My Hero Ultra Rumble, known in Japan as My Hero Academia: Ultra Rumble,[a] is a 2023 free-to-play battle royale game developed by Byking and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in September 2023. It is the fourth console game based on Kōhei Horikoshi's manga series My Hero Academia—following the 3D fighting games Battle for All (2016), One's Justice (2018), and One's Justice 2 (2020)—and the third to be developed by Byking.

My Hero Ultra Rumble
Cover art featuring Izuku Midoriya, Shoto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugo
Cover art
Developer(s)Byking
Publisher(s)Bandai Namco Entertainment
Director(s)Tatsumi Kimoto
Producer(s)
  • Masahiko Inotani
  • Atsushi Sato
Programmer(s)Soji Seta
Artist(s)
  • Yu Shimotori
  • Naoyuki Takano
Composer(s)Masahiro Aoki
SeriesMy Hero Academia
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
ReleaseSeptember 28, 2023
Genre(s)Battle royale, action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

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Ultra Rumble is a third-person battle royale action game which also incorporates elements of multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games.[1] The game can be played against other players online, or against CPU opponents offline. Matches feature up to 24 players, divided into eight teams of three by default, with separate modes for two-person teams and solos added in later updates.[2][3]

Like other battle royale games, players compete across a periodically-shrinking map until only one team remains. Each character has three Quirk skills to use in combat—which have varying cooldowns between uses, depending on their strength—and a unique action, such as Izuku's ability to carry a downed teammate out of harm's way.[4] In addition to combat, players explore the map to collect items, such as cards to upgrade the strength of Quirk skills, or potions that increase the "Guard Point" gauge which prevents damage and knockback.[4]

Characters

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Playable characters are sorted into five groups—Assault, Rapid, Strike, Support and Technical—depending on their playstyle.[5] Six characters are unlocked by default, while additional characters and cosmetics can be acquired through a gacha system.[6][7] Some characters and cosmetics can also be unlocked via the "Special License", a battle pass that can either be leveled up by playing a large number of matches, or using microtransactions.[8] Players are also occasionally given "Rental Tickets", which can be spent to play a single match using a character that has not yet been unlocked.[8] Each character's voice actor reprises their role from the anime series in both Japanese and English.[9]

Unlocked by default Unlocked via Special License Unlocked exclusively via gacha

^S2 Added in Season 2[2]
^S4 Added in Season 4[10]
^S5 Added in Season 5[11]
^S6 Added in Season 6[12]

Development and release

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Ultra Rumble was announced in Weekly Shōnen Jump on January 13, 2022.[13][14] Byking, who previously developed My Hero One's Justice (2018) and My Hero One's Justice 2 (2020), returned as the developer.[9] In an interview with Anime News Network, producer Aoba Miyazaki explained that the developers hoped to provide a unique experience within the battle royale game genre through the use of the My Hero Academia characters' different fighting styles.[15]

Two closed beta tests were held prior to release; from February 2 to February 6, 2022,[16] and from August 17 to August 21, 2022,[17] followed by an open beta from May 25 to June 1, 2023.[18] The full game was released by Bandai Namco Entertainment on September 28, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One.[19][20] Post-launch content has been released in seasons every two months, including new characters, modes, gameplay mechanics, stages, and cosmetics.[2][21][10][11][12]

Reception

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In a preview of the closed beta version, Josh Tolentino of Siliconera called Ultra Rumble "rough and unbalanced", but said it had "a lot of potential".[4] Scott Adams of The Outerhaven enjoyed the closed beta while noting balance issues.[22] Stef Watson of Couch Soup found the open beta enjoyable despite not being able to get into other battle royale games.[23]

Upon release, James Birks of TheXboxHub gave the game 4/5 stars, praising its map design, matchmaking, and spectacle, while criticizing the small villain roster and lack of mode variety at launch.[5]

Ultra Rumble was downloaded seven million times in its first month.[24][25] It surpassed ten million downloads by February 8, 2024.[26]

Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: 僕のヒーローアカデミア ウルトラランブル, Hepburn: Boku no Hīrō Akademia Urutora Ranburu

References

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  1. ^ Fargis, Edward (October 3, 2023). "How to Get Started in My Hero Ultra Rumble". Siliconera. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Bates, Saniah (November 27, 2023). "My Hero Ultra Rumble Season 2 brings Endeavor to the fight". Destructoid. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  3. ^ Richman, Olivia (December 20, 2023). "Solo Battles Have Arrived in My Hero Ultra Rumble". Esports Illustrated. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Tolentino, Josh (August 23, 2022). "Preview: My Hero Ultra Rumble Beta Shows Heroic Potential". Siliconera. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Birks, James (October 11, 2023). "MY HERO ULTRA RUMBLE Review". TheXboxHub. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Yadav, Karan (October 4, 2023). "How to unlock characters in My Hero Ultra Rumble". Destructoid. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Fargis, Edward (October 9, 2023). "My Hero Ultra Rumble Customization Guide". Siliconera. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "MY HERO ULTRA RUMBLE – Developer's Blog VOL. 9". Bandai Namco Europe. September 28, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Byking (September 28, 2023). 僕のヒーローアカデミア ウルトラランブル [My Hero Ultra Rumble] (Windows). Bandai Namco Entertainment. Scene: Credits.
  10. ^ a b "My Hero Ultra Rumble - Official Season 4 Trailer - IGN". IGN. March 27, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "My Hero Ultra Rumble - Official Season 5 Launch Trailer - IGN". IGN. May 23, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "My Hero Ultra Rumble - Official Season 6 Trailer - IGN". IGN. July 23, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  13. ^ Romano, Sal (January 13, 2022). "Free-to-play battle royale My Hero Academia: Ultra Rumble announced for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  14. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (January 13, 2022). "My Hero Academia Is Becoming a Battle Royale". IGN. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  15. ^ "Interview: My Hero Ultra Rumble Producer Aoba Miyazaki". Anime News Network. November 14, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  16. ^ Sinha, Ravi (January 17, 2022). "My Hero Academia: Ultra Rumble Receives First Gameplay Trailers, Closed Beta Set for February 2nd to 6th". GamingBolt. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  17. ^ Roth, Emma (July 6, 2022). "My Hero Academia's battle royale beta is coming soon and will be free to play". The Verge. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  18. ^ Penwell, Chris (May 18, 2023). "When is the My Hero Ultra Rumble Open Beta? - Platforms, start time and end date". Destructoid. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Lada, Jenni (September 21, 2023). "My Hero Ultra Rumble Battle Royale Game Release Date Set for Next Week". Siliconera. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  20. ^ "My Hero Ultra Rumble - Launch Content and Roadmap". Bandai Namco Europe. September 28, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  21. ^ "MY HERO ULTRA RUMBLE Season 3 Now Available". GoNintendo. January 25, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  22. ^ Adams, Scott (August 27, 2022). "My Hero Academia: Ultra Rumble Beta Impressions". The Outerhaven. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  23. ^ Watson, Stef (June 7, 2023). "My Hero Ultra Rumble: Finally, A Battle Royale I Can't Wait To Drop Into!". Couch Soup. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  24. ^ "My Hero Ultra Rumble hits 7 million downloads". GoNintendo. November 1, 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  25. ^ Romano, Sal (November 1, 2023). "My Hero Ultra Rumble downloads top seven million". Gematsu. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  26. ^ "MY HERO ULTRA RUMBLE Reaches 10 Million Downloads". GoNintendo. February 8, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
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