I don’t play many pure arcade games very often anymore. As gamers, we gravitate toward experiences that feature narrative, extensive progression suites, compelling visuals, and various other elements that modern technology allows developers to incorporate into their creations. But just because games can be more complex doesn’t mean they need to be, as GrahamOfLegend’s Super Space Club proves.
This game is essentially a modern spin on Asteroids. You pilot a ship from a true top-down perspective, and must navigate a battlefield filled with asteroids and other hazards against waves of enemy ships. That’s pretty much it. Of course, there are a bunch of different enemy types to face, different characters, ship types, and blaster types to unlock, and short challenges to complete. But the core gameplay is pretty bare-bones, which is what makes Super Space Club so much fun.
In terms of gameplay, the only real thing to say is the energy/life system, which is intertwined. In Asteroids you die when you hit an asteroid, but in Super Space Club you have a regenerating health bar that depletes when you take damage and hit an asteroid, but when It also depletes when you fire a blaster, which means you have to balance offense and defense. The only time you have to be very careful is when your health becomes critical, as a last shot or a collision with an asteroid will end your run, as there are no multiple lives in Super Space Club.
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There’s also no story to follow, progress is all about picking up currency found on defeated ships, which you can use in the main menu to unlock a total of five characters, five ships, and five blaster tracks, each of which will Change up the gameplay a bit. Explosive round trajectories define how the ship fires the shot, for example, as a single-line fire or as a seeker round to hunt down enemies. Ship types define how ships move, some are slower but more durable, while others are fragile but agile. In the end, the characters are separated by a very, very small lore and a special ability that either opens the shield’s gate, or the OverwatchTracer’s blink motion, or even slows down time. Each of these combinations has over 100 different combinations, see which one best suits your play style. While that’s impressive, progression isn’t why you play Super Space Club either.
In short, this game is just fun and fun. It’s basic, with no demands on the player other than trying to hold out against hordes of enemies for as long as possible and setting the highest score you can manage in a lifetime. It really captures the pure essence of the arcade genre, then elevates it with a perfect combination of a lo-fi and chill soundtrack with a bright and vibrant art style that alternates color palettes with each run. You can play against a dark blue background, with lime green accents accentuating the HUD one round, then a sunset orange and cherry red mix the next. Very eye-catching.
Super Space Club is the perfect game for anyone looking to fill 30 minutes here and there. It’s easy to get into, it’s fun and entertaining, and there’s enough variety so it doesn’t feel repetitive. It’s not a groundbreaking title, nor will it blow your mind, but if you’re an arcade fan, you’ll feel right at home with this game.
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