Jun 7

Jun 7 Review | Tiny Thor - He Who Is Worthy

2023 has been a year filled with huge game releases. Years like this will be looked back on fondly, but living it in the present means there’s not time for every game you want to play, and all these large, expansive games can be overwhelming. Sometimes it's a relief when you find a pleasant, straightforward, level-based game that only runs about 10 hours, and then ends so you can get on with your life.

Tiny Thor is a charming pixel art platformer that does exactly what it sets out to do. It captures the feeling of classic platformers while creating a new experience with interesting mechanics and great music. You play as a young Thor, who has just been gifted his mighty hammer, Mjolnir, by his father for his birthday. He allows you to play with your new toy but wants you back in time for your birthday party. As one may expect, your small journey takes a big turn.

Along your short hike away from your home, you come across another child in trouble, about to be attacked by some bees. Naturally, you save them - this is when they warn you that the Queen Bee is about to attack your home, and you have to stop them. This effectively begins your real journey.

Your strongest tool is, of course, your hammer. The main mechanic this game presents is throwing your hammer in creative ways to solve puzzles. Sometimes it’s as straightforward as tossing Mjolnir at an exposed lever, but it also can be as complex as bouncing your hammer off multiple walls with sharp accuracy and precise timing to activate a platform. This keeps the game interesting while feeling comfortably familiar. Each new set of puzzles feel completely fresh and the levels do a great job of teaching you how to move through them.

Mjolnir is basically a fancy boomerang when you think about it.

One of the best ways Tiny Thor succeeds in teaching you mechanics is with its collectables. Throughout every level, there are small blue gems to collect. Not only do they encourage you to come back to levels later to get them all, but they also lead you to the correct path. These gems also act as a currency to improve your abilities or change your appearance. Red gems are a separate collectable that are a tougher challenge to get if you feel up to it. It’s a nice touch that the game doesn’t make you feel pressured to collect them all by locking upgrades behind them, but they’re still satisfying to pick up if you chose to.

As you follow the trail of gems, you’ll eventually end up in the Queen’s lair, and she lets you know right away she doesn’t take kindly to strangers. This moves into your first boss battle. Bosses are something Tiny Thor excels at. Every boss has unique mechanics based on skills you’ve recently learned, and they’re all fairly difficult. You’ll be doing multiple mechanics at once by the end of each battle, and you’ll be rewarded with another new skill once you defeat them.

Haha, Odinson, like the son of Odin… Did you get the joke? The little bit of wordplay? The Asgardian humour?

After you best the Queen Bee, she recognizes you as Odin’s son, Thor (y’know The Odinson). She asks why you’ve done this, and she falls, the child you saved earlier comes back. This is where the real story begins, as the child reveals themselves to be Loki. Loki has tricked you into doing their dirty work and defeating the Queen to help move their evil plan forward. Thor realizes he probably will not be home in time for his party.

While the story is nothing intensely captivating, it’s solid enough and doesn’t detract from the game. It’s a fairly standard romp in the world of Norse mythology and Thor is a great character for a platformer. Tiny Thor really shines with its puzzle-solving, hammer-throwing mechanics, fun boss fights, and level-based design. It's accompanied by a great soundtrack, a vibrant feel and a Genesis-era pixel art style. In a time where there’s a slew of giant, open, overwhelming games, Tiny Thor stands out as a fun and straightforward puzzle platformer with mechanics that are not only satisfying but really create a new experience out of something familiar.