Space Dave!
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Space Dave!
Much like Woah Dave!, Space Dave!'s ironic use of exclamation mark might fool you into thinking you're getting a particularly riveting or exciting experience for your buck. Its simple, Space Invaders tribute concept can be addictive - especially when played in local co-op - but its desire to embrace the basic building blocks of the '80s is a poisoned chalice, one that leaves you hoping it would offer more depth where there's just the same old shallow, pixelated waters.
Even if it isn't everything it could be, Space Dave! is still a damn fun shooter and the exact type of game I want to pick up when I only have a few free minutes of downtime available. It's fast, frantic, and frequently calling me back to beat my high score. The arcade scene may be deader than the Ouya, but Dave is doing his darndest to keep the spirit of its golden age alive and relevant in this modern era of gaming.
Cooperative play is what propels Space Dave! up to slightly above average territory. It's much more fun to beat the alien assault as a team, with each player taking a side of the screen and having the others back.
If you are a fan of classic arcade games, I'd highly recommended Space Dave!, as it's a prime example of a great pick-up-and-play game. The addictive gameplay had me always wanting to come back for one more round over and over again, proving that Choice Provisions successfully executed on what they were trying to deliver - a solid arcade experience.
Although the frustration factor can be high and there's a significant lack of content, Space Dave provides an action-packed dynamic that'll have you on the edge of your seat as you approach getting a high score or reaching a new checkpoint.
Sporting a very retro 8-bit art kind of vibe and a synthesized voice that shot me through a time warp to simpler times of playing classic games like Track and Field (really, that voice makes me want to cry it is so perfect) the style of play is very eclectic...
Space Dave! is a great little action title that lets you jump in for some quick and chaotic Space Invaders-esque mayhem. It might not have much depth beyond its running and gunning, but it definitely has a ton of fun in a byte-sized package.
All in all, I really enjoyed my time with Space Dave! It’s retro done right, and it’s just challenging enough without being overwhelmingly hard. Pattern recognition and fast reflexes are important on higher difficulty levels, but you could always stick to Easy Peasy and still have a lot of fun. I spent about 5 hours with the game, most of that spent on just beating the main game. Afterwards, the game loops, so if you get really good, you can rack up incredibly high scores that way. For $9.99, I would recommend this to any fan of classic gaming that owns a Switch. My only minor complaint was that there was nothing to unlock, though there are a ton of hidden achievements and purportedly some truly super secret stuff. Space Dave! impressed me far more than Woah Dave!, and I’m looking forward to which classic game Choice Provisions does justice to next!
