Car Battler Joe
{{Short description|2001 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title= Car Battler Joe
| image= Car Battler Joe GBA coverart.jpg
| caption= North American cover art
| developer= Ancient
| publisher= Natsume Inc.{{vgrelease|JP|Victor Interactive Software}}
| director = Keisuke Miyanaga
| producer = Koichiro Nakamura
| artist = Ayano Koshiro
| composer = Yuzo Koshiro
| programmer = Kazutoyo Kobayashi
| released= {{vgrelease|JP|November 30, 2001|NA|October 21, 2002}}
| genre= Vehicular combat
| modes= Single-player, multiplayer
| platforms= Game Boy Advance
}}
{{nihongo foot|Car Battler Joe|激闘！カーバトラーGO！！|Gekitou! Car Battler Go!!|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a 2001 vehicular combat game developed by Ancient and published by Natsume Inc. for the Game Boy Advance. The game involves using cars to fight opponents in action-styled battles, with role-playing video game game mechanics. It combined vehicular combat game with action role-playing elements in a similar manner to Autoduel from 1985.{{cite web | author=Joe Kaiser | date=July 8, 2005 | title=Unsung Innovators | url=http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=336&Itemid=2 | publisher=Next Generation | accessdate=April 2, 2010 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051028224610/http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=336&Itemid=2 | archivedate=October 28, 2005}}
Plot
File:Car Battle Joe gamplay.png
The player, taking the role of 16-year-old Joe, must earn money by battling to buy parts for his car to make it stronger.
Development
The game was developed by Ancient, with joint publishing by Victor Interactive Software in Japan and Natsume Inc. in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/13/car-battler-joe|title=Car Battler Joe|page=1|author=Nix|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=December 13, 2002|accessdate=January 5, 2018|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816140837/http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/13/car-battler-joe|url-status=live}} Known in Japan as Car Battler Go, Natsume Inc. secured the North American publishing rights for the game, changing its name and originally scheduled its release in mid-2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/12/12/natsumes-lucky-seven|title=Natsume's Lucky Seven|last=Harris|first=Craig|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=December 11, 2001|accessdate=January 18, 2018|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118104842/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/12/12/natsumes-lucky-seven|url-status=live}} Composer Yuzo Koshiro wrote funk music for the game.{{cite web|url=http://www.vgmonline.net/yuzokoshiro/|title=Yuzo Koshiro Profile|last=Greening|first=Chris|publisher=VGMO|date=March 19, 2013|accessdate=January 5, 2018|archive-date=July 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720135957/http://www.vgmonline.net/yuzokoshiro/|url-status=live}} It was shown at Nintendo Space World in 2001.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/25/spaceworld-2001-car-battler-go|title=Spaceworld 2001: Car Battler Go!|last=Harris|first=Craig|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=August 25, 2001|accessdate=January 14, 2018|archive-date=January 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114215432/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/25/spaceworld-2001-car-battler-go|url-status=live}} In 2015, the game was re-released for the Wii U's Virtual Console.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamezone.com/news/car-battler-joe-makes-its-way-to-the-virtual-console-3425251/|title=Car Battler Joe makes its way to the Virtual Console|last=Bishop|first=Samantha|publisher=GameZone|date=September 19, 2015|accessdate=January 5, 2018}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = 77/100{{cite web | title=Car Battler Joe for Game Boy Advance Reviews | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/car-battler-joe/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance | website=Metacritic | accessdate=June 19, 2016}}
| EGM = 7/10{{cite magazine | author=EGM staff | title=Car Battler Joe | magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly | issue=158 | date=September 2002 | page=162}}
| GamePro = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine | author=Pong Sifu | date=October 31, 2002 | title=Car Battler Joe Review for Game Boy Advance on GamePro.com | url=http://gamepro.com/nintendo/gameboy_advance/games/reviews/26869.shtml | magazine=GamePro | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050123215239/http://gamepro.com/nintendo/gameboy_advance/games/reviews/26869.shtml | archivedate=January 23, 2005 | url-status=dead | accessdate=June 19, 2016}}
| GSpot = 8.1/10{{cite web | author=Frank Provo | date=February 10, 2003 | title=Car Battler Joe Review | url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/car-battler-joe-review/1900-2910625/ | website=GameSpot | accessdate=June 19, 2016 | archive-date=August 7, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807234402/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/car-battler-joe-review/1900-2910625/ | url-status=live }}
| GSpy = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web | author=Zach Meston | date=February 11, 2003 | title=GameSpy: Car Battler Joe | url=http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/car-battler-joe/5594p1.html | publisher=GameSpy | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051120190504/http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/car-battler-joe/5594p1.html | archivedate=November 20, 2005 | url-status=dead | accessdate=June 19, 2016}}
| IGN = 7.7/10{{cite web | author=Marc Nix | date=December 13, 2002 | title=Car Battler Joe | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/13/car-battler-joe | website=IGN | accessdate=June 19, 2016 | archive-date=August 16, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816140837/http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/13/car-battler-joe | url-status=live }}
| NLife = {{Rating|7|10}}{{cite web | author=Jose Acosta | date=October 1, 2015 | title=Review: Car Battler Joe (Wii U eShop / GBA) | url=http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wiiu-eshop/car_battler_joe_gba | website=Nintendo Life | accessdate=June 19, 2016 | archive-date=October 23, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023223004/http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/wiiu-eshop/car_battler_joe_gba | url-status=live }}
| NP = 4.3/5{{cite magazine | title=Car Battler Joe | magazine=Nintendo Power | volume=165 | date=February 2003 | page=158}}
}}
Car Battler Joe received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. It was well received by Nintendo Power, which called it a "one-of-a-kind adventure" due to its combination of driving challenges and "RPG depth". Before it was playable, Marc Nix of IGN was excited about its premise, as well as the developer attached to it.{{cite web | author=Marc Nix | date=August 8, 2001 | title=Car Battler GO! | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/08/car-battler-go | website=IGN | accessdate=June 19, 2016 | archive-date=August 16, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816141135/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/08/car-battler-go | url-status=live }} In his review, he called its gameplay "hectic" and its controls well-designed. He also enjoyed the Mode 7 graphics. However, he found the sound to be less desirable, calling it "busy" but also "lacking punch". It was the 87th most anticipated game for IGN's readers as of January 3, 2003.{{cite web | author=IGN staff | date=January 3, 2003 | title=The GBA Top 100 | url=http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/381/381458p1.html | website=IGN | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040223203325/http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/381/381458p1.html | archivedate=February 23, 2004 | url-status=dead | accessdate=June 19, 2016}}
Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the car customization, commenting that without it, it would be both mediocre and not as deep. GameSpot's Frank Provo called it "weird and unique", and may not suit some people's tastes. However, he found an abundance of variety and personality to it. The publication later named it the best Game Boy Advance game of February 2003.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050123151422/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/gotm/030803/index.html | url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/gotm/030803/index.html | title=GameSpot{{'}}s Month in Review: February 2003 | author=((The Editors of GameSpot)) | date=March 8, 2003 | work=GameSpot | archivedate=January 23, 2005 | url-status=dead }} In his preview of the game, GamePro{{'}}s Pong Sifu found the gameplay unique and the graphics "delightful".{{cite magazine | author=Pong Sifu | date=April 18, 2002 | title=Car Battler Joe Hands-On | url=http://gamepro.com/nintendo/gameboy_advance/games/previews/22726.shtml | magazine=GamePro | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050123215334/http://gamepro.com/nintendo/gameboy_advance/games/previews/22726.shtml | archivedate=January 23, 2005 | url-status=dead | accessdate=June 19, 2016}} In his review, he commented that while the story was weak and the concept unoriginal, it was "easily one of the most fun action RPGs on the portable system". RPGFan's Neal Chandran found it fun and worth a shot, noting that even with its flaws, its "charm and heart" won him over.{{cite web|author=Neal Chandran|date=November 17, 2004|title=Car Battler Joe|url=https://www.rpgfan.com/review/car-battler-joe/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201081708/http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/carbattlerjoe/index.html|archive-date=February 1, 2013|access-date=|website=|publisher=RPGFan}} GameSpy's Zach Meston called it "unexpectedly entertaining", praising its customization and music and sound effects. However, he criticized the aiming system and storyline, the latter described as "bare-minum".
Retrospectives on Car Battler Joe were also positive towards the game. Outlets such as GamesRadar and Den of Geek listed it as one of the best games for the Game Boy Advance.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-gba-games/|title=The 25 best GBA games of all time|author=GamesRadar Staff|work=GamesRadar|publisher=Future plc|date=January 3, 2018|accessdate=January 14, 2018|archive-date=November 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119154024/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-gba-games/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/us/games/nintendo/256070/the-25-absolute-best-game-boy-advance-games-ever|title=The 25 Absolute Best Game Boy Advance Games Ever|last=Freiberg|first=Chris|work=Den of Geek!|publisher=Dennis Publishing|date=August 31, 2017|accessdate=January 17, 2018|archive-date=January 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118065648/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/games/nintendo/256070/the-25-absolute-best-game-boy-advance-games-ever|url-status=live}}
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Notes
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/car-battler-joe}}
Category:Action role-playing video games
Category:Ancient (company) games
Category:Game Boy Advance games
Category:Game Boy Advance-only games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Vehicular combat games
Category:Victor Interactive Software games
Category:Video games developed in Japan
Category:Video games scored by Yuzo Koshiro