Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Godzilla: The Series offers a straightforward, action-oriented gameplay loop that will feel instantly familiar to fans of side-scrolling beat ’em ups. You control Godzilla himself as he tramples through seven distinct levels, each culminating in a boss fight against one of the alien invaders. The game’s auto-scroll mechanic means Godzilla lumbers forward automatically, leaving you to focus solely on timing your attacks and learning each opponent’s patterns.

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Despite the simplicity, there’s some satisfying depth in the four available attacks—Stomp, Bite, Tail-Whip, and the iconic Radiation Breath. Each move has its uses: Stomp for crowd control, Bite for quick strikes, Tail-Whip to hit multiple foes, and Radiation Breath for ranged damage. Mastering the timing between these attacks is key to clearing enemy clusters and chipping away at tougher boss monsters without losing precious health.

The linear level design keeps things moving at a brisk pace, but it can sometimes feel repetitive after a few stages. Enemies recycle across levels with slight variations in health or attack patterns, so you’ll quickly learn to roll with standard military grunts before they respawn in later arenas. Still, the boss encounters offer enough variety to break the monotony, forcing you to adapt your attack strategy on the fly.

Graphics

Visually, Godzilla: The Series embraces a late-90s cartoon aesthetic that mirrors the look and feel of the Fox TV show. The sprite work on Godzilla and the alien monsters is well-detailed, capturing the essence of the show’s creature designs in a pixel art style. Backgrounds range from devastated urban streets to alien-infested wilderness, though the color palette can feel muted at times.

Animation frames are smooth for the main character’s attacks, giving Godzilla a satisfying weight as he stomps or unleashes his atomic breath. Environmental details like crumbling buildings and burning rubble add atmosphere, but the parallax scrolling is minimal, so most stages feel like painted backdrops rather than fully realized worlds. On handheld platforms, this simplicity helps maintain a steady frame rate, but on consoles it can feel underutilized.

Special effects, such as the glow of Godzilla’s Radiation Breath or the explosion of military vehicles, pop nicely against darker backgrounds. Boss monsters also animate with distinctive idle and attack stances, making each showdown visually memorable. While the overall presentation isn’t groundbreaking by modern standards, it captures the spirit of the source material and holds up for a late-90s licensed title.

Story

Godzilla: The Series loosely follows the premise of the Fox TV series, which itself picks up where the 1998 film left off. In this game, Earth is under siege from an armada of giant alien creatures, and both the military and Godzilla find themselves in the unlikely position of allies-turned-adversaries. You won’t find lengthy cutscenes or deep character arcs—most narrative beats are delivered through brief mission intros and onscreen text.

Fans of the show will appreciate the nods to popular episodes, such as encounters with familiar monsters and the general “Earth vs. alien invaders” storyline. However, newcomers might feel a little lost if they aren’t already familiar with the show’s lore. The game never delves into human characters or the inner workings of the military task force, focusing instead on pure monster mayhem.

That said, the sense of progression—from clearing out military bases to uncovering alien nests—provides just enough context to keep you engaged between levels. Each boss fight feels like another chapter in Godzilla’s crusade to reclaim Earth, even if the story ultimately takes a backseat to the action. If you’re looking for a narrative-heavy experience, this might fall short, but for fans of kaiju combat it’s more than serviceable.

Overall Experience

Godzilla: The Series delivers a lean, action-packed experience that’s perfectly suited for quick play sessions. With only seven levels, it’s not a marathon, but each stage offers its own set of challenges and a climactic boss battle to look forward to. The straightforward control scheme and automatic scrolling keeps the focus squarely on smashing enemy hordes and refining your attack combinations.

On the downside, the game’s brevity and repetitive level design may leave completionists wanting more. There are no branching paths or unlockable extras beyond a simple level select, so replay value hinges on your love for high-score runs and perfecting every encounter. Still, the tight combat and faithful representation of the TV show’s creatures make it a worthwhile purchase for kaiju enthusiasts.

If you grew up watching Godzilla: The Series or simply enjoy the idea of stomping through cityscapes as the King of the Monsters, this game will scratch that itch. It may not revolutionize the genre, but it delivers solid, crowd-pleasing monster action wrapped in a recognizable aesthetic. For players seeking a nostalgic trip back to late-90s licensed gaming, Godzilla: The Series offers a fun—and occasionally challenging—roar of a good time.

Retro Replay Score

5.3/10