It’s Pong meets fighting games meets Jet Set Radio Future, and any formula that contains the latter is an instant winner for me!
Lethal League started as a browser-based prototype with one fighter. The full release had seven characters. This updated port/reboot/sequel/reimagining/squeakquel ups the roster to twelve, adds a few minor mechanics, and gives everything a thick new coat of funky style. It’s no secret that Team Reptile were inspired by Smilebit’s 2002 Xbox game: if the visual design of almost every stage didn’t tip you off, new character Jet is practically a GG herself, and they even got Hideki Naganuma to contribute to its already banging soundtrack.
My favourite upgrade to Blaze from the first proper instalment is the addition of a story mode, leading you through this cyberpunk dystopia from different angles as the varied characters interact in preparation for an upcoming tournament while dealing with a shady government agency with a mysterious agenda.
But there’s only so much you can do solo. Luckily one of the two people I tried this game with responded well and we had a roaringly good time with it. The characters can’t interact directly, but must whack a ball back and forth, bouncing it all around the screen. If you’re unable to hit or avoid the rapidly accelerating projectile you get smacked with it, dealing damage or KO-ing you outright if it’s fast enough. When it really gets going in a longer rally, the delay between your hit contacting and the ball ricocheting off expands, building the tension exquisitely, combined with a big visual change to the stage aesthetic if it breaks a certain speed barrier.
In essence it’s a simple idea for a central mechanic, but in the hands of Team Reptile they perfectly draw out this idea and make it a really compelling game with a lot of visual flair, and create a fantastic world around it to boot. I love all the characters and the whole “easy to learn, hard to master” thing it has going on. I wish I had the patience to play a bunch of matches to earn the currency to unlock all the costumes, but oh well. I never want this game to wear out its welcome for me.