Fly Punch Boom! By Jollypunch games originally released back in 2018 on Steam, forward to 2020 and it has released on Switch as of the 28th of May 2020 for £13.49 on the Eshop. Fly! Punch! Boom! Is a fighting game inspired by over the top fighting found in Animes like Dragonball Z seeing you fly around an arena exchanging blows between you chosen character and your opponents, you can even use elements of the environment from launching buildings at you opponent to more obscene things like giant fish eating who ever is on the receiving end to dish out massive damage. All this is presented very well in with it’s very over the bombastic art direction and animations and offers up to four player local play and two online and of course you can face off against A.I too.
Unfortunately while there are diffrent fighters, which only seem to go so far as to have a diffrent ultimate ability, I feel in a fighting game is a missed mark when so many other fighting games offer difference in move sets per fighter. Of course a variety of arenas all on offer as you would expect and the art direction and over the top animations and extra environment hazard are a great addition I would have like to seen more done with them. About as much can be said about the brawling itself as you blast around the roped off area like a episode of Dragon Ball the battles can end very very quickly, from a wrong button input, one of the environmental hazards or simple not reacting quick enough. Being more about reaction time than skill alone Fly! Punch! Boom! Changes its combat fairly substantially to other more contemporary fighting games you may find on the Switch like the beloved Smashs Bros, in that combat plays out in a sort of quick time event rock paper scissors game.
You engage in combat by clashing mid air with your opponent at which point you will have the option to either counter, hit or throw and this is where the rock paper scissors element comes in a hit beats throw, throw beats counter and counter beats hit, leaving it somewhat chance and luck which is slightly off putting in this sort of game where it is often a players skill with a certain character and their memory of combos. Your timing on the power bar plays into it, you also have the ability to teleport which is great for of course avoiding damage . This makes it less of a button masher compared to some fighting games and easy to pick up and play but lacking the depth and longevity of other games of the same genre and probably be best suited for a party setting with people you know. It also happens to run great In both docked and hand held modes.
Sadly other than its unlocks in the form of characters and alternative costumes, doesn’t really offer much else and while its style and crazy over the top spectacles like throwing opponents through multiple skyscrapers or punching a planet apart are something to behold. Its approach to combat is something diffrent to alot of other games of the same genre on the market unfortunately as some one who enjoys more traditional fighting games I lost intrest in the lack of variety and depth in the combat system and the elements of chance that play into it can make a loss often make it feel random and sometimes cheap. Although that being said those with less fighting game experience or who enjoy them but are fed up of being mopped with more experience players to those looking for something a little more casual or a laugh with friends.
A Nintendo Switch Review Code was provided by Jollypunch Games
