When it comes to styles of play that have been around forever, platform shooters are one of those staples that I remember playing quite a lot of, whether at home or in the arcades. Of course, the problem with making new games that are built in a classic mold, is that it can be hard to keep gameplay feeling fresh but still familiar in some way. Captain Soda manages to do just that though, providing a twin-stick platform shooting experience that wisely continues to spread out and offer more and more variety and challenge the further you go.

While people who’ve been around may initially be worried about some basic similarities to the classic Super Crate Box, it doesn’t take long at all to appreciate that this delivers its own distinctive experience. Regardless of what weapons or characters you may ultimately use, the basic challenge here always revolves around trying to stay alive and kill your enemies, but also contending with scarcity of the “soda” that serves as your ammunition. While the rate that you burn through your reserves will vary depending on the weapons you choose, and the accessories you add on, you’ll always need to be conscious of every swing or blast of your weapon, as well as where you’ll need to go in order to replenish.

The thing is, that merely serves as the base for what can almost feel like entirely different games depending on what equipment you use. Unlocking new characters can significantly alter your strategies, and while some weapons are all about picking off enemies from a distance, you can also opt for an aggressive in-your-face style as well, depending on how you load yourself up. In order to try to encourage experimentation, each stage has its own associated bonus objectives to meet, and there are also special reward challenges as well that will push you to test your skills. Success in these is crucial to unlocking new characters and enhancements that will continue to open up new strategies and opportunities as well, and demonstrate that there are multiple routes to victory. The scope of its single-screen stages may still feel limited to some, but if you’re looking for a surprisingly varied challenge within those bounds this delivers.