Dedicated 2D shoot 'em up fans might represent a small subset of Switch owners, but they've been pretty well catered for. There's a growing roster of brilliant Neo Geo shmups like Aero Fighters 2 for them to call upon, and just recently they were given the rather splendid R-Type Dimensions EX. It's to the latter series, as well as Gradius, that Super Hydorah tips its hat. This is a tough side-scrolling shooter with a pronounced retro aesthetic that evokes Irem's and Konami's late-'80s work.
Anyone who's played a classic shmup should take to Super Hydorah like a duck to water. You pilot a nimble but fragile little spacecraft into battle against an overwhelming – but ultimately predictable – wave of enemy combatants. Returning fire is a simple matter of holding down the B button, which will prompt your craft to spew out an endless stream of bullets. Destroying enemies will cause them to drop coloured collectables, which bolster your main or secondary weapons, or grant you a temporary shield.
So far, so familiar. However, the game differs from its inspiration and offers a hint that it was conceived in the modern age thanks to the way in which it grants you more freedom of expression. This applies to a level select screen that provides a branching choice tree as you progress, a la Star Fox or Out Run, as well as in the levels themselves. From time to time you'll find the constricted tunnels that make up the bulk of Super Hydorah's levels opening out into broader cave systems, and it's up to you to pick your own path through them.
This changes the nature of the challenge in subtle but meaningful ways. Taking the high route might bring you within range of some ceiling-mounted gun turrets, while skimming the murky pools of the surface could expose you to the threat of leaping, spitting squid-like creatures. The middle path may well sound like the safest way to take, but any extra room for manoeuvre you might find there tends to be countered by an omnidirectional threat.
There are also little secrets to find here and there and these reward curiosity. Super Hydorah is undoubtedly a shooter, but it's got a certain exploratory spirit that makes it more appealing to a general crowd. With this sense of liberation comes a greater sense of insecurity, as it's tougher to nail down the precise order of enemy attacks across multiple runs. And believe us when we say you'll be making plenty of attempts. Super Hydorah is tough – especially in Pilot Mode, where just one hit is often enough to rob you of a life and send you back to the beginning of the stage.
Rookie Mode might be the approach to take if you're new to this shooter lark, as it grants you a good few free hits from a regenerating shield. The flip side to making life easier for yourself is a halved score. It's a sensible trade-off because only the hardcore crowd will likely care about climbing the leaderboard.
Another concession to modern gamers and their desire to steer their own path comes from Super Hydorah's weapon system. As you progress through the game you'll unlock new weapon types, but you'll only be able to take a limited selection into battle. Deciding on the most appropriate tools for the forthcoming level – and experimenting with alternatives in subsequent runs – helps mitigate the inherently repetitive nature of the game.
Super Hydorah's enemies, too, have a certain freshness to them. There are creeping vines that require cutting back with your laser fire, bouncing balls that leave behind a mine-like payload when you destroy them and bouncing frog-like creatures that are hard to get a bead on. And that's just covering the first few levels; not wanting to ruin any surprises but the inventiveness is maintained as you battle your way through the game's later stages.
We don't mean to suggest that Super Hydorah is reinventing the shoot 'em up wheel here. It's resolutely an old-fashioned blaster that's clearly standing on the shoulders of giants. But from that elevated position, the developer – one-man team Locomalito, whose utterly superb platformer Cursed Castilla was ported to 3DS not so long ago (it's coming to Switch soon as well) – has spotted a few modern ideas that can be added to this familiar mix, to generally pleasing effect.
Conclusion
This is an old-school 2D shooter that serves as an effective tribute to the classics while successfully managing to inject some fresh ideas of its own. Super Hydorah doesn't reinvent the side-scrolling shmup, but it does kit it out with some cool new gadgets. At $19.99 / £17.49 it's perhaps a little on the pricey side, but fans of the genre will see this as money well spent.
Comments 33
In b4 people comparing shmup 8/10 reviews to different genre 8/10 reviews.
Wow. I just wanted to say thumbs up for your frequent update of news and reviews Nintendolife. Compared to your compadres from Pushsquare you are extremely lively. Keep up the good work.
Sorry for the Off Topic but I just had to push this out my chest.
NEED THIS!
(Hey Konami...get yer ass in gear already!)
Awesome. I'm not a big SHMUP fan, but I may try this out one day.
Looks really good...I may have to try it.
I like my Switch too much to toss it at a wall in frustration, so I will be skipping this.
@SmaggTheSmug That's where docked mode comes in handy but even then throwing a pro controller at the wall isn't such a good idea either.
Been eyeing this up on Xbox for ages, but will definitely get it for Switch now instead. Will probably wait for a sale though as there is serious competition in the shmup department on Switch and all cost less than this one.
On a shmup note... My FlipGrip has apparently been shipped. Exciting!
I'll take that in a Physical option.
I've got this on Vita, where it also runs at a perfect 60 fps. It is hard, and I'm not super skilled, so that kind of dampened my enjoyment. I also love Cursed Castilla on my 3ds even though it's so hard I've never gotten close to beating it. Amazing how a well designed game can get me to keep on trying even when I've lost any expectation that I'll ever see the ending credits! Switch is definitely the best system to own Hydorah on. I'll try to wait for a sale...
I thought of Darius reading the review. I bought this one on Vita. Gotta leave some things for Vita...
I swear I played this a looooooooonng time ago.
...Anyway, if you're a fan of Gradius or R-Type, this will be your kind of game.
@hatch You should see my MAME collection! But, I agree. It's a great time for shoot 'em up fans on the Switch.
@GrailUK
Damn right! I want Gradius VI or Grafius Super Deluxe Collection.... Give up on MGS for a change and move back to the shop space! 🚀🗿🌌
Nice to see it without the scanline filter that they seem determined to only show it with in recent footage. It looks much better without the filter imo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXKfyU3P_gA
Cool sounds good
Cool. Now I would really like a shmup in the same vein as UN Squadron for the SNES. UN Squadron is glorious!!!
It's a great game, but the price is way to high. Even 10 would be pricey for this game. Played it today with a friend and we had a lot of fun, but afterwards we played Rival Megagun and if you like shmups and have a friend nearby, that's the much better choice imo.
I have had an Gradius itch recently. With Konami not stepping up, I think I'll dip into this.
Too bad the price tagg is this high, otherwise I whould have bought it day 1
It seems that this is a more traditional shooter rather than bullet hell.....? I love shooters but hate bullet hell games, unfortunately most seem to veer towards the latter though.
Got this on Vita and love it but can be so challenging. Still want to reach the fleet vs fleet stage (I love those). Wish there was an Easy mode where you don't loose you power-ups after each death (Like M2 did for Thunder Force IV).
Price is a little high for me at this moment in time but the temptation is there. Maybe after next payday.
Despite Konami's ineptitude with regards to the Gradius License, its great there are people out there trying to create games like this one.
Fantastic game, it will kick your ass.
@Warioware this is not bullet hell at all. its a modern Gradius.
Was there a 3DS version with 3D effects?
@NinChocolate
I'm not going to lie, i personally found it VERY frustrating to read this review and see no mention of Darius.
The gameplay here (the item system, the prominence of the shield, the idea of having multiple routes) is strongly inspired by Darius, actually moreso then by Gradius (which obviously is a strong influence on the art/graphics) and R-Type.
@EmirParkreiner Ha, same here, I was practically yelling at my screen when I saw the multiple route discussion with examples of other games and... Darius wasn't one of those other games XD But, I get that this is perhaps a review more for casual shooter fans as opposed to genre die-hards
On another note... can anyone who has good experience with the OTHER versions of Super Hydorah (PC, PS4/Vita) compare the quality of the Switch port? I love the game on PS4 and Vita, but I saw one comment elsewhere that the Switch port was inferior to the other versions. I'm not sure whether that is true, but would love to see a take from someone who already knew the game well before it came to Switch.
2D shooters are my favourite genre of video games. Can’t get enough of em have so many across various systems. Have Super Hydorah on PS4/Vita excellent game.
Played this for 2 hours straight on the flight home from my hols last week - managed to get all the way to the 3rd boss! Great game but tough as nails! For serious shmup fans only I think. And keep clear of wireless pads for shooters btw, the input lag is horrible, even the wired hori pad sucks. Joycons attached in handheld mode (obvs) is the best, or shell out for the hori arcade stick. Woops went off on a bit of a tangent there sorry.....
@YANDMAN Thanks for clarifying
Finally went on sale so I snagged it. Fun addicting game. You know a game is designed well when you blame yourself for messing up.
@insertcoin2play Same here... Would have been rude of me to leave it in the eshop for 8 quid. Spent an hour or two with it tonight and really enjoying it so far! Tight controls, nice pixel art, I have found it quite nostalgic
@SwitchForce
Super necro, but you can order a physical from Best Buy right now.
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