Parents' Guide to Skullgirls

Made mainly for fighting game fans, this tough and somewhat racy title will really appeal only to the hardcore player. Like the previous incarnations, the mobile version of Skullgirls is a stylish, two-dimensional fighting game that has you going one-on-one, but with teams of three who can be tagged in when need be. Besides their feet and fists, these colorful characters also use a wide variety of instruments and special attacks to defeat their competition, including an umbrella and a tuba. But while most fighting games on mobile devices are relatively simple, and relatively simpler than their counterparts on console and computer, this is just as deep and complicated as the version on game consoles and PC. Which is kind of the problem. Pulling off some of the more complex moves on a touch screen is really tricky, especially when you're trying to do them before your opponent can launch a special attack. Which is why, even more than most mobile fighting games, this doesn't work nearly as well as the versions where you get to use a controller, often to the point of frustration. Still, if you've got quick fingers, and enjoy letting your fists do the talking for you, you'll find Skullgirls to be a satisfying but challenging brawler.