Diablo IV proved to be an incredible time sink since its official launch. I didn’t spend extra on the Deluxe Edition just to get in early on the game, and I was just happy to wait for June 6th. Just the other day my Necromancer temporary joined the dead after being ambushed by The Butcher in one of the dungeons I was exploring. It turns out that this fan-favourite villain from the original game has been resurrected in Diablo IV as sort of dungeon boogieman. That’s right, he is a randomized encounter!

I did spend some time checking out some other games though, mainly those in my to-review list. First up was the 16-bit-retro-styled 2D platformer Tiny Thor from indie developers Asylum Square. The thing about 2D platformers is that I’ve never been able to get the timing right in these games, especially when it comes to jumps.

So even though I remember playing the likes of Prince of Persia and the Lion King on the PC, I’ve never finished either one of them. What I did manage to complete many years ago was Super Mario Land on the the original Game Boy, and that game had some shoot-em-up levels to break-up the platforming bits.

Back to Tiny Thor. The game takes on the 16-bit aesthetic that wouldn’t be out of place from 90s-platformers such as Earthworm Jim, Sonic the Hedgehog and Aladdin. It’s the son of Odin’s birthday and after retrieving his dad’s gift, Mjolnir, he embarks on an adventure by going through different levels through an overworld, not unlike Super Mario World.

The levels themselves are colourful, with enemies that can be quite tough if you are not platform games inclined. There’s this spiky-shelled snail that can zoom about very fast and quickly hides under his shell the moment you face it, and naturally that became the bane of my existence in the game.

Mjolnir can be used to destroy enemies, break down barriers and collect gems. I did managed to make it till the first boss and survived that encounter which not only had a gigantic wooden beast out to eat me, but also had falling blocks from the ceiling to contend with.

I draw the line at swinging about on jungle lines which became a thing in the following levels. Don’t let my experience colour your perception of the game as platform game lovers will definitely love the challenge Tiny Thor has to offer. The game is Verified for the Steam Deck, and with smooth 60 FPS gameplay. is an excellent example of a handheld platformer on-the-go for the SD.

We rate Tiny Thor at a 4 out of 5. The game is available now on Steam for about USD 20. Check it out over here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/541310/Tiny_Thor/