Compelling blasting action
Anyone who enjoys the likes of classic arcade shooters such as Space Invaders or action/puzzlers like Pang will be right at home with Pea Shootin' Pete. While deceptively simple stuff, this little game offers a neat range of shooting gallery fun that is guaranteed to keep your occupied on a wet Sunday afternoon. The game is very similar to Pang and for those unacquainted with this classic, the goal here is to blast a series of bouncing balls until the level is cleared and you can advance to the next one. The trick here is that some of the balls start out large and break up into smaller ones as you shoot them, creating a high level of mayhem as you run around trying to deal with the myriad chunks hurtling around the screen while desperately trying to avoid being hit. Later levels add in a few extras, like weapons, new enemies and the ability to slow down time but the general principal remains the same, although this is no bad thing. While undeniably straightforward and little more than an exercise in pure high score achievement, Pea Shootin' Pete is a fairly charming and addictive little shooter. The visuals are simple but effective, with Pete himself a charismatic little fellow, but the gameplay is the star here and it is generally compelling stuff, if you're in the right frame of mind. The game gets suitably manic once the balls start flying and it takes reflexes and skill to see your way successfully to the end so if you love twitch games and pure action, as in Pacman or other old-school classics, then you will be right at home here.
