Super Stardust Portable is the little brother to the smash-hit PSN title, Super Stardust HD, and is currently sitting on the European PSN Store for £6.30. With a lot to live up to, will this game manage to match its big brother? Or is the PSP too limited a piece of hardware for the game to meet its potential or for it to even be worth the asking price? Read on to find out for yourself.

Graphics ;;

For a lot of people one of the most impressive things about Super Stardust HD was the sheer number of enemies that would flood the screen at any time, trying to crush your little ship out of existence. For those worrying that Super Stardust Portable cannot keep up with its big brother, stop worrying now. There are just as many enemies flinging themselves at your ship, just as many asteroids floating aimlessly and just as many explosions. All with no sign at all of relenting. It can get pretty hectic at times and the game promotes the use of bright colours on your targets to not only help differentiate them but to also make it easier to keep tabs on everything that is going on – of which there is an awful lot, believe me. Boss designs are interesting and the generic enemies look great on the small screen. A great achievement is that this game has no framerate issues at all. All in all, a very beautifully and energetic game.

Gameplay ;;

Super Stardust Portable a multidirectional 2D shooter, the goal being to destroy all asteroids and enemies that are on the screen to get as high a score as possible. There are five planets, each split into five “Phases”. After you’ve destroyed a set number of enemies or asteroids, a small ship will appear. Destroying the ship ends the Phase. The fifth Phase of each world is a boss fight, requiring you to attack the weak points of the large ships for massive damage. The game is also split into a variety of Modes, namely Arcade, Planet Mode, Endless, Survival, Bomber, Impact. Arcade, Planet and Impact are available from the very beginning, with Endless, Survival and Bomber presumably unlocked for completing the initial three Modes (I’ll update on this piece of information when I actually do that). Each Mode is exactly the same as those found in Super Stardust HD. Impact Mode is an alternative to the Bomber Mode, where you are given a fixed amount of Bombs and need to rack up as high a score as possible by Boosting through enemies. Blue rings across the stage propell a Boosting ship even further, which makes for an interesting diversion from the main game.

Movement is controlled completely by the analogue slider, allowing for extremely precise dodging, and shooting is controlled by the face buttons – as the direction of fire isn’t limited to the direction the ship is facing, it’s possible to shoot in any direction at any time. Boosting is managed by a press of the left shoulder button and also destroys almost everything you come into contact with while boosting, giving the ship a way out when surrounded as well as a a nice alternative to quick points. Boosts recharge pretty quickly and are just as integral to high scores as the weapons you have access to. Bombs are managed by a press of the right shoulder button and clear the screen of almost everything on it – perfect for when you’re surrounded or when there is a lot of enemies on the screen for some quick points. Bombs are limited in number, but you can acquire up to two per Phase, yet they are invaluable. Carefully timed usage of them can mean the difference between life and death. 

In addition to these you have access to three weapons, each with unlimited ammo – called the Rock Crusher (Green), Ice Splitter (Blue) and Gold Melter (Red) respectively – that are each especially effective against certain enemies and specific asteroids (while that’s the case you’ll most likely find yourself sticking to a certain weapon, regardless of enemy weaknesses, thanks to the placement of the weapon cycle being on the D-Pad). Each weapon has its own specific way of attack, from the latching motions of the Gold Melter to the four laser spread of the Rock Crusher, and they can all be upgraded by collecting certain floating tokens left behind after destroying the Green Cores of asteroids. It’s also possible to increase the power of the weapons to 200% for a short period of time, where destroying asteroids and enemies becomes a breeze.

Sound ;;

There isn’t much to say about the audio. Just like its big brother, each world has its own theme and bosses get their own music too. While not particularly catchy, they do fit nicely with the planet you’re on and aren’t intrusive nor do they take your attention away from the frantic screen filling antics. Each weapon is accompanied by a different sound, as expected, and the menu has a decent looping soundtrack.

Overall ;;

Graphics – 8 – Pretty impressive for a PSP game, no slowdown or framerate issues at all and the art direction is top notch.
Gameplay – 9 – Immersive, addictive and utterly hectic, this is one of the best original PSN Titles available on any region’s Store.
Audio – 7 – Not memorable, but matches the game well. The sound effects of the weapons are satisfying, and the boss themes are pretty good.
Overall – 8.5 – A great game for a great price. If you love shooters or Super Stardust HD, this is a must-buy. Otherwise, it might not be for you.

Wintrale Games, Review