When I heard that David Sirlin, fighting game player and designer on Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, was creating a new fighting game, I was intrigued. When I heard it was coming to the Switch, I got excited. There are some decent fighting games on the Switch, but not many. I had high hopes that Fantasy Strike could help revive the genre on my favorite console. I was not disappointed.

Developer: Sirlin Games

Publisher: Sirlin Games

7 Hours Played // Review Copy Provided // $29.99

I’ll be honest, I was a bit confused when I first booted up Fantasy Strike. I was thrown directly into a tutorial without even seeing a menu screen. Also, what the tutorial was showing was different from a typical fighting game. Sure, some things were the same, like holding back to block and performing light combos. However, to counter a throw, you just don’t touch anything? Some characters have less health? This all seemed a bit strange.

After completing the tutorial, I picked a cool-looking character and jumped right into the arcade mode. I’ve played plenty of fighting games in the past, so it should be no big deal, right? Well, I got demolished in the first round. The starting (and therefore easiest) opponent wiped the floor with me. I’ll admit, I was a bit put off.

But I soon realized that this wasn’t the game’s fault, it was mine. The tutorial had tried to tell me that this was not a typical fighter and I didn’t listen. So, I slowed down and tried to learn what this game was really about.

Smell my foot, Geiger!

I didn’t have to search far; Fantasy Strike is filled to the brim with resources to help. It has a training mode, which is typical of the genre, but there are also specific tutorial videos for every single character. These videos are in-depth, explaining each move and how to best play the character. After taking a step back and doing my homework, I was ready to try again.

This time, it really clicked with me; I’d liken the playstyle to something like a fast-paced rock-paper-scissors match. As mentioned, there are typical fighting mechanics like combos, but Fantasy Strike is less about being mechanically proficient and more about anticipating your opponent’s moves. This is where blocks, throwing, and counters come into play.

Nothing like a 3-hit combo crotch-punch to seal the deal!

As I mentioned earlier, it seemed strange to me that countering a throw came from pressing absolutely nothing. In the context of the game, however, it works because it feeds into the psychology of the game. For example, if a player is blocking a lot, it would make sense to try to throw them. However, you can also use the block to bait an opponent. Knowing that the logical counter to blocking is throwing, you can provoke the enemy to use a throw, then let go of the block button. This will counter the throw and deal a good amount of damage to them, while also filling your special meter.

In this way, Fantasy Strike turns into a mind game, always trying to see into the brain of your opponent and anticipating their moves. This is still a fighting game, though, and all of this thinking has to be done on the fly. The action is fast-paced, especially when there is a rush character in the mix. I had many rounds that lasted 15 seconds or less; this is definitely not a turn-based strategy game. However, with the simplified controls, anyone could hold their own in a fight if they understand the basics.

3 to 3 – a close match.

That’s the beauty of it, though. It is simple enough to pick up and play (once the core mechanics make sense), but gets very, very deep if you want to master it. It feels like the devs thought of everything and completely balanced it all out. Time will tell if there are any OP characters, but I wasn’t able to find one in my time with the game. Each character feels entirely unique. They are fun to play around with, but it will also take hours to become proficient with each, individual one.



There is more than enough content here to keep you occupied for those hours of training, both solo or with other people. Not only can you play online (which I’ll get to in a bit), but there are also robust single-player options. Each character has their own story mode, complete with a full narrative. With ten characters, each with six rounds to beat and cutscenes at the beginning and end to describe their journey, this alone provides a good amount of content. On top of this, there are daily challenges to complete, a survival mode that includes shadow and metal bosses, a boss rush mode with player-chosen powerups, and the option to have a single match. Even if you don’t have Nintendo Switch Online, there is a ton of material to keep you occupied for a while.

You can’t escape these fish ninja arms!

Online play also works great. I was able to play online before the game launched. From what I understand, I may have been matched with bots, but I never waited long to find an opponent. On top of that, once I connected, everything ran smoothly and accurately. One of my favorite features is that you can play single-player modes while the game searches for online matches in the background. You never have to just sit and wait. I loved training while waiting for my next bout.

Also, you can choose to search for someone near your level or cast a wider net and maybe catch someone out of your skill range to connect faster. There is the option between casual and ranked matches, as well. While the causal matches are standard (pick a character and use them to fight a single match against someone else), the ranked matches are done in a unique way. Each player picks three characters and has to fight with random selections of those three. I love this idea. It completely eliminates the issues around counter-picking, forces me to try more characters, and ensures you won’t get stomped by someone won’t main a single character constantly. I hope Fantasy Strike gets a large community because I want to keep playing online. Since there is confirmed cross-play with PC, I don’t see this being an issue.

Beyond the huge amount of content and fresh ideas for the genre, Fantasy Strike is just gorgeous. The cartoon, almost cel-shaded style looks amazing on the Switch. Each character has a distinct look and style, which feeds right into their playstyle. I especially like Valerie, the rainbow-dressed painter with a paintbrush of death, and Rook, the rock golem with powerful grapple moves. The visuals during the specials and the KOs are amazing as well, with a quality reminiscent of Street Fighter 4.

Oh yeah, dragon fights can happen, too.

Playing Fantasy Strike has been a blast. I’ve been playing fighting games since Street Fighter II on the SNES, but I’ve never been a die-hard fan of the genre overall. This is the first one in a long time that has hooked me. I have felt compelled to learn all of the characters, not just so I can use them, but also so I can know how to play against them. With the amount of content, smooth online play, and great balancing, I know I’m going to be playing this for a while.

As always, thanks for reading and let me know what you think in the comments! If fighting games are not your thing, check out our review of a the RPG Legend of the Tetrarchs. If you want to keep seeing ad-free content like this, please consider donating via Ko-Fi and Patreon. As volunteers, we appreciate all the support! Also, find us on Discord, Twitter, and our subreddit!