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Update, July 2026: A big thank you to the team at Fat Pug Studio, who kindly sent us a Nintendo Switch copy of Rick Henderson after our original review. The game has since blasted its way onto Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox, with physical editions available through VGNYsoft, so console players can finally join the fun. And if our one gripe below was that the Steam version felt a little short, the console release leans hard into endless, score chasing replayability. Our original review of the Steam version follows.
What Rick Henderson does right, and what so few shooters manage today, is that it delivers a Zen like moment when you suddenly realize you are in the SHMUP (shoot 'em up) zone. When you go from a panicked, underpowered little aluminum bucket to an unstoppable heap of pixel destruction, you know you are playing a shooter that is really, really good.
It is the adrenaline equivalent of a runner's high, and plenty of shooters like R-Type and Gradius had it in spades. Rick Henderson, from indie developer Fat Pug Studio, proves it has exactly what it takes to compete with the big boys.
As usual, the structure of Rick Henderson is elegant in its simplicity. An evil force must be stopped, so three pilots team up and combine their unique skill sets into an unexpectedly powerful squad. There is not much narrative to a game like this, so its success comes down entirely to gameplay execution.
You choose one of three characters, each with their own attributes. Rick Henderson is the default pilot, so I went with him. The first few levels ease you into the controls and nuances, and once you clear a level you face the obligatory end boss you must vanquish to reach the next zone.
Gems, perks, and powerups litter the field, creating a fresh experience because you can equip your weapons with enhancements for even more destruction. There is also an RPG lite element that lets you choose which traits to upgrade. The game conjures the nostalgia I felt as a teenager blasting through shooters at the local arcade, and there are moments when it even stirs a little awe. Rick Henderson is a pure slam bam in your face space opera turned into epic battles. The only real drawback is that it runs a touch too short, and a skilled player can blast through it fairly quickly.
Many of its galactic visuals are pleasant to the eyes in the same way photos of deep space are beautiful, showing a careful hand casting colors and energy across the unimaginable expanses of space, using stars and nebulas as its backdrop.
The gameplay might be standard fare, yet it has the qualities a good game generates. It is not just action and warfare, but also a play of classic ideas that shooter fans will instantly recognize and love.
Rick Henderson works as a shooter because it never tries to do more than it sets out to do. There is a real sense of wonder here, and reaching the endgame is well worth the journey. I love the retro inspired graphics, because they add another dimension to the presentation. Freed from the anchor of realism baked into 3D polygons, the developer gets to fully visualize their imagination.
Rick Henderson was designed to fully immerse you and to be irresistibly addictive. Whether you are new to the shoot 'em up genre or a veteran looking to relive your best gaming moments, go ahead and give this one a shot. Slick Rick will not disappoint.
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