Viewtiful Joe

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This article is about the game series. For the main character of the same name, see Viewtiful Joe (character).

Viewtiful Joe is a video game developed by Capcom's Capcom Production Studio 4 design team "Team Viewtiful". The other games in the series, including the PS2 port of the first game, have been made by Clover Studio. Atsushi Inaba headed the development of all the Viewtiful Joe games (first at Capcom Production Studio 4, then at Clover Studio). The first game was developed exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube in 2003 and was part of the Capcom Five, but was later ported to the PlayStation 2 in 2004 after Nintendo made a deal with Capcom to make Resident Evil 4 a GameCube exclusive (which, oddly, has also been released on PlayStation 2). The Japanese version of the PlayStation 2 release is titled Viewtiful Joe: A New Hope, a reference to the movie . Viewtiful Joe 2 was released for both the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in November 2004. An anime version of the game is currently airing on the Japanese television station TV Tokyo and has been licensed for US distribution by Geneon. The anime airs on Kids' WB! on Saturdays at 8:00 AM.

Gameplay

Viewtiful Joe's gameplay is very unusual and draws inspiration from classic side-scrolling brawlers such as River City Ransom and Double Dragon. Joe has no blocking moves when fighting, he only can dodge by jumping or ducking. Usually, by successfully jumping or ducking, the foe that attacked him will be dazed, leaving the foe wide open for attack. Joe has three 'VFX' powers, which are designed to emulate camera tricks seen in movies such as The Matrix:

• Slow causes Joe's attacks to be more powerful, as well as increasing his reflexes and giving him the ability to dodge most attacks. While in Slow, striking a dazed foe sets up all enemies on the screen for a chain reaction, causing all points accrued during the duration of Slow to be multiplied by the number of enemies struck. If used deftly, Slow will accumulate a very large amount of points due to the multiplier effect. If Joe is attacked while in Slow, he will automatically do a dodge move, and will lose a large chunk of his remaining VFX power.
• Mach speed allows Joe to run at incredible speed, create multiple after-images of himself when he unleashes a flurry of attacks, and can cause his attacks to envelop himself in a temporary heat shield, which will render him immune to flame attacks and set enemies on fire when struck. When used in tandem with Slow, Mach Speed only increases Joe's walking speed while in slow.
• Zoom In gives Joe access to a new group of attacks and will power up his normal attacks, as well as "dazzling" all of the lesser foes in proximity to Joe into paralysis. Joe's punch is replaced with the "Red Hot One Hundred", a flurry of fists (different from Mach Speed). Joe's kick is replaced with an energetic spin kick, where he levitates in the air as he spins repeatedly. Jumping caused Joe to corkscrew into the air, damaging anything in his path. If the player zooms in while in the air, Joe will careen towards the ground feet first and send shockwaves out from the point of impact.

All of these are used in combat and to solve the game's puzzles. Two of Joe's attack powers can be used at the same time, either Slow and Zoom or Mach Speed and Zoom. One of the most powerful attacks in the game, the "SlowZ-RHOH" (Slow Zoom Red Hot One Hundred), is done by enabling Slow, Zooming, and then punching your enemy. All of the VFX powers are required to get past at least one area in the game. Joe has a VFX meter which empties as he uses his powers. If it runs out, Joe reverts to his normal state until the first bar of the meter refills. In his normal state, Joe takes double damage, has weaker attacks, loses the double jump ability and can no longer use his VFX powers. The bar can be extended by collecting various film cans scattered throughout the stages. For every fifty collected, a small extension a third the length of the initial VFX bar is added, up to five extensions. Picking up the small blue juice cans gives a small boost to the VFX bar (and can extend beyond the length of the VFX bar available), large blue bottles fill up a significantly larger portion, and red bottles give infinite VFX power for a limited time.

Several other moves and items can be "purchased" by using points accumulated in the stage. They are as follows:

• Cheeseburger is just like in the actual levels: they refill one empty heart in the life bar.
• Voomerang is an item that is deployed in-game by pressing and holding the Punch button. Joe can only carry a limited supply.
• Shocking Pink produces a bomb that can be manipulated like any other explosive in the game by VFX powers.
• Slide Kick can be used when Joe is crouching and initiates a kick attack. It is useful for closing the distance to a foe and landing a quick blow while in Slow.
• Red-Hot Kick is carried out when the player issues a kick attack and presses downward on the control stick while in the air. Joe darts towards the ground at an oblique angle. If the player subsequently uses the Zoom VFX power, Joe will do a Flaming Dragon Kick, where he goes into a spin, and a flaming dragon shape erupts from his feet. He will then plow through all enemies in his path before he reaches the ground.
• Mach Speed 2 and Mach Speed 3 will increase the rate in which Joe issues forth after-images when pummeling a foe while using the Mach Speed VFX power.
• Viewtiful Forever will allow Joe to end a dodge move in Slow with a spectacular pose, which will deal heavy damage to all surrounding enemies. It becomes very useful if a dodge move consumes the remainder of Joe's VFX power, for it will cause him to revert to Normal Joe, but give him a few seconds of invincibility, thus giving the player a brief respite. It is acticated by zooming in on Joe before he finishes the dodge.
• Ukemi is a recovery move. If Joe is struck, it will detract from his Defense rating during a scene. To use Ukemi, Joe must zoom in right as he hits the ground. He will catch himself with his hands, and do a backflip to land back on his feet. In addition to preserving his defense rating, Joe will recover one heart in his life bar. Ukemi is easier to execute when using the Slow VFX power. Although it preserves the defense rating, the "no damage" bonus at the end of a scene is lost.
• VFX Turbo Charger doubles the rate in which the VFX bar refills. It is highly recommended to forego purchasing any other moves until you have enough to acquire the VFX Turbo Charger.
• Life adds one heart to the life bar. They increase in price for each subsequent purchase.
• Take Two refills the life bar in the event it is emptied, allowing the player to get right back into the action without loss of a life or any progress from the last break. They are very valuable late in the game, but are very expensive.
• Life Is Viewtiful (L.I.V.) is an easy way to acquire extra lives, but they gradually increase in price.

Story

The premise of the game is inspired by, if not directly derived from, the movie Last Action Hero. However, it draws a huge amount of inspiration from the old Japanese tokusatsu superhero TV programs from the 1970s, such as Kamen Rider (and its many sequels) and Kaiketsu Zubat (both created by the late manga master Shotaro Ishinomori). (Just before a boss battle, Joe's helmet closes much like Zubat's.)

While Joe and his girlfriend Silvia are watching a tokusatsu drama during a date, Silvia is kidnapped by the movie's antagonist and taken into the world of the movies: Movieland. Joe is able to follow Silvia after being picked up and taken into Movieland by Captain Blue, the movie's protagonist, who is inside a giant robot. Inside the movie, Joe must rescue Silvia from the evil Jadow (or Gedow), the game's network of villains. To help him, Captain Blue entrusts him with a V-Watch, telling Joe to transform into Viewtiful Joe upon saying "Henshin", but Joe made it into his personal catchphrase, "Henshin a go-go, baby!"

Cast

• Joe: The hero, a superhero fanboy who gets to live his dream as Viewtiful Joe while he saves Silvia from the Jadow. He turns into Viewtiful Joe by saying "Henshin a go-go, baby!" and in some parts of the game "Henshin around!"
• Silvia: The heroine, she was abducted by the Jadow for their evil plan to succeed. She teams up with Joe in the sequel.
• Captain Blue: He gave Joe the V-Watch which enables him to use his VFX powers. However, Captain Blue turned to be King Blue, codenamed "The Omnipotent", who had taken control of the Jadow, making him the last person Joe EVER expected to be a villain. As he revealed, Blue is the father of Silvia and ended up trapped in the movie world, losing touch with reality in the process. Joe freed him from his madness and Blue resumed his true place in the movie, as director to the "sequel".
• Alastor: An agent of the Jadow that uses the nickname "The Midnight Thunderboy" and is codenamed "Blade Master". He first confronted Joe in the guise of Another Joe. Though he is with the Jadow, Alastor doesn't care about doing evil, but instead seeking out the ultimate battle, and can be considered an "anti-hero" to an extent. He considers himself Joe's rival. Alastor was the one who gave Joe the inspiration for his "hero name." This version of Alastor was derived from the spirit of the lightning sword from Devil May Cry, and uses the stylized sword in several of his attacks. His name is a reference to Alastor from Greek mythology.
• Goldie: Silvia’s twin sister. She appears in Silvia’s and Alastor's story.
• Ivory: Captain Blue's wife. She appears in Blue's movie.
• Charles the Third: A bat-like agent of the Jadow, codenamed "Dark Fiend". Arrogant and snobbish.
• Hulk Davidson: A horned helmet-wearing rhino-like agent of the Jadow, codenamed "Iron Ogre". He scarred Capt. Blue during a previous battle they had. Wields a battle axe. Also sings ("Davidson is in the house! Hulk Davidson is born to be wild!") and collects motorcycles (thus he is named after the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company). His green skin suggests he may have also been named after the American superhero The Incredible Hulk.
• Gran Bruce: A shark-like agent of the Jadow, nicknamed "Aquatic Terror". Is considerably lower on the intelligence scale than most of the other characters in the game, accidentally revealing the location of the Jadow's hideout to Joe. He forgets his lines and has trouble finishing his sentences. His name is a play off of the name the cast had for the titular monster in the movie Jaws, "Bruce." One of his poses is similar to that of Recoome of the Ginyu Force. The Gran Bruce in the anime is the polar opposite of his video game incarnation. He is cool, calm, and reserved, and his accent was changed from that of a bumbling pirate to a stereotypical Australian. When he was introduced in the anime, Gran Bruce was amazingly skilled. Joe barely managed to defeat him, and even that was a fluke.
• Fire Leo: The former leader of the Jadow and its most powerful member. Nicknamed "Inferno Lord". The robotic Metal Leos are modeled after him.
• The Joker: A Zorro-esque mini-boss who centers around a slot-machine. He has a rapier and wields two revolvers. Upon defeating him, you get a token to put into the slots that usually helps you progress in the game upon getting three V's. In the anime, he is portrayed as being a little higher in the ranks of Jadow and has a Spanish-accent. He appears at least once in almost every stage. His name is obviously inspired by the name of the Batman villain The Joker.

Playable characters

In addition to Joe, the game has several other playable characters:

• Silvia – Unlocked by clearing Adult mode. She is the fastest runner in the game but takes double damage when hit. Her attacks are slightly weaker than Joe's, but her VFX meter drains more slowly. She can also jump slightly higher than Joe, possibly because she is lighter. In Viewtiful Joe 2, Silvia is playable from the get-go along with Joe.
• Alastor – Unlocked by clearing V-Rated mode. He has the strongest attacks in the game and has the ability to double jump in normal mode. You have to press a button to 'Devil Trigger' him into Viewtiful mode, in which he can use his VFX powers. However, being in Viewtiful mode causes an auto drain effect on his meter whether or not VFX powers are being used. The upside is that when you use his powers the drain carries on at the same rate (unlike the other characters where it speeds up if you combine powers).
• Captain Blue – Unlocked by clearing Ultra V-Rated mode. He has the highest single jump in the game but he doesn't have a double jump. He also has the ability to fly horizontally as long as the jump button is pressed, but he cannot see the skulls that indicate where an enemy is going to attack.
• Dante – Unlocked only in PlayStation 2 version by playing any mode. In addition to close range punches, kicks, and sword attacks, Dante can use his two handguns to attack faraway enemies. However, if the guns are used while in Slow, the bullets will be slowed down just like when enemies fire their guns. The finishing sword thrust of his ground attack combo (similar to his "Stinger" special move from Devil May Cry) does extreme damage when combined with VFX powers Slow and Zoom, actually enabling a one-hit kill on Fire Leo on Adults difficulty, making him arguably a contender for the strongest character in the game.

Voice-cast

Development

• The title Viewtiful Joe is most likely a reference to the 19th Century novel "Beautiful Joe", in name only.

• Joe's T-Shirt, which reads "HMD", is a reference to HMD, one of the contributors to the making of Mega Man 2. In a TV Spot for the anime, Kids WB came up with several different gag meanings, such as "Hardcore Monster Destroyer".

• Joe's family's names all start with "J": Joe, Jasmine, (Joe's sister, appeares in Viewtiful Joe Double Trouble and as an EX color change in the PSP vesion of ) Jet (Joe's Dad, appeares in Viewtiful Joe 2 and as a playable character in ) and Junko, (Joe's mom, appeares in Viewtiful Joe Double Trouble and as an EX color change in the PSP version of ). Junko is also the name of a character in Kamen Rider V3.

• The demo of Viewtiful Joe 2 for the PlayStation 2 contained an unnoticed virus that would erase all saved files on any memory card inserted when played. Players were adviced to not play the demo, or remove the memory card at first before playing.

Reaction

IGN gave Viewtful Joe a 9.1, or "Outstanding" rating, citing the beautiful cell-shaded graphics and high intensity action made it one of the best action games on the Gamecube and Playstation 2. Viewtiful Joe won the player's choice awards in Nintendo Power.

Sequels and re-releases

• Viewtiful Joe - PlayStation 2 re-release (aka Viewtiful Joe: A New Hope in Japan) has a new playable character: Dante from Capcom's Devil May Cry series. It also has an easier "Sweet Mode" difficulty option.
• Viewtiful Joe Revival - This Japan-only re-release for the Nintendo GameCube also has an added "Sweet Mode" for decreased difficulty.
• Viewtiful Joe 2 - Released for both PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube.
• (known in Japan as " Viewtiful Joe : Battle Carnival", and originally titled "Viewtiful Joe : VFX Battle") is available for the Nintendo GameCube and the PlayStation Portable. The game features a total of 20 characters, from not only the game series but from the anime series as well.
• (known in Japan as Viewtiful Joe Scratch!) is available for the Nintendo DS The game features a level of innovation that wasn't seen in Viewtiful Joe 2 thanks to the use of the DS's touchscreen.

References to other media

Kamen Rider references

• (Viewtiful) Joe wears a large scarf with his costume , this is a homage to how Kamen Rider Ichi-go and Nii-go (as well as many other "Classic" Riders ,) feature a large scarf as part of their costume.
• The V-watch bears a slight resemblance to the original Kamen Rider Henshin-belt
• The pose struck by Joe as he makes his transformation into Viewtiful Joe is almost exactly the same as the classic henshin pose from the Kamen Rider series.
• One of Viewtiful Joe's moves - the Red Hot Kick - emulates the classic finishing move held by nearly every Kamen Rider: the Rider Kick.
• "Who ever wins, has to change into a yellow outfit" (before the fight with Another Joe [In order to dissuade Another Joe from winning.]) This is a reference to the older series of Kamen Rider, in which the protagonist would often have to face an evil double (frequently several) that was (were) distinguished from the hero by the yellow scarf that it (they) wore.

A couple of references were also made in the Japanese dub of the Viewtiful Joe anime, such as the mention of a "Double Hero Kick" (an allusion to the Rider Double Kick performed simultaneously by the first two Kamen Riders, Kamen Rider Ichigô and Kamen Rider Nigô).

• Joe yells "Toh!" when performing his double jump like early tokusatsu heroes such as the Kamen Riders when performing super-long or high jumps.

Other Tokusatsu references

• Joe's costume (especially his "Boss battle" visor and mouth piece ) is a homage to the suit of 1977 Tokusatsu hero Kaiketsu Zubat

Super Sentai references

• The hero costumes worn by Joe, Silvia, and Captain Blue (among others) are clearly based on the costumes worn by the various hero teams from the Super Sentai series.
• King Blue strangely resembles the Chouriki Sentai Ohranger villain known as Emperor Bacchus-Rage, more commonly known as King Mondo from
• The penultimate battle in the game is set up much like a mecha battle, a prominent feature from the Super Sentai series.

Other

• Hold the kick button to take out a bomb, before Joe kicks it off, he whistles to the beginning parts of Super Mario Bros. theme. This gag, however, was removed from the PS2 version.

• Next to be influenced by the mechas of the "Sentai" shows, the Six Machine's cockpit appears to be influenced by Mazinger Z's plider.

References

External links

• [Capcom Japan: Viewtiful Joe official site]
• [Atsushi Inaba info at Moby Games]
• [Viewtiful Joe] at MobyGames

Viewtiful Joe
Games: Viewtiful Joe | Viewtiful Joe 2 | |
Anime: Viewtiful Joe (anime)

 

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