Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee is a
fighting game based on
Toho's Godzilla franchise. It was developed by
Pipeworks Software and published by
Infogrames under the
Atari brand for
GameCube in 2002. A companion game developed by
WayForward Technologies for
Game Boy Advance, Godzilla: Domination!, was released in November of the same year. Destroy All Monsters Melee was later released for
Xbox in 2003, featuring additional content and enhanced graphics.
The player plays as one of eleven
giant monsters (
Anguirus,
Destoroyah,
Gigan,
Godzilla 90s,
Godzilla 2000,
King Ghidorah,
Mecha-King Ghidorah,
Megalon, Orga,
Rodan, or
Mechagodzilla). The player must defeat their opponents via punches, kicks, and limb attacks (usually a tail-attack). Each monster can use their signature beam attack and throw environmental objects.
Army forces (missile and freeze tanks) and the monster
Hedorah (which slows a monster's energy regeneration) are also present and sporadically attack all monsters. Extras include powerup orbs, which provide additional health, energy, unlock a finishing move, or summon
Mothra for an airstrike. Extra features include choice of several locations, and a "destruction" mode (in which players compete to destroy buildings in a city) and "melee" mode (in which up to four players can compete simultaneously).
Plot
The plot involves an alien race known as the Vortaak invading the Earth and assuming control of the planet's
giant monsters, sending them to attack cities across the globe. One monster breaks free from the Vortaak's control, and battles the other monsters in order to drive off the Vortaak, and that monster is the king of the monsters, Godzilla.
Development
The game was announced by
Infogrames on March 25, 2002, as a GameCube-exclusive, with
Pipeworks Software announced as the developer and a release date within the fall of 2002.[7] It was later shown off at
E3 2002[8] and at Infogrames' press event in August.[9]
In January 2003, Infogrames announced that the game would be released for the
Xbox with the addition of MechaGodzilla 3 as a new playable character, two new stages, a Destruction Mode for single-player, and graphical upgrades.[10]