Tiny Thor

Games have always been inspired by different mythologies, as has every kind of art since the beginning of time. But in this particular case, it follows the story of a character that's more often associated with the comic book world than it is with the mythology it is originally from. We are talking about the Norse God Thor, and not the Marvel character Thor. Tiny Thor is a game developed by Asylum Square, with pixel art created by Henk Nieborg and an incredible soundtrack composed by Chris Hülsbeck. Now, we know that this game is about the Norse God Thor, but what is Tiny Thor all about?

About the game

Inspired by classic platformers, Tiny Thor is a 16-bit adventure game that uses a lot of tricks to reinvent itself inside of the genre and adapt to a more modern game environment. The basics of the gameplay are pretty simple though, Fight the enemies by hitting their weak spots, but there's much more than a little bit of fast-paced strategy amidst this action.

Mjölnir, Thor's legendary hammer, is obviously the main tool you'll use in the game, and it is a really versatile one. For once, it is not just a weapon, but it can be aimed freely and can bounce off of surfaces and even enemies. This comes incredibly handy when the enemies have their weak spots at a tough to reach location.

If you're skilled enough, the things you can do with the help of Mjölnir are limitless. The combat ranges from average platform flow to a more precise and skilled-based system. This, as well as the puzzles, will sometimes utilize physics as the main resource to overcome the obstacles.

A new platformer

Platformer games can vary a lot in gameplay terms, Mega Man X is pretty different from Crash Bandicoot. The main thing that makes a platformer be a platformer is the way you progress in the game, mostly with the use of levels and boss fights. And in some cases, like with Tiny Thor, there's a lot of puzzles solving involved.

Unlike Metroidvania games, the exploration isn't free, and the puzzles are more straightforward. Also, platformers rarely if ever have elements like leveling up your character.

Tiny Thor is a strange game, as in many ways it feels as if it’s a really old game, but there’s so much modern stuff in there that it really gives it away. However, the part of feeling like an old game has a lot of negative parts too, as the designs feel outdated. This is balanced by having an excellent 16-bit pixel artwork made by Henk Nieborg. The soundtrack is excellent, and it adds a lot of depth to the general experience of the game.

Pros:

• Great pixel art
• Fun gameplay
• A lot of levels

Cons:

• Nothing particularly interesting about the game