Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash delivers a satisfying side-scrolling action experience that will resonate with fans of both beat ’em ups and giant monster brawlers. Players choose two kaiju from a roster of ten—including Godzilla, Mothra, and Destoroyah—and can swap between them on the fly. This tag-team mechanic adds strategic depth, as each monster boasts unique movesets, elemental abilities, and cooldowns.

The dual-screen design of the Nintendo DS is cleverly exploited: aerial foes and flying maneuvers play out on the top display, while ground-based clashes unfold below. This separation keeps the action dynamic and forces players to multitask, juggling ground charges and stomp attacks with laser beams and wing gusts in the sky. Boss encounters, especially against Space Godzilla’s crystal-enhanced minions, require quick reflexes and smart switching to avoid being overwhelmed.

Progression is steady and rewarding. Defeating enemies, smashing through military fortifications, and completing special challenges yields experience points and unlocks fragments of concept art. Once you finish the main campaign, additional monsters become available, encouraging replay to experiment with new combinations and strategies.

Graphics

Visually, Double Smash punches well above its handheld weight class. Character sprites are chunky, well-animated, and capture the iconic postures and destructive flair of each monster. Godzilla’s atomic breath is rendered with vibrant blues and whites that contrast nicely against the pixelated cityscapes, while Mothra’s wings shimmer with carefully placed highlights.

Background environments feature layered parallax scrolling—skyscrapers crumble in the distance, military vehicles trundle across the ground, and meteor fragments glow ominously. Though the DS’s resolution is limited, the developers have artfully used shading and color gradients to create a sense of scale, making each kaiju feel truly gigantic.

Special effects, such as explosions, energy blasts, and crystal shards, pop on the dual screens without noticeable slowdown. Transitions between stages are smooth, and cutscene panels maintain a consistent art style, giving the entire presentation a polished, arcade-like sheen.

Story

At its core, Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash revolves around a catastrophic event: a giant crystal meteor strikes Earth, sending ripples of chaos across continents. Space Godzilla, the cosmic mastermind, is behind the cataclysm, seeking to reshape the planet in his fractured image. This crisis sets up a classic monster-versus-monster showdown that spans sprawling cities, military bases, and extraterrestrial battlefields.

The narrative unfolds in bite-sized chapters, each introducing a new environment or enemy faction. While there isn’t heavy dialogue or branching choices, the interstitial comic panels and voice samples lend enough personality to each monster. Players get brief glimpses of titanic confrontations and the escalating threat of Space Godzilla’s crystal army.

The simplicity of the story works in the game’s favor, focusing attention on the action while still providing context for why these legendary creatures are duking it out. Unlockable cinematics reward completionists with extra lore tidbits, such as the origin of Space Godzilla’s crystals and the alliances formed by lesser-known monsters.

Overall Experience

Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash strikes a fine balance between accessible pick-up-and-play action and deeper strategic layers for dedicated fans. The dual-screen battles keep encounters fresh, and the ability to switch between two monsters mid-fight adds a tag-team dynamic rarely seen in handheld beat ’em ups.

Replayability is high, thanks to the unlockable monster roster and multiple difficulty levels. Whether you’re a casual gamer wanting to unleash Mothra’s dazzling aerial assaults or a hardcore kaiju enthusiast aiming to master Destoroyah’s brutal combos, there’s a gratifying learning curve and plenty of content to uncover.

Minor drawbacks include the absence of multiplayer modes and occasional camera limitations when too many explosions clutter both screens. However, these issues hardly detract from an otherwise robust package. For anyone seeking over-the-top monster mayhem on the go, Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash is a smashing success.

Retro Replay Score

3.5/10