Indie Alley is all about the indie game scene, where games are made based on their merit and less on their marketing.
The new kid on the indie game block this week is Shoot 1UP, a Galaga/Phalanx type arcade shooter. The basic idea is that you are a fleet of small fighters fighting your way through interplanetary battle after top-down battle.
Shoot 1UP’s merits really come from little details in the game. First, your armada is added to with each 1UP power-up collected during the game. You can spread those ships out to do more damage, or you can consolidate them to avoid taking damage (and subsequently losing ships).
Here’s the killer: it’s 80 Microsoft Points ($1). After downloading it, I started playing it. An hour later, I was still playing it. The only thing that would have made it better would be to get the real arcade joystick, a slice of pizza and some over sugared beverage. It has an authentic arcade feel, and yet doesn’t get old quickly like many of the XBLIG games.
It wasn’t long before I called a friend to come play with me. The two player mode is instantly more fun. A second player can join in the middle of the game (sans quarters even!), and the game gets much busier. The two player mode continued for another hour or so, with laughter and smack talking all around.
It’s a rarity that I can play a Xbox Indie Game for two hours. I certainly played for that long, and will continue to fire up Shoot 1UP regularly. The game is short, however, and it could stand to have online play.
I’d say the game deserves 4/5 stars for feeling like a big game company download, reminding me of great classic arcade games, and helping me get friends over to my place.
Related posts
- Ghosts of Christmas Pac - A Ms. Pac-Man Story
- Nothing Says The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom Like the Title of Steam's Newest Game
- Cowabunga Time Travel! - TMNT: Turtles In Time Re-Shelled Reviewed
- Going Back to the Archaic Arcade
- Finally, a Party Nothing Like 1999
- Indie Alley : Masters of Belial
- P.B. Winterbottom: Hearts, Pies Stolen; PC Port on the Way
- Colony Defense: An In(3)die Game Review
- Indie Alley : Why You Should Care About the Indie Fund
- XBox Live Indie Game Reviews - Dungeon Adventure
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I bought the game after reading the review. You did not disappoint, friend. It’s a lot of fun.
Ditto on the review. I just downloaded it myself. It’s a good game, with more than enough bang for the buck you pay.