The gaming world has been in love with geese for some nonsensical reason ever since the release of Untitled Goose Game. A game which I enjoyed, but I feel like I was the only person in the whole world who thought it was overhyped and overrated… and that’s coming from someone who created a section called “The Wiseau Awards” out of love for borderline stupidity in gaming. Well, it’s time for another goose to take the throne, but this time, one that actually deserves it. There is a brand new idiotic game starring a waterfowl craving for the top spot in everybody’s hearts, and that game is called Mighty Goose. And yes, you should definitely give it a shot.

Do you want to hear the greatest (and dumbest) elevator pitch in history? Well, take a look at Mighty Goose‘s pitch: “imagine Metal Slug, but you control a goose and there’s heavy rock being played in the background”. This is literally the entire premise behind this idiotic gem of a game. It takes the art style, animations, and gameplay from SNK’s masterpiece of an action series, tweaks it a little bit with brand new features, adds a brand new avian protagonist, and jacks the framerate and pacing up to numbers beyond the realm of human comprehension.

My god, this game is fast paced as hell. It is downright insane! Upon booting Mighty Goose up for the first time, there is a chance you will die right at the second enemy encounter. Foes just keep showing up with powerful equipment, moving around like ninjas on a coffee binge, shooting you with extreme prejudice… and it’s fun. Mighty Goose is so hard it feels unfair at times, but once you learn about its gameplay mechanics, and once you get a hold of any other weapon besides the terrible pistol they give you at the beginning of the mission, then it’s utter chaos.

Bullets will fly around all over the screen, and you’ll barely be able to pay attention to what’s happening. Thankfully, once you beat the first mission, you’ll gain access to allies that can provide you with passive buffs that will keep you alive for way longer than you would if you tried to play this maddening game by yourself. You can also collect coins and spend them on brand new weapons and vehicles at any moment you want: just pause the game, access the shop, and order a brand new mech suit if you can afford it.

Riding vehicles in Mighty Goose is just like riding them in Metal Slug. They give you an additional set of hit points, feature infinite ammo, and can run over enemies with ease, even though it’s quite a risky move. I really liked how the game just allows you to order one of them whenever you’re able to afford them during any section in any level. Since there will always be a barrage of enemies to kill, there isn’t a single moment in which the addition of a mech suit won’t feel welcoming. Not to mention the fact your goose puts on a pair of sunglasses for no coherent reason when riding these vehicles. Have I mentioned yet how stupid this game is and how much I like it because of how stupid it is?

There are just two things I feel that could have been tweaked in order to improve the overall experience. First of all, even though I love how crazy the action is, there are times in which things are waaaaaay too fast-paced and chaotic. At times you will die without even knowing what hit you. I feel like the visuals could have been tweaked a little bit just to improve the game’s overall visibility, without having to interfere in the overall speed and pacing.

The other element that could have improved the gameplay tenfold is dual-stick aiming. I get it, this game is literally Metal Slug with a goose. I know that game didn’t have dual-stick support, but I really don’t think an optional control scheme like this would have hurt. If anything, it would have allowed me to go even more insane during my runs.

Mighty Goose is utterly and completely ridiculous. It’s one of the most insane games I’ve played in recent memory. It’s also one of the most entertaining shooters released in recent memory. There are times you can barely pay attention to what’s happening onscreen, with bullets and enemies flying around at a million trillion frames per second. And this is why I liked it so much. It’s fast-paced, it’s energetic, it’s incredibly challenging at points, and most importantly, it’s fun as heck. Step aside, Untitled Goose Game, we have a new waterfowl king in town.

 

Graphics: 7.5 Mighty Goose features pretty decent retro-infused sprites, but the framerate is so chaotic you’ll barely be able to see what’s happening onscreen at any given moment. That’s equally awesome and annoying, depending on the situation.	Gameplay: 7.5 The game features simple controls that reminded me a lot of Metal Slug, but I think it would have been downright perfect if it had support for dual-stick aiming.
Sound: 9.0 Fast-paced electro-rock that’s as adrenaline-inducing as the rest of the game. And yes, the goose can honk.	Fun Factor: 9.5 Mighty Goose is completely and utterly ridiculous, and incredibly fast-paced to the point of barely letting you see what’s happening onscreen. But I cannot lie, I had so much fun with how dumb and challenging it is.
Final Verdict: 8.5

Mighty Goose is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PC, and Switch.

Reviewed on PS5.

A copy of Mighty Goose was provided by the publisher.