Fans of virtual boxing matches It's not easy at the moment: The last issue of Punch Out!! was released in 2009 for the Wii and with Arms Nintendo created a new IP in 2017, but its gameplay is very different from the arcade series that was born in 1984.
If you've already played the slot machine or enjoyed one of the successors and are longing for a comparable title, then it might be worth it ThunderRay to get back in the ring. Despite small flaws and a short playing time, the indie production puts the nostalgic glasses on you, just to give you one magnificent presentation to be hit right off your nose again.
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Thunder Ray: Bloody boxing matches with breathtaking animations
Because if there's one feature that catches your eye with Thunder Ray when you're looking for new gaming fodder, it's definitely its appearance. Hand-drawn characters and animationswild and alien-looking designs, liters of blood and bright colors: the title released in September 2023 by developer studio Purple Tree for the PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch definitely has one expressive art style to offer.
As part of a intergalactic boxing tournament The title hero, Thunder Ray, has to face eight fights, each one more strenuous than the one before. But above all: the game regularly outdoes itself when it comes to the characters Muscle hunk cyborg From a flying witch with a protective shield to a shadowy vampire or a funny little wizard who controls space and time: every fight is unique and cannot be compared to the duelists from Earth.
In addition to the extraordinary art style, the animations are also impressive: Thunder Ray is a boxing cartoon turned into a gamewhich can easily keep up with hand-drawn series in terms of quality and can even be compared to one Cuphead can provide. Sees everything wonderfully supple when fists and projectiles fly across the screen or when you cleverly dodge to the side to avoid enemy attacks.
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Weightless exchange of blows
Playful awaits you classic arcade boxing: In the two modes, Story and Survival, you can choose to fight all the battles individually or one after the other without a break, with the exception of the last boss for each of them three levels of difficulty are available – and the normal one really puts your reactions to the test. You can fall to the ground a total of twice and get back up again by repeatedly pressing the button, and your opponents also have to be knocked off their feet three times each before victory is yours.
It is played with four buttons, which are responsible for attacks from the right and left as well as above and below; With the D-Pad you can dodge to both sides, block attacks or avoid higher hits by ducking. Additionally you can charge your blows and there are also powerful special attacks. But because your opponent can also block, timing is required here so as not to waste the charged bar in vain.
This still from the fight against Vampire Lord Worw gives an idea of how great Thunder Ray looks in motion.
The fights are on a low level of difficulty stylish spectacle, which can be ticked off without much practice; On normal and hard it sometimes becomes a bit unfair: your opponents' attacks are not always easy to read and whether you should block, duck or dodge, you have to more through trial and error found out than can be mastered through lightning-fast reactions. Given the short playing time of around one to two hours for the story, this is bearable and if you really want to get stuck into the duels, you'll get your money's worth by memorizing the arguments.
So Thunder Ray is playful perhaps not the spearhead of virtual boxing matchesthe alternating distribution from left, right, bottom and top as well as defending against the opponent's blows but entertaining and close enough to the Punch-Out!! formula to be one to satisfy any hunger for nostalgia. The star of the game is clearly its presentation, thanks to which Thunder Ray easily stands out from the mass of indie titles and you Gorgeous animations conjures up on the screen. And speaking of worthwhile indie titles: Roguelike superstar Hades is now cheaper than ever on Steam.