Konami’s scrolling arcade beat’em ups from the ‘90s are well documented online, with countless ‘let’s play’ videos available on YouTube and full written histories for certain key entries. Some of these games are even playable on modern consoles, with the likes of Turtles in Time and its predecessor gaining re-releases via The Cowabunga Collection. Nowadays it’s even common knowledge that Konami made Asterix and Bucky ‘O Hare brawlers after the genre exploded in popularity circa 1992. They had the formula perfected, and arcade owners were keen to replicate the success of 1989’s TMNT – a staple in any arcade, be it the US or UK.
There is one game from this time that may have eluded many, seemingly due to it not being associated with any renown cartoon, comic, or movie. Metamorphic Force launched in 1993 and is one of the best looking examples of the scrolling beat’em up genre that Konami ever released, while also offering a slight sprinkling of innovation when it came to its mechanics. The concept alone wasn’t wholly new, however. Metamorphic Force was, essentially, a combination of SEGA’s best sellers Altered Beast and Golden Axe.
Four playable characters feature, each able to transform into a beast upon collecting a golden goddess statue. Martial artist Ban transforms into a minotaur, French swordsman Claude becomes a white werewolf, boxer Max has a black panther as his guardian, while Russian wrestler Ivan can – somewhat predictably – turn into a bear. Ivan is also the only hero able to carry enemies before slamming them into the ground. These aren’t mere power-ups; a good 70% of playtime is spent in ‘beast mode’ with our heroes only turning back into human form once their energy gauge is depleted.
As for the Golden Axe comparison, you’re able to walk freely around the screen as opposed to just a 2D plain, and you’re also joined in battle by a character carrying a sack full of goodies. There’s no need to give them the boot – they’re here to help, dropping items freely.
Although Metamorphic Force used the same hardware as Konami’s Mystic Warriors arcade game, it’s superior visually. In addition to having some attractive screen warping effects, with the final battle taking place in a faux 3D coliseum, it also has some incredibly well drawn sprites that almost appear to be lifted from cartoon cels. Think along the lines of Aladdin on the Mega Drive. The bulk of development time does however appear to have been dedicated to the lavish presentation, as even by genre standards this was a short experience. A typical playthrough takes around 20 minutes, only rising into the realms of challenging during the final stage – which had a few cheap deaths in order to extract extra credits from players eager to see the ending.
Mechanically, it’s a little different from Konami’s other titles, and not just because of the beast transformations. Much like a wrestling game, it’s possible to punch enemies when they’re downed, causing incremental damage. Upon transforming, too, your chosen character will lash out with a ‘smart bomb’ style attack and harm any enemy characters nearby. Only two buttons were used throughout play, but this was enough to facilitate a large enough move set; a flurry of kicks and punches, flying kicks, and a wide ranging attack by pressing both buttons at once. Enemies can additionally be grappled and thrown, making for a reasonably tactful experience.
Metamorphic Force has just gained a re-release on PS4 and Switch via Hamster’s Arcade Archives, intended to be a celebratory release. The company has just passed 400 titles, putting out a new game every week since the Switch was released in March 2017. It’s easy to see why they chose this title, as it’s something of a hidden gem, having only been a modest success for Konami in 1993.
The extras in this re-release are notable, adding a five minute caravan mode with online leaderboards, and including the Japanese, European, and American ROMS. The ‘How to Play’ section explains the differences between the three versions and details the mechanics well. While the experience is short, with the six stages only lasting 3-4 minutes each, the £6.29 asking price is more than reasonable, especially when factoring in the extra modes.