Rob reviews Gynoug on Nintendo Switch...
The Nintendo Switch is becoming a hotbed for the ports of old arcade titles and retro classics. Leading this charge is indie developer Ratalaika Games, who are no strangers to porting often niche titles to the Nintendo console.
This time around we're diving into SEGA Mega Drive territory with the 1991 scrolling shmup - Gynoug (aka Wings of Wor). The plot of Gynoug is your typical good vs. evil which was/is very typical of early 90's titles. The demons of Iccus, led by a being known as the 'Destroyer' are invading the Heavens. As the angel Wor, you are tasked with driving back the Invaders by finding and defeating the Destroyer. And that's it.
Much like other 16-bit titles the game doesn't give much - if any - exposition through its gameplay. Often you would have needed to read the titles instruction booklet, or relied on a title scrawl to get some sense of the plot. With this version of Gynoug, it remains the same. There's nothing here to describe what it is you fighting for and as such, you'll only have the eShop description to guide you (or Wikipedia). Thankfully Gynoug relies on its gameplay to hook you, and it's something that's done very well!
Gameplay remains consistent with other shmups from the period. You'll be travelling from left to right as an army of enemies tries to stop you. There's plenty of variety to these enemies which take on a somewhat hellish steampunk persona. You'll often be battling screaming faces, giant brains, and all manner of other hellish monstrosities. There's even a boss who resembles a nightmare version of Thomas the Tank Engine, complete with the face. Wor isn't a novice when it comes to fighting these creatures and he has nine different skills and eight spells to utilise.
These come in the form of various offensive and defensive moves which certainly allows for a lot of custom builds.
What makes Gynoug different from other shooters is that it's incredibly well balanced. There are no "cheap" moments such as tricky mazes, or enemies that fill the screen with bullets. Everything boils down to needing quick reflexes and a decent amount of skill. Thankfully if you have neither of these Ratalaika Games have included a few cheats to make things easier. However, the real charm is playing Gynoug how it was meant to be and as such, you'll find a punishing-yet-rewarding shmup experience.
Much like that seen within Ratalaika Games previous endeavours, we're given a straight-up port of the original title with a few custom visuals thrown in. If you're in the mood for some old fashioned CRT shaders there is plenty to choose from. Like wise, the staple rewind feature is also here for good measure.
Gynoug is an excellent addition to Switch's growing library of retro titles. It's an affordable port of a classic Mega Drive game that does exactly what it sets out to do. It's a simple shmup that showcases the crazy world of early 90's video games, and it's one that's certainly stood the test of time. While gameplay has remained untouched there are some added extras to make things slightly easier. Yet playing Gynoug how it was intended is still the way forward.
Ratalaika Games are doing great work in bringing these often overlooked or niche titles to the Switch and I'm hoping we get to see UN Squadron sooner rather than later...
Rating 7.5/10
Gynoug is available now and can be purchased via the Nintendo Switch eShop by clicking here.
A code was kindly provided for this review.
Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev
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