Retro Fighter

Overview

Retro Fighter enters the ring with nostalgic aspirations, openly inspired by classic beat 'em ups like Double Dragon and Streets of Rage. Initial impressions reveal a game struggling to land its punches, with players reporting significant technical and design flaws that overshadow its retro charm. While flashes of potential appear in its attack variety and pixel art, the experience feels like an unfinished bout where fundamental elements like sound design and controls stumble before reaching their potential.

Technical Shortcomings and Frustrating Design

The most consistent complaint centers on glaring omissions in basic presentation. Retro Fighter launches without sound effects entirely, leaving only background music to accompany the on-screen action. This creates a jarring, hollow atmosphere where punches and special moves land in eerie silence, stripping combat of its visceral satisfaction. Combined with reported bugs throughout the experience, this technical oversight makes the game feel prematurely released rather than a polished homage.

Controls emerge as another critical weakness, described as unresponsive and awkward during heated encounters. Maneuvering characters feels unnecessarily cumbersome, turning basic navigation into a chore during crowded battles. This frustration compounds with baffling difficulty spikes where standard enemies overwhelm players through sheer numbers, while boss fights paradoxically offer minimal challenge. The inconsistent pacing breaks the flow essential to the genre, creating unpredictable valleys and peaks of engagement rather than a smooth combat curve.

The end of level bosses will put you to sleep but the minions will have you overwhelmed at times.

Acidic

Fleeting Glimmers of Potential

When Retro Fighter connects, it shows hints of the homage it strives to be. The range of combat options stands out as a legitimate strength, offering diverse attacks and weapon pick-ups that briefly channel the chaotic fun of its inspirations. Pixel art visuals receive consistent praise as "somewhat above average," suggesting genuine effort went into capturing the aesthetic of classic arcade brawlers. These moments create small windows where the intended vision shines through, particularly when experimenting with different fighting styles against standard enemies.

Yet these positives remain islands in a sea of frustration. The lack of audio feedback undermines even the most visually impressive special moves, while control issues prevent players from consistently executing combos as intended. What could have been a loving tribute instead feels like a prototype that needed several more development rounds to refine its core mechanics before entering the ring.