G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra Review – A Nostalgic Time

Yo, Joe! G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is a retro-inspired side-scrolling beat ’em up game developed by Maple Powered Games and published by indie.io. The game launched on September 26 on Steam and brings back the classic G.I. Joe characters who are up against the evil Cobra organisation in a nostalgic throwback to the 1980s animated series. I never got into G.I. Joe as a kid however looking at the animated intro and cutscenes of this game, I reckon I would have loved it.

The game’s oldschool pixel art style and soundtrack evoke a strong sense of Saturday morning cartoon nostalgia for me and playing old arcade classics. Nostalgia has been at an all-time high lately with a similar game in The Karate Kid: Street Rumble which is another great beat ‘em up. The iconic characters and enemies are well-represented here, and the level design is full of references to the original series. From the familiar Cobra Commander’s lair to the iconic H.I.S.S. tank, the game is filled with Easter eggs that will no doubt spark some great memories for diehard fans.

When starting a game, you can choose from a roster of classic G.I. Joe heroes, each with their own unique abilities and playstyles. There is Duke, Snake Eyes, Scarlett, and Roadblock who are all playable at the start, and each character brings their own strengths and weaknesses to the battlefield. One of our co-founders Garbz had an old nickname of Snake Eyes from this character, so I chose to play as him.

The core mechanics of G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra are simple to grasp yet satisfying to execute. Punches, jabs, blocks, dashes, and jumps form the foundation of your combat repertoire. If you knock an enemy out, you can grab and throw them into others. The environment is interactive, allowing you to smash crates for power-ups and even grab temporary weapons like rifles, shotguns, and a zapping electric gun to stun enemies. Responsive controls ensure every button press translates into a satisfying action on-screen, making combat feel fluid and engaging.

Don’t be fooled by the seemingly straightforward gameplay. Wrath of Cobra offers a surprising amount of challenge, even on lower difficulties. Enemies relentlessly attack in waves, testing your ability to juggle crowd control and strategic attacks. Bosses in particular demand patience and focused tactics. Mastering attack patterns, dodging at the right moment, and utilizing character-specific special moves are key to emerging victorious.

In G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra, floppy disks serve as a unique and nostalgic collectible. Dropped by defeated enemies throughout the game, these floppy disks are more than just a visual element; they’re the key to unlocking additional content and game modes. Visit the extras menu item to unlock modes like arcade, boss rush and 1-hit, and if you feel the game isn’t challenging enough, there’s a double trouble mode which doubles the enemy numbers to intensify the action. Even better is that you can spend floppy disks to unlock playable heroes Gung-Ho and Ripcord!  These all add some great variation and replayability to the game.

G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is a solid beat ’em up that captures the nostalgic spirit of the classic franchise. The game’s roster of playable American heroes, challenging difficulty and chaotic adversaries makes for an authentic G.I. Joe experience. While the game could benefit from more depth and variety, it’s a fun and enjoyable experience overall. If you’re looking for a retro-style beat ’em up with a G.I. Joe twist, this is definitely worth checking out.

This review utilised a key provided by ICO Partners and G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is out now on Steam and is coming to consoles at a later date.

#roundtablecoop