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One of the GameCube’s Great Cult Classics Gets the Remaster It Deserves
Atari has remastered the 2002 GameCube brawler Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, bringing a cult favourite back with updated visuals and online multiplayer. The revival preserves a fondly remembered slice of gaming history, though it does not resolve the original’s main weaknesses.
The game pits rubber-suited kaiju against one another in destructible city arenas, blending elements of Rampage and Super Smash Bros. Its accessible, party-friendly fights offer some tactical options, but awkward grabbing, slow movement, uneven character balance and a repetitive arcade mode remain. The original scored 73 on Metacritic and the remaster 72, reflecting a similar critical reception; the campaign can be completed in a few hours.
In short
- Atari has revived the 2002 GameCube kaiju brawler.
- Updated visuals and online multiplayer accompany its return.
- Clunky controls and repetitive play remain familiar flaws.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The remaster gives a much-loved, distinctive GameCube brawler a new audience while preserving its accessible kaiju battles and adding online multiplayer. For fans, updated visuals and the chance to play with others today make a worthwhile return to a memorable piece of gaming history.
The case against
A remaster can renew interest, but it does not fix the sluggish movement, awkward grabs, uneven character balance or repetitive, short campaign that limited the original. Players seeking a substantial modern fighting game may find that updated visuals and online play do too little to justify revisiting those weaknesses.
Explained simply
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee is a fighting game first released in 2002 for the Nintendo GameCube. Players control Godzilla and other giant monsters, known as kaiju, as they battle in city arenas where buildings can be smashed.
The game was made as an easy-to-pick-up multiplayer brawler, with fights that mix elements of arena destruction and one-on-one combat. Atari has brought it back with updated visuals and online play, giving new players a way to try a title remembered fondly by some GameCube fans.
Reviews of the original and remastered versions have been broadly similar. The game’s short campaign and clumsy controls help explain why its appeal has centred on casual matches with friends.