Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Review - The Power of Friendship

I was able to attend Summer Game Fest live earlier this year, and one of the games that hyped me up the most was, you guessed it, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind. The last time I consumed any sort of Power Rangers media was back in the 90s, but even still, something about Rita's Rewind gave me a great deal of excitement.

And now, after having spent time going through Digital Eclipse's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind as both solo and co-op, I'm pleased to say it lived up to my expectations. This retro-fueled beat 'em up is the perfect homage to both Power Rangers fans as well as those who just love a good ol' brawl in the streets.

Punchin' 'em Good in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind

Whether you're new to beat em' ups or you scarf them down like some sort of gaming glutton, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind hits the spot. It's a side-scrolling beat em' up first and foremost, but it does have a few tricks up its sleeve to differentiate it from the rest. Of course, the main draw to Rita's Rewind are the Power Rangers themselves.

I'm a Blue Ranger guy -- same as I was back in the 90s -- and getting to play him in video game form is a treat. You can choose from any of the Rangers (and an extra one after you beat the game!) and each has a pretty simplified, but nonetheless satisfying moveset.

Each Power Ranger has the same set of moves, but their animations are different to help make them feel more distinct from one another. For example, the Blue Ranger incorporates his lance into attacks, while the Black Ranger uses an axe. Like I said, character choice doesn't seem to make much of a difference unlike in, say, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, but it's nice to have distinct visual flair.

A few more moves create a satisfyingly simple set of attacks anyone can enjoy, including an attack that launches a Ranger into the air. From the air, you can take out pesky Tenga Warriors that tend to fly up high. You can finish a combo off by launching yourself down on an enemy with a strong kick or a "down smash."

Combat is gratifying, especially with the sound effects that accompany whacking the enemy. I just wish there was a bit more complexity to the combat in Rita's Rewind, as that would make this great brawler something truly excellent. Nonetheless, there wasn't a moment I didn't have fun throughout the 3-hour or so campaign.

Definitely bring a friend along, if that wasn't already clear. While playing through Rita's Rewind is in itself an enjoyable experience, the optimal way is always to play with friends. Having a buddy come along on the harder difficulty made for a wonderful session of play, and I can't wait to get all the Rangers together for another go.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Mixes Things Up

Whether you're fighting through a toxic factory or bashing away at Putties in a misty graveyard, stage variety gives Rita's Rewind a lot of charm. However, there are also moments throughout the campaign that mix things up and change the gameplay altogether, and that's another point where Rita's Rewind shines.

Rita's Rewind occasionally mixes things up and becomes an on-rails shoot 'em up. During several points during the campaign, you take control of a Dinozord and start blasting away at flying ships and ground hazards in your way. I'm a junkie for Star Fox 64, and these segments play a lot like this, so you know I'm having a blast.

But wait, there's more! That's right, you can, of course, take control of a Megazord as well. You get to partake in brief segments as the Megazord fights another gigantic foe. It plays a bit like Punch-Out here, where you have to recognize enemy attack patterns and dodge around them, then go in for the ol' one-two.

Megazord segments are decent enough, but fall flat compared to the other areas of gameplay in Rita's Rewind. Get hit once as a Megazord and you're thrown back -- then you have to charge in again while dodging attacks and hope you can land your hit. It's a bit finicky and takes a while to get the hang of.

This is especially true if you're playing multiplayer, as it switches who controls the Megazord after getting hit once. The transition period for switching between players, going in, and hoping to punch your opponent again slows the pace of the gameplay down considerably.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Feels Authentically Retro

From both a visual and sound perspective, Rita's Rewind is absolutely top tier. By far, my favorite aspect of the visual design in Rita's Rewind is its CRT filter. This isn't your ordinary, "we'll throw some lines on the screen and call it CRT" type of deal. It turned my monitor into a gosh darn CRT television.

The filter adds a slight curvature to the edges of the screen, which most other filters in games seem to ignore. Of course, if this isn't to your liking, you can either forgo the filter altogether or choose from several others. Either way, Rita's Rewind is meant to be seen through this retro lens.

The spritework is also exceptional, as are the animations. Everything about Rita's Rewind oozes with love for the IP. During those Dinozord/Megazord segments, you're met with a nice blend of 2D and 3D graphics that make for an exceptionally action-packed, wild ride as you blast your way through foes.

There's also an exciting, rock-and-roll soundtrack that pays homage to Power Rangers' Tokusatsu origins. It's the kind of music that'll pump you up and serves as a wonderful complement to the non-stop action. Composer Sean Bialo is no stranger to retro-inspired OSTs, and even worked on games like Shredder's Revenge. Bialo's experience is clearly on display here.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind | Final Thoughts

My complaints are few and far between. Besides the just OK Megazord segments, bosses can feel a bit of a button mash on higher difficulties, especially when the game employs relatively simple fighting mechanics. Rita's Rewind is also just a tad too short for my liking, but there is some replayability with various collectibles and mission objectives to complete.

All in all, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind is a love letter to the franchise and is a great beat 'em up to boot, so there's a lot to love about this game. Grabbing a few friends and plowing through the campaign for Rita's Rewind sounds like the perfect way to close what is by all accounts a fantastic year for video games.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind was reviewed over approximately 5 hours of gameplay on PC with a key provided by the publisher. All screenshots were taken during the review process.