I grew up in the '80s and consumed virtually every cult cartoon classic, but by the time Power Rangers came out in the '90s, I was a little too old to seriously engage with the colorful band of heroes. However, my little brothers saw it, and of course it wasn't lost on me how popular this franchise is, as evidenced by the fact that new adventures keep popping up from time to time.
This also includes video games, although there hasn't been anything with a larger budget for a long time. Instead of trying to make something semi-budget, Digital Eclipse went for the opposite with Power Rangers Rita's Rewind. Instead, it is entirely retro in style, with a concept very similar to the games that were in vogue when they debuted in 1993. In practice, this means a classic “beat 'em up” in which we have the opportunity to kill all kinds of enemies on the conveyor belt.
To make it even more retro, everything is presented with graphics inspired by classic thick-cased TVs. You have several options to choose from, but the default mode looks fantastic. Add to that the music (composed by Sean “CosmicGem” Bialo), which is video game-inspired and absolutely phenomenal, and the voice acting, which helps draw me into this more colorful and potentially welcoming time.
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If you played Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge back in the day (or even Battletoads and Streets of Rage 4), you'll recognize the montage immediately. Rita Repulsa has been up to mischief and traveled back in time to collaborate with herself. The result is that you have to punch your opponents in the face in an assembly line fashion while defeating multiple bosses.
With these types of games, it all comes down to how intuitive and fun the combat system is, and I'm happy to report that it fits like a glove. It's easy to dish out a generous beating, there's a button to avoid all incoming damage, and you can jump and use a super attack that clears the screen of enemies (at least the weaker ones). Thanks to this, Power Rangers Rita's Rewind manages to make me feel constantly competent, acting as a kind of addictive sugar that constantly satisfies me and makes me want to keep going. In addition, the typical moments of frustration have been ironed out, such as losing just a square of life instead of an entire life if you accidentally fall off the edge of a bridge or similar.
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Additionally, this genre always benefits from cooperative play and excels here too. Power Rangers Rita's Rewind can be played locally by up to six people (although only four for PlayStation 4 and 5), although initially there are “only” five as you have to complete the game to get your sixth fighter. Online support is also on the way, but Digital Eclipse says it will arrive a little later. Fighting alone works very well, but if you get a few friends to join you, the game quickly reaches unimaginable proportions.
For Power Rangers fans, Digital Eclipse has added the Juice Bar as a sort of hangout spot to indulge in Power Rangers nostalgia, and I like that they've also added three unexpectedly entertaining arcade games that at least got me hooked on one or two kept busy for hours. The basic adventure itself lasts about three hours, but there are secrets to discover throughout the levels, times to overcome, and other challenges. There's also a special speedrun mode and much more, so you'll get plenty of fan service and additional content to help you play.
One of the things that is most praised in “Power Rangers Rita's Rewind” is the continuous mix of the “beat 'em up” parts with other elements that often remind us of the classic Space Harrier or Panzer Dragoon in a kind of rail-based shooter remember a Dinozord (and also Megazord) as well as motorcycles. And yes, these moments are wonderfully spectacular and if possible even more action-packed than the base game, except that it's nowhere near as intuitive as the rest of the game. You'll probably die a few times before you realize what you need to do and how it all works. Ironically, you're given a brief refresher on the completely traditional combat part, while here you're not told anything at all, even though in reality it would have been appropriate.
A fun detail is that, according to the conventions of the genre, all Power Rangers are good in different ways, with differences in things like range, stamina, and strength. Here, however, as I said, are the fights Beat them up They are interspersed with completely different game moments, and the unique characteristics of the characters are also noticeable here. In my opinion, the Pink Rangers' Flying Pterodactyl Dinozord is noticeably sharper than the Red Rangers' Tyrannosaurus Dinozord, which increases these stats even further.
So everything is okay? No, I wouldn't say that, and Power Ranger's Rita's Rewind certainly has some things the developers could have done better. In particular, I'm bothered by the fact that all attacks except jump kicks and punches – basically a flying uppercut and an overhead attack – do nothing and are too hard to hit. This means I'm basically just playing with the hit button, which makes it unnecessarily button-masher friendly. Additionally, there is one particular boss whose design is completely unbalanced, and I found the on-rails shooter-style tracks too chaotic for me to feel like I had any real control. Especially when dealing cooperatively with many players.
But overall, it's very easy to recommend Power Rangers Rita's Rewind. It's an incredibly loving tribute to the phenomenon and a fun game that's worth playing even for those who like it beats her up or retro games in general, but have no relation to the brand.
