It’s kind of weird how the Nintendo Switch doesn’t have more arcade shooter games to choose from. Sure, there’s House of the Dead Remake along with a few other quirky titles, but where’s the Time Crisiscompilation? Where are the Point Blank games? With the JoyCons and even the Pro Controller, shooting at enemies would be a cinch.
Fortunately, Aksys Games is trying to fill that void with the arcade (Japanese, anyway) shooter Spooky Spirit Shooting Gallery. It’s like Point Blank in a way, with a number of mini games and different ammo types to use.
It’s not quite everyone’s forte, especially with its quirky nature. However, aficionados and fans of the genre will be happy to give this game a ghost of a chance.
The Spooks Come Out
So this arcade game isn’t a “shoot everything” sort of variety. Instead, you’ll shoot at items as you attempt to build up points and earn tokens. You’ll need to work sparingly with your ammo, as you need to buy more of it using said tokens. There’s a balance here.
That means it is different from others on the market, especially those big arcade games with unlimited ammo. But it’s pretty cool, especially the boss fights, which use a unique blend of strategy and timing. You’ll also be able to acquire special ammo that can help you do a little bit more to these adversaries. (Three in all, by the way.)
The only downside is that it’s tremendously tricky to switch between these ammo types with a JoyCon, because you need to move your thumb along the side. Things fare a bit better in handheld mode, though, sadly, the game does not support the Pro Controller. Maybe an update will fix that.
It’s not quite the fast-speed arcade fare you might’ve been hoping for, but Spooky Spirit Shooting Galleryisn’t bad. Plus you can bring friends to play in co-op as well, with up to three simultaneous players. That kind of reminded me of the classic Sega arcade game Laser Ghost, to a degree.
Ready, Aim, Fire
Along with an abundant amount of shooting gallery content (as well as a neat little mini game resembling a golf driving range), Spooky Spirit Shooting Gallery also benefits from a neat presentation. The voices are in Japanese, but they’re so silly and fun you probably won’t even care. The music is nice as thematic as well.
But the graphics are the real showcase here. It’s a blast watching these characters go wild and items fall over like no one’s business. Some look better than others, but the general gist is definitely true to its theme.
That said, we’ve seen arcade shooters that look more detailed than this. So if you’re not a fan of basic shooting gallery set-ups, you may not feel the vibe given with this game. But give it a chance – you never know.
We Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts
Whether you enjoy Spooky Spirit Shooting Gallery depends on how much you can accept the neat but limited concept. An arcade shooter with tons of ammo this ain’t, but the strategy is a bit of fresh air. Not to mention the wonderful theme put into play with the Japanese art and voices. It’s also a good time with friends as well. If you’re a fan of the genre, be sure to add it to your playlist.
RATING: 3.5/5
