Caverns of Mars: Recharged (2023)

Developer: SneakyBox
Publisher: Atari
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Action
Rating: 3.9 of 5, 59 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 1.5 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.

More games like this Watch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

A fast, arcade-style scramble downward, balancing ammo conservation with constant blasting and dodging.

arcadefast-pacedaddictiveretroscore attackcasualcolorful

What players say

Players compare it favorably to Downwell but find the content thin, with most runs feeling the same after 15 minutes. The game lacks key rebinding and d-pad support, and opinions split on whether the mandatory sidegrades help or hurt the flow. Long-time fans of the original Caverns of Mars say it plays very differently.

Screenshots

More games like this

More by SneakyBox

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.