What was your favorite childhood game? For me, Pokemon and Digimon made up most of my childhood, so other than the Pokemon games, the first title that popped up in my mind was the fighting game Digimon Rumble Arena (Japanese version: Digimon Tamers Battle Evolution), which was originally released in 2001 for the original PlayStation console. Although it took a little while longer for the English version to be globally released the following year, its arrival sparked a sensation among us, the children and teenagers of that time.

Digimon Rumble Arena might not have the complex controls of modern fighting games, but simplicity means that it’ll be easier for players to pick up. The controls include jumping, basic attacks, guarding, two unique finisher moves for each Digimon, and a special finisher when Digivolved. The game offered a roster of 24 different Digimon from the first three seasons of the anime to choose from, although 15 of them need to be unlocked by completing the single-player campaign.

Personally, my top pick was Agumon, because who can resist spamming WarGreymon’s all-so-satisfying Terra Force?! Other than Agumon, you’ll also encounter familiar faces and their unique Digivolutions such as Impmon’s Digivolution into Beelzemon, Guilmon into Gallantmon, and Gatomon transforming into … Magnadramon. Yeah, the devs made a questionable decision there, omitting the ever-so-popular Angewomon and leaving us fans scratching our heads. What were they thinking, seriously?

Of course, there’s no Digimon game without “Digivolution”. As one of the standout features of the game, your Digimon could transform into a more powerful character that could unleash a devastating move by gradually filling up a gauge through successful hits or guarding against attacks. Now, imagine this: you've invested all your blood, sweat, and tears into charging that gauge to its maximum. The anticipation is through the roof as your Mega Digimon prepare to unleash that one earth-shattering ultimate move, and … oops, you missed it. To add insult to injury, your Digimon will return to its Rookie form after unleashing its Special Finisher, presenting the perfect opportunity for your friends to tease and make fun of you.

The arenas that the thrilling Digimon battles take place at are packed with unique traps and hazards, like falling rocks or lava flows, that you can either dodge or cleverly use to your advantage. But hold on tight, as Digimon Rumble Arena likes to spice things up with (somewhat unnecessary) complexity. Each Digimon is assigned one of three specialties: fire, nature, or water, which makes them stronger or weaker against one another like Rock Paper Scissors. This system also applies to the game's seven arenas, which for example, a nature Digimon will suffer more damage when falling into the fiery lava. It's like adding an extra layer of complexity for the sake of “strategy”, or so to speak.

Looking back, it's hard not to see the specialty system as a bit pointless in a 1-on-1 fighting game where skill and mechanics should be the ultimate deciders of victory. It almost feels like an attempt to create an unfair advantage rather than focusing on the core elements that should truly matter. I mean, why complicate things when the key to victory should be mastering your moves and outmaneuvering your opponent?

To add more flavours into the game, items and cards with various effects will randomly appear during a battle. Food items will recover your Life Gauge, giving you a much-needed boost when you're on the brink of defeat, while card items come with a whole array of effects, such as increasing or decreasing your Digivolve Gauge, making the outcome of the battle more unpredictable. Some may even temporarily seize control over an opponent’s Digimon, giving you the upper hand in a sudden twist of fate. And let's not forget the cards that grant your Digimon the ability to unleash special attacks, packing a punch that can catch your opponents off guard. While items and cards may not bring groundbreaking surprises to the table, they do inject a little extra fun into the gameplay of Digimon Rumble Arena by adding a sprinkle of unpredictability.

Then there’s also three mini-games including the Target Games, where you’ll have to toss a ball to collect gems; the Digivolve Race, where you’ll just have to smash your buttons faster than the opponent; and the Basketball Game that tests your precision and timing. Maybe the devs knew that the ever-repeating combats will eventually bore the players out so they decided to add random mini-games keep things fresh. I woudn’t say that they’re good, but if you asked the 7-year-old me, I’d say they served their purpose as fun party games in between battles.

Sequel to the first game is Digimon Rumble Arena 2 (Japanese version: Digimon Battle Chronicle), which was released in 2004 for multiple platforms, including PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox. The game took things up a notch with an expanded and diverse playable roster, featuring over 40 Digimons from the first four seasons of the anime, including their evolutions. Returning favorites like Agumon, Guilmon, Renamon, and Veemon made a triumphant comeback, while new faces such as Flamemon and Duskmon brought fresh and exciting possibilities to the battle arena.

This time around, the battles take on the four-player battle royale format, reminiscent of the beloved Super Smash Bros. franchise. In a departure from the previous game, the Digivolution mechanic has undergone some changes. Digimons can now Digivolve into their Champion forms, and then further into their Mega forms. Also, instead of the Digivolution gauge automatically filling up through damage dealt or taken, players now need to collect orbs that drop when they successfully damage their opponents, making the battles more intense and competitive than ever.

However, this new battle system also unfortunately introduced the possibility of snowballing, where one or two skilled players would gain significant advantage and dominate the match, as players who struggle to perform well might not even get the opportunity to Digivolve. Thankfully, the developers made a wise decision to discard the unnecessary specialty system in favor of the revamped gameplay format and Digivolution system. This shift in design brings the gameplay spotlight back to the player's own abilities rather than relying on arbitrary advantages.

When it comes to visuals, Digimon Rumble Arena 2 takes a leap forward as it embraces the power of the then-latest generation of consoles. With the gameplay now catering to up to four players simultaneously, the devs faced the challenge of ensuring a smooth and dynamic camera movement without causing any discomfort or dizziness, and they have done just that. The camera panning in the game is smartly executed, allowing players to fully engage in the intense battles without losing track of their Digimon or getting disoriented. Furthermore, the developers made a significant quality-of-life improvement by eliminating the pause that occurred whenever a Digimon Digivolved. This small yet impactful change undoubtedly presents a more seamless gameplay experience.

Now, I must admit, when considering the preferences of today's generation of gamers, these two games might come across as a bit underwhelming. It's only fair to acknowledge that times have changed, and our expectations have evolved along with them. However, if we take a trip down memory lane to those cherished moments of our childhood, when we would eagerly gather at one of our neighbor's house after school to play PlayStation games with friends, both games from the Digimon Rumble Arena series were absolute blasts. What truly made them special were the treasured memories they created. The joy and laughter shared with friends, the friendly competitions, and the sheer excitement of engaging in epic battles with our favorite Digimons—those are the moments that remain etched in our hearts.

But then the question arises: does the series warrant a remake or a sequel? Absolutely. The prospect of revisiting these beloved titles, revitalized with stunning graphics, polished gameplay mechanics, and the potential addition of fresh features, is undeniably enticing. It would grant us the opportunity to relive those treasured memories while also introducing them to a whole new generation of gamers.

While acknowledging the fact that any remake or sequel of Digimon Rumble Arena would face tough competition from well-established games in the same genre, particularly the Super Smash Bros. series, I still firmly believe that this beloved fighting game has distinct qualities that can make it stand out and attract a dedicated fanbase — specifically its unique Digivolution system, as well as the sense of nostalgia associated with the Digimon series and the game itself that cannot be replicated by any other game.

With many more new Digimons introduced throughout the years, should a sequel or remake be developed, the opportunity to explore a wider variety of Digimon choices would certainly provide even more enjoyment. In addition, I hold the hope that online multiplayer modes will be incorporated into the new game, allowing players to engage in thrilling Digimon battles regardless of distance.

Although it seems unlikely that Bandai will ever revive the series, I wanted to express the joy that Digimon Rumble Arena brought to my childhood and hold onto a glimmer of hope for a potential Digimon Rumble Arena 3. Perhaps if Bandai were to come across this article, it would serve as a reminder that there are still fans longing to play the game on the latest generation of consoles. Who knows, maybe the power of nostalgia could ignite a revival of this beloved childhood series? :P

And that concludes Lluvia’s retro review of Digimon Rumble Arena 1 & 2.