Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

One Piece: Grand Battle delivers a fast-paced, arena‐style fighting experience that will feel instantly familiar to fans of the anime. Battles are fought on open planes where characters can dash, jump and unleash special moves in all directions. All fighters share the same core control scheme—light, medium and heavy attacks—making it easy to pick up, yet the inclusion of support characters and context‐sensitive special techniques adds strategic depth.

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The heart of the game lies in its variety of modes. Grand Battle mode lets you face off against human or CPU opponents right away, with most of the cast unlocked from the start. Story Mode, on the other hand, offers the longest single‐player campaign: here you reenact key moments from the East Blue saga to unlock the remaining nine characters, plus bonus artwork and character endings.

For something more casual, the Mini Games and Grand Tourney modes serve up unique challenges. In the Usopp Pirates mini-game gauntlet you pick a team of three, then win rounds to “steal” your opponents’ teammates—a simple concept that becomes surprisingly competitive. Grand Tourney supports up to 16 combatants, human or CPU, letting you stage a free-for-all or a structured bracket. Training mode rounds out the package, perfect for mastering each fighter’s finishing blow or support call mechanics.

Graphics

One Piece: Grand Battle employs cel-shaded visuals that capture the look and feel of the anime with vibrant colors and bold line work. Characters appear crisp and expressive, each with cartoon-style outlines that pop against the dynamic backdrops. From the quaint shore of Shells Town to the narrow streets of Loguetown, environments feel true to the source material.

Special attacks are punctuated by brief, high-quality CG sequences. When you trigger a finishing blow at low health, the camera zooms in on a stylized, animated cutscene that recreates the over-the-top flair of One Piece’s signature techniques. These moments not only look great but also provide a satisfying payoff after building up your energy gauge.

That said, the game isn’t without visual hiccups. Fast-moving skirmishes can sometimes cause slight frame drops, and camera angles occasionally struggle to keep all fighters in view. Even so, the art direction remains strong, and the cel-shaded approach holds up well, especially considering the era of the game’s release.

Story

The narrative of Grand Battle closely follows the early chapters of Luffy’s journey, from rescuing Coby from Helmeppo to the showdown with Arlong. Story Mode strings together these iconic arcs in bite-sized battles, each bookended by brief cutscenes and on-screen text. While the retelling is necessarily compressed, it hits all the high notes for series newcomers and longtime fans alike.

Unlockable character endings and concept art shown in the One Piece Art gallery serve as rewards for progressing through Story Mode. These galleries feature episode stills, costume sketches and profile cards that deepen the connection to the anime. For players who enjoy collecting, tracking down every piece of unlocked artwork adds considerable replay value.

Dialogue is presented in text form only—voiceovers are absent—so patience with subtitles is required. However, the writing captures each character’s personality well: Zoro’s laconic quips, Nami’s exasperated pleas for treasure, and Sanji’s chivalrous banter all come through loud and clear. Though streamlined, the storytelling does justice to the charm of Eiichiro Oda’s world.

Overall Experience

One Piece: Grand Battle offers a well-rounded package that balances accessible fighting mechanics with fan service and unlockable content. The five core modes ensure there’s always something new to tackle—whether you’re honing combos in Training, duking it out in tournaments with friends, or diving into the story to expand your roster.

Replayability is bolstered by the quest to unlock all 14 characters and associated artwork. Each fighter’s unique finishing move and support call feels distinct, encouraging you to experiment across the roster. Even after multiple playthroughs, unlocking that last character or finishing a tough mini-game provides a gratifying sense of achievement.

While minor camera quirks and the absence of voice acting slightly temper the presentation, the game’s heart and soul remain true to the One Piece brand. For fans eager to punch, kick and blast their way through Luffy’s earliest adventures, Grand Battle stands as an engaging and colorful adaptation that delivers both nostalgia and competitive fun.

Retro Replay Score

6.8/10