Dual Stick Shooter Showdown - Who Blasts Their Way To The Top?
by Staff Writer
December 16, 2010
With so many dual stick shooters in the App Store, and separate reviews for each one it was time to compare the major players. Many of these apps are universal or have iPad counterparts so all iOS device owners can enjoy. So without further ado our dual stick shooter comparison.
Age of Zombies is one of the best as every level in the story is like a survival mode, plus there is a survival mode included as well. The load of style and weaponry really make it enjoyable. The one thing keeping it back is that there aren't expansive levels, and it's as though the levels are a string of survival arenas.
Meteor Blitz brings dual stick controls to the space shooter, and creates a great game. It's a complete all around arcade game with levels and survival that gives you asteroids and all kinds of enemies. It's packed with action and enjoyment though every level offers the same flat layout with no obstacles.
Revolt is also near the top with amazing visuals and a deluxe storyline and level layout that resembles a first person shooter adventure. The levels are large, and have multiple hidden areas. The only problem area is that enemies come in very few numbers, so it's more dull in the story, and especially in the survival mode.
Guerilla Bob looked to be a major hit, but never really made it. The game has a nice level adventure, but there is really no fork in the road, so it’s more than survival, but the levels aren't that expansive. The enemies don't come in huge numbers, and it's similar to Revolt as there is a slower pace which is very evident in the survival mode. A co-op update is on the way though.
Minigore is probably the most well known of dual stick shooters, and has been updated tons of times. The game has a brilliant pace to keep you coming back intrigued by the action with the overload of enemies and gun fire. It's the best gameplay, but only is survival without any type of storyline. A co-op update is on the way though.
Alive 4 Ever Returns offers a different style as it's a top down shooter with fewer strong enemies. There are always a lot of enemies, and there are actual levels as well as up to four player co-op. The problem is you can never see that much of the screen so enemies can sneak up on you, and it's rather mundane from level to level without much variability.
Pirate's Treasure offers up a campaign and boss battle with many levels. There are different objectives for each level, but only the look changes and not the actual level design. The game isn't very challenging, and is more on the dull side as you face some level needing 1000 kills with no variability.
Max Adventure is the most recent, and has learned from the other games. It offers relatively expansive levels with multiple hidden areas across a deluxe storyline. Every level offers tons of action with gameplay similar to Minigore in the amount of enemies and gun fire. Max Adventure really combines the fun of Minigore, and gives it a full storyline giving you the best that could be in dual stick shooters.
Robokill is iPad only, but definitely worth mentioning. It has a deluxe level set up with 13 chapters with a room based map containing over 450 rooms. There is a gigantic campaign, but no endless survival mode which drops the game a little.
There are many others, but the rest rank lower than the games listed above, and weren't worth mentioning. Max Adventure is currently the best all around dual stick shooter, but the next one is surely right around the corner.
