Sumotori Dreams Demo

Even if gaming has taken a turn for gritty realism and mature story telling over the years, there are still moments when you just want to relax a bit, by playing a simple and preferably funny game. Sumotori Dreams fits this description perfectly, although it emphasizes more on funny and it can be quite difficult to keep yourself from laughing most of the time.

The main concept behind this little game is the physics engine, which make for a hilarious rag doll effect on the fighters. They are inherently very difficult to control properly and they tumble as soon as you touch the keyboard, especially since their blocky constitution does not provide them with the required mobility to withstand the daring acrobatics they attempt, such as walking in a straight line.

In essence, the first fighter to bag five rounds is the one declared the winner, but competition rarely has anything to do with the game at hand. Moreover, the fights are usually over in just a few seconds, or at least until the two warriors get close enough to make physical contact. You are only able to push the opponent with your hands, but that is enough to cause quite a lot of chaos, since a slight push is all that it takes most of the time.

Whenever one of the fighters leaves the ring, the environment makes sure that they do not remain upright for too long. Thus, whether it's a table or a small fence, everything is an outright death trap for the poor wrestlers, especially when they are so unstable on their feet. Naturally, the incredible physics engine allows for everything to break into multiple pieces and act as closely to reality as possible.

The same can be said about the graphic quality as well, which, although does not have too render too much on the screen, appears very smooth and clean-looking. The sound, however, can be noticed after the round is over and the participants attempt to get on their feet, in the form of funny laughter from the one that is already standing.

Sumotori Dreams shows its true potential in the multiplayer mode, where up to four players can face each other in hilarious competitions. Unfortunately, there are a rather limited number of environments and not too many other gimmicks, which means that the game quickly loses its charm, without any additional content.