Lethal League Blaze

Lethal League Blaze is one of those sequels that renders the original largely obsolete. Its predecessor practically invented a new genre with its combination of fighting mechanics and deadly projectile tennis, whereas this one just adds throws, some wacky powerups, and a few new characters. But while it’s nowhere near as creative, it’s better in nearly every other way. Using full 3D models with improved animation makes the controls feel smoother, replacing automatic one-hit kills with a more standard damage system makes matches less fluky and special moves less broken, and there’s even a dedicated story mode on top of the standard single-player arcade mode. It’s a completely inconsequential joke, but at least it’s there. The new music is the only comparative weak spot, being flat and forgettable 50% of the time. Otherwise, this is the best version of Lethal League’s surprisingly deep, jittery gameplay on the market.