Interstellar Force App Review – Interstellar Nod to the Days of 8-Bit

Interstellar Force – Too Much Action For One Galaxy

You’re in your 30s, right? Then you’re definitely going to like this game — it goes straight back to your gaming roots. “Retro” gameplay is often a poor excuse for a crappy game, but this is one of the titles that really did have me feeling like I was playing a game from the 80′s. That’s a good and a bad thing, I suppose — but overall it’s good.

Interstellar Force ($1.99) is not ashamed to admit that it definitely has a lot in common with the old 8-bit days of gaming, in fact, your reward for making it to the last level (there are only 7 — it’s short, but more are on their way) is that you get to play an 8-bit version of this game! It’s actually pretty cool, and did put a bit of a grin on my face as I played it. I especially loved that it only turned 8-bit after flying through a radiation cloud — apparently radiation stripped away all the other bits — nice touch.

Watch the trailer to see this game in action:

This game is definitely going to remind you of the old side-scrolling shooters like Super R-Type, Gradius, and Abadox. That’s the plus side — it’s a really nice retro style game, and it is genuinely fun. The downside is, it’s actually simpler than even those old games — and we’ve come to expect a lot more from games since then. There are not obstacles to fly around and no major power-ups (like the “option” in Gradius, or ground-following missiles to take out stationary turrets). Interstellar Force is fun, but don’t expect a lot of bells and whistles you’ve come to expect from many scrolling shooters like this. Expect a square playing field where all enemies enter from the far right and make their way to the left.

Graphics are fairly simple, but it does have a few nice visual features. I’ve never seen a cooler background when you get a new OpenFeint achievement (animated asteroid field in the background!) and the explosions are definitely fun. Kill enough enemies in quick succession and your screen will soon be filled with glowing particles.

Still, the basics are done right. Interstellar Force lets you pick up items to regain lost shields, and a few temporary weapon power-ups. Controls are smooth and responsive (tilt controls work surprisingly well, but I still prefer the touch controls).

If you aren’t scared off by the simplicity (not everything that is fun has to be overly complex, right?) of Interstellar Force, and are looking for some solid classic gameplay, Interstellar Force really does do it well. It isn’t perfect, it isn’t fancy, but I admit it was still thoroughly enjoyable (Play my favorite level – level 5 – flying through an asteroid field and you’ll see it at its best). It’s a delightful app that was clearly crafted with a love for the old style of gaming. It’s a tough recommendation at $1.99 when you consider the large number of similar games with a lot more features, sharper graphics, and that ring up at half the price.

Interstellar Force – David Molnar