Any classic video game junkie who spent hours and hours of their lives, as well as every quarter of their allowance trying to surpass just one more level of arcade classics such as Space Invaders or Galaga will love Return of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom, as well as its predecessor Invasion of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom. Both were programmed and released by Pop Software. Return of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom was released shortly after its predecessor in the middle nineties.
In the game, the Space Bats of Doom have again invaded the Earth, and it is up to the user and his amazing space ship to stop them. The ship fights off a variety of mutated bats: they dodge, dive, turn, whirl, dance and light on fire. To combat the wiles of the Space Bats, the user must pick various gems on the bonus stage screens that serve as power ups. The mutated bats carry these crystals that will power up the ship. The power ups will include added lives, extra health, improved firepower, or a slowed squadron of enemy bats.
The game features many challenging levels that offer more bats, faster bats, and stronger bats with each go around. The user will have to
be well on his toes and wisely use power up items to defeat the later, fast-paced levels. The bats dance and dive and become increasingly difficult to kill. However, they do manoeuvre in patterns that the user can discern if he is observant enough and can stall the opposition long enough to exploit it.
Return of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom does not feature amazing, jaw-dropping graphic displays or sound, but offers exactly what is necessary to create challenging, entertaining game play and recreate a classical eighties Atari or arcade feel. It is a nice blend of whirling action and hand-eye coordination that most gamers will greatly appreciate.
In summary, Return of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom is a nice little arcade shooter. It has a lot of features that give it a very classic feel, and is most reminiscent of the arcade game Galaga. The user should have no problem getting the hang of the controls, and will likely find himself very quickly addicted to the game. It is highly recommended for download, despite the fact that it is one of the most obscure games in the genre.
