Atari Revives Classic With Asteroids Gunner
Asteroids GUNNER (Free) by Atari is a classic game brought to life by the same developers who created it.
You play a space fighter pilot, and your goal is simple enough: blow stuff up.
Play takes place across three different worlds, with 150 levels available. Asteroids are the first targets you'll face, but next come alien ships and then "anomalies." Gather crystals and power ups in order to upgrade your ship.
The obvious difference between this game and the original Asteroids is the whole "gunner" addition. Instead of a fire button and single joystick for controls, your controls consist of two joysticks. The left one moves your ship, while the right one moves and fires your turret.
Your starting ship is the "Dart," a small one-man snub fighter, though the "Miner" and the "Bomber" are available once unlocked. The moment the game starts, you're thrown into the asteroid-destroying fray. Arrow indicators will point from your ship in the direction of incoming threats.
This game isn't anything new, especially for the whole Asteroids genre. The newly released Martian Miner app is essentially the same game. What Gunner has over Martian Miner, though, is the addition of shields. Just like a Timex watch, you can take a licking and keep on ticking.
With over 200 achievements waiting to be awarded to you, there are plenty of opportunities to earn your stripes. Granted, some of the achievements reek of the infamous "participation" award on a school field day, but at least it's something.
The game's trance-like music is disappointing. You would expect the music to match all of the shooting you're doing, rather than getting a massage in a spa.
For being a free game, there is no room for buyer's remorse, so I would highly recommend it. Fans of the original game or gamers in general will like the non-stop action.
