Kero Blaster

 PC
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. Brash Games
    Dec 4, 2015
    90
    You’ve played this game a thousand times before. It’s a run-and-gun platformer with pixel graphics and plinky-plonk music. But this is one of the purest, most addicting forms of that genre. It’s the best parts of Megaman and Contra distilled through the brain of a man who only wants to bring you joy, to make you feel that sepia-toned happiness you thought had ceased to exist. There’s a part of your heart that’s become calloused throughout the years, let Kero Blaster make it feel fresh again.
  2. Eurogamer Spain
    May 28, 2014
    90
    Kero Blaster shows once again the enormous talent of Daisuke Amaya as a designer. It has so much to offer that you'll find impossible to forget its great world.
  3. GameTrailers
    May 28, 2014
    90
    Those who never experienced this type of game in the past won’t acclimate as quickly as veterans, but it’s still an easy to pick up and play game. It just isn’t easy to win. There’s even a surprise ending and plenty of hidden secrets for those seeking something more than just intense action. Kero Blaster is a nice throwback to the older days of gaming that delivers a short but sweet side-scrolling shooter that hits most of the right notes.
  5. Destructoid
    May 19, 2014
    90
    If Cave Story was Amaya's answer to Super Metroid, Kero Blaster is his Mega Man X. It's dense and perfectly paced, just begging to be replayed over and over. If I were to have to introduce someone to the genre of 2D action/platformers, it is probably the game that I'd give them, as it starts off easy-yet-engaging, and ends with giant bosses, swarms of enemies on screen, and everything else you could want in the genre. It's a game you may beat in a day, but will be playing off and on for a lifetime.
  6. USgamer
    May 16, 2014
    90
    An excellent run-and-gun shooter that plays beautifully on both PC and mobile; the only sticking point for some players will be its relatively short length.
  7. LevelUp
    May 30, 2014
    85
    A nice and definitely underrated little gem, Keroblaster brings back the magic of doujin games with an excellent design and control, albeit it is a little brief and somehow less ambitious than its forerunner, Cave Story.
  8. IGN Italia
    Jun 5, 2014
    82
    Studio Pixel is back to the future, with this addictive action-game. It came from the NES (not from the desert) and its a pixel bonanza. With its “Japanese spirit”, Kero Blaster is a wonderful indie game and you shouldn't miss it.
  9. Eurogamer
    Jun 2, 2014
    80
    While research shows that the majority of games remain unfinished by their players, Kero Blaster draws you steadily through to its conclusion, a three-hour trip that demands to be finished. Amaya's singular vision is beguiling and, while this game is a more straightforward proposition than the enchanting crisscross complexity of Cave Story, it's no less delightful.
  10. Vandal
    May 19, 2014
    80
    It's short. Very short. But it's also a great game that those looking for a retro-looking action game should definitely consider.
  11. Gameblog.fr
    May 16, 2014
    80
    Kero Blaster is a magnificent run and gun, colorful, well-designed, offering a great curve of progression. Even if it can be considered a bit short, it can be played again and again with the same pleasure and some personal challenges in mind.
  12. 4P.de
    Aug 22, 2014
    78
    You won’t encounter any creative outbursts, but it delivers solid and entertaining old-school platform action.
  13. PC Gamer
    Jul 16, 2014
    78
    Old-school Japanese shooting, platforming action reminds us just how fun the simple games of the ‘80s could be.
  14. 3DJuegos
    May 22, 2014
    75
    Another state of the art Studio Pixel retro production. Maybe Kero Blaster is not as good and compelling as Cave Story but, nonetheless, it´s a very enjoyable arcade experience.
  15. Kill Screen
    May 20, 2014
    49
    I’m relieved to get to the end of it not because I’m looking forward to playing all of the bosses again in one try, but because it means that if I fail—if I die to a boss repeatedly and run out of lives—I don’t have to go back through the exact same level full of the tedious, non-threatening enemies again, and again, and again; I can just play the bosses, which is what this game should have been about from the beginning.

Awards & Rankings

39
#39 Best PC Game of 2014

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 45 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 45
  3. Negative: 9 out of 45
  1. Danytoon
    May 31, 2014
    10
    It has the very platform video game playability from the old games... not only pixels and chip tunes... 100% recommended for anyIt has the very platform video game playability from the old games... not only pixels and chip tunes... 100% recommended for any retro-aficionado, and the soundtrack included is really cool… Full Review »
  2. WeenerEater
    May 26, 2022
    8
    I'm only giving it an 8 because I think a 7 is too low. It's a simple, at-times difficult NES-style platformer with the more interesting storyI'm only giving it an 8 because I think a 7 is too low. It's a simple, at-times difficult NES-style platformer with the more interesting story lying in the hard mode. In that mode, some of the later bosses get insane. Not for everyone.… Full Review »
  3. pianoguy13
    May 23, 2020
    0
    Very simplistic game with clunky-feeling controls and lackluster bosses that cheese you more than test your skills.
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