The must have PSN title of the year.

After the revolution of arcade games that is known as Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, game developers all around have worked to recreate the magic that has enthralled fans since the 360’s release. Finally, a year and a half after the craze began, at least one console title has really hit the mark as a GeoWars killer.

Super Stardust HD has everything a good arcade game needs and more. Fun to play, co-op, online leaderboards, excellent graphics and enough playtime to make it worth the money spent on it. At $9.99, it is worth every penny.

Like any good arcade game, there is no story. There is simply an objective, in this case to keep the planet clear of asteroids and baddies. Controls are exactly like GeoWars, with a few additions. L1 & R1 changes the type of gun in use, L2 activates what I like to call “ramming speed” and R2 detonates a bomb.

Yes, in fact there are three different weapons to use in SSHD, each with a specific purpose and use. One works well on rocks, another metal, and the last on ice. Each is also strong or weak on the type of enemy, depending on who’s getting shot at. And with ten different enemies (7 standard, 3 boss) and five different worlds to fight on, there’s plenty to do without clogging up one’s head.

As well as the weapons are powerups for those weapons. Each gun starts out pathetically weak, but pick up a few colored circles and a typhoon of death will emanate from that tiny ship. Shields are also in the game, though a bit more rare to find, as are extra ships. A brief message before starting any game explains it all very clearly.

The five different worlds also have their own unique qualities. Not so much the world itself, but rather the types of asteroids and enemies it attracts. The later levels will require switching between weapon classes frequently to succeed. The boost also enables quick getaways and easy kills, and is a great way to conserve bombs and move across the map when in a tight squeeze.