Pocket Rumble

User Rating

6.6/10 (26 ratings)

Release Date

5th Jul 2018

No. of Players

Genre

Action, Fighting

Publisher

Chucklefish

Developer

Cardboard Robot Games

Content Rating

ESRB/Teen, PEGI/12

More Information

Filters

None

Report Game

Let's Rumble! Pocket Rumble is a streamlined, beginner-friendly 2D fighting game inspired by SNK's classic fighters for the Neo Geo Pocket Color.

Pocket Rumble retains all the gameplay elements that make traditional Street Fighter-style fighters great, but reduces the level of execution and memorization necessary to the bare minimum. That way experienced players can learn the game fast and be able to focus on deeper elements of strategy and mindgames, new players can learn the ins and outs of fighting games without being overwhelmed, and everyone can get their skills to a competitive level without too much grinding alone in training mode.

Features:

Simple, 2-button controls and universal, easy special move inputs with no complex joystick motions.
Short combos with easy timing and a straightforward cancel system.
On-screen frame data bar and visual indicators for properties like invulnerability help players understand fighting game mechanics and how individual moves work.
Simple, unambiguous health and damage system: All characters have 12 HP and all hits do 1 damage.
Diverse cast of characters each with their own unique meter and mechanics.
Quickly swap characters after a lost round to counterpick, just like between matches in a tournament, without slowing down the pace of the match.
Near-flawless online multiplayer with GGPO netcode.
Play with any combination of Joy-Con™ and Nintendo Switch™ Pro Controller for multiplayer wherever you go.

Offline Modes:

Arcade: Face off against the rest of the game's cast back to back! Can you survive all 8 matches?
Versus: Play local matches with friends or the CPU, and get competitive with hidden cursors for double-blind character select at the touch of a button.
Career: Take part in fictional fighting game tournaments around the globe, playing against AIs based on some of Pocket Rumble's top players and eventually facing off against AIs from some familiar faces in the FGC.
Lessons: Robust tutorials that teach you the very basics of how fighting games work
Training: A fully-featured training mode with a variety of hotkeys and options including viewable hitboxes, save states, dummy recording and more.

Online Modes:

Ranked: Get matched up with players of your skill level online, earn points and rank up with Elo ratings, leaderboards including character-specific rankings, and a rematch button to challenge someone to an unranked set when you need that runback.
Unranked: Invite your friends to play unranked matches just for fun!

Fri 6th Jul 2018

Nintendo Life said:

Despite being a useful tool in your training, Pocket Rumble's arcade mode is slight, but in multiplayer the game excels thanks to a diverse (albeit small) lineup of characters. Fighting games can be complicated things, off-putting to newcomers with their wide array of moves and techniques, but Cardboard Robot Games has crafted a fun and easy to learn experience here, bundled up in a wonderfully nostalgic audio-visual imitation of the old Neo Geo Pocket Color brawlers. By employing just two attack buttons and simplifying the special moves, it may not offer as much depth as some fighting games, but there's still enough to keep even a genre veteran happy here. As newcomer friendly as the game is, timing and correct move choice are still key, so experience is undoubtably a factor. Working well with any controller, the game is good fun and perfectly suited for quick bursts of play, whether that be in online battles or playing tabletop against friends. Admittedly the Switch is not short of decent fighting games, but Pocket Rumble still provides great entertainment.

Read Full Review

8/10

Tue 15th Jul 2025

JJtheTexan said:

Pocket Rumble was a huge letdown for me, simply because it got one important thing quite wrong.
Here's what it does right: Pocket Rumble looks GREAT. I love the Neo Geo Pocket Color art style, and they absolutely nailed the look and feel. The controls are solid and easy to learn. The fighters are varied and interesting. The music is fine.
The problem: for offline, solo play, this game sucks. There is no "easy" or "novice" difficulty setting for beginners or low-skill players like me to get acclimated. The CPU difficulty is turned up to 11, and after hours of trying, I finally gave up. I can win the first battle about one out of ten times, and I never once was able to go any further.
Granted, there are training and practice modes available, but those are like the shallow end of the pool; the Arcade and Career modes go straight to the deep end, and it is full of sharks. I can't improve if I can't even get a chance to win, and if I can't beat the CPU, what hope do I have against human players?
I really hate to admit this, but Pocket Rumble is just too difficult for me. It's a shame. I expected more.

Was this review useful?

6/10

Have you played Pocket Rumble? If so, we'd love to know what you thought of it. Submit a user review to help other people decide if this game is for them.

You need to login to leave a review