Video Games That Need Sequels #2: Power Stone

It may not be remembered fondly in the annals of history, but one of the best video game consoles I've owned was the Sega Dreamcast. I'm not sure if it came out a year too early or a year too late, but for whatever reason the DC never really got a solid foothold here in the United States. It wasn't for lack of games though. Soul Calibur, NFL 2K, Marvel vs. Capcom, Street Fighter 3 and today's subject: Power Stone.

Before you get all riled up, yes I know Power Stone got a sequel, but it deserves another one. Power Stone is a good example of what made the Dreamcast so much fun: party games. Todays console are all about online play, which is great, but if you were having a bunch of people over the Dreamcast (along with it's spiritual successor, the Gamecube) was the way to go, and Capcom's Power Stone led the hit parade. For those of you that have never played this gem, it's basically a 3D fighting game played from an isometric perspective. Or to put it another way, you ran around an environment and knocked the crap out of each other using weapons ranging from bubble blowers, to umbrellas, to axes to flame throwers. If you ended up with three of the titular Power Stones you morphed into the super version of your character for a short time. Simple. Elegant. Fun. While the fighting engine lacked much depth, it more than made up for it in sheer goofy chaos. But alas it's success was not in the cards. Power Stone 2 was released after Sega had announced they would cease production of the Dreamcast and was pretty much dead on arrival. Capcom moved on to other franchises, with varying degrees of success.

Why it deserves a sequel now. With the online capabilities of present generation consoles lag-free gaming, even in a fighting game, is a reality. What was once a great party game can be just as great as an online brawler. Meanwhile the fighting genre is very stratified right now. At the top are the 'elite' fighting franchises: Soul Calibur, Tekken, Virtua Fighter, and Dead or Alive. These games are great, but they are complex and at times daunting for the casual gamer. The also tend to be pretty serious and occasionally mature. They are also very expensive to produce. At the bottom are the innumerable 'old school' fighters Capcom and SNK keep churning out and a whole mess of mediocre licenced fighting games, most based on Japanese anime series. The middle stratum is left pretty empty, so empty that the Mortal Kombat series may be the only property inhabiting it. This is what Capcom could make with Power Stone, and online fighter that is light and breezy with a sense of humor. A game you can just pop in and run with it, but one that also has a bit of depth just beneath the surface. The ball is in your court Capcom. What will you do with it?