Travel to the planet Zi for the first time in the gaming world in Zoids: Battle Legends.

The graphics of Battle Legends are fairly good; each zoid model is full of detail and is a close, if not exact replica of its counterpart from the T.V. shows and toys. The arenas and landscapes also do the show justice as you see ruins, bases, or terrain that seem to come straight from both of the series.

The music and voice work are also taken straight from the show. The various characters from the show that appear in the game are done by the same actors, making the feel of Battle Legends that much more true to the series.

As you progress through the various modes of play in Zoids: Battle Legends, you will be able to unlock or go up against 80 zoids with a multitude of weapons and parts, which will make your zoid of choice exactly the kind of fighter you’re looking for. These zoids are everything from Liger Zero and his three forms (Panzer, Schneider and Jagar), the Berserk Fury, Lightning Saixes, Shadow Foxes, Command Wolves, Gun Snipers, Molgas and Red Horns. This is but a small sample of the Zoids you will encounter.

There are four modes of play in Zoids: Battle Legends: Zoids Battle, Vs Mode, Zoids Fist and Mission Mode. Zoids Battle is the tournament mode of this game. You and a partner (computer controlled) will go up against team after team. You choose to be one of several familiar characters including Bit, Leena, Van, and Fiona, as well as a few new characters. If you choose one of the characters from the original series (like Bit or Leena), then you’ll face off against enemies in a similar pattern to the series. Here you will win money after each victory to either buy more Zoids or weapons and parts.

Mission Mode takes place during the events of the Zoids: Chaotic Century series. Here you choose to be either Republic or Imperial, and progress through many missions where you will go up against multiple enemies alone. You will defend a base, or scout ahead of the rest of the group to clear out a path. Instead of making money to buy zoids, you will earn the ability to use them because you prove yourself to the faction that you have joined.

Zoids Fist and Vs Mode are essentially the same thing. Both modes let you go head-to-head against either a second player or the computer. You will be able to use either the zoids provided, or load up a list from one of the other modes. The only real difference I could find was that Zoids Fists took place in small arenas, whereas Vs Mode was on the various terrain and landscapes that you find in the other modes.

Zoids: Battle Legends is all about choosing the right zoids and weapons for the terrain and enemies. If you are having problems getting past a battle, then you need to rethink the strategies that your are using. Typically changing out your zoid and using that one’s advantages will make all the difference. Also, if you are fighting alongside a partner, then knowing which of the four commands to use will also become crucial.

Zoids is a tough game at times; it isn’t always a walk in the park, but there are some battles that are easier than others. This makes the overall experience a good one, because even those battles that are hard to get past always seem to be one or two hits away from a victory.

Zoids: Battle Legends has a seemingly simple control scheme, but it seemed like I had to relearn the buttons just about every time I picked up the game. The B button is used to jump, while the A button fires the selected weapon. You cycle through your weapons with the Y button, and use your close range melee attack with the X. If you have a partner on the field, you can tell him or her to perform one of four commands (Combat, Bombardment, Support and Guard) by pressing one of the four D-Pad directions.

I really liked the idea of the Rogue Squadron-like command system. But most of the time, my partner either didn’t execute the command I gave, or my idea of what Bombardment meant wasn’t what the game thought Bombardment meant.

Overall, Zoids: Battle Legends is a wonderful game that is well-balanced, and gives you a wide range of battlefields, battle types, and zoids to fight with. Any fan of the series should go out and get this game.