Quad Fighter K Review

Game: Quad Fighter K

System: Nintendo Switch

Publisher: Aksys

Developer: HappyMeal

Price: £6.29/€6,99/$7.99

Overall feeling: I Like it

(Review copy provided by Aksys)

Quad Fighter K is a vertical scrolling 2D shoot-em-up that plays, looks and sounds like a NES game.  Due to being a fan of retro NES 2D shooters, I jumped at the chance of reviewing Quad Fighter K.  The question remains: is it any good?

Storyline

Sometime in the future, an alien race decides to conquer planet earth and extinguish the human race.  Despite mankind’s best efforts, they’re quickly overpowered by superior alien technology.  Thankfully, hope remains due to earth’s final survivors procuring and using the alien’s own technology against them in one final push for survival.  Earth’s fate rests upon the skill of four brave pilots, who must overcome all odds in order to save humankind.

Gameplay

The game contains 7 stages which can be played in either kyogeki or attack mode.  What’s more, both modes include two sub modes, namely arcade and battle.

In Kyogeki Arcade Mode, 3 ships are required to defend and escort a VIP ship to safety, which ends as soon at the VIP ship is destroyed.  Kyogeki Battle Mode allows gamers to select and play through one of 7 stages.  Attack mode simply allots a set number of lives to each ship and the game ends once all lives have been lost. Both modes also support normal and hard difficulty settings.  If you would like an even harder challenge, then there’s an extra game included called Cyber Ship Nakku which appears to be a hyper difficult solo version of Quad Fighter K.  Cyber Ship Nakku isn’t for the average gamer but I’m glad it’s included for hardcore 2D shoot-em-up fans.

Quad Fighter K has two big selling points.  The game includes a 4 player co-op mode which if needed allows a mixture of local and computer players. The game supports joy-con, pro controller, bluetooth, and USB control options.  It also plays well in tabletop, TV, and handheld mode.  4 player co-op however is only the beginning; the game also enables players to conjoin their ships which introduces a nice strategic element.  Along with a host of power-ups such as gun and bomb upgrades, as well as a number of unlockable items, the game contains a nice amount of content, particularly when you consider its low price. 

Being an arcade style shooter, Quad Fighter K also records high scores for both individual and multiplayer sessions.  This enables players to challenge previous records and create new targets to beat.

Visuals and Sound

The game is designed to look and sound like a NES game, so if you’re into modern visuals with a pumping in-game soundtrack, then Quad Fighter K isn’t for you.  In terms of a retro asthetic however, Quad Fighter K looks and sounds great.  It’s presentation is so authentic that my son mistook it for a NES title.  Even my wife (who despises retro style games) commented on how authentic the game’s presentation is.

Overall

I like Quad Fighter K very much.  It’s a game I shall continue to play in short bursts, and I’m hoping to enjoy future mutiplayer sessions with my children.  If you’re itching for a 2D Retro style shooter that’s sutied to quick pick up and play sessions, then this game is for you.

I like it

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