Platform: PlayStation 3
Genre: Shooter
Number of Players: 1 or 2
I don’t mind telling you that when it comes to Super Stardust HD, it’s
been one of the PlayStation Network titles that I haven’t been able
to stay away from for too long. There have been a number of
occasions where that “quick game” has last for an hour, two hours,
or even more. Many player though have mastered the game, for the
most part at least, and they have unlocked all of the planets that
are available, but new challenges await, something that will once
again prove to be the lure that draws back anyone who was already
fascinated with the modernized retro game that has reminded many of
a certain classic arcade game that involved destroying giant rocks.
The Solo Pack Add-On brings a variety of new features to Super
Stardust, all with the single player version of the game as the
primary focus. You won’t be flying blind either as the game will
immediately show you were the new features are located once you’ve
installed the add-on, and that begins with the options. In the past,
players could either use the default soundtrack or add in their own,
customized playlist, but now there’s a new feature. Super Stardust
includes a new retro soundtrack option to give you some stripped
down synth tracks, something that anyone who has heard the music
over and over again will certainly appreciate.
It isn’t just music that is coming with this addition though, and
for anyone who may have tried to play the game but found that it was
a bit too difficult, there is a new Easy mode included. It’s
actually VERY easy and should be ideal for novices, but before you
go thinking that at long last that number one position in the global
ranking will be yours, there are some things you should be aware of.
The Easy mode is separate from the normal mode rankings, and any
planets that you unlock here will still need to be conquered outside
of trying to take it easy. This should give you plenty of practice
though in perpetration for the regular version of Super Stardust.
If you have in fact conquered the arcade mode repeatedly and have
found Super Stardust growing stale, the other new modes will provide
brand new challenges. Endless mode is you, one planet, and
everything found throughout the game trying to smash you into a
nothing more than metallic shards. You’ll begin with your weapons
slightly powered up, though it becomes very easy to grab power-up’s
along the way. The usual rules also works as well, so boost can
still be used to increased the value of point icons, there are
shields, bomb drop ships and on very rare occasions, extra life
icons. But there are also new dangers as well. Not only are you
being assaulted by every alien craft and rock type, there are new
meteor showers that will bombard you will a deadly wave of small
rocks, but that’s nothing that the new planet sweeper bombs can’t
handle. When one of these appears, simply destroy it to send out a
shockwave across the atmosphere.
Bomber Mode is also a single planet, but your usual weapons aren’t
available. The only thing you have in your arsenal are bombs. Use
these to destroy your enemies and do vaporize drop ships so that
more bombs can be added into your collection. This is one of the
more difficult modes in Super Stardust currently, and one that
should put even the most die-hard players on edge. In the new
Survival Mode, you have one life as you try and avoid indestructible
rocks. You will find there are still green asteroids the plummet to
the planet and destroying these will give you time icons while bomb
drop ships and red ships continue to touch down in the atmosphere.
The goal here is, of course, survival, and each time icon will add a
fraction of time into your score. Finally Super Stardust features a
new time attack mode where you choose the planet and try and
complete all the stages in record time.
The additions for Super Stardust will definitely revitalize the game
for anyone who has found that they have grown tired of simply trying
to outdo their score. Since this labeled as a Solo Pack, I would
image that very soon we may see more multiplayer features, hopefully
some new planets and enemies, and with any luck, new weaponry. If
you still haven’t managed to download this game, now is the perfect
time and these new add-on features keep Super Stardust HD at the top
of my list for one of the best PlayStation Network downloads.
-mike-
