/09/new-umihara-kawase-announced-for-ps4-switch

Success Corporation has announced a new Umihara Kawase game for PlayStation 4 and Switch.

First footage of the game will be shown during the "Umihara Kawase Special Stage" event at Tokyo Game Show 2019 on September 12 at 15:00 JST. The stage event will also feature a first look at the PlayStation 4 version of Umihara Kawase Fresh! due out in 2020. Umihara Kawase Fresh! first launched for Switch in April.

Edit:

I wonder if this title is being directed by Kiyoshi Sakai. He only had a support role in Umihara Kawase Fresh! So it's surprising that they've announced a new title this fast even while a PS4 port of Fresh! is coming.

[KawaseFan]

Yeah, that seems way too soon; makes me wonder whether there was much point in porting Fresh to PS4.  Looking forward to seeing the new game, though!

[CyanideBlizzard]

I was always curious if Fresh was meant as a more off shoot of the series, like how Umihara has been appearing in other series, as oppose to be directly a main entry due to the deviation and Kiyoshi Sakai's minimal involvement.  It'll definitely be interesting to see what details come out in regards to this new title.

[sol-alpha]

Go to this tweet and look at the flyer on the left:
https://twitter.com/success_g3/status/1171271734458122245?s=19

You may notice a screenshot with multiple characters on screen. Also, you'll notice that there is a Steam logo on the bottom of the magazine next to the CERO rating.

[CyanideBlizzard]

If the screenshot on the leftmost poster is any indication, it almost looks to be like some kind of mini-game styled experience.  There's a timer, and a number counter next to the names.  It looks like the line will be in effect as well, and it appears to be designed for four player action.  I wonder if we're going to see a series collaboration in the same style that Blade Strangers was, but covering a whole different genre.

[sol-alpha]

If the screenshot on the leftmost poster is any indication, it almost looks to be like some kind of mini-game styled experience.  There's a timer, and a number counter next to the names.  It looks like the line will be in effect as well, and it appears to be designed for four player action.  I wonder if we're going to see a series collaboration in the same style that Blade Strangers was, but covering a whole different genre.

Some people are thinking it looks like a Smash Bros. style game which, I wouldn't be surprised since Studio Saizensen make fighting games.

[Princess Rescuer]

Hopefully this is another good one. Fresh was insulting.

[sol-alpha]

Source: https://twitter.com/success_g3/status/1172043023577862144?s=19

Translation from Gematsu:
https://gematsu.com/2019/09/umihara-kawase-bazooka-announced-for-ps4-switch-and-pc

Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!! (title tentative) and will launch for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam in summer 2020, publisher Success Corporation announced at Tokyo Game Show 2019. It will support Japanese, English, and Chinese language options.



Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!! is a "rubbering battle action" game with support for up to four players in online multiplayer. It will feature original playable characters in addition to Success and Studio Saizensen characters from games like Sayonara Umihara Kawase, Doki Doki Poyacchio, and Cotton.

[Princess Rescuer]

Not holding my breath. I'm not sure this series is big enough for a multiplayer game. And forget about this on a console you can play Smash Bros on already.

[KawaseFan]

I'm not sure this series is big enough for a multiplayer game.

I definitely agree with this.  It's an interesting idea, hopefully it turns out to be a great game and I'll certainly give the online multiplayer a shot (probably the PC version), but I'd be surprised if its online multiplayer community lasts particularly long.

[sol-alpha]

There was a studio Saizensen stream a few hours ago, they showed the TGS 2019 trailer for Umihara Kawase BaZooKa.

Gematsu has clipped that part of the stream so here is the trailer:
https://youtu.be/H2_k-j-6HrE

[Princess Rescuer]

OH YES!!! THIS'LL REPLACE SMASH! DEFINITELY!

Just make a normal Umihara game please. And stop re-using assets and music, especially on new hardware.

[Alc]

stop re-using assets and music, especially on new hardware.

Yeah I was a bit surprised to hear music from Sayonara in Fresh, I get that these are made on a shoestring budget, but that just feels like amateur hour.

[sol-alpha]

Was busy so I forgot to post the new gameplay footage.

Video: https://youtu.be/9fe0nw6mhM8

Kondo and the other host start playing the game 23 minutes into the video, skip to the 28 minute mark to see them playing a stage.

Don't expect any professional gameplay, it's mainly a tutorial since there was a playtest the day after for people who attended in Japan.

There seems to be 21 characters so far and 17 stages.

[KawaseFan]

Was busy so I forgot to post the new gameplay footage.

Video: https://youtu.be/9fe0nw6mhM8

Kondo and the other host start playing the game 23 minutes into the video, skip to the 28 minute mark to see them playing a stage.

Don't expect any professional gameplay, it's mainly a tutorial since there was a playtest the day after for people who attended in Japan.

There seems to be 21 characters so far and 17 stages.

Looks like it could be good fun; definitely looking forward to when we can get a better look at it with more serious play and more characters.  They seriously need to lay off the Sayonara music, though.

[Princess Rescuer]

It looks bad.

The only appealing thing about this game is the fact that it hits every waifu taste imaginable. The game itself looks bad. It looks slow, it looks like matches drag on, it looks like it's difficult to make attacks connect, and stages look bland and empty. And the series could really use better music that actually sounds current and not synthesized. Come on, it's 2020, not 2000.

I compare the game to Smash because that's clearly what it's going for. But Smash has big, well-animated, detailed characters. Smash has speed. Smash has varied environments with different events and obstacles. This game's stages are completely forgettable and interchangeable. Do the developers think four people will want to play this together?

Not to mention, the way you select the stages is stupid. It's the online Mario Kart course selection where everyone picks a stage and it picks one randomly. Just do what Smash does and allow taking turns or Loser's Pick to make it conflict free. Having everyone decide on one and then watching one randomly get picked takes too long.

Characters do not have enough individuality and in addition to looking cheap, they animate cheaply as well. This game seems to have Pokemon Syndrome, where everything is function over form to a fault and cuts every corner.

[KawaseFan]

The only appealing thing about this game is the fact that it hits every waifu taste imaginable.

Okay, you're gonna have to explain that one.

And the series could really use better music that actually sounds current and not synthesized.

It could use new music, and not just Sayonara music again, I'll give you that.

I compare the game to Smash because that's clearly what it's going for. But Smash has big, well-animated, detailed characters. Smash has speed. Smash has varied environments with different events and obstacles.

Smash is also a Nintendo game.  I'm fairly sure Studio Saizensen's budget for BaZooKa wouldn't be anywhere near any Smash game, and especially not Ultimate.  While I certainly expect BaZooKa to turn out to be a good game, and I'll be disappointed if it isn't, it's unrealistic to expect it to have the same level of content and detail as Smash.

This game's stages are completely forgettable and interchangeable.

I don't know how you can be sure of that, given that we've seen, what, two stages out of seventeen?

[Princess Rescuer]

I think one thing that is making this game look boring is the fact that the footage is only two players, when it's obviously better with four. One rule for multiplayer games is that they have to be fun with the minimum amount of players. Many modern multiplayer games are only fun with the maximum or something close to that.

[CyanideBlizzard]

The Tease Website has officially launched, which now is confirming a potential "spring to summer" release date for BaZooKa.

[Whendaleksattack]

Just checked out the website, I love the page loading animation and artwork. Very interested in how Bazooka will turn out.

[sol-alpha]

As seen on the official website: https://swninfo.success-corp.co.jp/general/umihara-bazooka/teaser/

Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!! will release on May 28th 2020 in Japan.

The game will cost ¥2800 excluding tax (¥3080 total). It is available physically and digitally.

Language Options: Japanese, English,
Chinese (Traditional and Simplified),
Korean

[sol-alpha]

17 minutes of direct-feed gameplay:
https://youtu.be/_F7ep6qUZUE

[KawaseFan]

17 minutes of direct-feed gameplay:
https://youtu.be/_F7ep6qUZUE

The challenge mode shown looks pretty interesting.  Even if a lot of the in-game stage assets appear to be recycled from Fresh, it's clear that plenty of effort has gone into the game's presentation.  I was particularly glad that most of the music heard in the video wasn't from Sayonara.  Now if they could just replace the boss music...!

[Alc]

Yeah that could be a bit of fun. Not long to wait now.

[Whendaleksattack]

Sweet, nice to see a direct capture from Bazooka in 60fps for once. While I like the concept of Challenge mode however, after looking at the footage it seems that it drags on a bit too much for my liking. Just a small issue I have at the moment, as I like pretty much everything else in the video.

[CyanideBlizzard]

I had actually planned on posting that video, but Sol being the absolute beast they are completely beat me to it. 

It certainly looks quite enjoyable.  I feel exactly the same way that KawaseFan does, I feel that even though there's a lot of recycling there's still very clearly effort put into the product itself.  I feel the price point also reflects that, and that serves as only a plus for us too.  Especially with the little bonuses that come with the Amazon Limited versions of the game.  It looks like an enjoyable title to play every now and again.