Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered Review – Nintendo Switch 2

Millions of Godzilla fans were introduced to the King of the Monsters via Pipeworks Studios’ classic fighting game trilogy, which was launched by Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee back in 2002. Needless to say, these titles have amassed a kaiju-sized cult following in the last two decades, with many of them begging Toho to bring these fighters back in some shape or form. Fortunately for them, their prayers have been answered, as Pipeworks has finally returned with a newly released remaster, aptly titled Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered.

In this game, up to four players can choose an iconic monster from Godzilla’s 72–years-long history and face each other in intense kaiju battles. For starters, it’s important to clarify that Destroy All Monsters Melee is not a highly technical fighter with complex combos and techniques, but it’s actually more of a party game akin to Super Smash Bros. or all those anime-based 3D arena fighters (that aren’t Dragon Ball FighterZ). Its more casual nature works to its benefit, though, as this is a deeply entertaining experience that’s absolutely perfect for long multiplayer sessions with friends.

These monsters fight by using everything at their disposal: claws, tails, fangs, wings, and even energy beams, not to mention that all of them have their fair share of unique abilities that help them stand out from each other. The feel of the fighting system is perfectly balanced, as it’s snappy and fast-paced, and yet, the playable creatures come off as absolutely massive, with the controller rumbling every single time they take a step through the arena (don’t worry, it can be turned off in the menu). Fortunately for fans of the 2002 classic, it’s evident Pipeworks took the fighting system of the original and brought it back almost untouched (except for a few necessary touches and balances).

Is not all about the fighting, as players can also roam the arena to destroy buildings (either to earn points or to throw them at their opponent) and even collect power-ups that grant them health, energy, aerial assistance from Mothra, and Rage Mode, a powerful form that comes with the ability to unleash a destructive ultimate move. 1v1 battles are endlessly entertaining, yes, but 4v4 encounters are absolutely chaotic, especially in multiplayer, as monsters are being thrown around left and right like over-the-top cartoon wrestlers (in a way that’s reminiscent of classic Showa-era movies).

Unfortunately, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered commits the sin of being overtly and needlessly faithful to the game it’s based on, as it has a very small roster of only 12 monsters in total, with some of them even serving as clones of each other (like Godzilla & Godzilla 2000 or King Ghidorah & Mecha King Ghidorah). On top of that, this remaster omits some of the quality-of-life changes introduced in the other two entries in the trilogy, like beam clashes or more distinct move sets, and it would have greatly benefited from their inclusion.

But these are all just nitpicks, as Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered was obviously crafted from a place of love and care for not only the original game but also the Godzilla franchise as a whole. As a matter of fact, this remaster does feature a few minor-but-noticeable changes in its roster, like the long-awaited addition of the first Mechagodzilla (who replaces Mechagodzilla 2) as one of the antagonists and the removal of the now-outdated ‘90s’ designation from Heisei Godzilla’s name. However, it’s a real shame that Hedorah’s role as another aerial power-up was not brought back just because the developers felt it was a tad annoying…

Additionally, Destroy All Monsters Melee’s entire presentation has been overhauled, with colourful, comic-book-style menus that give it a more interesting visual identity and even fun epitaphs for the monsters that are shown on-screen every single time the announcer introduces them. And that’s not all, because there are countless other details that will grab the attention of die-hard Godzilla fans, like the trivia in the loading screens, the detailed descriptions for all the monsters, and the unlockable stills and videos from the movies that pay tribute to the character’s extensive cinematic history.

It’s worth pointing out that, despite being a massive love letter to the Godzilla franchise, Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered still is perfectly accessible to any newcomers who are moderately interested in the IP and are looking for a game that lets them take control of powerful kaiju. It’s a simple but effective casual fighter that’s very easy to pick up and requires no previous knowledge of the franchise whatsoever.

The brand-new character models are another remarkable and much-welcomed change. Instead of reusing their original 3D models from the 2002 version, Pipeworks has implemented new, modernised models that are not only incredibly detailed but also look very fateful to the monsters’ on-screen appearances. When comparing kaiju like Godzilla 2000, King Ghidorah, or Destoroyah to their 2002 incarnations, it truly feels like a night and day difference, which is great news for any fan that wants to use this game as a way to relive all their favorite Godzilla memories (or even make some new ones of their own).

Despite looking great, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is not a highly demanding game, and it runs smoothly on the Nintendo Switch 2 (especially during offline play) no matter how many monsters are on-screen. Sound design is also sublime, with every single attack boasting a unique sound effect that makes the combat feel brutal and impactful, not to mention that every single character has their classic roar from the source material (which is always a feast for the ears). The only slightly disappointing aspect of Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered’s presentation is the music. Yes, its orchestrated music tracks are solid, and they perfectly fit the aesthetic, but they are also extremely forgettable, like the game is trying way too hard to replicate Akira Ifukube’s legendary tunes from the films but failing in the process; it’s a far cry from Godzilla: Unleashed’s bombastic original soundtrack.

Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered boasts a fair share of different modes, from regular custom battles to Survival and even Destruction, wherein the player has to destroy a city of their choice within a certain amount of time. It even has a single-player campaign called Adventure, in which the player picks a monster and travels around the world while defeating every other character in the game. While these modes are nothing special, they do work as fun little distractions that add some much-needed variation to the experience.

Needless to say, the battles are still the biggest and most important of the game, so it’s relieving to see that Pipeworks has perfected that part of the game. While confronting a computer-controlled monster (which comes with its own difficulty level) is very fun, PvP is the game’s strongest point. Fortunately, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered has a game-changing new feature: online multiplayer, which players all over the world can use to connect to and face each other. All in all, the online works relatively well and may even extend the game’s value for those who enjoy it, but it does suffer from occasional lag that significantly slows down the combat (although the severity of this lag may vary depending on each person’s internet connection).

The most controversial aspect of Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is its progression system. Unlocking new content is not as easy as completing Adventure Mode once or twice, seeing as players actually have to fulfill certain requirements to unlock a Research Project, which will then ask them to earn Research Points by playing for extended periods of time before they can unlock a new monster or battlefield. While having to make an active effort to unlock content is relieving nowadays, and it’s reminiscent of the golden age of single-player games during which the original Destroy All Monsters Melee came out, grinding to get Research Points can get repetitive and tiresome and may feel like a total bother for those who just bought this game for its multiplayer (whether it’s online or offline). It’s a double-edged sword. Fortunately, however, it’s mostly a one-time issue, as players are free to use every monster in every single mode once they unlock them.

Being able to play a new version of Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee in 2026 is truly mind-blowing, as it feels both nostalgic and modernised at the same time. All in all, this is an excellent casual fighter that looks great, is extremely fun to play and is filled to the brim with Easter eggs and references that will resonate with the most dedicated Godzilla fans. At an ideal price of $29.99, this is one that anybody with a modicum of appreciation for the King of the Monsters should experience, whether they are lifelong fans or curious newcomers. Hopefully, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered will be successful enough so Pipeworks can give Godzilla: Save the Earth and Godzilla: Unleashed the same treatment (or maybe even make a brand-new game in this style).