Fight Crab is one of the funniest and entertaining fighting games I’ve ever played. Although it may seem like a simple idea, the game is very enjoyable especially when using gyro controls and moving your arms to fight your opponents!
If you had told me a few years ago that I would have the opportunity to review a game about fighting crabs with swords, rockets, and guns, I would have called you crazy and went back to playing Super Smash Brothers Ultimate on my Nintendo Switch. But, this year has proven that anything can happen, and Fight Crab is the perfect game that reflects what it’s like living 2020 but in a very good, yet strangely fun way. Instead of a fighting game about iconic video game characters duking it out and trying not to smash your controller against a wall, you play as crustaceans who are hungry for fighting and will do anything to win! So how is the game? Let’s get our butter and forks ready and take a bite out of Fight Crab!
What’s this about fighting some crabs?!
Fight Crab is a fighting simulation game from indie developers, Calappa Games, where you play as a crab and fight other crabs…and sometimes lobsters too. Although the concept may seem simple, it goes a lot deeper than that. Not only do you brawl it out with your big meaty claws, but you can also shoot a revolver at your enemy, wield a sword and shield, or even run over each other with scooters. The goal is to attack your opponent, do heavy damage to them, and keep them knocked down for 3 seconds. If you win, you get money to upgrade your fighters like changing the species of crab and the weapons you use.
Fight Crab has over 23 playable crab-like creatures you can play as, as well as 48 different weapons, and 11 battle arenas, making this game very enjoyable and lengthy. You’ll have fun and be occupied for a while being a crab and beating up other crabs for a while. With this much variety in the game, you can build an ultimate crab warrior and claim your throne as the next ultimate crab fighting king…or queen!
When you first open the game you’ll be greeted with a campaign mode and versus mode. Campaign mode has the chapters where you can play by yourself and enjoy a simple story of a crab rising to the top. This mode is used to help polish your crab fighting skills!
But, with versus mode, you can challenge crabs from around the world ready to battle or even fight online or with others with local play. I can tell you I really enjoyed fighting with my family while trying not to laugh as my crab fighter rode on a scooter in a desert wasteland swinging its sword at another crab. Fight Crab is a game where you can create wonderful memories that I can share with my children many years from now. Imagine the look on their faces when I tell them I got to play a fighting game and review about crabs that can shive each other with knives or shoot each other with guns. Those memories are the best kind of memories that we all should be making and that you can only make if you play Fight Crab!
Flexing Those Big Meaty Claws!
On the Nintendo Switch version of Fight Crab, you can play many ways. You have the options of playing it on the go, placing your joy-con grip like a traditional controller, or whipping out your straps and using gyro controls and flailing your arms around like the real crab! Using gyro controls was the most entertaining way to play and I am very glad that I had the opportunity to test it out on the Nintendo Switch. However, while playing with the joy-cons attached to the grip or in portable mode, it was a little hard to control the crab and attack at once so I mainly stuck to using gyro controls.
Accessing your weapons and going into Hyper Mode in the game seemed very well organized as well. It made me feel like I was a Super Saiyan Blue Crab with ultimate power! It was easy for me to hit the minus button whenever I was ready to power up. In the beginning, I did struggle with weapons and using them, especially when trying to shoot my crab opponent with my revolver. One of the strongest aspects of this game is the variety of weapons and crustaceans you can play as.
The ultimate goal when fighting is to flip over your opponent. If you can keep them flipped for more than 3 seconds, then you win the match. But, of course, it’s not as simple as flipping your opponent on their back. Some crabs may have weapons like a crowbar, giant ax, and even a gun to try and take you down with. The higher the percentage damage the easier it is to flip your opponent.
Listening to my favorite Crab Jams!
When I received Fight Crab, I was fortunate enough to receive the music CD along with it. Fight Crab also kept me in a fighting mood because of its awesome music. If I wasn’t playing the game, I was humming the tunes in my head and putting on the CD. The songs Knight Crab and Cyber NEBUTA have definitely been in my head for a while now and I don’t want it to leave any time soon!
Fight Crab left me hungry for seconds!
While Fight Crab has plenty of content to hold you over, after playing for a while I began to realize that there isn’t much to do after completing all the chapters, collecting all the fighters, and testing out all the weapons. Fight Crab left me wanting more content. I would have really enjoyed a challenge mode where you complete different tasks and challenges. A timed mode would have also would have been cool to see how quickly you could defeat your opponents, similar to a boss rush mode.
One major issue I had with the game was the controls when I wasn’t using gyro controls. In order to move, you have to move your crab’s body, you have to use the D-Pad. I found it really difficult to move and control my arms at the same time. This is why I mainly played with gyro controls. I found it easier to control and flail around my arms and knock out my opponent. Although it took me a moment to adjust with the controls, after a couple of matches and playing through tutorial levels it became easier and more fun to play. I would recommend that if you play Fight Crab to have two sets of Joy-Cons on hand.
At times I also felt as if the physics of the game we’re working against me. During my first match, my jab was thrown into the air and I hit the ceiling of the castle. While physics is what makes Fight Crab so enjoyable, it can also make it a pain as well if certain things are not supposed to happen. If a few bugs could be worked out to keep me from flying and glitching through the castle ceiling, then it would be more enjoyable. But, until then I’ll always have that anxiety of my crab about to take a flight to an unexpected place and losing the match.
Conclusion
Fight Crab is one of the funniest and entertaining fighting games I’ve ever played. Although it may seem like a simple idea, the game is very enjoyable especially when using gyro controls and moving your arms to fight your opponents! The music helps get you into a fighting mood and the variety of crustaceans and weapons you can choose from is awesome, making it more than just a game about fighting crabs. You can enjoy playing online co-op or just take turns playing with friends and family on the couch as you laugh about a knife-wielding crab on your television screen.
Although I would have liked to have seen more with extra content in the game such as a deeper story and side missions. The controls can get a little complicated if you’re not using gyro controls, I really enjoyed Fight Crab and encourage you to give it a jab at it too! It may not be the prettiest game this year, but it is easily the most fun fighting game I’ve played on the Nintendo Switch and definitely the best this year!
If you want to watch me play some Fight Crab you can head on over to my YouTube channel here.
