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Each year, we get the resurgence of one specific genre we were not expecting. Sometimes, it’s been fighting games, others RPGs, but in 2025, it’s the turn of beat ’em ups. So far, I’ve previewed so many this year, but one of the most intriguing ones that is right around the corner is Ra Ra BOOM. This stylish beat ’em up allows you to choose between four ninja space cheerleaders to take on the AI robots that have invaded the Earth. If you think that sounds over the top, it is, and it just gets better once you start playing it.
Ninja Space Cheerleaders to the Rescue
Without spoiling much, Ra Ra BOOM puts players into the shoes of four ninja space cheerleaders as they try to fight off the AI threat that has invaded Earth. Since this was a preview, I didn’t have the whole story, but it was enough to pique my interest. At first, I thought the dialogue was a bit too cheesy, but the more I played, the more I realized it all tied together perfectly with the game’s tone. However, my favorite part was the cast of characters.
We have Aris, Saida, Ren, and Vee, each of them with unique personalities, which are enhanced thanks to the superb voice acting behind each one. While I loved all of them, I had a few favorites, especially once I started using them in combat, which is the game’s highlight.
Each of the cheerleaders has a unique play style. I tried all of them, and Ren and Aris were my favorites. The former embraced the ninja archetype, flinging shurikens around while hitting enemies fast. The latter felt like the most balanced character and a great one for new players. In any case, all of them are capable of doing a terrific job when it comes to fighting enemies, but I was glad that Gylee Games provided us with four different picks with four unique gameplay styles. Fortunately, that’s not where variety ends, as the actual combat is one of the best I’ve seen in recent times.
Strategic and Fast-Paced
Ra Ra BOOM is a beat ’em up in every sense of the term and then some. It has the usual mechanics of light attacks, heavy attacks, dodging, and shooting. However, what makes the combat so enjoyable is how freeing it feels at all times. As you fight waves of enemies, you’ll collect scrap. You can use this currency to unlock brand-new abilities or upgrade your stats. By doing so, you can create the deadliest cheerleader and even tailor their play style toward a more melee or ranged-oriented one, or both if you have enough scrap.
Beyond that, the enemy variety was surprisingly good, especially for a short preview. I experienced a handful of enemies, and each one introduced at least five new enemies. Some were easy to beat, while others required strategic positioning and teamwork because, yes, Ra Ra BOOM has a terrific co-op mode, online and local. I played the latter, and that’s where everything truly shone. Timing ultimate attacks with your partner or positioning yourselves on different sides of an enemy makes each fight feel engaging and never repetitive.
Judging the game only by its combat, it is terrific and has a lot of depth—depth I wasn’t able to experience fully but trust me, I can’t wait to see every system in Ra Ra BOOM. Also, I experienced a few boss fights, and all of them felt unique. Some had a mixture of chase sequences ,while others stuck to fighting only, but each one added several levels of difficulty due to the many mechanics. For instance, you could only beat the last phase of a boss if you had good aerial attacks, which I didn’t, so it forced me to look for a different approach.
An Over-the-Top Beat ’em Up
While the lineup of beat ’em ups this year is huge, Ra Ra BOOM just got one of the top spots on my wishlist. Its style is highly unique and one I wish the genre would adopt more often. The combat starts a bit slow, but once you get a few skills, you’ll realize that it goes deeper than you thought. Furthermore, each character offers different play styles, giving you ample room for replayability and challenge. Overall, Ra Ra BOOM might be that sleeper beat ’em up hit of the year and one I recommend fans of these games to play.
