Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Undercover Cops Gaiden: Hakaishin Garumaa reinvents the arcade beat-’em-up formula by placing you on a turn-based, tile-driven board reminiscent of classic party games. At the start of each session, you select from one of three beloved undercover cops, each with unique stats and special tiles that can tip the odds in your favor. The core loop revolves around choosing a numbered value tile, spinning on a slot machine to secure your move range, and strategically navigating the board. It’s a blend of luck and strategy that keeps every session feeling fresh.

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Movement across the board is punctuated by event squares that trigger conversations, item shops, or surprise battles. When you land on a shop, you can spend gold earned in previous skirmishes to purchase healing items, power-up tiles, or status effects that can sabotage your opponents. Conversely, landing on story-driven event spaces unravels small vignettes that add context to your mission and can reward you with bonus gold or extra tiles. This variety ensures that no two journeys feel identical.

Battle encounters are elegantly simple yet surprisingly deep. Both you and your opponent pick a tile for attack and defense, and the higher valued tile gains the initiative. A follow-up “effort” tile and a targeted hit location complete the tactical triangle, determining whether you land a crushing blow or suffer a glancing counterattack. Victories grant XP, which unlocks new tile types and passive boosts, and gold for gear upgrades. The balance of risk and reward in each skirmish encourages careful tile management and psychological mind games with other players.

Beyond solo play, Hakaishin Garumaa shines in its local multiplayer mode. Up to four players can compete on the same board, trading blows and back-stabbing alliances in a race to the finish. The chaotic energy that emerges when human opponents can gamble tiles or trigger events to impede one another elevates the experience above many generic digital board games. For fans of strategic party play, this is a standout feature.

Graphics

Visually, Undercover Cops Gaiden: Hakaishin Garumaa strikes a nostalgic chord with its colorful, sprite-based presentation. Character avatars are rendered in detailed 16-bit style, evoking classic Irem arcade titles while feeling polished for modern handheld screens. Each board tile is vividly illustrated, ensuring that event spaces, battle arenas, and shops pop against the background.

The UI design is clean and functional. Your current tiles, gold, and HP meters are always clearly displayed, with minimal clutter. When you enter a battle or shop menu, intuitive icons and tooltips guide you through your choices without overwhelming newcomers. Animations—such as the slot machine spin, tile selection, and attack impacts—are smooth and snappy, lending satisfying weight to each action.

Environmental variety also deserves praise. From neon-lit cityscapes to underground laboratories, each board zone boasts its own palette and thematic flair. Background NPCs and dynamic stage effects (like falling debris or flickering lights) add immersion without detracting from board readability. This attention to detail helps sustain visual interest throughout long play sessions.

Although the game doesn’t push polygon counts or 60-frame extravagance, its art direction captures the gritty charm of the Undercover Cops universe while adapting seamlessly to a board-game format. Fans of retro aesthetics will appreciate the lovingly crafted sprite work and the lighthearted animations peppered throughout.

Story

Hakaishin Garumaa weaves its narrative around the aftermath of the original Undercover Cops arcade brawl, introducing a mysterious crime lord known simply as Garumaa. The three playable agents—Mike, Guy, and Steena—are reassigned to infiltrate this new underworld threat. Each character’s personal motivations and banter add flavor to the campaign, making your travels on the board feel part of a larger detective thriller.

Story events are delivered through bite-sized dialogues and comic-style panels that unfold when you land on special squares. While these segments never overstay their welcome, they succeed in building intrigue: a hidden informant might tip you off to a shortcut on the board, or a rival agent could challenge you to a duel for bragging rights. This episodic pacing keeps the journey engaging without bogging down the core gameplay loop.

The villainous Garumaa remains an enigmatic presence until late in the campaign. Subtle foreshadowing—such as intercepted messages or cryptic shopkeepers—builds anticipation for the final confrontation. When the dust settles and you face the game’s true end boss, the payoff feels earned, offering a satisfying narrative closure that rewards those who engaged with every side event and battle.

Additionally, light RPG elements such as leveling up your character’s board-movement or battle prowess reinforce your personal story arc. Watching your cop evolve from a green recruit into a seasoned operative mirrors the ups and downs of the board game itself, adding a welcome layer of progression to the overall tale.

Overall Experience

Undercover Cops Gaiden: Hakaishin Garumaa succeeds in blending board-game strategy with RPG progression and arcade-style flair. Its accessible ruleset, combined with surprising strategic depth, appeals to both casual players and dedicated strategists. Solo adventurers will find plenty of content in the unfolding story and item collection, while groups of friends can dive into the competitive local multiplayer for unpredictable mayhem.

Replay value is high thanks to tile customization, multiple difficulty settings, and unlockable characters and boards. Even after finishing the main campaign, collecting every tile type or conquering the hardest challenge mode keeps the experience feeling new. The slot machine’s inherent randomness ensures that no two playthroughs are identical, striking a clever balance between planning and chance.

While the game’s pacing can feel slow for players seeking fast-paced action, those willing to embrace its leisurely board-game rhythm will be rewarded with a rich, multifaceted adventure. Minor gripes—such as occasional downtime when queueing events or the lack of an online multiplayer option—do little to tarnish the core experience.

Overall, Undercover Cops Gaiden: Hakaishin Garumaa stands out as an inventive spin-off that respects its arcade roots while charting new territory in the board-game RPG genre. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or simply on the lookout for a fresh party-style RPG, this title delivers a memorable, engaging journey across every tile.

Retro Replay Score

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