Yars' Revenge

The Good
Yars' Revenge was not just another shooter. You had to be quick to get in close to the base to nibble away at the barrier surrounding it without getting hit by the missile. Once you got a hole in the base, lining up the shot was quite challenging since it fired from behind you and not from you directly. If you weren't careful, it was possible to hit your fly with your shot instead of the base. The fireballs shot from the base didn't make the game any easier. It was extremely satisfying to watch the watch the big explosion as the enemy base blow up.

The Bad
The only thing I didn't like about Yar's Revenge is that your score was only displayed between levels and at the end of the game.

The Bottom Line
Yars' Revenge is an odd twist on the Star Castle-type games where you have to kill an enemy fortress. Instead of piloting a direct-fire spaceship, you pilot an indirect-firing fly creature that has to eat through the walls of the fortress before shooting the vulnerable base inside.

The Good
As far as shooters go, there are a few original titles made for the home system that were almost Zen. This is one of them. The concept is simple: Break down the wall, avoid the missiles, destroy the cannon in the center. But with any good classic game, it gets faster and faster, and the action more hectic on screen.

Whether Yar eats the blocks or breaks them, there will just be another cannon to destroy after that. Fortunately, you can avoid the deadly cursor that relentlessly follows you. The gameplay is solid. As is the control.

The Bad
In retrospect, it IS a very simple game. The walls don't change too much (moving or non-moving), and you feel like such an idiot when you end up shooting yourself with your own cannon. But truthfully, the game still holds up so well in the gameplay department, it's hard to find any major faults.

The Bottom Line
From the droning hum, to the "peck peck peck" sound effects as Yar eats through the wall, Yar's Revenge is one of those titles old-school gamers instantly recognize and appreciate. Playing it on the PS2 "Atari Anthology" only served as a reminder of what a fun game this remains, because it retains the most fundamental aspects of any video game: Gameplay and replayability.

Whether you play this for the first time, or the 500th time, the experience is never the same twice.

A true classic.