Platypus

At first glance, Platypus immediately evokes comparisons to the classic arcade shooters with its side-scrolling gameplay and colorful, claymation-inspired graphics. After spending several hours with the game, I'm happy to report that Platypus proudly carries the torch of those retro shooters while also providing a fresh and frantic experience all its own.

As an avid fan of classic arcade shoot 'em ups like Gradius and Parodius, I was eager to try out Platypus, a new entry in the genre from developer Anthony Flack. In Platypus, you pilot the eponymous F-27 fighter jet on a quest to defend the simple nation of Mungola from invasion by the industrialized forces of Collosatropolis. The story is about as bare bones as you would expect from this type of game, but it provides some tongue-in-cheek humor and sets the stage well enough for blowing up endless enemy ships.

Powering Through Enemy Forces

I was impressed by the variety of enemy ships and massive bosses that Platypus throws your way across its stages. The classic small fry ships come in many dangerous varieties, from zig-zagging minnows to plasma beam-shooting battleships. The towering bosses also force you to use your full arsenal as you search for weaknesses in their layered defenses.

Unlike the more sedate pacing of Gradius, Platypus barely gives you a moment to breathe with its endless waves of kamikaze fighters and screen-filling bullet patterns. The action hits hard right out of the gate and stays there pretty much throughout the entire stage, which really gets the adrenaline pumping.

The gameplay itself is fast, smooth, and instantly accessible to anyone familiar with its shoot 'em up forebears. As in Gradius, you collect power-up items to enhance your main cannon and equip additional weapons like homing missiles and shield drones.

Claymation Charm

While Platypus clearly takes inspiration from earlier shooters, it sets itself apart with its artistic claymation visual style. Your fighter jet, the enemies, explosions, and environments are all rendered in plasticine with smooth stop-motion-inspired animations. It gives everything a fantastical, almost childlike charm that I found endearing.

The enemy designs are likewise creative. It's a far cry from the space battlescapes of Phalanx and gives Platypus a quirky personality all its own, perhaps closer to Parodius than anything else. The graphics are smooth in motion and do a great job evoking classic claymation films.

Approachable Arcade Action

Like any good arcade shooter, Platypus offers accessible gameplay paired with considerable challenge. The controls are simple enough that anyone can start blasting away immediately, but surviving the later levels demands practiced skill and pattern recognition.

I appreciate that the game caters to both casual and hardcore shmup players. There are three difficulty options available, along with adjustable lives and extends, so you can fine-tune the experience to your liking. The local 2-player co-op mode is also a blast and really captures the old-school arcade spirit.

Pros:

• Addictive, smooth arcade gameplay
• Creatively bizarre enemy designs
• Charming claymation visual style

Cons:

• Music is a bit forgettable
• Some visual repetition across stages

Platypus is a scrolling shooter for the whole family, perfect for hardcore fans. Kollosotropolis very quickly reached the peak of the industrial revolution. Because of the high standard of living, the cities sprawled, and the only free land was the neighboring underdeveloped state. Can the advanced army of Kollosotropolis conquer a country whose army numbers only two old Platypus planes?

Pros of the game:

• Platypus unique graphics
• Ability to play in co-op
• Adjust the difficulty in advanced settings