(WiiWare) Gyrostarr
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Gyrostarr
The fastest game you will play
Gyrostarr is a rare game with many common gameplay features we have seen time and time again in many games for a very long time. Sci-fi racing with weapons on a twisty race track are fairly common features in some form or another, but to have them all together and work so well is rare and all of that with a sense of ever increasing speeds.
A budget priced Wii-ware title which feels almost like a full game you would buy in a store instead of downloading to your Wii. Gyrostarr is one of the most impressive games I have seen on the Wii in a long time and gives me hope Wii-Ware will not be a waste of time and money in the long run for dedicated gamers.
Gameplay
Possibly Gyrostarr is the fastest racing game on any system so it needs some solid gameplay mechanics to make it fun and playable. Gyrostarr fortunately has those solid gameplay mechanics for the most part; by using the Wii mote and classic controller for normal controls are fantastic and intuitive in every way in controlling your ship through all of the twists and turns while dodging incoming fire. But when you use the motion controls you will find them to be poor and unwieldy in almost every way, certainly more of a hindrance then an actual benefit.
In Gyrostarr you and up to 3 more friends are controlling your ships by speeding down a half pipe tunnel, collecting power ups, weapons and plasma which is used to open warp gates and continue your journey through Gyrostarr’s 50 intense twisted levels. To collect the weapons you fire a grappling hook type of device forward to catch them, which adds much to the competitive side of the gameplay, because it is more fun fire the big gun instead of your friends little pea-shooters.
Possibly the best aspect to the game is the 4 player Co-Op offered in the game which offers a form of competition with the other players for power ups, but also working together to collect plasma and destroy the incoming waves of enemies that fly down the track firing as you navigate your ship through the twists, turns and gates before you. Like so many other Co-Op titles, the game is much more fun with others then by yourself, but the game is still very fun playing by yourself.
Graphics
Gyrostarr does not push the Wii’s hardware to its limits, not even close to its limits and in fact you do not even care graphically about the game once you start playing it because once the game starts moving forward you will be blown away at the sheer sense of speed in the game, with your ship moving all over the track at amazing speeds it feels like the fastest game you will ever play. While the tracks, ships and effects are average, the backgrounds are excellent and add much to look at when you are not concentrating on the action. With well designed tracks and impressive backgrounds the overall game is much more then graphics, it is pure gameplay.
Audio
Overall the audio in the game is nothing special nor is it awful, but something between forgettable and decent music and generic to just good sound effects. The game offers nothing we have not heard before in other games of this type. Disappointing yes, but in the end it does not actually matter as much as the in this type of action game as you will have pure tunnel vision on what you are doing not what you are hearing.
Value
Four players, over 50 levels and some addicting gameplay make this a game we love seeing as gamers. This is one of those games we can and will keep playing over and over again, especially with friends because mayhem is fun with people.
Bottom Line
Buy it, while the concept of the game is not anything we have not seen before, we have not seen it done this well in the past and the game is very fun and a worth while experience for the price.
Pros
- Graphics are good
- Audio is good, but a bit generic
- Sense of speed is excellent
- Controls are fantastic
- Game is fun, pure addicting fast paced action crack fun
Cons
- motion controls are bad
Final Verdict
Here's a small guide to help you understand our evaluation of games.
PRESENTATION GRADE
Can be from the game's box to the contents of the booklet, and even the game introduction. (Intro, menus, options, etc)
GRAPHIC GRADE
Up to what point the graphics have been worked on my the developper. The design type, the effort used for textures and environments, as well as animations and framerate.
AUDIO GRADE
Is the soundtrack a good match to the game's style, he ambient sounds keeping with the gameplay and the sound effects clear and convincing?
GAMEPLAY GRADE
Placement of the controls and the inferface that the player with be using during the game.
REPLAY VALUE GRADE
The most important factor in the evaluation of a game. It identifies the lifespan of the game and the fun of coming back again and again.
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