Kokuga

It's a shame that Kokuga hasn't realized its potential because it was developed for Nintendo 3DS. The lack of a second stick makes your vehicle less flexible than you'd like and the many enemies often don't fit on the screen. Having said that: the pacing has been slowed down a tad and levels don't scroll along automatically, which works perfectly with the flaws of the 3DS. Aside from that, the card system work sublimely and provides the game with a tactical dimension. It helps Kokuga draw the maximum out of the handheld, so it'll offer you a full fledged experience at a digital price.

It is an extremely challenging game, but balanced and in line with other strenuous shmups, brutally rewarding.

Kokuga is a classic shoot'em up, with an high difficulty level that will be pure joy for the most hardcore gamers on 3DS.

Although a great deal of repetition is involved, and the slow controls may be enough to put people off, Kokuga is a decent example of a genre that isn’t getting enough new ideas these days.

The bosses, too, are consistently inventive.

Kokuga is completely different from Ikaruga on both gameplay and design sides. The tactical approach to every single mission is interesting enough to keep capturing players' attention. Sadly, the lack of an online multiplayer mode is a big mistake from G. Rev.

At first, Kokuga comes across as a little too retro for its own good, with bland visuals and settings, mixed with an awkward control system. However, once past the initial hurdle, what is uncovered is something truly intriguing and extremely engaging.

Kokuga looks great, plays well, and provides a devilish challenge that will leave even the most seasoned shoot ‘em up veterans scratching their heads. The stages may lack a little variety, and the controls take a bit of getting used to, but overcoming these challenges makes for an incredible payout. If you’re a fan of the genre and you’re looking for a new challenge, then this is definitely the 3DS game you’ve been waiting for.

Kokuga is a great game with fun boss fights and an interesting card system.

It feels like it's been developed with the multiplayer mode in mind, and consequently, this is how we will make the most of this game. It still is a good experience if you play on your own, but it's way better with friends.

So it's a slow dance; a gentle sway of steps with the occasional flourish. That can be far more enjoyable than the most energetic experience - but if you're getting things wrong, the wait to get it over with can be excruciating.

Kokuga boasts masterful game design that can overcome the haphazard power-up system to create slow, tactical scenarios and fast, strategic boss fights. Why then, are most levels filled with minutes of burdensome crawl? With everything taken into account, Kokuga might just be worth it for the boss fights alone.