Itadaki Smash from Sony Interactive Entertainment, Main Loop, and Relevo is a 3D beat ‘em up on PlayStation 4. Learn more about it in our Itadaki Smash review!

 

In Itadaki Smash Sony Interactive Entertainment, Main Loop, and Relevo, you’ll be taking on an old-school infused beat ‘em up that pays homage to the classics. You’ll be selecting between one of four characters as you try to help Katsu save his business. You see, Katsu owns a restaurant, but the Tengogo mafia wants to ruin him, so they cast a curse on all of the restaurant’s food. It’s now up to Katsu and his friends to do whatever it takes to beat the Tengogo mafia and break the curse before it’s too late! This one is the latest game from the Playstation Talents initiative, a program that so far has helped support more than 100 games since its inception in 2015.

As for Itadaki Smash, you can play in Normal Mode, which does not have time limits for stages while also offering unlimited continues and automatic save points. There’s also Arcade Mode which, as its name suggests, offers an arcade-like experience like back in the day. You’ll have to finish the game with a single coin since there’s no option to continue, and you must act fast so that you can do things within the time limit. There’s also a Vs. Mode in which you can fight against your friends to prove who’s the best, and an Arena Mode for you to battle wave after wave of enemies.

 

There are four characters to choose from: Katsu, Naru, Tako, and Mayo. Each one will have different pros and cons to consider since there are three stats per character, and their values will vary considerably. For example, Katsu favors Strength over Sped and Range, so he’s a bit of a tank character. Naru favors Speed and Range but is not as strong as the rest of the group. Tako is the most balanced of the bunch, with four points of Strength, four points of Speed, and three points of Range. And then there’s Mayo, who has the same stats as Tako but has different specials and magic attacks.

You’ll move your character with the left analog stick, jumping with the X button. You can use regular attacks with the Square button or unleash more powerful but slower attacks with the Triangle button. By pressing the R1 button, you can make your character run, and you can press an attack button to damage enemies. This beat ‘em up has a dedicated grab button, so you should use the Circle button to catch and throw your enemies as needed. You can use special attacks with the L1 button, which will use some of the energy in the blue bar below your character’s health. If you don’t have enough energy, then special attacks will cost some of your health. You also have magic attacks that can be used with the D-Pad, as long as the green energy bar has enough of a charge. Be sure to work on landing some solid combos to fill up this bar!

 

Along with all of the human members of the Tengogo mafia you’ll be fighting up against, you’ll also be battling food items that have come to life because of the curse. There are sixteen stages to play through, with some being shorter than others. Some of them will also have a boss fight that will pit you up against a mutated food dish. This could be, for example, a giant crab with a bowl of ramen on its back or the huge vegetable you can see in the image below.

Trophy-wise, Itadaki Smash includes a full trophy list with a Platinum trophy for you to unlock. Most of the trophies will unlock at a steady pace as you complete each of the sixteen stages in the game since there’s a trophy tied to beating each level. There are also trophies for beating the Arcade Mode, for beating Normal Mode, for beating all waves in Arena Mode, for achieving 35,000 points in any mode, for knocking back 20 projectiles at enemies, achieving a 30-hit combo, and for completing a level without taking any damage.

If you’re looking for a short but fun beat ‘em up on Playstation 4 that pays homage to classics such as Final Fight and Streets of Rage, then Itadaki Smash is a good option. It does not reinvent the wheel, but it has a good flow, a colorful presentation, and local co-op for up to two players, along with a Platinum trophy. Itadaki Smash is out on PlayStation 4 with a $14.99 price.

Disclaimer
This Itadaki Smash review is based on a PlayStation 4 copy provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment.