Review: Kero Blaster is pure gaming fun in a charmingly retro package

I was late to the party getting into Cave Story and similarly I was tardy in getting to Cave Story creator Daisuke Amaya’s most recent full game: Kero Blaster.

Like the beloved indie hit Cave Story, Kero Blaster is a quirky game in the spirit of some classic NES games. Unlike Cave Story, which had more of a menagerie of gameplay influences including some light Metroidvania-style exploration and a few RPG elements, Kero Blaster is more straight up run-and-gun action. I’ve heard of Contra used as an example of the game’s style but, though I can kind of see where this idea comes from, the game uniquely stands apart.

The premise of the game is you are an employee of Frog & Cat and tasked with investigating the teleporters this company is responsible for. Although there is a bizarre story told in cut scenes between stages, the game is almost entirely a linear progression of simple side-scrolling action. Moving and shooting controls very precisely and the action rarely lets up. Some new weapons and tools unlock as the stages unfold, and enemies routinely drop coins that can be used to bolster health and upgrade weapons. For a small game, there is quite a variety of locales and spectrum of enemies – expect to see something completely new around almost every corner.

A play through is a fairly short affair at approximately three hours, factoring in some time spent farming enemies for coins to purchase most upgrades. Upon completion a hard mode unlocks, and what a gem of a hard mode it is too. Zangyou (overtime) mode switches plenty of things up. For one, it has its own unique story that’s a direct continuation from where the regular game ends. Even though the stages and enemies are mainly the same, they are switched up to such a degree that almost every level has a completely new feel and challenge to it. Kero Blaster’s hard mode is, in other words, a mandatory experience for anyone who wants to get the most out of it.

Looking and sounding suitably retro, Pixel’s distinctive style shines through. Everything has a certain charm to it.

For its price tag, Kero Blaster is a truly fine experience for anyone who enjoys side-scrolling action platformers. It would be nice if the game received support for more platforms, as it’s currently only available on the computer (via Playism and Steam) and for iOS.

My rating: 9/10