Thor: God of Thunder

Thor: God of Thunder is one of those movie tie in games that came out riding the wave of the first film. The basic setup is your standard asgardian affair, trolls are invading, Loki's probably up to no good and you've gotta grab Mjolnir and smash everything in sight across various norse realms. The story acts as a prequel to the movie, which's a smart move to avoid just retelling the film's plot, but the narrative is pretty forgettable nevertherless. You're basically just there to feel like a god, swinging that hammer around and unleashing thunder and lightning on hordes of frost giants and demons. It tried to capture that epic feel but the execution across different platforms is wildly inconsistent, the console versions were supposed to be the main event but they ended up being rushed that got torn apart for boring fights. Interestingly, the DS version ended up being where the real action is at.

Thor: God of Thunder

DS

The DS version is genuinely a hidden gem. Instead of trying to be a 3D God of War clone, WayForward did what they do best, a 2D sidescrolling game. It feels like a classic 16-bit era game, think SNES vs. Genesis days with beautifully animated sprites and detailed backgrounds. The combat is surprisingly deep for a movie game, you can juggle enemies in the air, string together massive combos and even throw Mjolnir to catch foes as they're falling. There are these hidden runes you can equip to change up your abilities and the boss fights are epic, sometimes spanning both DS screens. Yeah, it gets repetitive fighting the same enemy tropes over and over and you've basically seen all the moves by the end of the first act, but the core loop is so satisfying and addictive that it's easy to look past the monotony. WayForward really poured their heart into this one and it stands as a testament that movie games don't have to suck.

3DS

On the flip side, the 3DS and Wii versions are completely different and not necessarily in a good way. This one tried to replicate the PS3 and XBOX 360 experience, making it a watered down GOW clone. You've got combos and special moves you can unlock and the touchscreen lets you trigger god powers, which sounds cool on paper but the execution is just flat… The combat devolves into mindless button mashing because there's no real need to use strategy and the level and enemy design are bland and repetitive, the 3D effect is there but doesn't add anything meaningful since the whole experience feels monotonous and uninspired. There are some flying sections that break up the tedium a bit but even those aren't particularly fun. It's just a painfully average game.

Download

Your mission briefing is hammering in right now, so grab that Mjolnir and download the .RAR file dropped below. Crack it open, then take that extracted folder and plop it straight into the root of your SD card. For the 3DS version specifically, you've got two ways to summon it. You can grab the .CIA file, transfer it over and install it directly through your usual homebrew methods, straightforward and no nonsense, or if you're feeling patient and wanna channel that old school ritual vibe, scan the QR code provided and sit through the slow downloading incantation while your internet does its thing. Whether you go for the DS or 3DS version, the Endgame's the same, you're about to unleash thunder on some trolls. Pick whichever path feels right and let's get smashing!

 

3DS