Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Scorpion King: Sword of Osiris delivers a classic side-scrolling platformer experience that will feel familiar to fans of early 2000s handheld action titles. You take control of Mathayus, the legendary Scorpion King, as he traverses six distinct worlds—ranging from sun-baked deserts and booby-trapped temples to the gloomy halls of warlord Menthu’s fortress. Each level is packed with environmental hazards such as crumbling ledges, spike pits, swinging blades and hidden traps, which demand precise timing and careful exploration.

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Central to the combat system is the enchanted Gauntlet, which you power up by collecting magical gems dropped by defeated bosses at the end of each world. As you feed gems into the Gauntlet, Mathayus’s attack speed, damage output and special moves improve, providing a clear sense of progression and encouraging you to tackle tougher challenges head-on. By the late game, you’ll be chaining light and heavy strikes into satisfying combos, making full use of your upgrade path.

Enemy variety keeps the action fresh: from foot soldiers and archers to mystical guardians and hulking beasts. Boss encounters punctuate each world, testing both your platforming skills and your mastery of the Gauntlet’s powers. While the challenge can spike in the final levels, fair checkpoint placement and a modest lives system ensure that you’re more rewarded by perseverance than punished by frustration.

Graphics

On Game Boy Advance hardware, Sword of Osiris punches above its weight with richly detailed sprite work and vibrant background layers. Mathayus is well-animated, sporting fluid running and attack cycles that convey his brute strength. The environments—from the golden dunes to the shadowy caverns—benefit from varied palettes and parallax scrolling that lend each stage a distinct atmosphere.

Boss designs stand out in particular: each warlord’s champion boasts ornate armor, unique attack patterns and looming presence that make final fights feel epic, despite the handheld’s modest screen resolution. Subtle visual effects—like glowing runes when you charge the Gauntlet or flickering torches in temple corridors—add polish without overwhelming the hardware.

Cutscene illustrations are used sparingly to advance the narrative, but they capture the movie’s aesthetic with stylized character portraits and splashy magical effects. While not as cinematic as a home-console title, these interludes break up the action and reinforce the high stakes of Mathayus’s quest to save Cassandra.

Story

The narrative of Sword of Osiris follows the essentials of the film’s premise: Mathayus’s beloved wife, Cassandra, has been kidnapped by the malevolent warlord Menthu, who plans to exploit her latent magical abilities for dark ends. It’s a straightforward “rescue the captive” scenario, but it’s given enough flavor through occasional dialogue exchanges and in-game lore to keep your objectives clear and motivating.

Key plot beats are delivered through short cutscenes before and after each world, weaving in familiar faces and villains from The Scorpion King universe. Although the dialogue is functional rather than Oscar-worthy, it’s supported by solid voice snippets and memorable one-liners that evoke the heroic flair of the silver screen.

Boss characters often taunt Mathayus before battle, adding personality to each confrontation and hinting at Menthu’s broader scheme. By the time you reach the final showdown, the stakes feel suitably ramped up, and the conclusion delivers a satisfying payoff—especially if you’ve fully upgraded your Gauntlet and polished off every side area.

Overall Experience

The Scorpion King: Sword of Osiris is a strong offering for portable action-platformer fans and movie tie-in hunters alike. Its straightforward premise—rescue Cassandra, defeat Menthu—belies a surprisingly robust gameplay loop centered around Gauntlet upgrades and varied level challenges. With tight controls, well-designed bosses and a fair difficulty curve, it stands out among GBA-era adaptations.

While purists may find the story lean and the interactivity limited by the handheld’s two-button scheme, the game’s pacing and visual flair compensate nicely. Exploring hidden paths for extra gems, perfecting boss strategies and replaying levels for speed or completion adds replay value that goes beyond a simple one-and-done jaunt.

Whether you’re revisiting The Scorpion King franchise or embarking on a portable platform quest for the first time, Sword of Osiris offers an engaging, bite-sized adventure. Its blend of mythic heroics, tight platforming and upgrade-driven combat makes it a worthwhile addition to any Game Boy Advance library—or to modern players sampling retro classics.

Retro Replay Score

6.9/10