Rage of the Gladiator is Ghostfire Games' second WiiWare title after 2008's Helix, which we called "Dance Dance Revolution for your arms" in our review. Their newest title is a single-player fighting game that the developer is calling a "fantasy-based Punch-Out."

You control Gracius, a gladiator who is brawling in the arena with his magical war-hammer and shield, and you take on a number of enemies, including Tagon, a former warrior who has become a slow and lazy drunk. Each one has different weaknesses that you must exploit to defeat them. There are 11 enemies in total. After defeating 10 of the foes, you'll unlock Challenge Mode, which is akin to Punch-Out Wii's Title Defense mode. All the bosses learn new powers and are much difficult. It is only after you clear Challenge Mode that you can fight the final boss.

In addition to the Punch-Out-esque gameplay, there is also a combo system inspired by games such as God of War. As you successfully pull off attacks, you build up energy, which can be used to execute powerful attacks. You begin with an attack that involves leaping into the air and plunging your hammer into the ground to bring about a pillar of fire, and you gain new moves that involve lightning and meteors as you progress.

These different combos are unlocked via the skill tree, which is split into three different sections: Offense, Defense, and Magic. As you defeat bosses and unlock skill points, you can upgrade each tree. Offense focuses on strength, critical hits, and stealing opponent's health. Defense grants you more resistance to attacks, improved blocking, and the ability to heal or revive yourself. Magic allows you to store more energy and use powerful magic attacks.

Rage of the Gladiators has three methods of control. You can use the Wii Remote NES-style and control the game with buttons, or you can use of two Wii Remote/Nunchuk combos. The first is reminiscent of how Punch-Out controlled, and the second uses Wii MotionPlus. The addition allows you to direct your attacks without having to hold a button down to modify it. The developers recommend the MotionPlus controls, saying that "we feel [MotionPlus] is the most enjoyable experience and it's pretty good exercise, too!"

The game also features a soundtrack reminiscent of the film 300, and cut scenes for each boss that feature voice-acting. Rage of the Gladiator is coming out on WiiWare on March 15. As of now, there is no set price.