There isn’t much of a story behind Majesco’s microscopic shooter “Nano Assault,†but the concept is too damn cool to ignore.
A 3-D shooter that takes place inside living cells? Damn skippy.
With solid controls, an old-school challenge and head-turning gameplay, it’s easy to say that “Nano Assault†is currently the best shooter on the Nintendo 3DS.
It’s a call not difficult to make considering the lack of shooters on the system right now. But don’t that take away how much fun the title is. Traveling around living cells, looking for hidden DNA strands and defeating microorganisms is great. Navigating around the cells takes full advantage of the 3D elements of the system. It’s not a graphical masterpiece, but there’s no slowdown with multiple enemies on-screen and everything is colorful and clear. The camera changes are fluid as well, making for a seamless experience visually. Often times, you’ll find yourself in wonder of the environment, tilting your head as you traverse each cell.
Exploration is a huge part of the game, but the shooting action encompassed within this title is the bread and butter. Early on it’s simple, straight-ahead gameplay , but over time, you’ll acquire additional weapons, such as bombs and missiles, which make defeating tougher enemies simpler. Unlike other arcade shooters, these weapons do run out, but can be refilled by beating certain enemies. Knowing the right times to use them is the key to survival. While they do make the game easier than it would have been without them, the game doesn’t let up. In later levels, the new enemies that appear require a combination of button-mashing and smarts to take care of.
The standard levels are cool and play like a combination of hide and seek and a retro shooter, but the game truly shines during the boss battles. Facing massive enemies that litter the screen with incoming damage, simply trying to stay out of harms way is no joke. The four-button directional firing control scheme works well in all instances, while special weapons are easy to fire. Much like the graphics, the control scheme does what it’s supposed to, when it’s supposed to.
The end result is a polished game that will surprise you the more you play it.
While Majesco obviously doesn’t have the street cred of other third-party developers on the 3DS, “Nano Assault†is proof that this company shouldn’t be overlooked. Deep, enjoyable and full of cool moments, you can’t ask for more from a handheld shooter.
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