Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Kunio no Oden takes the frantic block-matching puzzle formula pioneered by Tetris and Puyo Puyo and adds a quirky, food-themed twist. Instead of falling bricks or colored blobs, you’re lining up bite-sized oden ingredients—fish cakes, daikon, and eggs—to clear the playfield before time runs out. The basic premise is simple: match three or more of the same ingredient in a row or column to make them vanish, but mastering the timing and spatial strategy is anything but. As the pace picks up, you’ll quickly learn that foresight and quick reflexes are key to chaining big combos.

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The game offers both a solo tournament mode and a two-player versus mode. In tournament mode, you guide Kunio or one of his Nekketsu High pals through a gauntlet of increasingly challenging eating contests. Each round ramps up the speed of falling oden pieces or tightens the time limit, keeping the pressure high. In Vs mode, two players face off head-to-head, and whenever you pull off a chain reaction, “garbage” blocks of uneaten ingredients rain down on your opponent’s screen. This mechanic creates thrilling momentum swings and tension as you either fight to maintain your lead or claw back from the brink of defeat.

The control scheme is intuitive: a directional pad to move pieces side-to-side, a single button to rotate, and another to drop instantly. Despite its simplicity, the learning curve spikes nicely as you advance, rewarding players who master vertical and diagonal combos. Optional rule variations—such as timed rounds or obstacle blocks that inhibit matching—add extra layers of depth, ensuring that even seasoned puzzle veterans will find fresh challenges every time they play.

Graphics

Visually, Kunio no Oden retains the colorful, blocky charm of classic 16-bit-era titles. The oden ingredients are instantly recognizable, each sporting bright outlines and playful expressions that give them surprising personality. Backgrounds depict the familiar stomping grounds of Nekketsu High: tiled gym floors, cheer squad banners, and excited onlookers who react dynamically when combos or big chains occur. This lively backdrop never feels cluttered, allowing your focus to remain squarely on the puzzle action.

Character portraits and cut-ins are rendered in that iconic beaten-up high school aesthetic—think spiky hair, scowls, and corn-row confidence. These static sprites appear during win/lose animations and lend the game a sense of narrative flair beyond just colorful blocks. Screen transitions, sound effects, and animated bursts when you send garbage blocks to your opponent all contribute to a cohesive presentation that’s as energetic as it is retro.

While Kunio no Oden doesn’t aim for photorealism, its stylistic consistency and attention to detail make every animation feel purposeful. Ingredients jiggle and wobble when matched, and the background crowd will cheer or boo depending on your performance. Combined with a punchy chiptune soundtrack, the graphics keep you immersed in the chaotic eating contest atmosphere from start to finish.

Story

The narrative in Kunio no Oden is intentionally lighthearted—after all, it’s about a tournament revolving around scarfing down bowls of oden faster than your rival. Yet there’s enough thematic setup to make each match feel like part of a larger brawl for bragging rights. Between rounds, you’ll catch snippets of banter as Kunio’s gang taunts their opponents and hypes up the crowd, reinforcing the idea that this is more than just a puzzle game; it’s a high-stakes turf war of stomachs.

Each competitor you face has their own backstory, from the muscle-bound jock who can handle huge chain reactions without breaking a sweat, to the nimble cheerleader whose lightning-fast combos will have your head spinning. Though there are no sprawling cutscenes or epic plot twists, the game sprinkles in enough character interaction to keep you invested in who’s left standing after the final dish is gone.

For fans of the Nekketsu universe, the setting around Nekketsu High carries familiar tropes—delinquent camaraderie, schoolyard pride, and offbeat humor—but this time, the battlefield is a table instead of an alley. The straightforward premise means you jump into the action quickly, yet the little narrative touches and rivalries ensure the game feels more than a simple arcade puzzle.

Overall Experience

Kunio no Oden succeeds as both a solo challenge and a party game staple. The single-player tournament mode offers a satisfying progression curve, with just enough variety in match conditions to keep you on your toes. When you finally clear the toughest eating round, there’s a genuine sense of accomplishment—and the option to raise the difficulty or try alternative rule sets extends replayability indefinitely.

It truly shines in local multiplayer, though. Dropping into Vs mode with a friend is a recipe for instant rivalry and laughter, as you send surprise cascades of unwanted blocks to each other’s screens. Matches are fast, intense, and easy to start, making Kunio no Oden an ideal pick-up-and-play title at gatherings or casual game nights. The balance between accessibility and depth ensures new players can grasp the basics quickly, while puzzle veterans can hone advanced chain techniques.

Overall, Kunio no Oden delivers a fresh spin on the block-lining genre, wrapped in the rowdy charm of Kunio and his gang. Its blend of simple controls, strategic layering, charismatic visuals, and engaging multiplayer makes it a compelling purchase for anyone who loves quick-fire puzzle battles or just wants a fun taste of Nekketsu High’s latest tournament. Whether you’re flying solo or duking it out with a buddy, you’ll find yourself hooked on the next round—especially when you’re just one perfectly-timed combo away from victory.

Retro Replay Score

null/10