"Rescue Mission: Navigate Japanese High School to Save Girlfriend"

High school can be a really stressful experience for virtually everyone involved. But hey, look at it this way, at least you don't need to punch and pummel your way through hordes of enemy students to save the day, which is exactly what you're doing in the anime-styled retro brawler School Hero!

School Hero is a sidescrolling beat 'em up in the classic style, where you take on hordes of enemy students and beat and brawl your way to victory. This side-scrolling 2D brawler sees you playing as the titular boy named Hero, who is on a mission to save his girlfriend from the rival school. Along the way, you'll encounter and defeat everyone from nerds to football players, cheerleaders, and everything in between in your quest to rescue her.

While School Hero may tread familiar ground in the beat 'em up genre, it offers plenty of variety in terms of levels and enemies, a key factor for keeping gameplay engaging. Additionally, the game includes a suite of minigames to break up your brawling sessions, adding an extra layer of fun and challenge.

River Retro Scott Pilgrim Rival Double Streets FightYes, School Hero is a clear homage to the beat 'em up genre, infused with stereotypical animesque scenery and attacks. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the game boasts adaptable gameplay and a compelling storyline, along with the aforementioned extras, to keep you engaged.

Oh, and for those who prefer using a gamepad, there's controller support available.

If you're in the mood for something a bit more cerebral, why not check out our review of Lok Digital, the mobile adaptation of the hit puzzle book that lets you learn the language of the titular strange little creatures?