At a look, it’s fairly straightforward to get an thought of what Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is: a co-op arcade fashion beat-em-up with beautiful sprite artwork, bearing some very clear similarities to 2022’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, all the way in which all the way down to the title. However, after kicking, punching and morphin by means of the primary two episodes, I’m completely satisfied to report that it’s greater than only a palette swap, and developer Digital Eclipse clearly understood the task, but additionally wasn’t afraid to get artistic within the margins.
For starters, the premise is a enjoyable fan-fictional remix: within the far off yr of 2024, Robo-Rita Repulsa (who apparently has the identical plastic surgeon as Frieza) is going through defeat by Angel Grove’s teenage protectors. Assuming these are the identical Rangers from the unique collection, they’re a minimum of of their late forties at this level. In any case, that’s a non-issue, as a result of Robo-Rita decides to journey again in time and be a part of forces along with her youthful, less-cybernetically augmented self to place an finish to her enemies again after they have been nonetheless in highschool.
There’s no scarcity of easter eggs and fanservice, however Robo-Rita isn’t going again in time simply to make the identical errors once more, so Rita’s Rewind is basically extra of a Remix. Anyone who is aware of the unique collection in and out is in for some surprises. For occasion, a boss struggle towards Chunky Chicken, an early monster of the week villain from the primary season has a second section the place a second poultry-themed enemy seems, Turkey Jerk. It’s a cute joke at face worth, however the deep-cut reference right here is that within the authentic collection, Chunky Chicken’s costume was repainted and retooled to make Turkey Jerk’s – mainly, the analog kaiju swimsuit equal of a palette-swap. Like I stated, the crew Digital Eclipse did their homework.
If you’ve ever performed a sidescrolling beat-em up, you’re already accustomed to the core gameplay. Up to 5 gamers crew up, domestically or on-line, and progressively transfer their favourite Power Ranger towards stage left. Our heroes must cease about each twenty toes to beat the crap out of a small military of Rita Repulsa’s goons, like Putty Patrollers and Tenga Warriors, in addition to any trash can, crate or mailbox that appears prefer it may need health-restoring junk meals inside. Combat is one primary assault that may be mixed with directional inputs to string collectively rudimentary combos, plus one final assault that may be activated when a meter is full. The final assaults are appropriately excessive, and triggering one for the primary time put an enormous grin on my face. If I used to be seven, I might have been leaping up and down on the sofa.
Periodically, a Putty Patroller will present up holding an infinite cylinder with a inexperienced crystal in it, and if the Rangers don’t destroy it in time, it’ll set off an explosive time-warp impact that offers injury, but additionally rewinds the sport to moments earlier, a la Braid. The sport’s visuals typically do a very good job creating the phantasm this can be a retro sport, all the way in which all the way down to a CRT filter. The time warp impact breaks this phantasm in a very cool approach, making it appear for second such as you’re taking part in on an arcade cupboard that’s about to brief circuit.
Where Rita’s Rewind actually units itself other than Shredder’s Revenge is its super-scaler ranges, which shake up the 2D side-scroller method with fast-paced pseudo-3D sequences paying homage to traditional SEGA arcade video games like Outrun or Afterburner or the Super Nintendo’s Mode 7 know-how. As a lot enjoyable as beat-em-ups are, these act as palette-cleansers between ranges, they usually’re actually cleverly utilized within the context of Power Rangers.
The authentic tv present commonly adopted a well-known format: a monster-of-the-week would seem, and after the Rangers seemingly defeated stated monster in hand-to-hand fight, Rita Repulsa would utter these infamously suggestive phrases “make my monster develop!” At which level the struggle would proceed on a a lot bigger scale, with the Rangers first making use of their particular person Dinozord mechs earlier than inevitably becoming a member of them collectively to kind the Dino Megazord and save the day.
Rita’s Rewind is damaged up into “Episodes.” The first one featured two phases of interior metropolis beat-em up gameplay culminating in a boss struggle towards Goldar on a rooftop. After he was sufficiently pummeled by lycra-clad teenagers, Robo-Rita super-sized him and he flew off. A short cutscene confirmed the Rangers hopping into Zords and the following sequence was a 3D shoot-em-up, which was instantly paying homage to the unique Star Fox on Super NES. This is becoming, since that launched the identical yr Rita’s Rewind takes place, when Power Rangers was at peak recognition, and serves up a pleasant double-dose of nostalgia.
After utilizing the Zords to explode a generator in some suspicious mining operation whereas dodging lasers, the second had arrived: it was time to kind the Dino Megazord. But wait, the identical lingering query that I had after so many Power Rangers episodes additionally applies to Rita’s Rewind… How do a number of folks cooperatively pilot a single humanoid mech? Not positive what the canonical rationalization is, however within the case of the online game, it takes a cue from a unique sort of sofa co-op: passing a controller forwards and backwards when somebody dies or beats a degree.
After a satisfyingly low-poly transformation sequence, the angle shifted to the Dino Megazord’s cockpit, squared as much as duke it out with Goldar, Punch-Out! fashion. Rather than Goldar having a traditional well being bar that’s depleted, the Dino Megazord’s Power Sword is as a substitute displayed on the prime of the display screen with a number of small sections working alongside the blade.
Landing sufficient punches towards Goldar will progressively fill certainly one of these sections up, at which level, it’s the following Ranger’s flip. Conversely, a participant’s flip may even finish abruptly if Goldar lands an assault. Completely filling the meter will activate the Power Sword, which is then used to complete off the unhealthy man with a quicktime occasion the place everybody cooperatively button mashes.
Nobody really has to go the controller, it simply switches between gamers, however the thought is identical. It’s fully doable the same resolution for cooperative Zord-piloting has been applied in one of many many Power Rangers video games launched within the final 30 years, however I nonetheless thought it was a intelligent resolution. Waiting your flip may not be fairly as enjoyable as attending to drive the Megazord your self the entire time, however when you’re taking part in with mates, you’ll possible end up cheering one another on – or groaning after they get hit.
In between episodes, the Rangers become their civvies and regroup on the Angel Grove Youth Center. While knocking again a number of chilly ones at Ernie’s juice bar, they’ll take heed to Bulk and Skull take credit score for defeating the earlier episodes’ villains. In case Rita’s Rewind wasn’t arcadey sufficient already, playable arcade cupboards can be unlocked. We received to see “Drive Bomber,” a made-up racing-shmup through which a automotive can launch bombs into its personal path, and can promptly explode if it drives into them, which is hilariously tough, but additionally fully non-compulsory.
Controls-wise, the essential beat-em-up fight could be very satisfying, although at occasions it may be laborious to inform what’s happening when the display screen is flooded with enemies. It was chaotic with three of us taking part in, I think about the total five-person crew is borderline comical. The driving sequences are appropriately hectic whereas the Megazord boxing match is a bit clunky, however so is the supply materials. Serious avid gamers with a educated eye for hitboxes and body information might discover one thing to nitpick, however finally, that’s lacking the purpose. Rita’s Rewind is a sport for folks chasing that top of renting the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Super Nintendo sport and staying up too late attempting to beat it at a sleepover. Or for individuals who grew up wishing there was a Power Rangers arcade cupboard at their native pizzeria wedged between The Uncanny X-Men and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Despite Power Rangers’ rise to recognition within the heyday of arcade beat-em-ups, it in some way by no means received a correct one. From what I’ve seen of Rita’s Rewind, Digital Eclipse is making a valiant and long-overdue effort to treatment that, and better of all, you don’t must ask your mother for quarters each time you die.
