The Asskickers feels like an old-school, punching, kicking, side-scrolling adventure. This is probably a good thing, because that’s exactly what it is. AGO Games has created a game similar to childhood favourite like the traditional Ninja Turtle games with much better graphics.
Another thing that makes this game similar to those old traditional games is that this game is incredibly tough. I played quite a bit and it’s likely because I just simply can’t go to easy mode but I still haven’t been able to beat this one. I actually quite like that though because it makes it feel like a real descendant of those classic games. The storyline is quite simple with its three main characters being framed for a crime they didn’t commit. This means they have to kick ass to fight the higher powers that framed them. In this, it’s supposed to be a political commentary which I understood that they were fighting authority but I didn’t feel it really mattered.
The gameplay itself is pretty fun but relatively simple. You get in line with your enemy and you punch or kick them along that line. I found that to be relatively simple but there were times I had trouble lining myself up with the enemy and they simply stepped down in between my punching to beat me down. This was a little frustrating at times but not unexpected for the style of game it is.
There are three characters to choose from and each has its own style. There is Alex who is the middle ground and gives a good balance between speed and power, Markus who is the heavy hitter of the group but slow and finally Dianne who is the fast character but hits quite weakly (I almost made the joke she hits like a girl…oops I did). The characters choice doesn’t really make a huge difference in the game as your characters won’t be upgrading so you’re typically either mashing the attack button or jump-kicking every enemy (my attack of choice).
Overall, the game was fun and a good throwback to the classic older games. It gets a little repetitive but it’s got a good nostalgic feel which helps keep hardcore gamers going. This isn’t a game for a casual gamer looking for something fun and easy (it’s not easy) but those who have liked the classic beat-em-up style games will enjoy this one. They recently dropped the price to $4.99 so it’s a nice cheap pickup that will give quite a bit of enjoyment.
