Game: Truxton Extreme
Genre: Action.
System: Steam (Windows) (also on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation)
Developer|Publisher: Tatsujin | Clear River Game AB
Controller Support: yes
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $24.99 | UK £20.69 | EU €24,99
Release Date: July 30th, 2026
Review code provided with many thanks to OverLoad Pr.
Truxton Extreme – An Arcade Legend Returns
There are certain things in gaming that never seem to go out of style, and one of them is a great vertical scrolling shooter. Truxton was one of those arcade classics that many assumed would simply remain a fond memory, tucked away in retro compilations and arcade history books. Instead, it’s back with Truxton Extreme, and while it gives the series a fresh coat of modern paint, it wisely keeps the heart of the original completely intact.
If you’ve played the recent Toaplan collections, you’ll probably already know what you’re getting into. This isn’t reinventing the shoot ’em up genre, throwing roguelike mechanics into the mix, or chasing modern trends. Instead, Truxton Extreme embraces what made arcade shooters so fun in the first place: fast gameplay, overwhelming enemy patterns, fantastic music and a healthy amount of challenge. It’s unapologetically old-school, and I found that rather refreshing.
Simple Story, Clever Presentation
Let’s be honest, nobody really comes to a scrolling shooter expecting an epic cinematic story. Truxton Extreme decides, though, to add a little more heart through beautifully presented manga-style comic panels. Rather than interrupting the pace with lengthy cutscenes, these illustrated sequences introduce the three pilots and provide pretty decent world-building to give your mission a little extra purpose. It’s a nice addition that I really liked. You can happily enjoy the comics if you like that sort of thing, or simply skip straight back into blasting alien fleets. It’s a simple solution that works for everyone.
Pure Arcade Gameplay
Once you’re in control, Truxton Extreme immediately reminds you why this genre became so popular. Your ship begins at the bottom of the screen, enemies pour in from above, and before long the display is absolutely packed with enemy fire. Your job is simple: survive and get blasting. Power-ups constantly appear throughout each stage, letting you increase your ship’s speed and strengthen your chosen weapon. One thing I particularly appreciated is that swapping to a different weapon doesn’t reset your power level. It encourages experimentation instead of making you feel punished for trying something new.
There are plenty of satisfying weapons to discover too. The Thunder Laser quickly became one of my favourites, filling the screen with gorgeous beams that carve through enemy formations. Every weapon feels powerful in its own way, and watching entire waves disappear under your fully upgraded arsenal never gets old. Then there are the screen-clearing bombs. They’re wonderfully over-the-top, wiping out almost everything in sight while leaving behind clouds of wreckage and smoke. They feel every bit as satisfying as you’d hope.
A Challenge That Doesn’t Hold Back
There’s no getting around it, Truxton Extreme is difficult. One collision with an enemy, one stray bullet, even clipping floating debris can cost you a life instantly. This is very much built around the old arcade philosophy of learning enemy patterns, improving through repetition and gradually mastering each level. It isn’t quite as punishing as some of its arcade ancestors. Losing a life sends you back to a nearby checkpoint rather than all the way to the beginning, and you retain a portion of your weapon upgrades instead of starting completely from scratch. Even better, once you’ve completed a stage, you can restart from that stage later instead of replaying the entire game every single time. That small modern quality-of-life feature makes progression feel much more manageable.
There are tutorials, toggles for lives and bomb count in the main game and a more forgiving practice stage where mistakes don’t immediately end your run. I did find myself wishing this accessibility extended a little further into the full campaign, but it’s still nice to see options available for newer players. Reminds me of the retro days when a game only gives you a small slice of the experience if you opt for the easy mode.
Modern Looks, Classic Soul
I was slightly cautious when I first saw that Truxton had moved from pixel art into full 3D graphics, but those worries disappeared pretty quickly. The ships are well designed, bosses remain wonderfully grotesque with mechanical insects, glowing eyes and giant metallic monstrosities, while explosions are packed with satisfying debris that drifts through space after each encounter. Most importantly, everything remains easy to read. In a genre where split-second reactions matter, visual clarity is absolutely essential, and Truxton Extreme handles it well.
Then there’s the soundtrack. Quite simply, it’s fantastic. Returning composer Masahiro Yuge delivers an energetic soundtrack packed with soaring guitars, pumping synths and adrenaline-fuelled themes that perfectly capture the excitement of old arcade cabinets. Combined with the frantic gameplay, it constantly keeps the action feeling exciting.
High Score Hunters
Beyond Story Mode, Arcade Mode offers the traditional experience: no story, just start-to-finish score chasing. Team Mode allows cooperative play with a friend; just keep in mind you share lives. There’s also a Model Viewer, unlockable comics and other bonus extras to reward dedicated players. It’s not brimming with content, feeling a lot like what one would expect on an old console release on Mega Drive.
Conclusion: Extreme Edition
Truxton Extreme doesn’t reinvent the vertical shooter genre. Instead, it modernises a beloved arcade classic while preserving everything that made it memorable in the first place. The gameplay is fast, satisfying and wonderfully intense, the soundtrack is excellent, and the new visual style successfully updates the series without losing its identity. The biggest hurdle will undoubtedly be the difficulty. This is still a game built around persistence, practice and improving your skills over multiple attempts. Players looking for generous accessibility options or a more relaxed experience may bounce off fairly quickly.
But if you’re someone who misses the golden age of arcade shooters, or you’re simply looking for a challenging action game that rewards mastery, Truxton Extreme delivers. It’s exciting, unapologetically retro, and proof that sometimes the old formulas still work brilliantly.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot
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