The Suika Game clones have arrived. Not surprising really, considering how well Suika Game did. Fortunately for us, Sushi Shot, while being a clone, actually tries to do something a different with the concept. Namely, they flip the board upside down, and add a bust-a-move style shooting mechanic, so you can bounce sushi off the walls to get it in hard to reach places. I actually love that mechanic and wish it was added to Suika game, because there, you just drop straight downwards, and its hard to get the fruit in tight niches. Sushi Shot will be in my repertoire just as much Suika is, and I’m still merging fruit weeks after I wrote that review.
Also Sat-Box has added a battle mode to Sushi Shot, where you face three opponents. When you make big matches, you send little blocking pieces over their boards. It’s not bad, but your tiny play screen on handheld mode is annoying. This is best played on the TV, preferably with friends(there is a multiplayer mode). I have to give credit where its due, they attempted something new. While thinking it works is in the eye of the beholder, it still counts for something. I can guarantee the forth coming Big Watermelon Match doesn’t have it. But the Max Interactive Studios are lazy and Sat Box are not.
So Sushi Shot leaves us in an interesting place, sort of an Army Of Ruin/Vampire Survivors scenario, where the clone outshines the original in many ways. But in this case, I reviewed the clone after the original, instead of before. I don’t want to go back and retroactively downgrade Suika Game, so they’ll both have Must Plays, because I feel they both deserve it. Suika Game set the bar, Sushi Shot raised it. Future clones are going to have to significantly do something amazing to get great reviews from me.
Overall: Sushi Shot is a Suika Game clone that twists the formula into something unique. A Must Play too.
Verdict: Must Play
| Release Date | 1/18/24 |
| Cost | $3.80 |
| Publisher | Sat-Box |
| ESRB Rating | E |
