Nanostray Review - DS

There is a special spot in Hardcore Gaming Heaven for Majesco and developer Shin'en--if only for the fact that they try their damnedest to keep the shooter genre alive. First came the early GBA title Iridion, then its much more capable sequel, and now Nanostray on the DS. Unfortunately, these games fall under the category of "it's the thought that counts" rather than "booty-kicking pieces of software." 

Four Weapons of Whuppin'

Nanostray is your typical vertically-scrolling shooter in the vein of Galaga and Ikaruga. Unlike many of its ilk, you begin with a choice of weapons, each with a special attack. Pulse is the default blast; seeker adds slight homing abilities; lightning sticks with one target 'til it's confetti; and side-shot is for those get-a-little-closer moments. You can switch guns on the fly by hitting the corresponding button on the touch screen.

Speaking of the touch screen, Nanostray uses it as a basic heads-up display, showing health, super meters, and radar. You have the ability to scan bosses to view their life and weak points. Even with this advantage, end-of-level encounters are going to light you up like a bug zapper in a locust swarm. That's because another unique feature of Nanostray is that--while you can take quite a few blasts before exploding--touching enemies brings about certain death. When bosses fill up darn near the whole screen or hordes of ships speed in from all sides, it spells trouble. And frustration. And probably a DS in need of repair from an "accidental," high-velocity fall. Worse, continues just warp you back to the stage select screen.

Pretty, But With a Price?

Somehow, Nanostray is able to flex unbelievable graphical muscles we didn't know the DS had. Its colors, 3D environments, and effects all look amazing--and rival the visuals of any console shooter out there, period. Slowdown occurs sometimes, but not nearly enough to be problematic.

One has to wonder, however, whether or not there's a price to be paid for the dazzling graphical presentation. Could it explain why the level design is so utterly boring? Aside from background variations, each stage plays almost identical to the others. The cleverness of shooters by Treasure or Hudson Soft is absent, leaving something that's horribly by-the-book. Yes, it has some varying modes and a few multiplayer modes (allowing only one cartridge, no less), but without that extra oomph Nanostray is grounded on Planet Meh.