Nanostray 2 is a fairly traditional shoot ‘em up on the Nintendo DS. Taking clear inspiration from games like R-Type or Gradius, the first one was a fairly solid throwback to the classic genre. This sequel only adds on the foundation set by the original. But the first had some problems that kept it from fully living up to the games that inspired it. With additional features and content, does this sequel add enough to allow Nanostray 2 to stand beside the great arcade classics?

For the simplest explanation, you fly a specially modified starfighter as you fly through side-scrolling and vertical-scrolling levels, avoiding buildings, ships, enemies, and of course, enemy fire, all the while dealing damage of your own. There’s really nothing too deep about Nanostray 2. Shoot ‘em ups have always been some of the simplest games to understand. Hold down the ‘fire’ button and don’t get hit. Of course, that’s never always the easiest thing to do. Enemies will attack you in waves, following simple patterns, but the sheer number can sometimes feel overwhelming. It’s a matter of your ability to maneuver through the sheer chaos going on on-screen, and if you’re a risk-taker, you very well could make it out of some very tight situations.

Thankfully, your arsenal isn’t just set to the standard laser bolts from your ship. Destroying some enemies will an upgrade that will add a helper satellite to your ship. There are two of these, and the both of them will be symmetrical to one another. So while pressing ‘B’ will make you shoot straight ahead, you’ll have two other weapons firing at 45-degree angles. It certainly makes things a lot easier. Pressing your L or R-triggers will alter that angle that these additional weapons fire. You can preset these angles prior to entering the your mission, adding a small layer of customization, but ultimately, the default settings work just fine.

On top of the helper satellites, you also have a super-weapon mapped to the Y-button. There are multiple weapons for you to choose from, and again, you can choose which one works best for you prior to entering the mission. These vary from homing missles, a constant stream of energy that shoots straight forward, timed bombs etc. It’s fairly typical, and really nothing new is here that you won’t likely find in other games. With each level complete, another weapon is added to your arsenal to try out. It isn’t hard finding one that works for you since some of them are fairly weak, while others deal a solid amount of damage. But these super-weapons require energy, and you only have a limited supply. You’ll need to play it smart about when to use these, or just refill on the coins that defeated enemies will leave behind.

At the end of each mission, of course you need to face a boss. Some of these are pretty cool, but others seem to be pulled straight from the pages of “How to Make a Shoot ‘em Up”. You of course have the organic organism, the fast robots, the big monsters, the crazy ships… It’s all just very expected. There are a handful that are actually quite solid, but not enough.

The story mode has a very open-ended feel to it. While the opening mission will be the same for everyone, you then will have the option of choosing from three more. Defeat that run of missions, and you will face some more. It goes on for a good while, and lasts a good solid length.

One thing that shmup fans should be glad to hear though is the somewhat ridiculous difficulty. It’s fairly standard for most games in the genre, but plenty of people who aren’t veterans at this type of game could easily be frustrated by the high level of difficulty. Even the ‘Easy’ mode will be enough to scare most away. This is due to the one-hit kill system from classic games. But again, fans of the genre won’t be too rattled, and it’ll be just another shooter to spend hours perfecting. It wouldn’t be unfounded if I were to complain about the difficulty, but the gameplay is just so addictive that I find that I just can’t do so. I suppose it speaks to the nature of the type of game, and the fact that Nanostray 2 revives that feeling is a good sign.

But almost like a sick joke for some, the game also features a Challenge mode. The challenges presented range from lasting for around 30 seconds, to defeating 14 waves of enemies without getting hit, etc. There are four groups of six challenges, and with each group defeated, a Simulation will be unlocked. This really is nothing than a short game that you could find on any cell phone, but they’re fun for a quick hit.

The game presents itself in a solid manner. With 3D visuals that really pop and give a more thrilling dynamic in a genre where few games look very different. What is unfortunate is that everything else has been seen before. The ships, the enemies, all feel very generic or rehashed. The game, other than the 3D aspect, has no sense of real individual style which is a letdown. But nevertheless, it still has a clean look, it effects look good, and all the chaos doesn’t slow the action down at all, leaving the framerate running at a solid 60 frames-per-second.

There’s also a semi-awkward touch control scheme, but it’s only optional. The problem that arises is that there’s just too much risk of your sight getting obstructed. I really can’t imagine too many people will be using this, but it’s worth trying out. The buttons themselves work fine, and the button layout feels really good.

The sound effects and music add a good bit to the experience. They’re fairly typical, but they’re good. Some cinematics are really aided by the audio experience with a good mix of classical, metal, and techno tunes. They’re all pretty good. Just nothing groundbreaking.

That’s a problem that is pretty much the issue with the entire game. It’s nothing really new. Despite the game doing what it needs to so well, it just sticks with the tried-and-true. It doesn’t try to differentiate itself from the rest of the genre, or do much to step above the crowd. But as much as I am bugged by this, the shmup genre isn’t about reinventing the wheel or anything of the sort. It’s about just providing a challenge and dishing out the fun in the process.

Nanostray 2 was a straight-up impulse buy for me. I just saw a shoot ‘em up, and I bought it. Needless to say, I’m glad I did. With the solid story mode, nightmarish challenges, online leaderboards and 2-player mode via single-cart or multi-cart modes, Nanostray 2 is a solid package. There are the downsides of it not being very unique, but it’s still a solid shooter that will keep you coming back on your downtime. The visual presentation is solid, and it looks great on the DS. On a platform that doesn’t have anything else of the sort, this is a definitely a great game to satisfy fans of the genre.

Gameplay
Feels like a solid shooter. More than enough challenge in every aspect of the game, but it’s so addicting, you’ll just keep coming back. But nothing too defining from anything else you may have played. Most of the bosses feel a bit uninspired. Some stand-out ones though.

Visuals
Excellent 3D presentation that make the levels feel a bit more dynamic, but designs feel too generic. Solid effects and good framerate.

Sound
Solid soundtrack that adds to the classic feeling of the game. A bit more of an epic feeling than other games in the genre. Solid voice-acting just adds to it.

Stuff
Story mode, replayable levels in the Arcade mode, Challenge mode, four ‘Simulations’, online leaderboards and single/multi-card multiplayer. Will definitely last you a while from the challenge.

Waffle Factor
Not a very ‘new’ experience, but a good one. It feels very classical with an addictive difficulty, plenty of modes, and a great presentation. Will certainly satisfy fans of the genre.

SCORE: 8.0/10