‘One Punch Man’ Game: Why Saitama Is Always Late For Every Fight

Fans of “One Punch Man” know just how ridiculously powerful main protagonist Saitama is. He can literally defeat enemies of any size, form and power level, with just one punch. This is made evident in the newest fighting game based on the manga and anime show.

Bandai Namco released a trailer for “One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows” at this year’s Gamescom and revealed the game’s actual mechanics. It’s a fighting game that puts players in 3-vs-3 matches, with players getting to choose the characters they want for the fight.

Saitama, however, appears to be a very unbalanced character. The video game adaptation made sure he sticks to canon and gave him his ridiculous power found in the manga. He’s virtually invincible --no one can damage him no matter what attack or combo is used on him-- and can knock foes out with just one hit, regardless if it’s a punch, an uppercut, a slap or a karate chop.

GameSpot reported that unlike other fighting games, however, “One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows” introduces a “Hero Arrival” mechanic that aims to bring balance to Saitama’s incredible strength: He is always late for the fight.

Wait, what?

The trailer shows that players will not always be able to play as Saitama. Sometimes, players will play as other characters like Genos or Mumen Rider and will need to survive fights against villains like the Deep Sea King or Mosquito Girl until Saitama arrives. “Saitama will get to battle… eventually,” the trailer said.

While the heroes aren’t weak, players will find that winning against enemies can be challenging because while Saitama is making his way to the scene, it’s going to be a 2-vs-3 battle.

A countdown on the side of the screen shows that it will take the bald-headed hero 120 seconds (2 minutes) to get there. Players can “shorten his arrival time by performing combos and perfect guards.”

Until the time is up, players will need to play as defensively as they can to survive. The game changes once Saitama arrives, though. Enemies can’t deal any damage to him, and he can defeat them in just one hit.

Bandai Namco hasn’t announced a release date for the game just yet. Stay tuned for more updates as they come.