Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Rita's Rewind Developer Reveals Once & Always Connection

How does the new game connect to the Netflix movie?

At Summer Game Fest earlier this month, Digital Eclipse surprised and delighted viewers with a reveal for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Rita's Rewind, an all-new game coming to PC and consoles later this year. At the heart of the game is the villain Robo-Rita, who previously appeared in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. In a new interview with Time Extension, Digital Eclipse content editor Dan Amrich talked about the connection between these two projects, and how Rita's Revenge builds off Robo-Rita's plans from the movie. 

"Once and Always felt like a love letter to fans, something that allowed the 30th anniversary's nostalgia while also acknowledging that fans who grew up with the franchise have never really left. We enjoyed that special and since it was the most recent major Power Rangers event, we thought that'd be a great place to start," Amrich told Time Extension. "Then we just started dreaming the way other fans do — 'Oh, Robo-Rita made a time portal! Well, what if she actually succeeded with her plan? Knowing all the ways she'd been defeated over the years, what would Robo-Rita do if she could go back in time and share all those spoilers with her younger self?' It gave us a great excuse to play with both modern and classic elements from the franchise."

Basically, it sounds like the developers used the Netflix film as a jumping on point, and as a way of revisiting characters and elements spanning the earliest days of the Power Rangers franchise. That means if you're concerned about the continuity aspects, it manages to explain why the team will have to once again take down foes defeated throughout the show's first few seasons. It's an intriguing approach, and connecting the game to a high-profile, well-regarded Power Rangers film is a smart way to appeal to both hardcore fans, and those newer to the franchise. 

It remains to be seen whether Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Rita's Rewind will be able to rank with the best video games based on the property. From the excellent Natsume games of the Super Nintendo era, to the mostly well-received Battle for the Grid. Thankfully, fans won't have to wait much longer to find out, as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Rita's Rewind will arrive this year on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. 

Are you excited for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Rita's Rewind? How do you feel about the connection to Once & Always? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!