Tiny Thor Review (PC)

Thor might be young and inexperienced but he’s very good with Mjolnir, despite getting the magical hammer just a few levels ago. I’ve used it to solve a complex jumping puzzle, relying on the artifact’s ability to navigate small spaces and activate a platform that gave the tiny god the air time required to reach to exit the underground.

I’ve also dealt with helmeted Vikings that were ready to kill, knocking their headgear off before jumping on their heads, very Mario style, to eliminate them from the level. I’ve done something similar to aggressive turtles, launching no-look Mjolnir strikes while moving in the other direction to gather shiny gems. The hammer can be used by itself to reach blue stones in places that Thor himself could never get to, despite his solid movement options.

More importantly, the magical weapon allows my character to reveal secrets and find the big red jewels that open up access to extra levels. But that’s in the future. Right now I need to master a series of jumps, some bee combat, and some swinging, to try and get to the level’s exit. I’ll probably have to fail a few times to get a clear idea of where I’m going until I put together a good plan and find the best rhythm to deal with the dangers this diminutive god is facing.

Tiny Thor is developed by Asylum Square and published by Gameforge 4D GmbH. I played the game on the PC using Steam and it will also be offered on the Nintendo Switch. The title uses very classic platforming mechanics, with some unique modern twists and a captivating presentation.

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The video game’s name perfectly describes the main character, a young version of the Norse God of Thunder. He gets Mjolnir as a birthday gift from his father, Odin, and quickly discovers that everyone around could use some godly help. This fantasy universe is built on the foundation of Nordic mythology but doesn’t try to retell its stories. Thor is fun and lovable, a younger discovering both his abilities and how much the world needs him.

Thor will talk to certain characters, including the two ravens that serve as messengers for Odin, who become the shopkeepers in this game. Don’t expect deep and eloquent prose or a focus on character development. Dialogue is mostly light-hearted and informative, giving players an idea of their goals and or details on abilities.

That’s okay because, like its inspirations, Tiny Thor is all about a tight and challenging core gameplay loop. Our hero’s quest starts off pretty easy. Throw Mjolnir to blast some walls or to take out a few snakes that stand in his way. Careful jumping and sliding are at the core of the platformer elements. There are blue gems strewn all across each level, which can be exchanged at the store for upgrades. And three rare red jewels are hidden and can be used on the map to open up special challenges.

The challenge level, for both platforming and combat, steadily increases. The magical hammer can be targeted to get to certain areas, execute bouncing trick shots, and its strikes will activate jumping puzzle elements. Thor’s double jump and dash allow him to execute some complex platforming moves. Enemies pose more of a challenge, especially in tight quarters.

Tiny Thor’s levels are handcrafted to create complex sequences that will really test a player’s reflexes and ability to flawlessly execute a plan. It’s often easy to envision how to move through an area but it takes a few tries to actually get there. Save points feel a little too far apart and I often became annoyed when I missed the last jump just before a safe platform and had to get through everything from the beginning.

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The classic action platformer structure gets variety from boss fights, which feature special mechanics and force players to change their approach. I like how they find new ways to use Mjolnir and show off the hammer’s versatility.

Tiny Thor’s mix of gameplay and narrative is solid, with a good balance between nostalgia and innovation. The game’s level of challenge will be familiar to fans of action platforming classics, although better checkpoint placement would have lessened the associated frustration. Using Mjolnir to solve puzzles feels great, a unique mechanic that makes the title stand out. I appreciate the solid execution of old-school mechanics but I wanted the game to be a little more accessible.

Tiny Thor executes the 16-bit look very well, capturing how we remember classics of its genre rather than how they actually were. The main character, despite his limited size, is lively and detailed, as are the environments he moves through. The fantasy world is a little tame, which is a shame given the amount of weirdness the premise could support. The title also features a CRT shader for an extra old-school look, with a range of options for those who want to try it out.

The sound design is equally good, with the same nostalgic elements. There’s no voice acting (I was curious to hear how the two ravens might sound) but the effects make the levels feel alive. The soundtrack, from Chris Hülsbeck, is also good, although it does need a few extra tunes to accompany gamers as they try to turn failure into success.

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The Good

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