SWITCH GALAXY ULTRA

Atomicom

We like a good shroom.

Erm, we’re sorry, we’ll type that again. We like a good shoom.

The ultimate shoom experience is Wipeout. Switch Galaxy Ultra takes cues from that in its futuristic pointy-pointy spaceship race vibe, combining it with Rock Band Blitz-styled track switching (minus the rhythmic gymnastics).

You’re space pilot Vince Vance. You’re it and a bit, so you’re tasked with collecting rare mineral tantalum because, well, stuff. All of which is narrated via a swish comic that’s unlocked as you progress.

The tracks on which you shoom start as exceedingly basic affairs, but delve deeper and myriad stuff to bump into, hurt you and otherwise really shit you reveal themselves.

Initially the aim appears to be speediness, and that can get manic expediently, making ‘frenetic’ seem like a simile for ‘mellow’. But that’s ancillary to tantalum requirements. If you don’t have enough, you can’t progress without previous level grinding. This is bummeriffic, for you only collect tantalum mid-level when rails are jettisoned for a jarring and distressingly loose 3D trench run affair, where you may appear to be aligned perfectly with glowy mineral lumps, only to shoom right past them. You can redo the level, but grindy-grindy-grindy grind. Plus you’ll likely inexplicably miss some again anyway.

Otherwise, despite a slightly convoluted map screen, presentation is exemplary. Synth tunes warble away like a very early Human League on happy pills, while the scenery you don’t really see as you’re busy not hitting stuff is often stunning (SMACK! BUGGER!)

Also, if you just can’t get enough (yeah, yeah, wrong ’80s synth band), there’s DLC available which adds lots, costs little and sees all proceeds donated to a children’s charity. Respect.

If you’re craving the next Wipeout, SGU isn’t it. Its pace also isn’t for the shite of hand. But valiant types will find that it does give reasonable shoom.

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