Just a quickie for the PlayStation shmuppers out there… if you get in quick, there are some bullet-tastic bargains to be had in the sale right now. But you have to be quick… the sale ends on Wednesday. Here are our picks of the bunch.
Assault Android Cactus – £2.89
A twin-sticker in the classic Robotron style, it’s actually reminiscent of Eugene Jarvis’ most recent game, Nex Machina. Highly regarded across the board, it may be six years old but it still feels fresh and, more importantly, fun.
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP8926-CUSA01193_00-CACTUS0000000001
Assault Suit Leynos – £4.99; £2.99 with PS Plus
Fans of Contra are well catered for with this conversion of an obscure Mega Drive game. Don your suit and march (and fly) into battle, defending Earth against a cyborg army attack. With a wide array of weaponry to take advantage of, there’s lots of replay potential here.
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP4034-CUSA04803_00-ASLEYNOS00000000
Futuridium EP Deluxe – £2.39
Something of an unusual one, this… imagine Andrew Braybrook’s Commodore 64 classic, Uridium, but flipped into a 3D, behind-the-ship view. It’s not as brilliantly playable as the original, but it’s an interesting twist on a well-known game, and worth a play for any self-respecting shmupper.
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP4487-CUSA00702_00-FUTURIDIUMEPDCRB
Ikaruga – £3.99
Treasure’s legendary game has been ported to the PS4, and for the next couple of days it’s available at half price (although the full price is very reasonable). It’s as much a puzzle game as it is a shmup, as you switch between black and white to wipe out enemies as effectively as possible. A must-own.
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP3838-CUSA11525_00-APP0000000000000
R-Type Dimensions EX – £5.99
It’s R-Type 1 and 2 in one easy-to-use package, with an enhanced graphics mode. If you don’t know what R-Type is, I don’t know why you’re reading this article, but if that’s the case, consider this an education and go and buy it.
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP2038-CUSA14559_00-RTYPEDIMENSIONSE
Shoot 1Up DX – £2.49; £2.24 with PS Plus
Shoot 1UP was released way back on the Xbox 360 Arcade shop, and was a game I enjoyed immensely. I was therefore thrilled to find this update, and it plays just as well as ever. In this game, you play with all your ships at once, but you can pick more up along the way which can lead to one awesome phalanx of fighters. The game mechanics are great, and it’s a real joy to play.
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP0443-CUSA26281_00-3694458205390843
Super Hydorah – £9.59
This one is for those feeling a little more flush, although you really get your money’s worth. Influenced by the classics such as Gradius and R-Type, it adds lots of its own features and personality to provide gamers with a highly playable and challenging game – a real test of anyone’s shmupping mettle. Brilliant stuff.
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP4186-CUSA09297_00-0000000000000010
