Rarely do I consider the games that get canned. Accordingly, there must be thousands of titles that fail to impress publishers and therefore never get seen. As such, I wonder how many of these failed experiments would have excelled. Well, Akka Arrh attempts to right this wrong as it surfaces after 40 years in the dark.
Developed by Llamasoft and published by Atari, this is a fast-paced arcade experience. What’s more, it is psychedelic, insanely strange, and unlike anything else I’ve experienced. Consequently, I wonder why it was scrapped in the first place. Though it lacks depth, it oozes 80s charm and fits in with many sci-fi games of the era. Accordingly, I believe it would have achieved cult status had it been rightly published all those years ago.
Akka Arrh chucks you into the madness.
80s arcade titles comprise plenty of familiar mechanics, but they love their shocking moments as well. Subsequently, it didn’t surprise me that Akka Arrh chucks you straight in at the deep end. With no explanation of what is happening and very little guidance as to what to do, you must muddle through. Now, this sounds like a complaint, but it isn’t. Instead, I loved the hectic nature of the gameplay and trial-and-error approach.
The action may be maddening, but the core concept is remarkably simple. You control a turret that must fight off waves of alien creatures. As you destroy each entity, it explodes and emits a shock wave. This oddly shaped “weapon” can annihilate other aliens and this tool must be used to maximise your score. By firing a bomb, you’ll restart your combo and your chain must start from 0. The challenge is to maximise your combo to increase your score whilst surviving each wave. This sounds easy, but drip-fed mechanics makes the action tough but rewarding.
Ahhh, stop breaking my balls.
Not only do you enjoy a simple concept, but there is a range of modes to undertake as well. However, alongside this, you must endure drip-fed mechanics that alter the gameplay and increase the difficulty. If things are going to plan, you’ll hold back each wave of aliens without concern. Yet, things rarely go to plan and the action soon begins to break your balls.
If your enemies break through your defences, they’ll enter a lower layer of your base. Here, they try to steal orbs that weaken the turret. Moreover, if all your orbs are taken, your run is finished and you must start again. On top of this, your enemies evolve and some will defend themselves. When this happens, you must use your secondary weapon to destroy them. This additional element increases the difficulty, but it can be used to increase or continue your combo as well. Accordingly, though they are a nightmare, these annoying enemies can be used to improve your run.
Akka Arrh looks insane.
I’ve never taken drugs, therefore, I assume that Akka Arrh is the closest thing to an LSD trip that I’ll experience. This vivid and surreal title looks insane! With clean lines, mind-blowing colours, and fast-flowing action, it plays tricks on your eyes. Moreover, the strange shapes and never-ending stream of aliens are relentless. Alongside this, you have to move from the upper to the lower layer seamlessly. When this happens, a smooth transition helps you to adjust.
On top of the 80s psychedelic artistry, you’ll enjoy excellent animation, basic stage design, and brilliant UI. Furthermore, Atari adds another neon-infused game to their arsenal of incredibly addictive endeavours.
The graphics are crazy. However, I was equally impressed by the audio. The hard-hitting soundtrack isn’t to my liking, but it was perfect for the theme and genre. The synth music was era-specific, painful on your ears, but brilliantly upbeat as well.
Excellent controls.
Akka Arrh lacks complexity. Consequently, the controls were never going to be tough to pick up. However, a helpful tutorial smooths things over. As such, the responsive inputs and basic layout increase the usability further still.
Arcade games are addictive and casual. Thankfully, Akka Arrh is unbelievably moreish as you destroy multiple enemies and survive waves of attacks. Furthermore, the drip-fed mechanics keep you on your toes. Additionally, I loved trying to maximise my combo and the subsequent score I achieved.
Akka Arrh shouldn’t have been cancelled.
I do not know why this wasn’t released in the 80s. Every layer of the gameplay is a success, and it works as well as many of its peers of the time. Thankfully, though, Llamasoft has brought it to life while giving it a modern polish. Accordingly, I enjoyed it and I recommend that you buy it here! Can you protect your pods and destroy every alien? Drop your bomb and watch the fireworks begin.
