Bakugan Battle Brawlers (video game)
A 2009 video game adaptation of the Bakugan anime.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Bakugan Battle Brawlers is a 2009 video game based on the anime series of the same name. It was developed by Now Production and published by Activision for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and Wii.
The game opens with a cutscene of Hal-G celebrating the completion of the Silent Orb and declaring that all Bakugan will bow to him. Another scene shows petrified Bakugan in the Doom Dimension, from which colored orbs float out of statues and form a dragon-like Bakugan that flies upward.
On Earth, the player character is teased by Shuji and his younger brother Akira for being passionate about Bakugan but not knowing how to battle. Shuji says they will learn the rules "the hard way," but Dan Kuso, a Pyrus-specializing Battle Brawler, offers to teach them. In home console versions, the player receives a Serpenoid, Juggernoid, and Saurus matching their chosen attribute; on DS, they start with a Pyrus Serpenoid, Aquos Juggernoid, and Ventus Falconeer. After defeating Shuji, Dan suggests entering the Neo Challengers Tournament. After visiting the Bakugan Store run by Alice, the player returns to the park to see flashes of light. The final flash produces a Bakugan matching the player's attribute named Leonidas, who agrees to become their Guardian Bakugan.
After winning the tournament, Dan congratulates the player, while Runo and Marucho urge them to abandon Leonidas due to his violent personality. The player refuses, and Dan agrees. Dan then invites the player to learn Tag Team battles and partner with him in the next tournament. After they win, a similar situation occurs.
Dan then teaches the player about Battle Royales, as the next tournament uses that format. Afterward, the player receives a message that Dan and Dragonoid were attacked and defeated by a strange Bakugan and its brawler. At the tournament center, Julie accuses the player and Leonidas of being the culprits, backed by Runo and Marucho. After the player wins, a person named Marduk appears with his Guardian Bakugan Vladitor. Marduk demands a battle, but Dan confronts him, revealing Marduk attacked him. When the player wins, Vladitor tells them he and Leonidas were born in the Doom Dimension. Leonidas confirms this, but the player refuses to abandon him. A similar event occurs in the Maximum Power tournament, with Shun telling the player to abandon Leonidas. After winning, Alice'
- Developer
- Now Production
- Publisher
- Activision
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Wii
- Release Year
- 2009
- Genre
- Action, strategy (based on anime)
- Metacritic Rating
- Mixed reviews on all platforms
Lore & Background
The game begins with a cutscene of Hal-G celebrating the completion of the Silent Orb, declaring that all Bakugan will bow to him. On Earth, the player is teased by Shuji and his brother Akira for not knowing how to battle. Dan Kuso, a Pyrus-specialist Battle Brawler, offers to teach the player. After winning a battle against Shuji, the player is encouraged to enter the Neo Challengers Tournament. At the park, flashes of light produce a Bakugan named Leonidas, who becomes the player's Guardian Bakugan. After winning the tournament, Dan, Runo, and Marucho warn the player about Leonidas's violent personality, but the player refuses to abandon him.
Reader's Guide
Bakugan Battle Brawlers is significant as a direct adaptation of the popular anime series, bringing its characters and battle mechanics to multiple home consoles and handheld systems. The game's plot introduces an original Guardian Bakugan, Leonidas, who is born in the Doom Dimension and struggles with his dark origins. The story culminates in a battle against Marduk and his Bakugan Vladitor, with Leonidas evolving into Omega Leonidas to defeat them. The game received mixed reviews from critics, but the Nintendo DS version was the second best-selling release for that platform during Holiday 2009 in North America. Its legacy lies in offering fans an interactive experience of the Bakugan universe with unique gameplay elements such as gate cards, ability cards, and attribute-based special shots.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Now Production and published by Activision.
- The player's Guardian Bakugan, Leonidas, was born in the Doom Dimension.
- The Nintendo DS version was the second best-selling release for that platform during Holiday 2009 in North America.
- Battles involve placing gate cards, throwing Bakugan, and using ability cards to increase G-Power.
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