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secret game club presents...

viewtiful joe

words by lulu loveless

march 2025

Viewtiful Joe is the kind of game I fell in love with from the moment I first saw it, you only need one look at its style is all you need, it wears its styled graphics and vibrant colors right in front of you, looking good and knowing it too, the cheesy Tokusatsu references and certified tm video game logic are it’s badges of honor, made by and for nerds with a clear vision of what they want, all of it present right from the moment you see the box art. I admit, I long admired Viewtiful Joe from afar for a long time now, I can only describe finally playing it this year as, what I imagine, it’s like to actually ask out that cashier who’s way too hot for their job, somehow landing a date, following them back to their apartment, to which they then promptly beat you up with their bare fists and take your wallet. Ooooh it hurts, and they know it, and the worst part is that, despite everything, they know you still want more. In short; Viewtiful Joe is a game for sadomasochists.