The shoot-‘em-up genre on Nintendo’s WiiWare service is surprisingly active in its first few weeks of existence. We’ve already seen Star Soldier R and Protothea in past weeks, and now High Voltage Software delivers a different take on the average shooter with Gyrostarr. Drawing influence from the likes of past games, such as Tempest and N2O: Nitrous Oxide, Gyrostarr is certainly not your run-of-the-mill shmup; but is it worth the 700 Wii Points and nearly 300 blocks of memory to experience it?

It’s all in the Lights

Gyrostarr puts you in control of a space-fitted gunship as you fly through the reaches of space in what you could say is a wormhole, except that the action takes place on a multi-colored race track. You’ll be flying through a narrow area of these tracks as you’ll be forced to fight off constant enemies coming your way and defend against traps designed to keep you off balance. As in most shooters, quick reflexes are required here, otherwise you could find yourself drained of your extra lives and be forced to start the level over again. To make sure you don’t crash and burn into these enemies or they don’t shoot you down, you’ll need to grab some weapon power-ups and bombs, which will give you a better chance at destroying enemies. Along with these power-ups you will need to collect energy plasma pods which appear as a blue clouds floating around the track and appear at random times. If you collect enough plasma, bonus stages await.

There are several Gyrostarr-specific options available to you when you’re flying through the reaches of space. You can use a grappling hook which will allow you to grab power-ups and the plasma energy pods that you need to boost through the gates instead of waiting for them to glide closer to you. You can also use bomb power-ups to destroy everything on screen. As you get deeper into the levels you’ll find that enemies increase in greater numbers which present even more problems if you don’t watch your back. If you get the energy bar filled before you reach the end of the level, you’ll enter into the bonus level. The bonus level unfortunately isn’t much different the normal levels. It will get rid of your items and grappling hook ability so you’re only left with gathering as much plasma as possible to gain a high score. There are no boss fights, so expect a lot of repetition, even though the game speeds and number of enemies increase.

High Voltage Software wanted to make this title as easy to pick up and play as possible, so they added co-op play for up to 4 players. With this players can use a variety of control schemes. The recommended controller option that is shown in the game is using the Wii remote like an NES controller and using the 1 & 2 buttons for controlling your ship. There is something called “Paired Control” in which one player uses the Wii remote while the other uses the nun-chuck. Another option you are given is being able to use solely the nun-chuck accessory using the stick to move and the Z and C buttons for weapons. While it may make sense to use the motion control, it’s not really recommended as it’s not as tight as using the NES style option. Your last option is being able to use the Virtual Console controller with all the normal A. B buttons and d-pad options at your disposal.

Graphics

Gyrostarr is colorful; that is probably the one word to describe this title on the whole. When you get right down to it, you have your basic spaceship model to guide you through the many tracks you’ll encounter. Just think of hundreds of neon lights covering a single race track in space. The warp gates form nicely and give that seamless transition during gameplay. Enemies among your power-ups are clearly labeled so you shouldn’t have too much of a problem picking them up. The game’s presentation is well done, although many of the enemies and in-game objects are generic in design.

Sound

Techno music covers Gyrostarr from top to bottom. It doesn’t vary much, although the tempo picks up when you continue to boost through the warp gates heading into the next level. The music is an interesting choice here and works to some extent. Weapons have their own unique sound effects, as do the enemies themselves. You also will hear an interesting sound as you pass through the warp gates. The bass levels are ratcheted up a notch here and the game supports Dolby Pro Logic II. You’ll often hear an almost seducing female voice guide you through your advance through the game.

Plasma Factor

Gyrostarr offers a very interesting take on the space-based shooters you may have seen every now and then. If you want to pin something down on Gyrostarr you could say that its fun to have friends play along. Co-op play here is fun and gives players a chance to use various unique control schemes that give the game a fresh feel to it to help you complete each level. The game defines itself on its speedy nature and constant action. It’s one of those titles that offer a chance for those who want to play something quick before heading into a serious title.

Conclusion

Gyrostarr is a competent shooter for Wii Ware, and it’s certainly priced reasonably at 700 Wii points. While it’s quick and easy to fly through, you’ll notice that it’s something you can easily breeze through in a few hours. The co-op play might keep you tied to the title a little longer than that, expanding its replayability. With the many control options that Gyrostarr provides, it should be enough to keep you busy at least for a few minutes as you decide which is best for you. It’s a shame Nintendo hasn’t introduced demos for Wii games as this would have been the perfect chance to try before you buy; however, Gyrostarr keeps you in the game with the constant enemy fury and techno feel of the game.