Songbird Productions is one of those companies that doesn’t get the recognition they deserve. They have been around for years and during that time have been keeping the Atari line of consoles and portable alive. Unreleased games getting released, new games developed, and more. They recently showed off a preview video featuring an upcoming space shooter they are working on. Tentatively titled “Shape Shooter” it has an Asteroids meets Tempest vibe.
For most gamers who weaned on GameCube and newer, the graphics of Shape Shooter may seem beyond primitive. For everyone else, you probably remember seeing gouraud shaded polygons for the first time and how cool they looked. They are simple yet unique and intriguing in a retro kind of way.
To me, gouraud shading is the equivalent of the Atari 2600 blocky graphics style. There is just enough detail to give you an idea of what is going on, and your imagination is free to fill in the rest as it sees fit.
Shape Shooter uses what appears to be a three-quarter overhead view with a playfield slightly bigger than the screen. This gives the action a bit of urgency and uncertainty as you never quite see the full playfield at any given time.
This gives obstacles and enemies a fleeting window of stealth and surprise.
In between levels you fly through space to the next level, ala Tempest. This is a unique addition to a title that screams Asteroids in 3D to me.
I personally love Asteroids and still find time to play whenever I get a chance. The game is simple but challenging in interesting ways without just making Asteroids bigger.
Shape Shooter has similar traits to that classic title in obstacles break apart and must be further destroyed. It is a simple mechanic but it demands strategy when a lot is going on.
Check out Songbird Productions for more on their catalog of games and other items.
