Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind shows there’s still space for retro originality

Few video game genres have been played as well as beat ’em up, however Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita Returns It shows that the format still has juice left.

This style of simple action game has been around since the days when arcades dominated and has remained a particularly fruitful niche in indie gaming. Beat ’em up games are some of my favorite games to play when you need a quick dose of somewhat mindless gaming fun, and I’ve appreciated the recent wave of licensed beat ’em up games we’ve gotten for franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles And GI Joe.

Unfortunately, many beat ’em up games lack originality and feel like reboots of the greatest games e.g Street of Rage 2 and TMNT: Turtles in Time. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by the creativity on display while playing Rewind Rita. Not only does this game faithfully emulate the look and feel of classic beat ’em up games, but Digital Eclipse was willing to incorporate new ideas of its own into the experience.

Retro tribute

Like most licensed multiplayer games, Rewind Rita Light on plot but thorough on fanservice. In this game, the robotic version of Rita Repulsa goes back in time to team up with her younger self and defeat the Power Rangers. This sets the backdrop for a series of whacking levels spanning from rooftops to carnivals and more, as the Power Rangers must battle Putty Patrollers and big bads like Goldar.

When I was growing up, I wasn’t allowed to watch mighty Morphin Power Rangers, So my nostalgia for the series is limited. While playing, I noticed a lot of little Easter eggs, character cameos, and other little touches that showed me that die-hard Power Rangers fans were working on this game. It’s also a love letter to 16-bit beat ’em up games in presentation. Rewind Rita It features some stunning pixel art and is instantly accessible to anyone who has played a game like The final battle or Streets of Rage before.

Digital Eclipse’s commitment to games like Rewind Rita Encouraging. It shows that the studio has a deep understanding of the old titles it holds and can recreate that magic for something new. Not only is it a return to 16-bit beat ’em up, but it gave me renewed faith that there’s still a lot of room to explore older games.

Beat ’em ups are one of the simplest games out there. Be it that Streets of Rage 4,Capcom Undervalued The Punisheror Rewind RitaAt the basic level, players walk to the right and hit everything that gets in their way. That simplicity is what draws me to these types of games in my spare time, but I’m let down by games like this GI Joe: Wrath of the Cobra Because I think the design of the game makes it very safe. Rewind Rita She doesn’t have this problem.

Although I wish the different Power Rangers played more clearly from each other, I can at least anticipate and enjoy when each new level throws some creative ideas at me. I knew this would be a special hit for them at the end of the first level, and the game would restart after the time expander exploded. Obviously something like this wasn’t possible on the SNES or Sega Genesis and is new to the beat ’em up genre.

Vehicle stages in Rewind Rita Where players control Zords or other objects and ends up playing more like Space Harrier or Air tornado Instead of unfairly difficult side-scrolling levels that limit player movement in frustration. This is another example of Digital Eclipse taking a clever risk. Then, there it is Megazord battles Which plays a bit like Punch out They are great power trips following some Zord levels or beating particularly difficult levels.

Rewind Rita It fits squarely into the mold of a retro throwback game, as it feels like the type of game I loved playing on my Game Boy Advance as a kid, e.g. Justice League Heroes: The Flash. Despite this, it shows that there are still ways to experiment and feel fresh while working within the restrictive confines of the format. This makes it an easy recommendation for fans of Power Rangers or classic arcade games.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita Returns It will launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on December 10. The Nintendo Switch version will launch on December 19.