Missile Dancer 2 review

The joys of scuttling an entire enemy squadron with a single button press.

Undoubtedly, Junichi Terayama has an affinity for classic shoot ‘em ups. Publishing as Terarin Games, he has single-handedly crafted a succession of efforts that evoke the golden age of coin-op and 16-bit STGs. From Terra Flame’s allusion to Technosoft’s Thunder Force series to Raging Blaster paying homage to Hudson Soft’s Star Soldier games, playing a Terarin title frequently feels like discovering a forgotten classic.

For 2018’s Missile Dancer the reference points were Soukyugurentai/Terra Diver and the Ray- series. Much like the aforementioned Eighting and Taito titles, a lock-on system separated Missile Dancer from its vertically scrolling peers. Sequel Missile Dancer 2 takes inspiration from the sprite-scaling, on-rails action of Yu Suzuki’s 1987 arcade hit, Afterburner. The ability to lock onto targets is retained in Terayama’s follow-up, but the shift to 2.5D action escalates the on-screen intensity.

Highway to the Danger Zone

Much like the games of yesteryear, there’s little delay before you face your first foes. Whether you opt for the tutorial, a sixteen-stage Arcade mode, or the three-minute time trial found in Caravan mode, Missile Dancer 2 favors explosions rather than exposition. So, after selecting from one of three difficulty settings, it’s time to seize the skies.

Yes, both your aircraft and the action move at a breakneck pace, as you ‘paint’ targets and gun down adversaries and missile with an unlimited supply of ammo. Defensively, your ship can perform a barrel roll, which provides a constrained number of invincibility frames. One innovation is a small window on your HUD, with a top-down representation of threats. But its usefulness is limited since taking your eyes off the main screen can prove deadly.

Vapor Trails and Vanquished Rivals

As Panzer Dragon once demonstrated, there’s something quite exhilarating about acquiring a multitude of missile locks, before pulling a trigger to release a Macross-style barrage. And that’s certainly the case here, with a salvo of warheads launching every three seconds or so.

Largely, stages are glowingly paced, allowing you to take down a formation of fighters before they ratchet up the intensity. Before you know it, Missile Dancer 2 grasps your concentration, as you simultaneously try to target enemies while evading their screen-filling munitions. This is one of those games where four-minute levels feel like they’re thirty seconds. At the end-of-stage summary screen, Dancer 2 tallies up your performance bonuses, providing just enough time for a breath before sending you soaring even deadlier airspaces.

Of Power-ups and Missed Potentials

Across each of the game’s missions, airborne icons allow you to select different missile variants. The “M” emblem permits players to have a multitude of lock-ons, which is great for groups of vulnerable foes but rather ineffective against armored opponents. Alternatively, you might opt for the Napalm or Spear missiles – which favor power and speed, respectively. In execution, warhead types seem to matter most across the game’s boss battles. Here, you’ll need some strength to take down a fortified flying fortress or the swiftness to gun down a flying mecha-dragon as it emerges from the safety of the ground.

Undoubtedly, the inclusion of different projectile types is a noteworthy idea, but you might wish Missile Dancer 2 offered a few more innovations. Arcade mode is a linear affair, and it’s hard not to imagine how branching OutRun-style routes could have contributed a bit more longevity. While the game’s widescreen layout effectively uses the peripheries for elements like missile and combo data, the sole letdown in your stationary pilot portrait. Simple facial expressions like a smirk after a tough takedown could have provided a bit of personality. And it’s a minor grievance, but the lack of being able to restore your ship shielding can make a single credit run tremendously tough. On the upside, you do earn extra ships at different scoring thresholds.

Conclusion

But that’s not to say that Missile Dancer 2 is doesn’t have its charms. There’s a female announcer who announces things like collisions and scoring bonuses, with the latter offering an enjoyable “B-B-B-Bonus” stutter as you fly through a sequence of rings. HIROKEY and Taku Shiiba’s twelve song soundtrack offers two variants, with standard and FM -synthesis variants. Whether you prefer a more modern or chiptune tenor, both deliver driving anthems that match the tempo of play. There’s the allure of having your name listed on the online leaderboard. Even if you don’t make it to Missile Dancer 2’s upper echelons, you can still track your mid-field position in the world rankings. Finally, Caravan Mode provides a separate stage for you to perfect your scoring and combo-completing techniques.

Missile Dancer 2 is a faithful throwback to the coin-op titles that emerged at the end of the Eighties. And while that era might not entice players accustomed to contemporary titles, anyone who favors frantic, arcade-style action should at least give the demo a try.

Missile Dancer 2 was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.