Waste In Space is a meaningful endless arcade shooter

Waste in Space - Endless Arcade Shooter (Free) by Marco Tormento is an endless arcade shooter that also throws in ragdoll physics into the mix for a unique and hectic game that will keep you busy for some time. If you enjoy being out in space, ragdoll physics, and shooting up garbage, then this game is the right mix for you.

Even though I’ve gone through hundreds of iOS games in the past several years, some of the ones that I just keep coming back to are endless arcade games because, well, they are just downright tons of fun. These are the games that you can pick-up-and-play at any time, even if it is just a few moments to spare, and you can put them down just as easily when needed. These are not lengthy games, so they’re perfect for playing in short bursts throughout the day, and that’s always something I’m looking for in a mobile game. Plus, having a sense of humor doesn’t hurt either. So when the news of Waste in Space hit my inbox a week ago, I was intrigued because it combined pretty much everything I would want in a mobile arcade game.

The graphics in Waste In Space are a bit crudely drawn, giving it a jagged, cartoonish aesthetic that reminds me a bit of “South Park.” Despite the rough look, the animations are fairly smooth and fluid, which is always necessary since there is plenty of ragdoll physics involved here. The background color is always going to be rather dark, considering that you’re out in space, but the asteroids, floating bits of trash, coins, and the space station that you launch out from are all bright and vivid, contrasting nicely with the dark and cold reaches of space. The upbeat and quirky soundtrack is fun to listen to, and will help lift your mood for such a fun and lighthearted game. The sound effects are a nice touch too.

With Waste In Space, there is only one game mode and the goal is to swing through the asteroids and shoot the trash before they fall down onto Earth. I mean, yeah, sending all the garbage on the planet into orbit in space will get rid of it for now, but that stuff has got to come back down at some point, right? And that’s exactly what’s happening in Waste In Space. You get points for each piece of trash that you manage to destroy, with the larger ones nabbing you more points, of course. Other ways to earn points involve doing sick tricks and performing combos to maximize the points earned, and there is a ranking system with missions to complete in order to level up. You get some nice rewards for completing these tasks, so always make sure to look them over and strive to achieve them during each run.

The controls in Waste In Space are simple and intuitive, requiring just one touch on the screen to do anything. To make use of your character’s grappling hook, just tap-and-hold on the screen to latch on to the nearest asteroid. When you see pieces of trash floating around, just do quick taps on the screen to shoot and destroy them. Your ammo supply is finite, though, so you’ll have to try to acquire more along the way. If you have a boost power-up item, just slide your finger across the screen to activate it.

In addition to the trash floating around space, there are coins that you can collect as well. These coins are also earned by watching videos (it’s a free download, after all) and daily gifts, similar to games like Crossy Road. The coins are used to get prizes, which can be either new characters or gravity hats, both of which have their own special attributes. So not only do new characters and hats change your aesthetic, but they also change up the gameplay a bit.

I’ve only spent a little time with Waste In Space so far, but I’m enjoying the game quite a bit. The visuals are cute and humorous, the music is catchy, and the intuitive controls are super easy to pick up, but can be difficult to master. The gameplay is fun, crazy, and challenging, so you’ll always be coming back to the game in order to try and best your own scores. This is just a lighthearted game that anyone can enjoy, and it also has a nice lesson — that trash isn’t really going away just because you send it up to space.

I recommend giving Waste In Space a try if you’re looking for a fun time wasting arcade game this week. You can get Waste In Space – Endless Arcade Shooter on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free with in-app purchases.