VIEWTIFUL JOE - GAME CUBE

You owe it to yourself to check out Capcom?s wacky 2D-action revival, Viewtiful Joe, exclusively for Nintendo GameCube. This is one of those rare game whose reality actually trumps the hype. (For visual evidence, check out this awesome trailer from Japan!)

Comics Brought to Life

While few details about the actual story itself have been revealed, the on-screen action feels like a living and breathing comic-book world. Capcom underscores Joe's huge appetite for action flicks by framing cut-scenes with movie-reel sprockets.

Creators Atsushi Inaba (Steel Battalion) and Hideki Kamiya (Resident Evil 2) have employed a unique cel-shading style that manages to balance Western comic-book style with uniquely Japanese irreverence. The result is a vibrant fantasy environment grounded in just enough reality to keep players sane.

In the first level, trees like you'd find in a pop-up book scroll by in the background while foreground shadows give depth to this 2-1/2D universe. As regular ol' Joe, you have to use what little knowledge of the martial arts you've gleaned from Jackie Chan movies to kick and punch your way past spandex-clad goons.

Little skull icons appear in front of baddies, allowing players a tiny window of opportunity to predict and dodge incoming attacks. Survive long enough and you'll come face to face with Joe's hero, Captain Blue.

Henshin A-Go-Go, Baby!

Successfully defeating your "mentor" will unlock the power within. From then on, Joe is still average, but with a shout of "Henshin!" (Japanese for "transform"), he can swiftly transform into crimson-clad superhero Viewtiful Joe for short-lived but stunning special moves.

The moves are accessible by building up Joe's "Viewtiful" effects meter, which looks like a sprocketed film strip. Slow power actually affects enemies, allowing Joe to administer punishment, Matrix-style. Mach Speed power allows Joe to unleash a mind-numbing barrage of blows.

On tougher opponents, you can slow time enough to kick and punch opponents' projectiles back at them for major damage. Nothing satisfies quite like dodging machine gun fire with a 360-degree torso twist, only to double-jump and kick a few missiles up an attack helicopter's exhaust.

You can also use your newfound powers to solve puzzles. In one scene, a giant slot machine drops from the sky. Joe must punch the machine to make the reels stop, one by one. If he doesn't get three "V's" in a row, he gets struck by lightning. By activating your Slow ability, Joe can easily time his punches to land three straight V's. (Disclaimer -- Do not attempt this trick at your local casino. It probably won't work and you may need new kneecaps afterwards).

Not Your Average Joe

Words really can't describe how truly bizarre yet addictive Viewtiful Joe is. Inaba and Kamiya are heck-bent on cartooning-up the proceedings with star-shaped text bubbles and a disembodied narrator (Joe's inner voice, perhaps?) exhorting you to "Do it!"

The constant stream of action mixed with enough puzzle elements to keep your left hemisphere awake makes for a dangerously addictive combination. Keep this page bookmarked for more Viewtiful updates as this game's September release date approaches.