Thunder Ray, a Punch-Out!!-inspired fighter, will be released on various platforms. Read on to learn when you can play the game and where you could obtain a copy.

Thunder Ray Release Date and Time

Releases September 14, 2023 on 8 AM EST

According to Steam and the PlayStation Store, Thunder Ray will be available to play on September 14, 2023. The PlayStation Store has the game slated for release on 12 PM GMT on that day. This converts to the following times:

Thunder Ray, an arcade boxing game reminiscent of the popular Punch-Out series, is set to take the ring by storm. Read on to see our first impressions and everything we know so far of the game.

Thunder Ray Pre-Release Impressions

Thunder Ray First Impressions

Imagine Punch-Out, but really shounen anime. That’s basically what Thunder Ray looks like at first glance. Like the original arcade game, your job, nay, your purpose in life, is to punch the ever-living daylights out of your foes. Unlike back then, however, you can now look like an anime or protagonist while doing it.

This looks to be another “Fine, we’ll do it ourselves” moment, similar to how the release of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk felt like our much-deserved next installment of Jet Set Radio, but from an indie studio. And since Bomb Rush Cyberfunk was such a great game, we can’t wait to try out Thunder Ray for ourselves.

Everything We Know About Thunder Ray

Thunder Ray Story Plot

Ray is a promising athlete who was well on his way to becoming the greatest boxer of his time. However, an alien suddenly appears at the end of one of his matches and hits him with a strange beam. When Ray wakes up, he finds himself in a cosmic arena, surrounded by aliens of all shapes and sizes.

Just like the original Punch-Out, Thunder Ray is an arcade boxing game where players must defeat a series of tough opponents from across different galaxies to become the greatest of all time (the GOAT, as you will).

Thunder Ray Gameplay

There looks to be little difference between Thunder Ray’s gameplay and the original that it took inspiration from. Players can bob and weave or block attacks before responding with a good blow to the gut or face. Whether or not there are set strategies to defeat certain foes quickly, just like in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out, is still unknown.

Thunder Ray Trailer

Newest Trailer

Thunder Ray’s Announcement Trailer gives players a short peek at the game’s combat and fighters. Most importantly, it provides a glamorous showcase of the game’s vibrant and retro aesthetics.

Thunder Ray Pre-Orders

Thunder Ray will be available for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. Pre-orders are already open on the Nintendo Store. However, only wishlisting is possible for its Steam and PlayStation Store pages. To pre-order on those platforms, interested players must head to the game’s official website where it is priced at $14.99, similar to its Nintendo Store value.

It does not have a Microsoft Store page as of the time of this article’s publication.

Platform	Price
Steam	Wishlist Only
PlayStation Store	Wishlist Only
Nintendo Store	$14.99

Thunder Ray Product Information

Title	THUNDER RAY
Release Date	September 14, 2023
Developer	Purple Tree S R L
Publisher	Purple Tree S R L
Supported Platforms	PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Genre	Fighting
Number of Players	1
ESRB Rating	Teen
Official Website	Thunder Ray Website

Alfonso Majarucon

Writer of things from game, anime and manga reviews to news and webnovels. Hopelessly addicted to story-driven games, especially cross-platform ones. Favorite games include Punishing Gray Raven, Arknights, Limbus Company, Elden Ring, Touhou, Soul Nomad and the Disgaea series (except 3 and 6). Avid..