Spacewing War

Spacewing War is a straightforward shmup in a crowded genre. Its Game Boy aesthetic is pleasant, it controls well, and it provides a decent challenge. It just doesn’t have that spark to set it apart from its brethren. It needs a shot of adrenaline and a confidence boost. Still, it’s not a bad way to spend an afternoon if you need to scratch that shmup itch.

Like I say, don’t come into Spacewing War expecting spectacular screen-filling bosses, super-slick parallax scrolling and thumping beats that will be stuck in your head for the next 30 years — rather, expect a loving homage to games on the classic Game Boy by people who clearly understand what it was that made that platform in particular so beloved by so many.

While there are plenty of retro arcade shooters out there, many of them quite good even, I'll at least give Spacewing War credit for going in a direction that sort of sidesteps the competition by going full-on Gameboy with its look and feel...