Review: Asteroids Recharged

Whenever I think of simple yet addictive arcade shooters, I always lean towards Asteroids. This 80s smash hit captured the attention of a generation of gamers and I was one of them. Roll on nearly forty years, and Asteroids Recharged leaps onto the scene with a modern interpretation.

Developed by Adamvision Studios and SneakyBox and published by Atari, this is a fixed-screen shooter. This is the third Recharged game I’ve reviewed, and like the others, this is retro as hell. Comprising a simple core concept, you must destroy asteroids and UFOs as you attempt to survive.

Asteroids Recharged lacks energy. 

I’ve recently covered Black Widow Recharged and Centipede Recharged, and I was thoroughly impressed. These reinvigorated titles capture the high energy and addictive gameplay of their original counterparts. Asteroids Recharged, however, does not! Its action feels lethargic as you spend more time stationary than moving. This was disappointing and somewhat tarnished an otherwise interesting game.

The Recharged series splits its focus between an arcade mode and thirty challenges that vary in difficulty. Furthermore, you can play either solo or couch co-op. If you’re a lone wolf, you’ll play round after round while comparing your efforts on a global leaderboard. If you team up with another, you can face off to achieve the highest score, or work together to overcome the challenges.

Interesting goals and crazy power-ups. 

Though much of the action appeared slow-paced, this was wonderfully counteracted by the developers. During the challenge mode, you must overcome an array of difficult tasks. Whether you are aiming for a particular score, surviving a set time, or destroying asteroids or UFOs, there is plenty to focus on. The goals are deceptively simple and lull you into a false sense of security. You will die repeatedly, curse your luck, and start again, and this makes it moreish as hell.

The action is helped further still, thanks to the excellent power-ups. With rapid-fire, mines, black holes, deflector shields, and more, there are many twists to the gameplay. I loved the variety of weapons and the array of challenges you face. This helped to keep the action fresh while keeping you on your toes. The limited-time upgrades make you extremely powerful, but they run out at inopportune moments. This was both annoying and intriguing as it added a tactical layer to each stage. You must decide whether to blast your way to victory, or be defensive and bide your time.

Asteroids Recharged is brilliantly retro-futuristic.

The developers have done a great job of retaining the original charm while polishing it for a modern audience. Furthermore, the clean lines and contrasting colours make this easy on the eye. I adored the infusion of neon tones and the madness of bullets flying. The fixed-screen quickly fills with enemies and rocks, and this makes it extremely hectic. However, no matter the number of objects, the gameplay never stuttered. I experienced no issues and enjoyed everything the enhanced Series X version offered.

This continued in the 80s inspired soundtrack. The synth music complemented the action perfectly while balancing high and low moments. Moreover, the hard-hitting and futuristic sound effects added to the clean neon imagery. Sadly, though, the audio failed to explore new avenues and subsequently; you know exactly what to expect. This wasn’t a bad thing. I just hoped for more from this modern interpretation.

A lack of a tutorial.

Playing Asteroids Recharged was as simple and basic as its core concept. However, a lack of a tutorial leaves you scratching your head. It took me around two hours to fathom out how to teleport, and I still don’t know if there are more secrets. Yet, the lack of direction won’t stop you from enjoying yourself. If the developers had incorporated a straightforward tutorial, then this would have overcome this slight annoyance.

Like the original Asteroids, this version is moreish! It is helped by the addition of the challenge mode and the couch co-op option. Furthermore, there is a large achievement list to keep you playing for hours. If you love arcade shooters, then you’ll adore every element of this well-polished title. 

Asteroids Recharged is a great re-envisioning of a classic. 

Though remastered and reworked games divide opinions, I love what the developers have achieved. They have retained every moment that made the original great while making it palatable for a modern audience. Yes, the gameplay is slow in places, but the weaponry and challenges counter this brilliantly. I enjoyed it and recommend you to buy it here! Are you good enough to destroy every bit of space debris? Grab the power-ups, avoid the bullets, and be victorious.