Sidekicks are underpowered to play as and also invincible, removing any sense of tension or excitement from the gameplay. Sadly in Mighty Goose, whilst you can have a pal join the fun, the second player is restricted to being a sidekick rather than a second goose. If any genre is required local play, then its 2D run ‘n guns. There’s also a lacklustre co-op mode that dampened much of my enthusiasm for the game. Sure, that’s keeping it old school, but the fact that some levels have plentiful checkpoints while others are so stingy is unnecessarily frustrating. It’s just a shame the checkpoints can be uneven and punishing.
Collect enough coins during a level and Goose can use a mobile phone app to call in weapon and vehicle drops – a very welcome addition to ease the challenge of a particularly taxing boss. On-screen visual effects, such as slow-mo and the occasional honking of a giant goose’s head, can be removed to help provide a clearer view of the action. Now, Mighty Goose is tricky, but that’s not to say that BlastMode Games haven’t made some canny design choices to make it accessible. An ammo throwing Pig can prove the difference between making it past a boss or not, whilst the rocket shooting one-wheeled robot proved intrinsic to later play.
Whilst some are throwaway – Regular Duck, I’m looking at you – others prove vital. These AI controlled bots accompany Goose and do their best to help out. Likely the biggest addition to the standard run and gun tropes is the inclusion of sidekicks. I was delighted by the range of options and how levels demanded you change up your preferred loadout in order to achieve a top score. There’s various buffs that can be applied, such as weapons blasts dealing more damage or adding a few more seconds to god-mode, as well as more interesting additions, such as the ability to summon hordes of skeletons to aid Goose or blast foes from afar with enormous pillars of burning flame. These are a nice addition and prove vital to making progress through the game’s particularly challenging New Game Plus. Mighty Goose can be choose from a variety of power-ups and additional abilities at the start of a level. There’s further neat twists to the Metal Slug formula. Careful combo preservation is a must to ensure this attack is available to see you through some tough showdowns.
MIGHTY GOOSE CHARACTERS FULL
Once that’s filled, a quick squeeze of the controller’s triggers will spurt hellish flames from the Gooses’ head, activating a full on god mode for a moment or two. The Goose also has a Mighty Mode meter that can be filled by building up a combo. The player is constantly forced to switch between fighting on the ground and going aerial to keep the hordes of enemies at bay. This ability is put to the test with some gleefully devious enemy combinations that will push any gamer’s skills. Blast at the ground whilst leaping and Mighty Goose will hover in the air, gliding left and right whilst unleashing rockets, machine gun bullets and shotgun blasts to maintain its impromptu flight. Who knew being a Mighty Goose could be such tremendous fun?Ĭontrols are precise and responsive, exactly what is needed to provide the player with a chance to survive the copious on-screen carnage. The Goose also has a few neat powers of its own to make even Marco and Tarma envious. The Goose honks, barrel rolls, dons googles to ride a funky bike and even, when its last life has been lost, has its goose well and truly cooked. With a handful of pixels, Blastmode have imbued their hero with more character than can be found in dozens of AAA protagonists. First and foremost is the eponymous Goose itself, quite probably my favourite video game character of 2021.
Thankfully, Mighty Goose is much more than a Metal Slug impersonator and has plenty of its own ideas.
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