Fist Puncher

About

Fist Puncher is a single player and multiplayer arcade hack and slash game. It was developed by Team2Bit and was released on June 20, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In "Fist Puncher," lead a group of eccentric fighters on a mission to save the world from a criminal mastermind. This side-scrolling beat-em-up game features retro-style graphics, over-the-top characters, and a variety of attacks and combos. Battle your way through levels filled with humor, pop culture references, and plenty of action.

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Play Modes

+22

Skip User Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 198 reviews

humor42 positive mentions

grinding13 negative mentions

Fist Puncher offers a nostalgic throwback to classic beat 'em ups like Double Dragon and Streets of Rage, featuring a colorful cast of characters and humorous elements.
The game includes RPG mechanics with character leveling and unlockable skills, providing depth and replayability as players can experiment with different characters and their unique abilities.
The multiplayer mode enhances the experience, allowing for cooperative play that adds a fun social element to the gameplay.

The controls can be awkward and unresponsive, especially when using a keyboard, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The difficulty spikes and grindy nature of character progression can make the game feel tedious, particularly for single-player modes where players must repeatedly level up characters.
Some levels feature frustrating mechanics, such as avoiding certain enemies to prevent instant failure, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

humor
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
7%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it amusing and reflective of internet culture, while others criticize it as crude or out of touch. Many reviews highlight the game's parody elements and character-driven jokes, suggesting it can be entertaining in a co-op setting, especially for fans of absurd or childish humor. Overall, while the humor may not resonate with everyone, it adds a unique charm to the gameplay experience.
- “The story is mostly a really funny parody.”
- “Each level is hilarious and the limited dialogue that is in the game goes with it well and is funny!”
- “This great co-op brawler features a ridiculous cast of characters, a far-fetched funny plot, and character development to boot.”
- “Just random stuff that is not funny, with certain references that are out of touch with reality and completely unamusing.”
- “The humor feels forced and often misses the mark, leaving me more confused than entertained.”
- “Many jokes fall flat and rely on outdated references that fail to resonate with today's audience.”
gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The gameplay of "Fist Puncher" is a mixed bag, featuring simple and repetitive beat 'em up mechanics that evoke nostalgia for retro games, but often suffers from issues like poor hitboxes and unresponsive controls. While the colorful characters and RPG elements add some variety and fun, many players find the overall experience shallow and lacking in depth, leading to a sense of monotony over time. Despite its entertaining aspects, the game struggles to deliver a consistently enjoyable gameplay experience.
- “The game features a colorful cast of characters, each with their own unique abilities and fighting styles, allowing for varied gameplay experiences.”
- “The combat mechanics are simple yet satisfying, with responsive controls and fluid animations that make every punch and kick feel impactful.”
- “With its colorful characters, solid combat mechanics, and multiplayer mode, it's a fun and entertaining experience that's perfect for a night of couch co-op with friends.”
- “Repetitive to the point that it is mindless gameplay; the hitboxes are so wrong and the CPU is as stupid as a rock.”
- “The gameplay is atrocious.”
- “Inconsistent, dull art, repetitive and simplistic gameplay, uninspired characters, and no attack variations whatsoever.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
73%
10%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for classic arcade games, appealing to fans of the genre. However, opinions are mixed, with some praising the charming aesthetic while others criticize it as bland or lacking depth, describing it as "bare bones" and "meh." Overall, the visuals are seen as a nostalgic nod to the past, though they may not satisfy all players, particularly those seeking more modern graphics.
- “The retro-inspired graphics, the music, and a few other aspects are passable.”
- “I love the retro-style graphics, love the variety of challenge styles (some are timed areas, some are on top of cars and whatnot), and the one thing I enjoyed the most was the humor.”
- “The graphics are 8-bit style pixel art of the sort that some people hate and others, like me, can't get enough of when it's well done, as it mostly is here.”
- “Tired art style.”
- “It's pixel art style is pretty decent, but overall the designs of the characters and the environments come off as rather bland.”
- “Graphics: this game was released three years ago as of the time of this review but the graphics are very bare bones.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as a fitting retro soundtrack that enhances the arcade vibe, while others find it bland, repetitive, and forgettable. Many users noted that the tracks do not stand out or match the game's tone, leading to a lack of immersion. Overall, the soundtrack seems to be a divisive aspect, with opinions ranging from enjoyable to mediocre.
- “This game is a lot of fun and the music is great.”
- “The music fits perfectly, not as a standalone soundtrack, but as the platonic realization of how NES-era audio should have been.”
- “The soundtrack is quite good as well, adding an appealing musical backdrop to the action.”
- “The soundtrack, on the other hand, is incredibly forgettable and I don't really remember thinking any of the tracks stood out as great or even matching the tone of the game.”
- “It just plays the stupid main menu music in every single boss battle, and stages have lame cellphone jingles behind them that loop after 5 seconds.”
- “The music is meh at best, and while there is an interesting amount of level variety, it never really goes anywhere.”
story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The story in "Fist Puncher" is characterized as a shallow and campy parody of classic gaming tropes, primarily revolving around four fighters attempting to rescue kidnapped women from a villain known as the Milkman. While the narrative lacks depth and originality, it offers a nostalgic retro feel and humorous elements that contribute to the overall charm of the game. Players noted that the dialogue is repetitive and the plot becomes less engaging as the game progresses, but the quirky characters and unlockable missions provide some entertainment value.
- “Fist Puncher features solid controls, an assortment of levelable characters, and a campy plot that carries 10+ hours of gameplay.”
- “A whole lot of retro arcade fun, cool story, graphics, and music.”
- “It's cast of characters and cliched 'save the girls' story all feel like you're playing a game from the 90s on your Super Nintendo.”
- “The story is not interesting whatsoever, but it also doesn't try to be anything groundbreaking.”
- “Very shallow plot hook and story.”
- “I know I am repeating myself, but I find no other description for the story: it starts out kind of promising, like a parody of the classic 'save damsel in distress' trope, then it more or less disappears while you have pointless and uninspired conversations with the bosses, just to end in a twist with a cliffhanger.”
grinding
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and tedious, often requiring them to repeatedly level up characters to progress, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. The need to grind for character stats, especially in multiplayer settings where levels are tied to individual players, adds to the frustration, making it feel like a chore rather than a fun experience. While some players appreciate the replay value and find enjoyment in the grind, many agree that it can become monotonous and detracts from the game's potential.
- “You can change characters, but you have to start increasing stats again, so everything becomes too grindy.”
- “The action is boring, the pixel art is uninspired, and you have to worry about grinding levels.”
- “Now we are trapped, just the two of us, playing a game where we aren't really free to use the characters we unlock without going through the monotony of grinding.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Fist Puncher offers a mix of replayability, with numerous unlockable characters and achievements that enhance the experience, particularly in co-op mode. However, some players find the campaign repetitive and tedious, which can diminish the overall replay value. While it has potential for fun, the game's length and repetitiveness may limit its appeal for multiple playthroughs.
- “Overall, the game is a decent 2D beat'em up with cool character design, a quirky story, and great replayability.”
- “I could totally see it being much more fun and replayable as a co-op game, but - alas!”
- “So basically, the replay value, in my opinion, is low to none.”
- “Sure, it can be used to give the game replayability, but the game already stretches itself way too thin by having an 8-hour campaign that gets very repetitive.”
- “With more than a dozen unlockable characters and nearly 100 achievements with accompanying in-game trading cards that are actually fun to earn, there's no doubt that this game has a lot of replay value.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is noted for its quirky and humorous approach, with a diverse cast that enhances the overall experience. While the gameplay primarily focuses on combat mechanics, the characters are designed to reflect their unique traits, contributing to the game's replayability and entertaining narrative. However, some critiques suggest that the depth of character development is overshadowed by repetitive gameplay elements.
- “Overall the game is a decent 2D beat 'em up with cool character design, a quirky story, and great replayability.”
- “This great co-op brawler features a ridiculous cast of characters, a far-fetched funny plot, and character development to boot.”
- “From the rock 'em, sock 'em combat to the recycling of levels and character designs, Fist Puncher is pure, diluted waste that should have never ventured outside the Xbox 360 store — it's digital garbage.”
- “When it comes to gameplay, not much else outside of kicking and punching; special moves are tailored to character design, and it's all related to humor rather than skills.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game effectively captures an authentic 80's atmosphere, immersing players in a nostalgic environment that reflects the aesthetics and cultural elements of the era.
- “The game perfectly captures the nostalgic 80's atmosphere, immersing players in a vibrant and retro world.”
- “I love how the 80's atmosphere is brought to life through the music and visuals, making every moment feel like a trip back in time.”
- “The attention to detail in creating an authentic 80's atmosphere really enhances the overall experience.”
- “The game tries to capture an 80's atmosphere, but it feels more like a cheap imitation.”
- “While the game aims for an 80's vibe, it ultimately falls flat and lacks authenticity.”
- “The supposed 80's atmosphere is overshadowed by poor execution and uninspired design.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect stability. Overall, it remains an enjoyable experience despite these issues.
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”