Pour one out for the Intellivision Amico. What could’ve been a neat little indie system instead folded up shop (at least for the time being) due to poor business decisions. That said, at least we’re getting an idea of what the game could do with releases like Shark! Shark! and, this week, Astrosmash.

The game is based on the classic Intellivision shooter, where you attempt to shoot rocks, enemies and other destructive items before they hit the ground. In the original game, they came at you rapid fire, forcing you to run ragged across the screen, shooting everything in sight before your score got depleted. (You lost points every time something hit the ground.)

Astrosmash’s revival works in a similar matter, but with a much more dramatic touch, complete with beautiful backgrounds and epic space music, as it were. You can also bring friends along for the ride in co-op fashion, making for a frantic, score-pushing romp.

It’s not a perfect game – the campaign is hilariously short and lacking detail, and there’s no online features – but Astrosmash still lovingly tributes the original game, and that should be more than enough for some.

Blasting Away

Like the original Intellivision game that came before it, Astrosmash is all about quick arcade thrills. The game only features ten stages, each getting progressively tougher than the last, where you have to get to a minimal score before moving on to the next. You’ll start with shooting just rocks, but soon smart enemies, such as UFO’s and “doomsday” rockets (which destroy your ship upon landing at the bottom of the stage), begin coming into play.

Along the way, you can snag helpful power-ups to provide an edge, such as rapid fire and shields. You can also use a sideways dash to get out of harm’s way, and pick up extra ships for later use. It’s not rocket science, despite being in space.

And the game also features a fun co-op mode, where up to four people can join in on the blasting fun. It’s not as in-depth as other multiplayer games, but when it comes to shooting and building competitive scores, it’s not bad at all. You can also go competitive in a two-player mode, which can produce a few good laughs between shoot-em-up fans.

So the game is fun, but it’s lacking in longevity. There are only ten stages in the “campaign” mode, and I say that with air quotes because there’s not really much story here. And there are multiple ships, but very little difference between them. So, yeah, the game’s not really built for the long term.

There’s also no history lesson here. Remember when we reviewed Digital Eclipse’s amazing take on Karateka a few weeks back? This is kind of the opposite. No history delving into the original game, and not even any sign of the original game. It’s a sorely missed opportunity.

But if you’re down for quick shooting sessions either on your own or with friends, Astrosmash isn’t a bad choice. Just be aware that the game lovingly pays tribute to its Intellivision roots, and that means having a simple set-up.

A Nice Evolution

While the gameplay continues to be rather easy for shooter fans, Astrosmash benefits from a beautiful presentation upgrade.

The game does only feature ten stages, but they’re beautifully designed, with multi-scrolling backgrounds and nice little touches, like the moon in the background in stage one. The destruction is also something wondrous to watch, and when the screen piles on the enemies, it’s a sight to behold. The team did a great job bringing this game into a new generation, at least in terms of visuals.

I’m also a big fan of the music. As I mentioned before, Astrosmash now has a huge space soundtrack, with moving themes to keep you motivated as you blast everything. The sound effects are also really well done, and there’s lots of bangs for the buck.

If You Loved the Original Astrosmash, This Is a Must 

So will you enjoy Astrosmash? Well, it doesn’t have many long-term features outside of multiplayer, and there’s no history to explain the significance of the game, which would’ve been really useful. That said, however, its new presentation is astonishing; and the gameplay still delivers for the most part.

We’re lucky to be playing it, considering the state of the Intellivision Amico. So if you’re a fan of the original game or shooters in general, this one will rock your world. Just don’t expect an in-depth history lesson – this one’s merely here for the blasting.

GAMERHUB RATING: 3.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS

(Thanks to BBG Entertainment for the review code!)