CGMagazine had the opportunity to get behind the sticks with Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered, and it brings the classic kaiju battler onto modern platforms.
Kaiju fans have had a renaissance since the cinematic release of the incredibly well-received Godzilla Minus One. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire smashed into theatres, and on Godzilla Day, the sequel Godzilla Minus Zero was officially announced with director Takashi Yamazaki returning as lead writer.
With Kaiju fever at an all-time high, I jumped at the chance to briefly get behind the sticks of Atari and Pipeworks Studios’ new Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered to reacquaint myself with the 2002 original restored on modern platforms.
First things first, Pipeworks Studios was not only responsible for developing the 2002 original, but they’ve helped develop dozens of games in collaboration since (like Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate, Marathon, and EA Sports College Football 25), and have added numerous quality-of-life updates to improve the returning fan experience.
“The best part of Destroy All Monsters Melee, the multiplayer, has been expanded so up to four players can jump into matches on larger maps.”
The main bonuses Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered brings are an overhauled unlock system, so players can unlock content however they like using earned in-game currency. In 2002, multiple grindy campaign completions were necessary to unlock certain content, and it felt frustrating as a kid who played on the GameCube. Pipeworks Studios has fixed that part of nostalgia with Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered, and lets fans control how they unlock the content.
On top of that, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered adds an online matchmaking system so fans don’t have to wait for their older sibling to be “in the mood” to play a couple of rounds. Each kaiju (including the exclusive one from the XBOX variant in 2002) is available in all versions, and each has its own campaign. Finally, the best part of Destroy All Monsters Melee, the multiplayer, has been expanded so up to four players can jump into matches on larger maps. All of that aside, jumping into a few matches with a demo before gamescom 2026 gave me exactly what I expected from Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered. A solid return of the king from 2002.
You’re able to select from an array of the kaiju greats: Godzilla the King of Monsters himself, King Ghidorah, and 10 other sprawling kaiju. Like the 2002 original, Pipeworks Studios has players unlock the characters through gameplay rather than having them available off the bat. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered starts you off with four characters, so that’s what I was given a choice between. I played as Godzilla and picked the drill-equipped Megalon as my opponent.
One thing is certain in Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered, and that is each monster has a unique move set expected from the monster’s abilities. Megalon is no slouch with his burrowing ability that can hilariously knock you flying into the air. Reminiscent of the 2002 original, the uncertain hitboxes and jankiness are carried into the 2026 remaster, and it’s a good laugh seeing monsters launched.
“Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered also tosses the kaiju battler into 2026, including modern improvements like online co-op to bring kaiju battles to the modern age.”
As Godzilla, I was able to light attack and combo, block incoming attacks, throw Megalon (which is also campy and hilarious), throw buildings and use the special Atomic Breath against Megalon. Gameplay is vastly improved from the original, and a fresh coat of new graphics brings Godzilla to modern platforms, letting fans create their own kaiju battles with the world as the arena. As the fight wears on, the arena gets more trampled, and you have less weaponry to assail the opponent kaiju with.
Although my time with Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered was brief, it appears Atari and Pipeworks Studios captured the spirit of the original: chaotic kaiju mayhem. Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered also tosses the kaiju battler into 2026, including modern improvements like online co-op to bring kaiju battles to the modern age.
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered launches on November 3, so fans can rip up cities then.
