All Kamen Riders: Rider Generation - Video Game Review

The last boss was kind of not fun when he used his hax attacks. Can't imagine what it'll be like on hard difficulty.
Still, fantastic game. If you're looking for a solid Rider, tokusatsu, or beat-em up game, look no further. This is your kind of game. I enjoyed it even more than I expected to, and there's still more I have to do before beating the game 100%. The main story is done, though, and that means it's review time!

Graphics
The game is a 2D side-scrolling beat-em up, like I said before. There's a small plane where you can move up and down, but it's still straightforward. That said, the game's graphics are mostly sprites, as well as the backgrounds. Backgrounds aren't amazingly detailed, but there's a lot of different kinds and are indigenous to each world, which adds some individuality. The game also uses the 3D renders at times, only to display during finishers or Rider select, which are still pretty good. I think many would have preferred actual Rider portraits, but they're not bad.
The sprites are animated wonderfully for a DS game. Compare to Scott Pilgrim (PS3/X360). They're not as good, but still pretty awesome. You won't get confused between Riders, not even with those that look similar. Attacks are also wonderfully recreated, and fairly faithful. Bosses look great, and the game's original boss has some good design.


Plot
Um...Riders...kick bad guys? If I could read Japanese, I'm sure I could talk a little more, but with games like these it's an excuse plot anyway. All you wanna do is beat up bad guys, and that's what the plot gives you.


Music/Sound
Nothing real special here, though there are some good rockin' tracks that help the gameplay along. Sound effects are very good too, any and all sounds that were used in a Rider show are all here. There's no theme songs of any sort in the game, which is a shame, though Ganbaride pulled some good original music so it's not too bad. The game won't win any awards for its stellar soundtrack, but it's good.
Voices are also recycled from Climax Heroes, which is a pretty good thing if you got used to them. Sure, the majority of voices aren't the original actors, but if they're not gonna show up for a show, they're not gonna show up for a game. Still, there are some original actors voicing their characters, and the replacement actors aren't too bad. Considering how many characters there are, the sheer amount of people voicing is pretty good.


Gameplay
And yet, the most important part. Thankfully, it isn't too hard to do beat-em ups right. But do them well? That's another story. And this game passes with flying colors. It's a natural evolution of the 2D-based gameplay that everyone who's ever stood in front of an arcade should be used to, with some other new tricks to keep everyone happy. Again, like the Scott Pilgrim video game. You have basic weak and strong attacks, of course, and many of each Rider's signature moves are represented very well here in the special attack button. You can chain combos and even have a backstep in case things get messy. You can also heal your entire life bar a limited amount of times, and you're gonna need it.
Fighting is very easy, and the game throws a lot of enemies at you. There are also shop stages where you can buy health refills and powerups, as well as personal items for Riders which help in a lot of ways. Riders also have a unique special ability so there's no end to the amount of ways you can make teams. The game is played with a team of two, and sadly, no multiplayer as far as I can tell. Still, each Rider feels unique, even those without weapons, and that comes a long way in a game with almost 30 characters. 
The lineup is what Climax Heroes should have had. Every single main Rider from each show and a few surprises. Wouldn't have had it any other way. Except if there were even more. Each one has their own special moves as well as different items and finishers, creating a system that is only limited by how you limit yourself. It's not the deepest system in the world, but it is very well done. There are separate difficulty levels, of course, and even more to explore.
You can play through the game with your favorite Riders after you've unlocked them, but it'll make the challenge of completing the game 100% that much more difficult. Each story mission has its own personal mission with a certain condition that must be met in order to unlock more characters or add more items. Not an easy task. Surely it must get repetitive after a while? But no, it doesn't, and that's the sign of a great game.


Overall
Set to be the best tokusatsu game ever, this is an experience you won't want to miss out on. Multiplayer isn't here, so it's not quite a complete package, but the mileage you get out of the game is something you have to decide for yourself, and for your two favorite Riders. An amazing game that shouldn't be missed by 2D and Rider fans alike.
Score: 9.5/10