Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impacthas already seen a roller coaster development cycle, despite a large crowd rooting for its success. After a rough start, subsequent updates have consistently raised confidence among fans and critics alike. However, there are a few problems that are just too big forHunter x Hunter: Nen x Impactto solve.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact’s earliest challengeswere subpar graphics, a limited roster, and uncertain game mechanics. Thankfully, all of these issues have been gradually addressed throughout the months following its announcement. However, the game still faces massive competition from a number of titles, the largest among them beingDragon Ball: Sparking Zero. Developers recently announced thatNen Impact’s release date has been delayed until 2025, but maybe this move is for the best.

Hunter × Hunter Nen × Impact

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact Has a Fighting Chance After Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact Has Huge Potential

All things considered,Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impacthas a lot of good going for it. Traditional 2D fighters in the vein ofNen x Impactare relatively uncommon among anime fighters, with many more adaptations being designed as arena fighters. Furthermore, the tag system ofNen x Impactclosely follows the highly acclaimedMarvel vs. Capcomseries. ConsideringMarvel vs. Capcomis in a drought of new releasesas well,Nen x Impactseemingly has a dedicated audience to take hold of.

Better yet,Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impacthas done a good jobat laying the groundwork for that audience. Each time the game has received major criticism, developers have responded with subsequent updates. The frequency and clarity of this communication may seem like a bit of a rarity nowadays, and it’s generated a lot of good will as the game inches closer to its eventual release date.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact gameplay revealed showing a character during a fight

Finally, there is also the fact thatNen x Impactis tied to theHunter x Hunterseriesat large.Hunter x Hunteris one of the most iconic and influential manga series of all time, and new chapters are finally around the corner after a long hiatus. Even with all of these benefits, there is always a bigger fish, and it’s tough to find an anime series much bigger thanDragon Ball.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero May Be Too Strong to Defeat

Despite all the good will in the world,Dragon Ball: Sparking Zerostill seems geared up for an unstoppable season.Sparking Zerois the long-awaited follow-up to theBudokai Tenkaichiseries, and seems to have expertly recaptured everything that made the series so beloved in the first place. From a colossal roster full of diverse characters, to the explosive combat on a scale fans have never seen, all the way down to What If scenarios, it’s easy to see why a game likeHunter x Hunter:Nen x Impactcould struggle to compete.

To really twist the knife, scale and fanservice aren’t the only things working forSparking Zero. It just so happens thatDragon Ball: Sparking ZeroandDragon Ball Daimawill hit the scene on the exact same day. With a game that celebrates every corner ofDragon Ball’s history, and a newDragon Ballanime just on the horizon, the series is undoubtedly entering a renaissance.

Hisoka, Chrollo Lucilfer, Uvogin, and other game characters from Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact looking serious

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact Delay Does More Good Than Harm

First and foremost, the recent delay will firmly moveNen x Impactout ofDragon Ball:Sparking Zero’s release window. While a delay is usually disappointing news, it seems like a good thing thatNen x Impactwill move to a season where it can be more competitive. After all, fighting games heavily rely on active player bases. If a fighting game is dead on arrival, it can be almost impossible to recover.

While the finer details remain to be seen,Nen x Impactwill likely pick up the typical benefits of any other delay. Developers stated that their main goal is to implement rollback netcode before release, and this is already huge for dedicated fighting game fans. Likewise, the delay simply gives developers a longer period of time to improve the game and polish any rough edges. Considering the game’s track record so far, the delay seems like great news for thefuture ofHunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact.

Image from Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact game trailer, showing players walking away

Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

WHERE TO PLAY

The first full-scale HUNTER×HUNTER fighting game is here!3v3 Nen ability team battleCreate teams of characters to face off in 3-on-3 battles.Find a combination with synergy, and aim for the top with your own unique team!Rush comboJust hold down the rush button and hit the button repeatedly to unleash powerful combos!Feel the exhilarating rush of pulling off a combo with ease!Online battleFace off against other players across the network to win rank points.Your rank updates as you accumulate points. Aim to become a “three-star hunter”!You can even compete with “G.I. Cards” at stake! Gather the cards for the specified slots!Story modeBattle against CPU opponents as you enjoy a digest of beloved Hunter x Hunter moments!This mode includes tutorial stages, so try it out first to understand the basics of how to play!

Gon, Leorio, Netero from Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Gon, Killua, Netero, Hisoka, Leorio, Kurapika standing against each other in Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact

Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact during a fight scene as shown in opening cinematic trailer

Feitan from Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact