Super Fun

Super Mega Space Blaster Special was one of the best top-down shooters of 2019. It was a stylish shoot 'em up that won high praise from the gaming community for its hand-drawn graphics and addictive gameplay.

While I'm sure a true sequel is in the works, the team at Bare Knuckle Development in the meantime has taken the original code back to the launch pad, tinkered around, and has come up with something called Super Mega Space Blaster Special Turbo.

You're probably asking yourself, what is this Turbo stuff about? Well, it's actually two games in one: a souped-up version of the original along with a feature-rich expansion loaded with single and multiplayer action.

The result is a must-have for those who enjoyed the original and for those looking for a challenging, yet bewitching game to try out. Although by definition, SMSBS Turbo is a twin-stick shooter, you can take your definitions and stick 'em where the sun doesn't shine, because this bad boy is so good that game genres really don't even matter.

Unless you're completely conflicted by the very notion of blowing stuff up, SMSBS Turbo will tingle your spine, raise your blood pressure, and thrill your soul as no other game can.

Super Mega Fun

Packed with five additional game modes, more than a dozen unique space blasters, and over 40 fun challenges, you'll never tire of coming along on this over-the-top joyride. While space shooters have rarely been this much fun, the environment for your activities is a feast for the eyes.

Aesthetically, SMSBS Turbo looks great with crystal clear objectives and hand-drawn graphics that are above reproach. Shoot randomly and your bullets shatter everything it comes in contact with. Fire a salvo of missiles toward a field of asteroids and watch them break into realistic little pieces.

Your reasonable intelligent opponents meanwhile are varied to a point of distraction. The developers claim there are more than a dozen enemies to dispose of, but I swear it seems like more. Basic enemy craft is prevalent at first, followed by other more aggressive threats ranging in all different shapes and sizes.

To even the odds you'll be able to gain access to some heavier arsenal along the way. Bigger and better power-ups litter the space field and are readily available throughout the game, both as a reward for successful kills and as bonuses. Smart bombs are deadly and can take out an entire screen of enemies.

The laser beam, in particular, is an overpowered light-saber that can mince and dice anything in its way faster than a Ginsu knife! The game adds features that run the gamut from an all-out attack to defending the mother ship. Whichever scenario you choose, the action gets continually more frenzied, hectic, and challenging the further you progress.

Super Mega, Mega Fun

Make no mistakes, Super Mega Space Blaster Special Turbo is a wonderful addition to the original and will have you playing till the wee hours of the night. The game, in the end, left me with one of the biggest smiles a video game has ever put on my face.

Kudos to Bare Knuckle Development for demonstrating once again that it has the expertise, experience, and insight to take shooters to the next, most logical level on the PC.

SMSBS Turbo's captivating gameplay, simple pick-up & play mechanics, and availability on all major platforms ensure that this type of game can be enjoyed by all the next generation of fledgling space pilots.