Space Impact Kappa Base-Funny mobile Stuff I

Ever played one of those insanely hardcore Japanese shoot-’em-ups? You know, the ones that only get a half-page review in console magazines, because they’re niche, and get raved about, albeit with a not-so-hidden subtext of ‘this is amazing, but you’re not good enough to play it.’

Well, with Space Impact Kappa Base, N-Gage has got itself a shmup every bit as hardcore as those titles. It truly separates the men from the boys ?if by ‘men’ you mean ‘people who are unfazed by screens full of bullets from the very first level’, and by ‘boys’ you mean ‘everyone else’.

Space Impact is bloody hard. Too hard, arguably, in that a lot of people will play the first couple of levels, get frustrated, and never come back to it. Which is a shame, because it’s superb visually, has some genuinely innovative gameplay features for its genre, and includes well thought-out connectivity, too.

There is a plot: it involves (more than) mild peril, and lots of things that need shooting. You’re the man or woman for the job. So pick a character and a ship (or Skyblade, as they’re called here), before customising the three weapons you can carry.