As a fan of new and odd ideas, the thought of a game that has a mix of elements from beat-em-ups, shooters, and a little music to boot sounded like it had real potential. While PopSlinger can’t be faulted for being generic or too much like anything else out there, its issue is that in a variety of ways it simply doesn’t come together… at least not well. The more lane-based way that beat-em-ups roughly set you up against your enemies is well-worn and works well… at least for very close combat moves like punches or kicks. I found that the same setup isn’t so desirable when you’re trying to shoot enemies instead, it has a tendency to make it a bit awkward even. You can hold down and keep firing continuously but since chains of the same colored enemies impart essential power-ups you’ll need the further you get you’re left to trying to be precise or you’ll lose those benefits, which tends to make things tougher. Doing nothing to help, the view will zoom in and out depending on the situation, but too often I felt like the space shown was too cramped a view, and even worse stray shots off the screen could easily hit an enemy of an incorrect color breaking your chain. This convergence of annoyances could have perhaps been tamped down by great overall play but while the experience is distinct I can’t say it’s likely going to be a match for most people out there, unless you truly just appreciate novelty, no matter how shakily implemented.