Boomerang Fu Review: Why It Should Be Your New Go-To Party Game (2025)

Developed and Published by: Cranky Watermelon
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: Out Now!

Last year, three friends and I started meeting weekly, to catch up and play games. This initially took the form of four-player mayhem on Super Mario 3D World (you can read more about that here), but as the tradition has continued, we’ve naturally diverged into other games too. This has included the likes of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Party and even Trivial Pursuit Live! – but most recently, a game that was introduced to us is Boomerang Fu, and it’s become a mainstay in the gaming rotation since!

Originally released in August 2020, Boomerang Fu is developed by Cranky Watermelon, a small Australian team based in Sydney and founded by Paul Kopetko. Whilst the game is simple on the surface, there’s a surprising amount of depth to be found, and the mixture of tactics and chaos makes it ideal for couch co-op. In this review, I’ll be talking about what makes the game so addictive, as well as some glaring omissions that I’d have loved to see included.

Slice ‘n’ Dice

Some games are clearly built for a singular purpose, and Boomerang Fu is one such example. From the moment the bright menu and groovy theme music starts up, the party atmosphere is palpable – and it’s clear this game is built to be enjoyed with others by your side, which I’ve had the pleasure of doing. After choosing one of the charming food-based characters and your mode of play, you’re thrust straight into the competitive action, which is played from a top-down perspective with up to six players (human or CPU).

As a default, Boomerang Fu opens every match with a training round. Considering this game is usually played in a communal setting, it’s a smart way for players of all skill levels to learn the core three buttons you need: one to throw your boomerang, one to perform a melee attack, and one to dash. It’s easy to understand, but has several surprising nuances too. For example, you can hold down a button to charge your boomerang throw, or bounce your boomerang off walls to perform impressive trick shots – and the gratifying weight of the boomerang physics encourages you to master it. Even without your boomerang, all is not lost, as you can use your melee attack to push opponents off ledges or knock them away from you.

Whichever mode you’re playing – Free-for-All, Team Up, or Golden Boomerang – the main gameplay objective is always a variation of killing other players and/or avoiding being killed yourself. In the former two modes, this is done in a standard Deathmatch-style format; meanwhile, Golden Boomerang adds a king-of-the-hill element, where you have to grab the Golden Boomerang and survive with it for a set amount of time. After every round, players earn points on an ongoing leaderboard, and the first to reach the required total is the victor. Whilst admittedly limited in variety, the basic format allows the compelling gameplay to shine.

Speaking of, the genius of Boomerang Fu is it’s snappy pace. Rounds rarely last longer than a minute, constantly shaking things up with new power-ups and arenas, and ensuring no killed player is left out for long. The only time it ever dragged was playing Golden Boomerang with a full 6 players, where it was almost impossible to hold the boomerang for long enough to win. However, mostly the speed matches the pick-up-and-play appeal, making it extremely difficult to avoid the temptation of a rematch (or two)!

What Goes Around…

As the rounds of each match progress, there are various ways Boomerang Fu incrementally raises the stakes. The main differentiator is the power-ups, supplying fun new abilities such as fire boomerangs, the ability to dash through walls, and teleportation. Each power-up has the potential to completely switch up your play style and ensure you don’t get too comfortable. Power-ups don’t expire between rounds either, instead being carried through the match and even stacking with other abilities. This results in devastating combinations, such as a multiplying explosive boomerang, which lights up the arena and is very enjoyable to use (but less so to go up against… )!

In addition, the range of arena types urges you to switch up your approach; some arenas include usable traps to squash opponents, some are covered with foliage to hide in, and others have precarious pools and pits to avoid. The arenas supply a satisfying amount of aesthetic variation, from initial grassy areas to bustling towns. Considering the many hours you may spend cycling through the arenas, it’s important that they don’t get stale -and whilst there’s always room to ask for more, Boomerang Fu does enough to keep things fresh. In combination with the whimsical culinary avatars, it gives the game an inviting atmosphere.

Aside from the main three game modes, you can apply modifiers to create custom matches of your own. This includes the ability to change the match length, time limit, power-up spawn rate, and more. But other than this, there’s a relative lack of content in Boomerang Fu. The only rewards for winning matches are the cute – but throwaway – cosmetic accessories for your characters. Whether you enjoy your time is dependant on the core gameplay hook grabbing you, and the positive news is that it likely will… As long as you’re playing with friends. On the other hand, if you play the game solo without the enthusiasm of your friends around you, then much of its longevity becomes shaky.

That being said, there’s merit to knowing what you can do and doing it well, which is how the developers have approached Boomerang Fu. For instance, with such infectious multiplayer, an online mode would have been an ideal solution for solo players – but in a Reddit Q&A in 2020 the developers specified that “We really wanted to focus on making Boomerang Fu a great experience in-person”. Taking into account their small size and the extra infrastructure online play needs, it’s an understandable choice. From a critical perspective, it’s disappointing that there’s no online mode; but I’m keen to review what’s in the game, not what isn’t. In that respect, Boomerang Fu nails its goal of being a local multiplayer game that brings people together.

It’s Behind You

As I played more of Boomerang Fu, I noticed multiple small details having a positive impact on the local multiplayer experience. Quirky design choices are used to accentuate the light-hearted feel, such as applying a slow-motion effect to the last kill, and then leaving just enough time to see the endearing smile on the face of the surviving character. It sparks laughs and conversation amongst the people playing, which feeds into the next round, and so on. I especially enjoyed playing when my friends exploited their favourite tactics – for example, when one player acquired a power-up that let them disguise themselves as objects, suddenly adding a hide-and-seek element with hilarious results.

After several hours with Boomerang Fu, I’ve now played several combinations of player and CPU combinations. The bots are a little inconsistent in their playstyle; they mostly act as a way to fill out the game with serviceable opponents, but they occasionally move in illogical ways that can make them easy kills. Again, this ties into the necessity to play Boomerang Fu with at least one other human player if you want the best result.

In retrospect, I’m extremely glad my friends brought Boomerang Fu to my attention, as it was completely off my radar beforehand. But then suddenly, it was on the TV in front of me, and a Joy-Con had been put into my hand – and now here I am writing about it! This is the kind of loveable game that you can jump into with ease, like iconic multiplayer classics such as Mario Kart or Wii Sports. Everything about Boomerang Fu is built to break down the common barriers for entry: it’s not too complicated; it looks vibrant and colourful; and it takes very little time to get to grips with. I’ve seen first-hand how hesitant players are captured by Boomerang Fu, shortly followed by them cackling with delight as they chop an enemy watermelon in half… !

Final Thoughts

It’s easier said than done to create a party game which unifies people like Boomerang Fu does. The developers Cranky Watermelon have rode the fine line of difficulty, making the game simple on the surface, but adding just enough depth as well. However, I can’t ignore the limitations of focusing so much on local multiplayer, as it makes the solo experience lacking, and there’s no online option at all. But it’s hard to stay disappointed for long, especially when you see those smiling food avatars chasing each other, accompanied by the laughs of friends and the catchy theme music (seriously, it’s so good). Boomerang Fu has a specific play case of couch co-op, and if you can accommodate that, it’s an essential addition to your collection of party games. You might say it’s one you’ll (ahem) keep coming back to… !

8/10

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Boomerang Fu Review: Why It Should Be Your New Go-To Party Game (2025)

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