Viewtiful Joe Swoops To Save 2D Gameplay

Thanks to IGN Cube for running an import review of Capcom's crazed 3D-graphics but 2D-gameplay action platformer, Viewtiful Joe, which has just been released (and immediately sold out) in Japan, but isn't out in the US until October. According to the article, "Viewtiful Joe is an extremely stylized quasi-2D side-brawler .. [with] polished control mechanics.. you can effortlessly slow down time, speed it up.. the game's graphic presentation, from.. cel-styled worlds.. [to] breathtaking slow-time and speed-time effects, and fluid animation that drowns every character, is just gorgeous." There's also a US demo of Viewtiful Joe on the recent official GameCube demo disc - is this title proof that 2D gameplay can still enchant the mass market?