Ever had one of those days where your hand suddenly grows to twice its usual size, develops the power of speech, and goads you into fist-fighting an army of bears?

Well, unsuspecting lumberjack Tim Burr (I see what you did there) is having one of those days. Luckily, the star of nostalgia- powered pixel-art beat-'em-up First of Awesome is taking this development on the chin, still managing to crack wise while he punches the suddenly enormous bear population of earth into submission.

You see, in this world gone mad, history has been altered. In a homage to Planet of the Apes - one of many movie references you'll encounter during the game - bears are the dominant species on the planet. Only you and your street fighting skills stand between mankind and permanent enslavement at the hands of our grizzly captors.

Though Fist of Awesome's arcade structure treads an old and well worn path, its controls have one foot in the present. Rather than hitting virtual buttons, you tap with your right thumb to execute punches, and swipe to deliver kicks and throws. It's a fairly responsive system, but it can be a little fiddly to pull off the exact move you're looking for. To execute special moves, you hold your finger on the screen, whereupon Tim Burr will holler his name with manly authority, and deliver a supercharged blow.

In fact, many of the audio cues are downright hilarious, with the bear's frenzy-attack warble prompting actual laughter. During you quest to change the past, you get to see bears dressed up as Men in Black agents, medieval peasants, and cavemen.

This audio-visual wit helps to enliven what is a pretty repetitive brawler. I found myself pushing forward to see which era of history was going to get the bear treatment next, rather than playing for the thrill of the fight.

Still, despite its unadventurous combat, Fist of Awesome will probably tickle fans of old-skool arcade brawlers. It's not breaking down any barriers, but it does raise more than a few smiles.