Missile Command: Recharged Reviews
Missile Command: Recharged is a cool little survival-based adaptation of the classic arcade game. Long-time fans such as myself may be disappointed by the lack of stages and strategic scoring but what's here still offers some simple fun.
Being a late 90s baby, I was unfortunately just a little too late to be part of that generation who grew up on arcade games, waiting in line to slot their coin into the machine. But for those who remember that memory well, you may have heard of Missile Command. It has now made its way onto the Nintendo Switch in the form of Missile Command Recharged with some brand new features!
Missile Command: Recharged still has the underpinnings of the Atari classic holding everything together, but the upgrade system is a double-edged sword that has the potential to break the game. Though this is not a dealbreaker, this change unfortunately trades skill for grinding.
Missile Command: Recharged is a beautiful reinterpretation of the classic, which serves very well the proposal to satisfy the nostalgic audience that spent afternoons defending cities on arcade screens or the Atari 2600. The aesthetic and mechanical modernizations are very welcome and really improve the gameplay. As for the audience that doesn't have nostalgic feelings for the classic, perhaps the game is unflattering for the repetitive gameplay and lack of variation. Still, it's a well-made remake of an immortal classic, with basic gameplay but at the same time straight to the point, which can yield good moments of fun.
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Missile Command: Recharged didn’t try to revamp the franchise’s formula with revolutionary gameplay changes, but honestly, I think that worked for the best. It’s just a fairly good attempt to bring the franchise to modern consoles, being best enjoyed on the Switch due to its portability.
This new version is very much the same game as the 80’s version except with a cool neon look and some weapon upgrades. While the game doesn’t have much content it’s hard to not recommend with it only being priced at a few dollars.
Missile Command: Recharged on the Switch eShop, is a cheap release that doesn't do much… but does everything right. It's about just as straightforward as the 1980 coin-op, and it can be had for a little stack of quarters. It is therefore hard to complain at the simplicity, as what is available plays well, at least in handheld mode, and the experience does prove surprisingly addictive. Well, no, it's not so surprising, really - it already was addictive 40 years ago, even on Atari 2600, so it would be hard for it to not be so on the Switch. It may be simple and repetitive, but this is one which, installed on the system, can make a short bus ride or car trip much less dull.
As someone who played a ton of the original Missile Command in the arcades and at home (originally on the Atari 5200 and more recently on my MAME cabinet with a trackball controller) I was actually quite excited to see this classic get an upgrade of sorts...
Missile Command: Recharged is a better game in 2022 than it was in 2020 as the team clearly listened to feedback. There is more to sink your teeth into here and the presentation got a nice touch up too. Some things like the controls on console and grinding to unlock stuff can be a bit of a downer but this is worth checking out nonetheless for fans of the series or score chasers.
From a value perspective, the fleeting leaderboard-driven fun here is totally fine. From a gameplay perspective, I wish there was more than just leaderboard chasing to drive me forward. I might not be compelled to drop quarters into Missile Command: Recharged over and over again, but I'm happy it exists to bring back a landmark arcade game into modern times.
Missile Command: Recharged is a ridiculously addictive arcade title. Furthermore, it is a fantastic addition to the Recharged Series. Thanks to its choice of game modes and multiplayer action, this is one game that you won't want to put down.
Missile Command: Recharged is a reimagining of the 1980 arcade classic, giving it a new sense of enjoyment as well as a new appeal, including leveling up stats and chasing down leaderboards.
If you've enjoyed seeing Atari dig into its back catalog and remake old arcade experiences with modern sensibilities and features, the "2.0" version of Missile Command: Recharged will almost certainly land a direct hit. If you've never cared for previous iterations of this missile defense simulator, there might not be enough here to sway you.
All in all, Missile Command: Recharged is a good game. It doesn't mess with the gameplay design that the original established, but it does give you options and reasons to keep playing it.
Missile Command: Recharged is the upgrade you didn't think you needed. It's new missions and graphical polish is a very nice touch. I'd dare say this is one of the first tower defense/bullet hell games, and Atari never skimps on delivering the "hell" part of that equation. With snappy controls, and a cool soundtrack, Missile Command: Recharged will keep you on your toes, for as long as it wants to.
It might not be packed with content, but Missile Command: Recharged is an engaging new take on an arcade staple.