Super Destronaut DX
Developed by Petite Games
Published by Ratalaika Games SL
Released for Xbox One (7/10/2018)
Also on PC/PS4/Switch/Vita
Intro
Upon initially viewing the store page for Super Destronaut DX, I assumed perhaps this was another one of those former XBLIG titles that made the transition over to the Xbox One. Upon doing some quick research I discovered that Super Destronaut began life as a Wii U title back in March 2015. Developed by indie-studio Petite Games, Super Destronaut found its way over to computers in 2016 and a version for the Nintendo 3DS released the following year. In 2018, the game would see a wide release for all platforms thanks to publisher Ratalaika Games with the revamped Super Destronaut DX, which is the version we'll be looking at in today's review...
Presentation/Graphics
Super Destronaut DX is presented with pseudo-vector graphics and an 80's-style synthwave soundtrack. It all works well to give you that retro flavor right from the get-go. The in-game graphics feature character sprites formed of blocky pixels and the background consists of a scrolling grid-plane with trees on the ground and mountains in the background. It all looks very simple, but does an admirable job capturing that 80's vibe the developers were aiming for. There are a few modern graphical touches, like particle effects from the explosions but these are kept to a minimum to keep the retro aesthetic. While basic in design, the visuals and overall presentation suit the retro theme of the game.
Controls/Gameplay
Super Destronaut DX is a throwback to the arcade classic Space Invaders. You control a ship that's locked to the bottom of the screen, allowing you to move only left and right in order to dodge enemy projectiles. Additional weapon types can be obtained by destroying the orange enemies and there are 5 different bullet types for some nice variety. There is the normal single bullet, the triple shot, laser, bomb and the homing rocket. The emphasis of the game is to rack up the highest score possible and killing enemies quickly will grant you score multipliers, allowing you to rack up huge scores if you can keep your combo chain going. This adds some hefty replay value for those who enjoy chasing after high scores. There are also leaderboards for each mode which keep track of the top 50 scores for each game mode.
At the main menu, there are several different modes to choose from: challenges, classic, time attack, hardcore and multiplayer (local 2-player only). There are also the already mentioned online leaderboards, statistics and some basic options. The modes are all self-explanatory and do a nice job adding some variety for those who wish to play beyond unlocking the achievements. Speaking of the achievements, this is your typical Ratalaika Games release which means that you can unlock all of the potential gamerscore in under an hour easily.
Closing
Super Destronaut DX is a simple throwback to Space Invaders that adds in some cool weapon power-ups and score multiplier. Ratalaika Games are guilty of publishing a bunch of low-tier titles for achievement hunters, but I'm happy to report that Super Destronaut DX is actually a fun title beyond the super-fast 1000 gamerscore. For fans of Space Invaders looking for an homage to that classic, this one's worth checking out.
Final Verdict: Super Destronaut DX is a simple throwback to the arcade classic Space Invaders. Featuring some cool weapon power-ups and a nice combo multiplier scoring system, this one is worth a look for retro fans who enjoy chasing that high score. Also features easy achievements if you just want some quick gamerscore.
Purchase Links:
Related Reviews:
Related Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment