I have not pulled this one out in a long time. I was itching for some shooting action on my N64. I had some bad memory of this one for some reason, not sure why. Maybe it was from reviews I read. I did have a lot of fun with it today. The easy mode was too easy. Liked regular better, more challenging, more bullets on screen. I will say, back then, that I would have had higher expectations of a game like this coming from Hudson Soft and landing on the N64. Should have been an awesome winning combination.
Instead I get an average space shooter that feels like something is missing. Nothing makes it stand out from others in a very crowded genre. There are those moments when I get that “yes” feel here, but I wanted it all through the game. Not sure what caused them to sacrifice whatever it is that is missing but I should have got something akin to Blazing Lasers. Something having that same intense feel. Maybe they had difficulty with getting a grip on the hardware and translating a 2D game into something with a 3D pseudo element in the mix. There could have been a little more creativity gone into the bosses. (And there is a part of me that wishes it was hand drawn graphics.) I do see a lot of influence of other shooters in this game. For some reason Iridion 2 for the GBA comes to mind. Which is not a bad thing. I know that this is not up there with the “big boys” but I do feel that this game has been very under rated.
I love this genre of games. And in lovin the N64, I would not want to be without this game in my collection. Like I was thinking today, as I was playing, that I was thankful that a gamer like me was remembered by Hudson Soft, being the only company to give this type shooter to the N64. It is still awesome fun. After all these years I play it with an appreciation that it exists. And I enjoy it more today than I did back then. Time changes your perspective. For me, it was “Game of the day” and it dominated my N64 in today’s gaming. I did save the Earth in beginners mode. That is why you are able to read this. (Yes beginners mode, get over it.)
Pieces of Me 