This is another one of my favorite video games of all time as well as favorite shumps (Shoot em ups). When I played this game for the first time, I had a blast, it was one of the very first in the shoot em up genre in video game and it's still one of the best in my book. I really like the arcade cabinet design from that dial controller which responds beautifully. But I also remember that cabinet art which I though was cool looking as it's a picture of what look like Lovecraftian like monsters coming out of a pit to get you. Though it's a bit deceptive as we never see those monsters in the game but it's a cool picture to look at all the same.
The game is great the premise is simple as you some Crab Pincher/Fork Tong ship blasting all the alien threats that are coming toward you in each tunnel grid. That's pretty much it in a nutshell and that's all I need to know, video games back then weren't concerned about stories you just simply press start, play, and don't die which is most of the time how I like it.
The designs the sprites are solid really like the color scheme, though their daft from how strange they really are, from the ship you control which is a unique design as it doesn't fall into the traditional starship look. And the enemies in which there is a solid variety of them, where you have these evil Xs coming at you, green spirals that try to occupy parts of the grid with green beams, however the ones to really watch for are these boxes when hit spring out more of those evil Xs so make sure you hit at long range.
However, what really the star of the game are both the level designs and gameplay. The level designs I personally think are just beautiful, I really love the use of the vector graphics as they really, we're able to capture the look and feel of 3D, despite the simplistic use of lines it was all they need to do it and show once again how simplicity is sometimes the best way to go. Each of the tunnels in the game were different, you could literally use each of the levels as examples in an art class that is teaching 3D drawing. Really love that effect and sound whenever you finish a level, you suddenly get pulled in and fly straight toward another tunnel grid, it was really cool sort of reminds me of that sequence in "2001 A Space Odyssey" were Dave was being pulled straight into the colorful tunneling dimension, which I think that sequence in the movie was a partial inspiration for this game.
The gameplay is great, this game has the best use in rotation control. At first the directional physics seem a bit awkward at first but you get use to it and may even become an ace with them, the thing about the controls is your able to move 180's which I love because it give you full freedom of movement; ok not totally since this is a grid based shooter but that's really all you need.
The game is also frantic paced and nerve racking as you are constantly moving and shooting you literally can't afford to take a breath as the evil Xs and other enemies just keep coming at you. And if any of them get you either with laser fire or coming up on top then that's it. Though there is a defensive measure by staying still and continually firing you'll be able to wipe out any Xs that come near you. However, that also restricts you from movement and when there are too many X or anything else up top your literally finished, so act and move fast so they never do get up top.
I remember playing the game just constantly tense as I was keeping my eye out for any enemies that come from one direction of the grid and the other and hoping I'll be able to get here and there in time to wipe them out. And sometimes whenever a X caught me, I sometimes was a little mad at myself because I missteped, wasn't fast enough or screwed up in my maneuvering tactics somewhere along the line. But I like that feeling because it's really teaches you it's your own skill that will get you thought the game and how there are consequences to the errors you make. What I also really love about the game is it teaches you adaptation, as each of the tunnel grids are different you concept of moving 180 degrees is as well, so when you get to a new level adjust and get use to it fast because your enemies aren't stopping for nothing.
This game is light at the end of the tunnel.
Rating: 4 stars