Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 56 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn Game Cover
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is one of those games that you know isn’t very good while you’re playing it, but you enjoy it anyway.

A vessel floating down a river contains an orphaned baby boy. He is found and adopted. As he grows, he learns of his true identity and destiny of greatness.Thus is the premise of two of the greatest stories of our time, but that is where the similarities end. Now we’re not saying that “Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn” is better than the Good Book; that would be blasphemy. But please consider the followi…

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 56 reviews
humor11 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • Fun side-scrolling beat 'em up with simple controls and humorous dialogue.
  • Nostalgic charm and entertaining gameplay, especially for fans of the original.
  • Easy achievements and a light-hearted approach make it accessible for casual gamers.
  • Short gameplay length with limited replay value and repetitive combat.
  • Technical issues such as freezing and poor hit detection detract from the experience.
  • Humor can be hit or miss, and some may find the content immature or offensive.
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in "Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it hilarious and self-aware, while others criticize it as immature and inconsistent. The game features joke-heavy content and memorable moments, such as the humorous cutscenes and dialogue, but also suffers from bland and sometimes offensive attempts at comedy. Overall, while it has its funny moments, the humor often falls flat, overshadowed by gameplay issues and a lack of cohesion.

    • “This game is hilarious!”
    • “Shaq Fu is a pretty funny game that doesn’t take itself seriously.”
    • “The cut scenes and dialogue in the game are hilarious.”
    • “From being a technical disaster and an unfunny self-aware piece of software, Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn is an embarrassment to Shaq-Fu's 16-bit legacy.”
    • “Unfunny, bland gameplay; enemies attack Shaq with grape soda, his weakness.”
  • gameplay7 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it bland and repetitive due to the reuse of enemies and limited stages, while others appreciate its fun, self-aware charm and satisfying beat 'em up mechanics. Despite criticisms of stiffness and uneven humor, many enjoy the engaging controls and entertaining boss battles, highlighting a balance between enjoyable gameplay and a lack of depth. Overall, it offers a competent experience, though it may not appeal to everyone.

    • “However, it ended up as a surprisingly competent beat-em-up, and its passionate charm and fun gameplay make up for its uneven humor and short replay value.”
    • “Satisfying beat-em-up gameplay mixed with simple but engaging controls, boss battles are fun and amusing, the Shaq rap in the beginning is great! Over-the-top and self-aware humor is cheesy and charming.”
    • “Doesn't take itself too seriously, fun gameplay.”
    • “Reuses the same enemies throughout, with only six stages to play, resulting in generic beat 'em up gameplay.”
    • “A poorly written game with gameplay that feels stiff and archaic, along with endless waves of enemies that take far too long to beat.”
  • graphics4 mentions

    Overall, the graphics are generally praised for being visually appealing and solid, particularly on the Switch, contributing to the game's fun and action-packed experience. However, some reviews note that the graphics may feel dated, especially when compared to current standards, and the single-player campaign's brevity limits replay value.

    • “Fun game, good action, and very cool graphics.”
    • “Silly humor, good visuals, solid performance on Switch.”
    • “The graphics feel outdated and reminiscent of last-gen consoles.”
    • “The visuals are underwhelming and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
    • “The art style is inconsistent, making it hard to appreciate the overall design.”
  • story4 mentions

    The story of "Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn" is praised for its fun and engaging narrative, reminiscent of 1990s beat 'em ups, and is described as a clever homage to basketball star Shaquille O'Neal. Reviewers highlight the game's smart writing and voice acting, particularly noting that Shaq's performance enhances the overall experience, making it a standout feature for fans of the genre.

    • “Great game, easy achievements, fun storyline.”
    • “Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn shouldn't work mostly due to the name it uses, but this is an outstanding, smart, fun old-school arcade beat 'em up. The story is a massive selling point; if you love Mike Tyson's Mysteries, you'll love this. While it's not as adult-themed as that series, it's still extremely smart. Shaq's voiceover actually sells everything perfectly; you can tell he understands what this is. It's an oddball love letter to the basketball star!”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game has limited replay value, primarily due to its short single-player campaign lasting under three hours and uneven humor. However, its engaging beat-em-up gameplay and charming elements provide some incentive for players to revisit it despite the lack of depth.

    • “The single-player campaign lasts less than three hours with limited replay value, but the engaging mechanics encourage multiple playthroughs.”
    • “Zero replay value.”
    • “However, it ended up as a surprisingly competent beat-em-up, and its passionate charm and fun gameplay make up for its uneven humor and short replay value.”
    • “[…but not all jokes stick the landing, last-gen graphics, single-player campaign lasts less than three hours with limited replay value]”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game features solid performance on the Nintendo Switch, complemented by good visuals and a lighthearted sense of humor, indicating effective optimization for the platform.

    • “The game runs smoothly on the Switch, showcasing solid performance without any noticeable lag.”
    • “I appreciate the optimization efforts; the visuals are impressive and the gameplay is fluid.”
    • “The developers have done a fantastic job optimizing the game, making it enjoyable even on lower-end hardware.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

53% average critic score

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