Shoo-tem-up games are taken for granted nowadays, and in fact there aren’t many of them, mainly because people are more focused now on creating AAA, larger and more expansive experiences instead of focusing on the smaller and action packed games. Still, games like Blazing Lazers are still being remembered by many as being the epitome of arcade shooting and that wonderful era is still an amazing memory thanks to them.


The idea in Blazing Lazers is very simple, you have a fictional galaxy that’s under attack, and you are the only one who can stop the problems, with the help of an advanced star fighter. The mission is to destroy the Dark Squadron and all their superweapons hey have, while making sure that your ship isn’t destroyed as well.


At its core, the game focuses on a fast paced vertical scrolling and you have a ton of weapons to choose from. The idea of continuing from a checkpoint is really nice, I have to say, and the game does a great job in making things difficult, because if you get hit you will immediately lose a life. In true arcade game fashion, if you get to a certain score, you will be able to gain more lives, but this requires a lot of attention and it’s not easy at all. However, there are 4 continues which do prolong the experience quite a lot, and you will like them for sure if you die by mistake for example, something that does happen here due to the frantic action.


You do get a ton of cool power-ups to check out, all of which are nicely designed and perfectly implemented into the game. The weapons are very nice in this game and quite varied, offering you with a much-needed, extraordinary experience as you move onward and kill hundreds of enemies.


Being able to customize the ship behavior is a major plus, but the downside here is that the game becomes too hard very fast, so it does take some time to learn the levels and defeat the enemies. Thankfully, the special actions like the cluster bombs do a great job in leveling the playing field, and you will love the results for sure if you use them, even if they come in a limited amount!


Graphics are great considering the release date, and the fact that the game was released on multiple consoles definitely makes it a classic, as it clearly shows the popularity of the genre and the uniqueness of the gameplay at that particular time.


Blazing Lazers is an amazing game and a wonderful trip down the memory line. It’s one of the best retro games I have ever played, and it’s one of the most exciting ones as well considering the frantic action, so if you own an older TurboGrafx-16 or a PlayStation (the game was re-released for PSN), then playing this game is a wonderful idea!


8/10