The next in SEGA’s classic arcade games that have been ported to 3DS with 3-D graphics is the well-recognized Space Harrier! It’s a fast-paced auto-forward scrolling 3-D shooter with colorful graphics and imaginative enemies. It was very popular in arcades when I was little, as the cabinet would lean left and right as you played. The arcade game was always at the front entrance of the arcades I went to, but I didn’t get to play it very much back then because all the bigger kids hogged it. But now you can play it anytime you want when you download it from the Nintendo eShop.

I’ve been blind in my left eye since birth, so I can’t see the 3-D graphics, but I’ve been told they are done very well with these SEGA 3-D classics. Space Harrier has a slew of options that you can play with like changing the difficulty and controls. You can also opt to make the screen tilt as you play, just like the arcade game did, as well as turn on or off clicky button firing noises like the arcade game had. You can also choose to start at any stage you’ve already reached, plus a bunch of other options that I have no idea what they do!

Space Harrier is pretty challenging, as you die in one hit and have a limited number of lives. But you do get a seemingly unlimited amount of continues, so it’s not so bad. Did you know that Space Harrier and Fantasy Zone are set in the same world? That’s why both games are so colorful. I only wish SEGA would bring home the last Space Harrier game that was in arcades: Planet Harriers.

Kid Factor:

3D Space Harrier is rated E for Everyone with an ESRB descriptor of Fantasy Violence. You just shoot at dragons and other creatures who explode when defeated. If you get hit, your character just falls down and lets out a muffled screen. Reading skill isn’t needed as it’s an arcade game and pretty easy to figure out just by playing. Younger players shouldn’t get too frustrated since the game has seemingly endless continues.

Tags: Game Reviews