{"id":13801,"date":"2022-07-05T11:22:18","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T02:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=13801"},"modified":"2022-07-05T11:22:19","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T02:22:19","slug":"20220705-13801","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/reviews\/20220705-13801\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero Wing: Is the game behind the meme any good?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><br><br><em><strong>Zero Wing<\/strong><\/em>, the meme, the myth, the legend. On June 30, Toaplan\u2019s oft-memed horizontal shooter released to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack in what\u2019s probably the most widely available version of the game now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Four classic SEGA Genesis games have just been made available for <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NintendoSwitchOnline?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NintendoSwitchOnline<\/a> + Expansion Pack members!<br><br>\u2611\ufe0f Comix Zone<br>\u2611\ufe0f Target Earth<br>\u2611\ufe0f Zero Wing<br>\u2611\ufe0f MEGA MAN: THE WILY WARS <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TSz0RFwqCV\">pic.twitter.com\/TSz0RFwqCV<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NintendoAmerica\/status\/1542677284750082054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 1, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Zero Wing<\/em> first released in arcades way back in 1989, but most people are probably more familiar with its Mega Drive port that initially only came out in Japan and Europe in 1991. While North America did finally get a limited reproduction for the Sega Genesis from Retro-Bit in 2020, I think it\u2019s safe to say the reputation of the memes from the mid 2000s proceed the game itself in a big way. When I first caught wind of \u201cAll your base are belong to us\u201d and the internet phenomenon that it spawned, I didn\u2019t even know the game was a shooter. It\u2019s also surprising to me that no one tried to cash in on any sort of port when you consider just how far it permeated into gaming and internet culture. But now that it\u2019s here, it would almost feel criminal not to give the game behind the meme a chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Zero Wing <\/em>starts with that legendary intro with a translation that\u2019s so bad, it\u2019s good. But what I didn\u2019t know is how hype the accompanying music track is. I personally always associated it with a \u201cBohemian Rhapsody\u201d parody that replaced the lyrics with those of the <em>Zero Wing<\/em> intro that I heard all those years ago. That\u2019s something of a theme with <em>Zero Wing<\/em>, though. The music tracks are bangers and honestly some of the best examples of what the Yamaha FM synthesizer in the Mega Drive\/Genesis can do in the right hands. And that\u2019s from someone who never had a particular fondness for that crunchy sound the console was known for.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"805\" height=\"556\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 805px) 100vw, 805px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001.jpg 805w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-600x414.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-380x262.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-768x530.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-150x104.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-218x150.jpg 218w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-696x481.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-608x420.jpg 608w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-001-100x70.jpg 100w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>But let\u2019s jump into the main course here and talk about the gameplay before I get carried away. <em>Zero Wing<\/em> is a pretty by-the-numbers horizontal shooter. It\u2019s also a checkpoint shooter which means you\u2019re going back to a checkpoint and losing your powerups when you die. It\u2019s pretty common of that era but will likely frustrate newcomers and those who just don\u2019t like that style of gameplay. Luckily it can be circumvented with the rewind feature on Nintendo Switch Online for those that just want a quick glance at what the game offers. I wouldn\u2019t say the game is brutally difficult or anything, but checkpoint recovery can be an issue for those who don\u2019t know what they\u2019re getting into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something I appreciated about the gameplay was its simplicity. There are three different types of weapons that you level up by collecting the same color power up dropped from enemies. There\u2019s also the tractor beam that can be used to hold bombs or to grab enemies to use as either a shield or a projectile. Add your two bullet absorbing pods above and below your ship and you have a pretty simple game about blowing stuff up without getting blown up yourself. The stages also bring some environmental obstacles into the mix but not to the extent of an <em>R-Type<\/em> or something. It\u2019s easier and a little less claustrophobic but still has similar vibes.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"804\" height=\"556\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 804px) 100vw, 804px\" src=\"http:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002.jpg 804w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-600x415.jpg 600w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-380x263.jpg 380w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-768x531.jpg 768w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-150x104.jpg 150w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-218x150.jpg 218w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-696x481.jpg 696w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-607x420.jpg 607w, https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/20220705-13801-002-100x70.jpg 100w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>The progression of the stages from a design standpoint is well done too. You start off in space and venture deeper through enemy territory where things start to get more mechanical before turning into a hellish alien underworld. There\u2019s some logic to it that helps make it feel like you\u2019re progressing on a journey. It also has the cutest little ship that would fit in right alongside a cute \u2018em up like <em>Parodius<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So does <em>Zero Wing<\/em> live up to its legendary internet meme status? It\u2019s far from the bad game many would likely expect from something with such a terrible translation. With its fun but not necessarily groundbreaking gameplay and awesome soundtrack, I don\u2019t think the title would just be a footnote in the Mega Drive library if the meme didn\u2019t exist. However, Toaplan did only ever release two horizontal shooters with <em>Zero Wing<\/em> being the last one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But games don\u2019t live in a vacuum. Sometimes playing a bad game with a friend can make it fun. Sometimes it\u2019s the thrill of the hunt while you rummage through old shovelware at a recycle shop looking for something interesting that sticks with you. Sometimes you have fond memories of a game because it\u2019s based on a tv show you loved as a kid. And sometimes a meme takes a game from good to legendary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s surprising to me that no one tried to cash in on any sort of port when you consider just how far Zero Wing permeated into gaming and internet culture. But now that it\u2019s here, it would almost feel criminal not to give the game behind the meme a chance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":13803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Zero Wing: Is the game behind the meme any good? - AUTOMATON WEST<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It\u2019s surprising to me that no one tried to cash in on any sort of port when you consider just how far Zero Wing permeated into gaming and internet culture. 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