Aluna Rift Review: A Modern Twist on a Classic Game | The Gamerheads Podcast

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

Also on: Nintendo Switch, PC (Steam)

Price: $4.99

I love Asteroids. One of my fondest memories is going to the local bowling alley as a kid and playing it in their small arcade, which was definitely a thing back in the day. I even ended up on their high score leaderboard and held a spot in the top five for quite some time. So when I saw Aluna Rift, a new arcade-inspired game that clearly takes cues from Asteroids, I was hoping it would capture that same nostalgic feeling for me. Either I got worse at Asteroids over the years or Aluna Rift is really hard. I think it is a bit of both. One thing is for certain, Aluna Rift takes the basic concept of its inspiration and turns it into a modern experience that does some incredible things.

Aluna Rift actually started as part of a job application process. Ben, the creator of the game, was tasked with recreating Asteroids in Unity, and you can read more about that process here. From there, he took that foundation and expanded on it, turning a technical challenge into the fully realized game Aluna Rift has become.

There are two modes in Aluna Rift, Standard and Survival. The gameplay is very similar between the two, with a few key differences. Standard mode has me playing through a set of levels, while Survival is much more like a traditional arcade experience. In Standard mode, after defeating a boss, I can carry over one upgrade after my run ends. That option is not available in Survival. Both modes feature wave after wave of incoming asteroids that need to be destroyed, along with the occasional enemy ship. Movement around the play space feels very true to the original arcade game. I have thrusters to move my ship forward and backward, and I can fire my weapon at will. Aluna Rift modernizes the firing system though. Instead of having me mash the fire button over and over, I can simply hold it down, which my thumb and controller both appreciate.

The warp ability allows me to hold down the button and aim in the direction where I want my ship to jump

In the original Asteroids, there was the Hyperspace feature, which was something of a last-ditch effort. Hitting the Hyperspace button would warp my ship to a new location on the screen, but I never knew where I would end up. Aluna Rift takes this concept and makes the mechanic much more player friendly. The warp ability allows me to hold down the button and aim in the direction where I want my ship to jump. It also pauses the action on the screen as I decide where I am going to go, even if it is only for a split second. The warp ability is on a cooldown, so I cannot just warp over and over. However, there are upgrade abilities that will lower the recharge time, which I will get into in a moment.

One distinct difference between the original arcade classic and Aluna Rift is the inclusion of weapon and ship upgrades. These randomly drop after destroying asteroids or enemy ships. Some upgrades give me different bullet types, like spread guns that shoot several projectiles at once, think a shotgun, or the omni blast, where shots fire outward all around my ship. These bullet-based upgrades only last as long as the remaining ammo tied to that ability, meaning the more I fire, the faster it runs out. There are also other weapon upgrades like piercing, rapid fire, and large projectiles that operate on a timer, which allows me to combine both types. Getting a rapid spread or a large omni blast can completely clear a chaotic screen in seconds.

Ship upgrades in Aluna Rift are handled on a timer. These include things like cloaking, which allows me to phase through objects, as well as shields for added protection. The one I found the least useful was the shrink ability. While being smaller did make it a little easier to dodge incoming objects, it never felt as impactful as some of the other ship upgrades.

There is a real David and Goliath feeling to these boss fights

After completing several waves, a boss battle occurs. This is one of the more distinct aspects that really stands out in Aluna Rift. These encounters are tough, and much like any good retro-style game, it all comes down to learning the bosses’ patterns. Each boss has a health bar and different phases that trigger as their health drops. They are massive and take up a significant portion of the screen, which constantly made me feel small and outmatched. There is a real David and Goliath feeling to these boss fights. Defeating them made me feel like I had overcome something that seemed impossible.

Besides boss battles, there are also random encounters that shake things up. One of these involves black holes, where I need to carefully maneuver my ship to avoid getting hit by incoming objects. Getting hit pushes me back toward the black hole, and if I end up inside it before the event ends, my ship gets crushed. Another type of event involves a massive asteroid that explodes. There are two variations of this. In one, the asteroid explodes into smaller pieces that I can destroy, and I need to clear the field before moving on. In the other, the blast creates indestructible asteroids, turning the screen into a maze that I have to fly through. This was the one I found terribly challenging, and since these events are random, I always hoped I would not end up getting it. When I did, it was usually game over for me.

Unlike most arcade games where reaching a certain score earns extra lives, lives here are dropped randomly by enemies

Aluna Rift is rather punishing. Unlike most arcade games where reaching a certain score earns extra lives, lives here are dropped randomly by enemies. And they do not drop very often. Perhaps behind the scenes there is some kind of system that triggers extra lives after a certain score is reached, but I couldn’t tell. I will say, I died a lot. The game starts me off with three lives, and whenever I saw an extra life appear on the screen, I would make a mad dash for it, since drops only last for so long.

Do I spend my hard-earned points to improve my ship, or do I protect my score?

There is also the ability to level up my ship and weapons in both the Standard and Survival modes, although each handles this very differently. In the Standard mode, I spend upgrade points, with each upgrade costing a set amount. In Survival mode, I spend points that directly make up my score, turning it into a true risk and reward system. Do I spend my hard-earned points to improve my ship, or do I protect my score? Upgrades include things like more frequent drops that do not last as long, longer-lasting shields, and extended weapon effects. On occasion, I would even see extra lives appear in the upgrade screen, but these were rare and very costly. Survival mode also features an online leaderboard, which makes spending those points all the more nerve-racking. This is a brilliant way to incorporate a risk and reward system with my final score at stake, and it ended up being one of my favorite aspects of the game.

The other major difference between Standard and Survival is that I can turn off boss battles and random encounters in Survival mode, although doing so means I earn fewer points. Turning these off means that after I complete a certain number of waves, I gain the ability to upgrade my ship without the added pressure of those encounters. Once again, this option introduces another smart layer of risk and reward that is brilliantly built into the game.

Besides a single player option, Aluna Rift also features a two player mode in both Standard and Survival. There is also a battle mode, where two players can go head-to-head against each other. It is a nice addition that adds even more replay value to the overall experience.

These elements give Aluna Rift a fresh visual identity without losing what made the original arcade game look so cool

I would do the game a disservice if I did not talk about the visuals. The player ship, enemy ships, asteroids, and projectiles are all rendered in bright neon colors that really pop on the screen, while the background features interesting space scenes that make it feel like I am deep in the reaches of the universe. Another visual technique that stood out to me is the warping effect along the edges of the screen, which gives objects that pass through those areas a distorted look. These elements give Aluna Rift a fresh visual identity without losing what made the original arcade game look so cool.

Final Grade: A-

Aluna Rift takes the arcade classic Asteroids and successfully modernizes the experience. The most interesting feature is the Survival mode, where players must decide whether to spend points that make up their score on upgrades. This risk and reward system is not something I have seen in many other arcade-style games, and its inclusion makes for a really fun and challenging experience. Aluna Rift is probably the most challenging arcade game I have played, so landing on the high score board genuinely feels like an accomplishment. If you are a fan of Asteroids and want a more modern version that you can enjoy with friends, this is a perfect game to check out.

Review code provided by developer