Pixel Teriyaki and Ratalaika Games are here to keep the Vita alive, and another game is here Super Weekend Mode. If I could describe SWM in a single word, I could not because SWM feels like a blend of genres, but it is still a shmup at heart–one that requires quick reflexes and good eye-hand coordination. If you don’t have it, you will feel frustrated sometimes because of the high difficulty spikes the game offers.
The Gameplay elements found in SWM are interesting. For starters, you control two pads with the L and R buttons. Their movement is independent of one another. You shoot with X, and basically, you need to catch the hearts that fall from the top, all while shooting the enemy to make it change the appearance and finally beat it. Sounds easy on paper, but it isn’t because if the hearts touch the ground you lose a life. This is represented on the game with the screen becoming narrower, and the ground your pads are starts to raise, failing to catch the hearts or to defeat the dust bunnies (they appear on the second level) makes the ground raise until the enemy touches you and you lose one of the three continues you have (this is depending on the difficulty level you choose at the beginning).
Depending on the “dress, you choose in the preparing screen, you can get different bonuses. For example, the Red Dress gives you upgrades depending on the number of lives left. The Pink Dress is great for beginners and gives you more lives after ending a stage. The Shoot Dress changes the way bosses behave. They have more life, and you only get shoot upgrades and so forth. So, this mechanic makes the game different each time even if you face the same opponents.
I like the cute aesthetic the game was given, and the pixel art is spot on. It is gorgeous to look at. I may sound biased, but I love good pixel art.
The music is catchy, and it goes well with the game. Sometimes it feels that the hearts fall at the music’s rhythm.
My only complaint about the game, besides the difficulty that goes from doable to outright impossible, is the game’s length. You can easily get the platinum trophy in one sitting. While this is the appeal that trophy hunters seek, for me, it feels like the game’s potential is wasted. If you don’t care about the platinum and like to brag, there are also online leaderboards.
Bottom Line: Super Weekend Mode is a fun little shmup that offers a good challenge, even if you don’t know what or why the game happened. I recommend it to fans of the genre and for those seeking affordable and easy platinum.
A Review Code was provided for this review.