Raiden Legacy review: the 90's manic arcade game is back

Ever been to one of those arcade rooms of old? Chances are, you have. And it's equally likely that if you have ever been in one of those magical establishments, you've also come across an arcade loaded with one of the Raiden game titles. The super popular game was famous for its manic, but difficult gameplay, and little else did ever compare to the serious depth of the game. Arcade rooms, and the games that were their lifeblood, are now largely extinct, but notable titles like the Raiden series are far from gone, as they've been ported into a new, thriving platform: mobile. Raiden Legacy preserves almost flawlessly the retro look and feel of the game, and it is now available for both Android and iOS. For just $0.99 you're getting all four Raiden titles -- Raiden, Raiden Fighters, Raiden Fighters 2, and Raiden Fighters Jet.

"So what's Raiden all about?", some of you may wonder. Simply put, it's a top-down scrolling arcade, in which you take the role of a fighter plane ace with one mission only: destroy everything and anything that dares to move. This may sound a bit repetitive, but it's actually quite enjoyable, and hits the nail on the head as to what a mobile game should be -- madly entertaining, with little to no down time, and suited for both casuals and hardcore gamers. Oh yes, if you have the competitive spirit, you'll quite like what the Raiden series have to offer, as they're governed by many and intricate rules that will truly put you to the test, if you're looking to rival the best. One simple example is that each of the many available planes has a different shooting mode, and benefits differently from the various power-ups that drop from destroyed units. An "L" power-up (for Laser) will have a specific effect on each specific plane, and the "S" power-up (for Slave ship) will get you different kind of reinforcement, one that aligns with the theme of your current ride. The more competitive among you will come to understand the mechanics behind bonus points medals, and how their score multiplies and so on, and will also come to recognize the different hit boxes of the different planes.

To completely cement the notion that Raiden is a massively-enjoyable destruction derby, the original authors of the game have also included a limited number of replenishable bombs that will obliterate most anything on your screen, not to mention that you can hold your guns for a few seconds in order to trigger your specific plane's special, high-powered attack for ultimate obliteration.

To tell you the truth, we were instantly hooked on Raiden Legacy, if only because it brings a beloved title back into relevancy. DotEmu, the developers behind it, have done a splendid job transforming Raiden into a touchscreen-friendly game, and we found our dollar well-spent, considering the variety and hours of fun we bought ourselves with it.