Retrobooster (2014)

Developer: Really Slick
Platforms: Windows, Linux
Genres: Action, Indie
Rating: 4.2 of 5, 13 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 3.4 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A relentless, skill-demanding 2.5D shooter with tight flying mechanics, punishing difficulty, and a darkly humorous edge.

challengingfast-pacedarcadeyskill-basedbullet hellwarped humorspace survivalretro

What players say

Players praise the physics-based controls and the blend of Asteroids and Defender with cave-flying mechanics, calling it a modern take on those classics. The game is widely described as very challenging, with momentum management that is hard to master but rewarding. A handful of players find the controls clumsy or the limited field of vision frustrating.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.