Crowdfunded ‘Shaq-Fu’ revival game finally comes out this spring

The early '90s made a bad habit out of terrible action games cashing in on brands and celebrities. One of the latter was Shaq Fu, which has become a punchline in Worst Games of All Time lists for franchising out NBA star Shaquille O'Neal into a bad fighter filled with a confusing mish-mash of myths. Instead of ruin, some saw kitschy promise, and a revival was successfully crowdfunded in 2014. Friends who collectively sunk over $450,000 into this dream, your time is coming. Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn will arrive for PC and consoles (including the Switch) this spring.

After all that time, the trailer footage isn't terribly impressive: A 2.5-D side-scrolling beat-em-up with cartoony flair and so-so graphics. But its bright, colorful stages give off a delightful Sunset Overdrive vibe, and it's hard to tell from just a trailer if the goofy tone and gameplay will elevate this game from nostalgic gag to enjoyable fighter. A lot of the game's appeal rests on Shaq's cultural clout -- who, credit where credit is due, lends his voice here -- but it ain't 1994 anymore. Is the world hungry for another Shaq Attack?