Shoot your shot

In the era of remasters and remakes it is hard to keep track of them all. The Raiden series has been around forever and their execution of bringing back their classic games has been awkward at best. They started with the newest title and have slowly been working backwards. Today we are taking a look at the third entry in the series. A downside of each iteration is that they continue to feel less and less packed with content. Raiden III x MIKADO Maniax might be the most feature-lite version released to date, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t enough here to satiate shooter fans.

MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch
Price I’d Pay: $29.99

This version comes packed with the score attack and boss rush mode that have become a staple of these remasters. The biggest inclusion though is the unlock system. One of the things that always kept me coming back to classic arcade games was unlocking new items over time giving me a reason to replay the levels. Every single run in this game earns players points that they can then exchange in the shop for a selection of items. These include wallpapers for the sides of the screen during game play as well as a host of music tracks that combine classic tracks and new tunes created for the series. It really is cool to set these after unlocking as they are pretty amazing to listen to. There are even some original chiptunes here and they rock.

This entry in the series showcases why going backwards has not been kind. Raiden III is an extremely simplified version of the formula. The game has only seven stages and the mechanics are not exactly complicated. There are three main weapons and three sub weapons which makes creating loadouts feel very limited.

The simplicity can be a positive for players though as the stages themselves are extremely hard. I was dying constantly and learning the patterns was much easier since I wasn’t worrying too much about the dynamics of the combat. Still if I got too overwhelmed I was able to drop the difficulty down. This is a nice touch as it makes the game more accessible to players of all skill levels. Still for those looking for a deep and involved shooter system should look at the later releases in the series. This is by far the simplest of the re-releases to date.

It feels weird to go backwards with these releases. Raiden III is by far the simplest I have checked out so far. Evolution in reverse is a bold choice. Still the simplicity of the combat makes for an addictive nature. I was coming back over and over to unlock new tunes to listen to and the visuals are still excellent. I love a good shooter and the Raiden series is always a good time. The price tag is also low enough that I don’t have a lot to knock. If you love shooters this is a great addition to your collection.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.