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Rub Rabbits! Preview
Written by Chef Felix on Tuesday, January 10, 2006
The Chef is cooking up some delicious rabbit with his hands-on preview of The Rub Rabbits. Suggestive? Yes.
It doesn't get any more suggestive than that title.
And suggestive this game is. Suggestive...like a fox! Or a rabbit. Soon, DS gamers everywhere will get to rub their way into the hearts of faceless virtual women clad in bikini's and blue jeans. Sega is proving that a woman's purpose is best served when they have no mouth (well, maybe not BEST served), but you'll get to see for yourself when you check out this styli-centric dating flirtation simulator/action/quirk hybrid-game...thing.
If nothing else, this game is unique. Made up of a host of minigames all having you, the studly gamer/player, wooing your way into the hearts of virtual ladies. Play them some piano, defend against an onslaught of parachuting gentleman callers using a blowgun, even a Dragon Ball Z-esque match of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The Rub Rabbits! is actually tons of fun, and ridiculous as hell to boot. Games are simplistic and pretty straighforward, but are challenging to a degree that it looks like it'll offer some replayability for those who need to perfect everything. Don't misunderstand, though: The Rub Rabbits! isn't a deep game, but on the other hand it doesn't feel like it's trying to be, which really makes it look like a promising title.
The centerpiece of the game is made up of a story mode, where players progress in a linear fashion by playing mini-games that unlock subsequent and more challenging games, and award points. All games are stylus-driven, and as the title implies, most involve some degree of rubbing. The Rub Rabbits! does a great job of providing a nice selection of eclectic and weird games to keep you entertained. Variety and complete ridiculousness is they key word here, so if you can handle and accept that, you'll probably be able to get what The Rub Rabbits! is all about.
The point system in the game allows for unlockables, seen here mostly in the form of different outfits and accesories to place on your...ahem..."rabbit". Additionally, the games you unlock in the story mode also become available in a stand-alone flavor, which is nice as it gives you a means to perfect them so you can maximize your points in the full game. They're all available at any time, as well, so you can go back and play your favorites for kicks alone if the mood strikes you.
The unlockables are entertained through the games additional modes. In addtion to story, there are six other modes offered, including the oh-so enticing "Baby Making" mode. Most of them look to be pretty reliant upon how much has been cleared in the Story mode, so the more you achieve in the single player the more you have availble in the secondary modes. The Rub Rabbits! features multiplayer as well, featuring six game modes playable amoung three additional players.
The Rub Rabbits! could be a winner both because it's fun and it vicariously allows gamers to overcome an obstacle they are oh-so familiar with: female rejection. That's right, you don't have to leave your house anymore to be shot down by women: you can now be humiliated in your living room and/or bedroom (note: disgusting!). What's not to love about a game like that? Call it sadistic, call it bizarre, but The Rub Rabbits! is tons of fun. Release date is slated for this February, so be sure to check back for review coverage when it hits.
