Beastkids

Beastkids is a 2D fighting game developed by Entrail Games and co-published by Yellow Seed Games and Square Enix. The game is released through WiiWare in North America first, and then imported internationally. Prior to the game's development, Entrail Games faced a few setbacks. Because of this, Entrail Games became renamed as Fortress Nine and Multisoft formally requested for the game to be removed from the Wii Shop Channel. The following year, the game has been re-released as Beastkids Frenzy, which was available in the Wii U's eShop Channel.

Gameplay
The playstyle for Beastkids is a mix of the King of Fighters series and the Capcom Vs. games, using several similar game mechanics like tag team-based combat, support attacks, emergency evasions, etc. The game can be played using different ratios of characters, with each player able to select up to three fighters on their team. The teams are then balanced based on the number of team members. A single character possesses more health and deals more damage, while larger teams gain the ability to perform support attacks and recover health when tagged out.

The game includes a story mode, arcade mode, versus mode, training room, tutorial mode, and online play. On another note, Beastkids offers protection against "unblockable attacks", which occur when a player, for example, uses a low-hitting move and a high-hitting support attack at the same time, making it nearly impossible for the opponent to block. The game attempts to resolve this problem by offering a brief period of unblockable protection after successfully blocking an attack.

Setting
Beastkids mostly takes place in Retroneon City, a country in Earth which, more or less, mocks cartoons and anime from the 90s to the early 2000s, where humans live. Organizations and kids seek an artifact known as the Beast Soul. Every nine years, it can grant the wish of a human child and/or an animal. However, if the wisher with an impure heart claims the soul, their wish will become corrupted and, if the human and animal make a wish together, will become a monster called a Beastkid. Since then, adults hid their children and animals were locked up in hidden kennels.

Elsewhere in a planet called Anthropia, a world where a majority of anthropomorphic animals called Beastmen live, the beastmen were recovering from the Great Feral War, after nine years, until a new Beastkid emerged from Earth and broke the barrier between it and Anthropia. A select few of beastman warriors were chosen to prevent the disaster happening on Earth. The game follows several Beastmen and their human child partners as they defeat Lionel and claim the Beast Soul. Each character has their own motive for seeking the Soul, whether to destroy the artifact or use its power for their own interests.

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1. Arc the Golden Retriever

Voiced by: Jason Ritter

Human Partner: Louise (Voiced by: Carolyn Lawrence)

Synopsis: Arc was a brave warrior who died during the Great Feral War. His spirit traveled to Earth before any other beastmen and found a new vessel: a Golden Retriever owned by a girl named Louise. He enters this vessel, who surprised Louise by standing on both legs and speaking. Arc searches for the Beast Soul in order to get his body back. Arc is an all-arounder, meaning most of his attacks are basic.

2. Grant the Tiger

Voiced by: Jamieson Price

Human Partner: Steven (Voiced by: Sean Astin)

Synopsis: Grant is a swordsman who searches for the Beast Soul in order to save his ill mother. He was found by a guitarist named Steven, who believes himself better than everyone else. He tells Grant to destroy the Beast Soul, despite knowing that his mother's life is on the line. Grant wields a scimitar, but his emergency evasions are slow.

3. Ryan the Kangaroo

Voiced by: Gideon Emery

Human Partner: Sharon (Voiced by: Carrie Keranen)

Synopsis: Ryan was once a champion boxer at Anthropia until his heart stopped functioning during the Great Feral War. Fortress Nine had to replace it with an artificial heart. Making his way to Earth, he eventually met Sharon, a young girl who dreams to be a boxer, so she trains him. Ryan wishes for his natural heart back. He is a boxer given quick speed and equal strength, but most of his attacks can be spammed.

4. Drake the Dragon

Voiced by: Dan Waren (Drake), Dee Bradley Baker (Riley the Squirrel)

Human Partner: Thomas (Voiced by: Tara Strong)

Synopsis: Drake is the leader of the superhero team called Red Claws, who lost his sister to the fires of the Great Feral War. He volunteered to enter Earth to defeat Lionel. Along the way, he found an orphan named Thomas, and raised him as his own son. Drake seeks to destroy the Beast Soul before anything bad happens. Drake uses his wings to fly after jumping, and can wield a Zweihander in battle. His assistant, Riley the Squirrel, appears in a few of his special attacks.

5. Boris the Boar

Voiced by: John DiMaggio

Human Partner: Lucy (Voiced by: Jennifer Hale)

Synopsis: Boris was a famous chef from a renowned bakery that was destroyed by the flames of the Great Feral War. Lucy found him in her own bakery, and gave him a few treats. Soon, he decided to work at Lucy's bakery as a thanks for saving him. He eventually told her about the Beast Soul, and his objective. Boris fights using throwing knives, cakes, and his own mace, but his emergency evasions are even slower than Grant's. That makes Boris the slowest fighter in the game, but he makes up for it with high defense and brute strength.

6. Langley the Gorilla

Voiced by: Keith David

Human Partner: Marilyn (Voiced by: Amanda C. Miller)

Synopsis: Langley is the King of the Silverback Clan, who lost his arm during the Great Feral War. Copper and Wilhelmina made a new, cybernetic arm for him. He then headed to Earth, where he was found by Marilyn, a young girl who is dying of tuberculosis. Langley protects her because he seeks the Beast Soul in order to save both her and himself. Using his prosthetic arm, Langley can fire missiles, lasers, and cause earthquakes.

7. Copper the Red-Tailed Hawk

Voiced by: Crispin Freeman

Human Partner: Kurt (Voiced by: Michael Reisz)

Synopsis: Copper is a mercenary archer working alongside the Alicorn Council. He managed to get away from Lionel, and now seeks the Beast Soul for himself. His first target, however, is Kurt, who he asked to accompany him on his search. Copper fights using archery, eacho of his arrows having a different effect.

8. Kagami the Blob

Voiced by: Susan Eisenberg

Human Partner: Red (Voiced by:N/A)

Synopsis: Kagami is a shapeshifting alien disguised as a mouse nun working for the Alicorn Council. She is also responsible for freeing the animals and making Lionel escape. She arrived on Earth alongside Red to dispose of the Beast Soul. There is something she wishes for once she gets her hands on it. Kagami shapeshifts into most of the other fighters to mimic their attacks.

9. Lionel the Manticore

Voiced by: Amy Palant

Human Partner: Himself in Human Form (Voiced by: Amy Palant)

Synopsis: Lionel was once a normal human boy, who escaped from his abusive home thanks to Kagami. Lionel was wishing for the Beast Soul to disappear forever, but instead of granting his wish, the Beast Soul put him, a lion, and eagle, and a scorpion, in a trance, and merged them into a Manticore. Lionel is the game's final boss, who is fought in three phrases: Manticore, Human, and Soul

DLC
1. Connor the Raccoon

Voiced by: Liam O'Brien

Human Partner: Chelsea (Voiced by: Heather Hogan)

Synopsis: Connor is a hunter praised by the beastmen back in Anthropia. But he was scarred by the horrors of the Great Feral War, and saw his exile to Earth as a means to escape. A human girl named Chelsea managed to heal him. When they saw Lionel in the sky, they set out to defeat him. Connor's fighting style is more advanced than the other fighters, and his Emergency Evasions are worth mastering.

2. Aria the Arachnid

Voiced by: Karen Strassman

Human Partner: Richard (Voiced by: Phil LaMarr)

Synopsis: Aria is an opera singer famous for her gorgeous voice. She entered a portal to Earth where she met a teenager named Richard, who is part of a band. She also has a history with Ryan the Kangaroo. Aria fights using webs, and a harmonizing voice that can paralyze her opponents.

3. Brando the Cobra

Voiced by: Steve Blum (Brando), Mike Pollock (Aubin the Jackal), Michael McConnohie (Hors the Falcon)

Human Partner: Rachel (Voiced by: Tara Platt)

Synopsis: Brando is a talented actor who hides a greedy lust for blood, which he needs to keep himself young. He even thinks the Earth is full of enough fresh blood to rejuvenate him until he met Rachel. He wishes to reduce everyone else to puddles of blood. Brando uses dark magic for his attacks, while Aubin the Jackal and Hors the Falcon assist him in battle.

4. Teresa the Butterfly

Voiced by: Marina Sirits

Human Partner: Sally (Voiced by: Stephanie Sheh)

Synopsis: Teresa is a beautiful fashionista who always keeps her good looks. A little girl named Sally saw her arrive on Earth, and befriended her. Teresa's mission, however, is to retrieve the Beast Soul. Teresa can fight using grapples, pollen balls and...make up?

5. Mecha-Boris the Prototype

Voiced by: John DiMaggio

Human Partner: N/A (Voiced by: N/A)

Synopsis: Mecha-Boris is the robotic clone of Boris the Boar, programmed by Wilhelmina to hunt down the Beast Soul on Earth, and also prove that this robot prototype can do better than Copper's "foolish pig drawings." Although he has only half of the real Boris' moveset, Mecha-Boris has a "self-destruct mode" that, when activated, decreases the meter and increases the speed.

6. Cra the Hellhound

Voiced by: Yuri Lowenthal

Human Partner: N/A (Voiced by: N/A)

Synopsis: Cra is a demonic clone of Arc the Golden Retriever. He was originally planned to be an April Fools joke character, and his influences in the plot are non-canon.

Final Boss
Lionel the Human-Manticore: Once a normal human boy, Lionel escaped from his home thanks to Kagami. Lionel wished for the Beast Soul to disappear forever, but something happened; he, along with a lion, eagle, and a scorpion, were in a trance and fused to become who he is now. Lionel is the final boss of the game, and has three phrases; Manticore, Human, and Soul.

Soundtrack
The Beastkids Original Soundtrack consists of 34 songs. The album features music by Yoko Shimomura, Andy Sturmer, Lolita Ritmanis. A month before the game's release, Entrail Games announced that they had enlisted Shimomura, who was known for composing music for the Kingdom Hearts series, as well as the Mario & Luigi games, to help with the music for Beastkids. They believed that Shimomura's mixture of mysterious themes, cheery music, and action tunes would suit the game's “cartoony” style. When Entrail Games requested Shimomura to make “cartoony” music, she also “went with a more action approach with drama and suspense.”

Voice Cast

 * Arc: Jason Ritter
 * Grant: Jamieson Price
 * Ryan: Gideon Emery
 * Drake: Dan Woren
 * Riley: Dee Bradley Baker
 * Boris: John DiMaggio
 * Langley: Keith David
 * Copper: Crispin Freeman
 * Kagami: Susan Eisenberg
 * Connor: Liam O‘Brien
 * Aria: Karen Strassman
 * Brando: Steve Blum
 * Aubin: Mike Pollock
 * Hors: Michael McConnohie
 * Terese: Marina Sirits
 * Mecha-Boris: John DiMaggio
 * Cra: Yuri Lowenthal
 * Louise: Carolyn Lawrence
 * Steven: Sean Astin
 * Sharon: Carrie Keranen
 * Thomas: Tara Strong
 * Lucy: Jennifer Hale
 * Marilyn: Amanda C. Miller
 * Kurt: Michael Reisz
 * Chelsea: Heather Hogan
 * Richard: Phil LaMarr
 * Rachel: Tara Platt
 * Sally: Stephanie Sheh
 * Lionel: Amy Palant