A new remake of an 80s classic

Armalyte was a much loved Commodore 64 game from 1988. That system lacked a version of Gradius, but Armalyte was excellent compensation.

This demo features similar artwork, but the graphics overall have been updated. This is probably a good thing, as the original doesn’t look as it did in 1988! The sound too has been updated, with crunchy sound effects, and a great version of the original atmospheric theme tune.

The gameplay is unchanged. It’s a sideways scrolling shoot ’em up, you ship is equipped with a drone, which is invincible unlike you. Power-ups are littered around each level, and you choose the type of power up you want by shooting it to make it change. It may seem slow to begin with, but it’s not easy, and you need to learn the levels to be successful. This demo unfortunately doesn’t allow two player games, a shame as it’s much improved with a partner!

This is definitely a piece of retro nostalgia, even if it’s been polished up. Whether younger players will enjoy it is difficult to say, but it’s worth a go, as it’s one of the best non-arcade shoot ’em ups ever made.

Still fun after all these years, and may bring ex-Commodore 64 owners to tears.