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beast

I came across Beast Boxing Turbo as I was flipping through indie titles on Steam. It looked like a fun way to kill a few hours, and that is exactly what it was. It is a souped-up version of an old iOS game (Beast Boxing 3D). Indie developer Good Hustle Studios took two years of feedback into account as they knocked out (har) this PC/Mac version.

The game feels a lot like Mike Tyson’s Punchout or Ready 2 Rumble on steroids. It takes that familiar boxing format, juices it up with a sleek first-person view and some substantial customization options, and wraps the whole package up in a unique art style. It was familiar in many ways, but Beast Boxing Turbo delivers a unique enough experience to definitely warrant the $4.99 asking price. It is a short game that rests heavily on its art and character design, and even features a twangy Southern theme song that adds to the feel of the game. Here is a trailer that features both:

I also wanted to share a screenshot of Ducken, my favorite bad guy. He is some kind of wise pilgrim-turkey/boxing wizard, and he is pretty awesome.

It is a great little game. It is very simple, chock-full of sports and pop culture references and bug-free. The fighting controls can be a little unresponsive; sometimes you get hit by a punch that should have missed, and sometimes you clocked the fool and it doesn’t register. However, these are pretty rare and only seemed to happen after I progressed to the hardest difficulty. Maybe I just need to train harder and react a little better.

Beast Boxing Turbo takes the typical underdog story and puts a different spin on it by putting the player in charge of a young woman looking to prove the human race’s worth to its monster overlords. I think it is great that they chose a female protagonist and actually drew her like a human being and not some kind of breast monster. In fact, the breast monster is your first opponent:

The customization options are plentiful and worthwhile, and the game tops out at about 5 or 6 hours of enjoyment (unless you absolutely love it and want to repeat some challenges). It is suitable and very playable (at least at the lower difficulties) for children of all ages. Even the cartoon violence is minimal, and after the fights, the monsters respect you and even wish you well. The game isn’t going to set the world on fire, but Beast Boxing Turbo is a very simple and charming game.

Original review and scores found on Corrupted Cartridge