The Last Starfigher
System: NES
Release Date: June 1990
Developer: Eastridge Technology
Publisher: Mindscape
Genre: Shoot ‘em Up
It was a video game that got you into this mess with the Last Starfighter. You’ve demolished the high score in the video game Starfighter, so that means you’ll be the next savior of the Star League. You’ve got 15 command ships to destroy, so get at it.
We’ve got a crappy side scrolling shoot ‘em up to take a look at here. Shoot with the B Button. Roll your ship by holding the A Button and up or down. What differs from other shoot ‘em ups is that you can move both left and right. Pressing the direction you’re moving speeds you up. Pressing the opposite direction slows you down and eventually turns you around.
There are a lot of obstacles on the field that you don’t really know are obstacles until you run into them. Enemies can also appear in spots that will kill you without remorse. Seeker mines can be launched that you need to outrun or otherwise avoid, but good luck. When you’ve destroyed enough enemies or surface objects, you’ll be instructed to land on a landing strip. Slow down to land, if you’re lucky. Then you try to press the button at the right time to increase your bonus before blowing the command ship up and moving to the next.
Graphics: 1.0
It looks passable, but it’s so hard to tell things on the battlefield apart.
Sound: 1.5
I’m not mad at the sound, but it wasn’t good.
Gameplay: 0.5
Enemies appearing out of nowhere and killing you no matter what is stupid. No growth in abilities.
Difficulty: 1.0
You’re going to die a whole lot until you memorize the stage. Then you’re going to die on the next stage until you memorize it and so on.
Fun Factor: 0.5
I really didn’t like this game and am unhappy I had to play it.
Overall Grade: 0.9
The Last Starfighter earns a D. Another computer game that didn’t port well to the consoles. Maybe it sucked there, too.