Gigandes (Arcade) (1987)
Developer: East Technology

Review by Faididi and Co.


It's big, round, and just itching to beat up everything in its way


Story: Average

Evil aliens from outer space are attacking Earth again? No problem. Coming to save the day is the Gigandes, a starfighter that resembles an orb-shaped satellite.


Gameplay: Above Average

Except for its funny-looking ship, East Technology's Gigandes appears to be another typical space shooter on the surface. The hero's weapons, which can be upgraded, include laser blasters, missile launchers, wave guns, and an odd yoyo-like weapon. The 8 side-scrolling stages are set at the usual coastal cities, alien ruins, and the like, while the bad guys come in many weird-looking but hardly memorable varieties of drones and creatures. There is also no simultaneous 2-Player mode, which is a pity. If the hero gets blown up, he restarts from a checkpoint, providing there are any lives left.

Where this game deviates from the rest of its genre, however, is the highly unusual way in which the Gigandes' weapons are equipped and aimed, because the special weapons can be mounted on all four sides of the Gigandes (front, back, top, and bottom). Furthermore, the weapons can revolve their mounting positions at any time, and the top and bottom weapons can adjust their angle of aim by an additional 45 degrees. This wildly flexible system gives the Gigandes' firepower an incredible amount of reach, and it's completely unlike anything seen before in other space shooters.


Controls: Excellent

The Gigandes handles very responsively. The intuitively designed aiming system is controlled entirely with a single button, which makes it even more impressive.


Graphics: Above Average

The visuals are quite respectable. The characters are detailed well, and the gorgeously textured backgrounds use more unique imagery compared to other space shooters, giving them a less repetitive look.


Audio: Above Average

The gunfire and the explosions are loud, while the relaxing music features a few inspired tunes.


Overall: Above Average

While it may not look revolutionary at first, Gigandes is definitely worth checking out for fans of space shooters. Its truly one-of-a-kind weapon aiming system is easy and fun to use, and it offers a degree of control unparalleled in the genre.


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