The original Fantavision was the most (unfairly) dunked-on game at the the PS2’s North American launch. It may not have been the “next gen” experience people were looking for, but it was a fun, chaotic, get-in-the-zone puzzle game with a cool aesthetic. It’s not terribly surprising that the multiplayer-focused sequel, Futari no Fantavision didn’t release in North America. While third parties would go wild releasing all manner of Japanese games on PS2, Sony was weirdly reserved about first party releases- it’s honestly a wonder that the original Fantavision released in the West at all.
If you weren’t into the original game’s galaxy brain (or button mashing if you’re me) puzzle action, this multiplayer-focused follow-up won’t do much for you. Honestly, I’m more of a fan of the aesthetic than the gameplay (which I could never really wrap my head around), and the vibes here are on point.
A big part of this is the Soichi Terada soundtrack. If you’ve only played the English version of the original, you missed out on the sublime OST by the legendary Ape Escape composer. This, combined with the pleasant nighttime city visuals and cool firework effects give the game an immaculate vibe.
But where Futari no Fantavision really shines is the vs mode.
While the core game is generally somewhat chill, vs is anything but. You’re playing on a split screen that is constantly growing, shrinking, and even flipping. The chaotic, overstimulating head-to-head competition brings to mind Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo (a good thing).
Fantavision remains one of Sony’s most unique but not quite forgotten franchises. Futari no Fantavision is the most realized game of the PS2 duology, and the one that I would recommend checking out.
All photos by me. All screenshots and video captured by me on original hardware.
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