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Written: 12.8.06
Acquired: 9.2.06
Status: Cart only
Price: $4.50

Publisher: I'MaxReleased: 12.16.94
Developer: I'MaxScarcity: 3.5


Long before Puzzle Fighter there was DOSSUN! GANSEKI BATTLE



Don't these guys have any other hobbies?



Dossun has a unique battle system. Two ways to claim victory:


  • The opposing player's well fills up
  • Their energy bar hits rock bottom


Energy bar?  In a puzzler?  Whaaaa??



Like Puzzle Fighter, the attacker sends over a spiffy, er, attack



Eliminating 3 or more like pieces have varying results:


  • Green Rocks: Sends forth a dragon (see above)
  • Red Scrolls: Fireballs
  • Yellow Swords: Piercing swords
  • Blue Potion: Replenishes your health slightly (if needed)
  • Purple Squares: No effect whatsoever



ONE PLAYER









Select from 3 heroes









                                And one by one, do battle
                                with the game's numerous
                                villains









The loser is paid a visit
from ole Grimsy







TWO PLAYERS









Everyone's up for grabs







TODAY'S SPECIAL






Most puzzle games have a special
piece or power. Dossun is no different.
When you have a special pellet stored,
pressing R clears every purple square.
Although the graphics could easily be
confused for an early MegaDrive title,
this visual effect is noteworthy



Much cooler than simply fading out







DO A COMBO MEAL

Like fighting games, special moves are a good way to inflict damage, but the best players utilizes devastating combos. The same applies here. While clearing 3 pieces at a time is fine and dandy, pulling off 3-plus chain reactions is the meal ticket. Diagonal matches yield the best results if you set yourself proper








Observe this lethal chain. The
green rocks match diagonally
and disappear









                                   The yellow sword drops,
                                   connecting with 2 other
                                   swords







The swords' elimination drops
the red scroll....

... forming a crushing 5-PIECE
horizontal / diagonal red match
to end the 3 hit chain







PICK A FIGHT

After completing a big combo, the character enlarges and performs a fancy attack


















HANG IN THERE





Major attacks result in
leaving the opposition
hanging

[By a moment! Desperate
for changing, chasing after
you... ahem, sorry -Ed.]








ANY REQUESTS?

There's only 1 music theme throughout the entire game, and it can get tedious. When someone's energy bar flashes, the music breaks into a frenzy, sounding much better and adding nicely to the tension. But the regular music is a bit "meh"






CLOSING THOUGHTS


It's essentially COLUMNS with a medieval fantasy battle theme. Dossun! really grew on me and I literally said "1 more game" several times. It's amazingly addicting. Sure the graphics and music are nothing to write home about, but the gameplay is largely enjoyable

Sweet game