Finally, we have to talk about the game in which you become a space-faring dragonfly creature that shoots energy bullets and eats obstacles. What’s there but Yaaz? If you’re playing on Nintendo Switch, Yars: Recharged from Adamvision Studios and SneakyBox.
The original video game generation will probably remember Yars’ Revenge on the 1982 Atari 2600. The developer has updated the visuals so it doesn’t get hung up on the overly pixelated images that plague many games trying to look “retro-cool”. Don’t get me wrong. I like simple and clean looking games. I don’t think you have to look like a pile of bricks to get the effect. While looking at the game’s graphics, it looks fine in handheld mode, but it’s much easier to tell them apart on TV. Improved situational awareness.
Another upgrade is the multiplayer option. Unlike the days of the Atari 2600, you don’t have to be in the same room. There is a switch network connection to help with that.
One of the other great features you get with Yars: Recharged is the dual mode of arcade and mission games. Mission mode has 30 levels and new levels are unlocked when you complete the previous one. You can replay unlocked levels to see if you can improve your score. Remember to use the B button when exiting a level, as pressing the A button will start the same level again. Arcade mode also has 30 levels. The same he has 3 lives, but after 3 hits the journey is over. If you want to continue arcade mode, you have to start over from level 1. Don’t worry too much. After clearing each level, the next level again he starts with 3 lives.
Yars: Recharged is pretty simple in its premise and layout, but don’t think of it as just a walkthrough. The goal is to knock out the master core (or multiple cores) before 3 hits. Each master core has several shields and they come with several smaller cores that attack you. There are different types of cores that shoot different types of unkindness your way. Shooting or nibbling the shield gives you a small drop of energy. Knocking out a small core creates a small pile of energy drops. Be sure to collect these as they power up the charge meter of the big guns.
Once the meter is full, you’ll have access to a very large gun on the left edge of the screen. You need to start the shot. Smaller cores can be killed in one shot, but two clean hits are required to destroy the master core. With all cores firing at you, barriers to pass through, and a large swirling shot fired by the master core, there’s a lot to dodge. You have a shot, so you have to keep it sharp.
Most enemy shots absorb 1 life of damage, but Vortex kills you in one shot no matter what. Another tip for shooting enemies — if you have a cannon, remember that there is a safe zone that enemy bullets can’t penetrate. However, the whirlpool can still catch you, so as Mr. Solo once warned, “Don’t be cocky.”
Yars: Recharged, like its ancestors, is a simple survival and shoot game. With no story, no adventures, no puzzles to solve, and interesting characters to interact with, it can feel a bit repetitive. What you get, however, is a game of pure and simple skill. Learning patterns, tactical planning, great attention to detail, and sharp reactions are required to survive in this game. It involves some very basic survival and competitive driving and wraps it all up in a nice looking package. You can always try to update your old scores, and the two-player option lets you show off your teamwork skills.