Arcade version, so no "All Your Base". Game reads as low-stakes Gradius, with two permanent Options giving you constant firepower. Most interesting thing is the power-up system: three different weapon types, collecting multiple of a given color pick-up powers the weapon à la Diddy Kong Racing, losing a life returns you to the base version of that weapon. That and the tractor beam - essentially turning an enemy into a shield or throwable projectile - are interesting ideas. But the game lacks confidence in its ability to do much with those ideas. You don't actually need to beat the bosses - survive long enough and the boss goes away. The game feels very arbitrary with unlimited continues, though it probably makes for an interesting growth cycle in limited play; get good enough to beat the game, then get good enough to beat the game by defeating the bosses.

Reviewed on Apr 01, 2023


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