Astro Boy - Gba

[Timmo]

What a great game!

I got it for £12.99... and it's excellent! It's by Treasure, so it contains condensed, highly replayable missions, and lots going on.

It reminds me of Mischief Makers on the N64 a little, the style of fighting and throwing enemies into each other. Keeping a large number of enemies at bay by skillfully kicking them into each other is an artform. The genius in the game is the jets. Whilst essentially you are running on the floor, the jets can be used in any direction, and for the short time they are activated, you are invincible. This gives way to some brilliant battles, timing jet use and fighting moves.

The game has sections averaging about a minute and a half in length, fast and action packed, and many of these take some doing. To make up for this you have infinite lives in the best possible way, getting sent to the start of each short section when dying. It might sound wrong, but when you play it you understand why. This way "normies" can enjoy it while Purplechair completes the whole game in one life using only one hand.

There are a lot of boss battles, perhaps too many, but they are all challenging and tense. This is an excellent example of Treasure doing what they do best. Get it you slaaaag!

Edit - It needs mentioning that there is some slowdown in some sections. It's always the bits where it doesn't matter too much though, never in the important battles it would seem.

[Matt G]

Where'd ya pick it up for £12.99? I've never bought it due to only ever seeing it for £30 and I refuse to pay that for GBA games (most of the time).

[Everything's Gone Green]

Glad to hear this is a decent game. I just picked it up off eBay for £4.99 (plus £6 P+P ).

There's something a bit disturbing about Astroboy himself though, isn't there?

[Djx]

GAME had it for £9.99 a while ago.

Buy for £12.99 here:

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=search&...&Go.x=43&Go.y=5

[PugFugly]

I bought it in Asda for £9.99 as some holiday entertainment.

And it fulfilled its purpose superbly, it's a great little game. A tad frustrating at times, and I wasn't able to kill the final boss second time around. Not sure if it was harder or if I was crapper.

Anway, great little game.

I'm now slightly interested in the PS2 version.

[Mr Do 71]

I got this lovely game for £6 at Amazon

[Timmo]

I got it second hand at Blockbuster.

I like the fact it's so condensed it never has the oppurtunity to get boring.

Occasionally it can be a little hard to see bullets coming to you, but most of the time you curse yourself for dying and very rarely the game. Although double tapping left or right is a little fiddly. Minor grievances, it's definitely one of the best games on GBA. I wonder how many sales they lost (gained?) by putting an almost naked small boy on the front? I got some funny looks buying it.

[Timmo]

Also: apparently the other versions are rubbish, I wouldn't bother.

[Garwoofoo]

I'm now slightly interested in the PS2 version.

←

Stop right there. It's truly abysmal.

[PugFugly]

Stop right there.  It's truly abysmal.

←

That's my slight interest reduced to zero then.

Yeah, Astroboy sure should put some clothes on.

[Sprite Machine]

It's not bad, but it's overrated.

[Michael J Glocks]

There's something a bit disturbing about Astroboy himself though, isn't there?

←

It's the lack of nipples.

I've got this in my DS with Castlevania at the moment, think I might go play it now actually. I love the side scrolling shooty bits.

[srgbilco]

Also, he's got like 4 facial expressions; embarassed blushing, anger, shock (that gets used a lot) and puzzlement. And the train section is a bit rubbish because you can't see any enemies or bullets because of the train graphic in the way.