Alright, let’s dig into Pride FC on PS2. So this weekend I dragged my dusty PS2 outta the closet, right? Hooked up them crusty RCA cables to my TV. Wasn’t sure if this old fighting game would even work.
Firing It Up
Slid the disc in and heard that classic PS2 whirrr-clunk sound. Boot screen hit me with late-90s CGI fireworks and dude in gloves screaming – pure hype. Main menu’s so simple it hurts: Arcade, Versus, Tournament. No fancy career modes or tutorials like modern stuff.
Jumped straight into Arcade mode as Kazushi Sakuraba cause dude’s a legend. Picked Bas Rutten as opponent – felt like a real Pride matchup.
That Retro Beatdown
First thing that smacked me? The stiff controls. Triangle for kicks, square for punches – basic. But combos? Nah. You punch-kick like Frankenstein throwing haymakers. Sakuraba’s kicks sound like slapping a wet fish – hilarious.
Stamina bar drains faster than my phone battery. Miss a punch? Your dude wobbles like a drunk uncle. Ground game’s super janky too. Just mash circle to submit someone, no fancy grappling chains. But when you land a knockout? Screen flashes red like a broken neon sign, announcer screams “HEAD KICK!”
The Charm Is Real Though
Played three matches back-to-back and here’s the magic:
- Crazy pre-fight entrances with fighters coming down actual Pride ramps
- Ugly as sin fighter models – all pixel-y and weird, but it’s nostalgic
- Commentary’s hype as hell even when repeating the same two lines
Seriously felt like watching 2003 Pride on Spike TV again. Clunky? Hell yes. But that over-the-top presentation carries it. Ended up playing tag team with my buddy till 2AM shouting at bad hit detection.
So Is It Worth It Today?
Look, if you expect polished combat, forget it. UFC 4 this ain’t. But as a beer-and-pizza time capsule? Absolutely. The roughness becomes the fun – laughing at broken physics and celebrating jank KOs. Found my PS2 copy covered in pizza grease stains this morning. Says it all.