Now you can enjoy Aksys Games’ flagship fighting game sequel on the go with BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II on PSP and 3DS (PSP version reviewed here). The title is a bit misleading as it’s not really a sequel to Continuum Shift on the big consoles. Instead, it’s the same game with a few new features, game modes, and characters only available as DLC in the console versions.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II is a 2-D one-on-one fighting game where you use combinations of joystick and button presses to perform punches, kicks, and other combo moves to beat your opponent. Pretty much like any other fighter out there. Continuum Shift II is the exact same game as its bigger console counterpart, but adds new content for the portable handheld.

All the DLC characters are available to play right away, for instance, such as Makoto the squirrel lady. Also, some new gameplay modes are added to the stack, so there is plenty to keep fighter fans occupied. There is an extensive tutorial for beginners, and in the options screen you can even select a mode that makes it easier to perform moves that require diagonal movements, since handheld controls are a bit limited. It’s still a pretty challenging fighter, though!

You have your standard Arcade Mode, Score Attack, and Versus modes. Drill a variety of moves in Practice Mode, or take on missions for each character in Challenge Mode. In the new Legion 1.5 mode, you’ll battle opponents and add them to your team as you progress strategically through a set map. The new Abyss mode challenges you to defeat waves of opponents and try to reach the bottom. And if you like anime, you’ll really dig the overly complicated plot of the Story Mode. By playing the game, you’ll earn experience points that will help you unlock artwork and other goodies in the Gallery Mode. And you can do Ad Hoc multiplayer in the Network Mode.

The only problem with the game is that the detailed animated sprites and backgrounds just don’t look as good on the smaller screen. They’re meant for big HDTVs. But the game still plays just as well otherwise. In the comments section, let me know who YOUR favorite BlazBlue characters are. Mine are Litchi, Taokaka, and Makoto.

Kid Factor:

BlazBlue is rated T for Teen with ESRB descriptors of Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, and Violence. It’s a fighting game, so of course it is violent. But most of the moves are pretty cartoony and not as vivid on the small screen. I also didn’t see that much blood either. Language is used quite a bit by the voiced characters in Story Mode. Some of the female characters are proportioned like anime vixens and wear revealing clothing, so that’s where the Partial Nudity and Sexual Themes come from. But like anime, it’s also rather campy and not as bad as it sounds. With some supervision, I might be OK with some gamers younger than teens playing this, especially if they’re well-versed in anime styled fighters. Even so, it’s best for older players because of the descriptors and difficulty.

Tags: Game Reviews