Tiny Thor, a retro platformer with elaborate Mjölnir-driven physics from developer Asylum Square and publisher Gameforge, has officially launched today alongside a new release trailer featuring gameplay and the basic premise.

In Tiny Thor, you’ll lead the titular young deity across the realm of Asgard, unlocking new abilities and battling mythic creatures with your trusty hammer Mjölnir.

Tiny Thor is available now on PC via Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store. There’s also a “Ragnarock n’ Roll Edition” that includes the game’s soundtrack. Gameforge’s indie division IndieForge posted today’s new release trailer on their YouTube channel:

Tiny Thor seems to have mastered the art of flexible simplicity. The physics of the central hammer mechanic offer a remarkable degree of design freedom. This creates a real sense of surprise, and invites so much creativity from the player.

Based on today’s trailer, the devs have thought of many innovative abilities, which should be excellent as standalone features. But they have so much synergy potential, they equally serve as inspiration for players to develop their own strategies.

However, despite these modern sensibilities, Tiny Thor still deeply resembles a true 16-Bit platformer thanks to its high-concept mechanics and its extensively thematic world. The enemy designs and their behavior should also feel familiar, although their personalities have enough distinguishable twists.

Likewise, the levels in today’s trailer are beautifully detailed. Their layouts look more expansive than today’s stages, and don’t really seem to hold your hand as much either.

The nods to other games range between obvious sound effects and nuanced visuals. But the nostalgia factor is clearly served as icing rather than the cake, which makes a big difference in an exhausted genre that needs more than pixel art to succeed.

Overall, Tiny Thor smartly indulges classic retro strangeness and charm, with dazzling colors and exemplary ideas.

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