Super Galaxy Squadron EX Turbo

Super Galaxy Squadron EX Turbo is a sci-fi shoot ’em up set eleven years after the First Ceti War, where the United Interstellar Federation recruits fourteen elite pilots to avert a second conflict with a secluded alien race from Tau Ceti, piloting customizable starfighters through intense top-down arcade battles in a futuristic universe of bullet hell and interstellar warfare.

Super Galaxy Squadron EX Turbo: Review

Introduction

In the neon-drenched void of space, where pixels collide like cosmic debris and a single errant bullet can spell doom for even the galaxy’s finest aces, Super Galaxy Squadron EX Turbo emerges as a triumphant love letter to the shoot ’em up (SHMUP) genre. Born from the solo vision of developer Nick Clinkscales under Synset Games and polished to perfection by publisher New Blood Interactive, this 2017 remaster/expansion builds on its 2015 origins to deliver frantic, accessible arcade action that bridges the gap between bullet-hell purists and genre newcomers. As a historian of gaming’s golden era—where titles like R-Type and Gradius defined vertical scrolling mastery—I’ve long mourned the SHMUP’s decline amid modern open-world dominance. Yet SGS EX Turbo reignites that spark, proving that retro can evolve without losing its soul. My thesis: This is not just a polished indie gem but a pivotal modern SHMUP that democratizes bullet hell, blending nostalgia, innovation, and replayability into a package that deserves a permanent slot in any pixel art aficionado’s library.

Development History & Context

Synset Games, helmed by Nick Clinkscales, launched Super Galaxy Squadron in 2015 as a compact vertical SHMUP initially tied to charity efforts for Child’s Play, embodying the indie scene’s ethos of passion-driven projects amid Steam’s indie explosion. By 2016’s EX update and 2017’s EX Turbo—released on Steam March 6, 2017, with Linux support—this had evolved into a near-sequel remaster, bundling the original for nostalgic dual-play. New Blood Interactive, known for publishing cult hits like Dusk and Amid Evil, stepped in to amplify distribution, leveraging bundles like Humble Freedom (raising $6M+ for ACLU) to boost visibility.

Clinkscales’ vision was clear: craft a “SHMUP for human beings,” countering the genre’s infamous skill ceilings with merciful mechanics while honoring arcade roots. Technological constraints were minimal—built in GameMaker (GMS2, 32-bit Linux notes highlight era quirks)—allowing fluid 60FPS action on modest hardware (1.2GHz CPU, 512MB RAM). Released during the 2010s indie renaissance, amid Celeste and Enter the Gungeon‘s procedural triumphs, SGS EX Turbo navigated a landscape craving retro revivals. SHMUPs like Ikaruga (2001) and indies such as Danmaku Unlimited set precedents, but Clinkscales innovated accessibility amid bullet-hell fatigue. Post-launch, Clinkscales pivoted to VR projects before quieter pursuits, with New Blood maintaining stewardship—evident in ongoing Steam updates—cementing its status as a boutique darling in a sea of AAA behemoths.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

At its core, SGS EX Turbo unfolds in 2438, eleven years after the First Ceti War—a brutal clash between humanity’s United Interstellar Federation (UIF) and the enigmatic Tau Ceti aliens. Locked in stalemate, the UIF assembles the Super Galaxy Squadron: 17 elite pilots (originally 14, expanded in updates) tasked with single-handedly igniting and winning the Second Ceti War. Stages traverse real astronomical locales—Alpha Centauri, Epsilon Indi, Barnard’s Star, UV Ceti, Sirius—grounding its sci-fi in plausible futurism, evoking Tyrian‘s narrative ambition.

The EX Turbo overhaul elevates storytelling via fully voiced pixel-art cutscenes, a rarity in SHMUPs mocked by devs as “for the two people looking for a good story.” Dialogue crackles with B-movie flair: cocky pilots banter amid escalating threats, from “We have ten million ships!” retorts to hyperbole like “one ship, but it shoots a million lasers per second.” Characters shine through bios—diverse nationalities, ages, genders, zodiacs—each piloting color-coded ships mirroring playstyles (e.g., aggressive reds for offense). Themes probe lone heroism versus overwhelming odds, federation hubris, and interstellar arms races, subverting SHMUP tropes where plot is mere interstitial text.

Yet depth tempers brevity: six stages frame a tight arc from recruitment to climactic Tau Ceti assault, with pilot swaps mid-campaign personalizing runs. Voiced delivery adds gravitas—Random Encounter’s chiptune underscores tense briefings—transforming arcade filler into thematic glue. Flaws persist: unoriginal premise echoes Gradius, and pilots feel archetypal (ace hotshot, grizzled vet). Still, for a 1.5-hour campaign (per HowLongToBeat), it punches above weight, humanizing bullet-dodging frenzy.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

SGS EX Turbo‘s core loop is pure SHMUP alchemy: pilot a starfighter through top-down, vertically scrolling stages, blasting enemy waves, dodging bullet hell, collecting power-ups, and conquering bosses—then rinse in Endless or Boss Rush modes. Seventeen ships define variety, each with bespoke stats (offense, defense, speed), primary/secondary weapons (Z-key), and hypers (Spacebar, blue-drop charged, bullet-clearing nukes). Switch pilots inter-stage in Arcade Mode for hybrid runs, suiting playstyles from tanky brawlers to agile dodgers.

Power-ups upgrade weapons on collection, but hits demote them—recoverable as floating orbs—pairing risk/reward with forgiving health (regen via drops, infinite lives in Casual/Veteran). Innovations shine: Overdrive ramps shooting/scoring via sustained fire; Focus (new meter) triggers bullet-time slo-mo, vital for parsing dense patterns. UI is pristine—narrow aspect evokes arcade cabs, clear hitboxes (small ship cores), HUD tracks meters/health seamlessly. Controls excel: keyboard, Xbox/gamepad, joystick; Steam Input friendly.

Flaws emerge: uneven difficulty—breezy early stages spike brutally at the final spherical boss (patch-noted, still punishing post-40+ tries on Casual). Short length (30-min sessions) demands replay for mastery, bolstered by leaderboards, 13 achievements, trading cards. Endless Mode feeds scoring itch; Boss Rush tests timing. Innovative yet flawed, it refines loops without reinventing, prioritizing flow over frustration.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The game’s universe pulses with lived-in futurism: UIF hangars yield to asteroid fields, nebulae, and Ceti strongholds across named star systems, fostering immersion via dynamic backgrounds (scrolling stars, parallax debris). Atmosphere nails arcade urgency—explosions bloom in vivid palettes, bullets weave hypnotic donuts—without overwhelming readability.

Art direction is a pixel masterpiece: EX Turbo‘s overhaul swaps original’s simplicity for lush 16-bit sprites, fluid animations, and particle-heavy effects (beefy blasts, tracer fire). Ships gleam distinctively, bosses morph menacingly (e.g., final orb’s deceptive minimalism). Retro aesthetic evokes R-Type meets Geometry Wars, Steam Deck verified for portable glory.

Sound seals the deal: Random Encounter’s chiptune soundtrack—intense FM synths, pounding bass—propels chaos, available on Bandcamp. SFX pop: laser pew-pews, guttural explosions, voiced cutscenes add personality. Accessibility toggles (rumble, volume) enhance, though reset-on-boot irks. Collectively, they forge exhilarating tension, explosions as cathartic punctuation.

Reception & Legacy

Launch reception was glowing yet niche: Steam’s “Very Positive” (83% of 371 reviews, 84/100 player score) praises accessibility (“for human beings”), ship variety, polish—echoed in 8.5/10 from CGM, ZTGD; 4/5 Game Rant. Critics lauded “loud, brilliant, exhilarating” action, retro charms; players averaged 7-8/10 (ChoicestGames, blogs), citing final boss spike as flaw (1+ hour struggles). MobyGames (3.3/5, few votes) and Metacritic (tbd, user 7.8) reflect modest aggregator footprint, but itch.io’s 5/5 (small sample) and bundles amplified reach.

Commercially, $9.99 Steam price (frequent 66% sales to $3.29) yielded steady collectors (59-63 on Moby). Legacy endures: influenced accessible SHMUPs like Jet Lancer, HellStar Squadron; New Blood’s curation elevates it beside Shadow Squadron kin. Post-2017 patches addressed spikes; Clinkscales’ VR shift left stewardship to publishers. In SHMUP history—from 1976’s Squadron to modern indies—SGS EX Turbo carves niche as “merciful bullet hell,” inspiring genre revival amid 2020s retro wave.

Conclusion

Super Galaxy Squadron EX Turbo distills SHMUP essence—dodge, shoot, explode—into a modern marvel: 17 ships, Focus/Overdrive ingenuity, voiced narrative, and modes galore temper bullet hell’s brutality, flaws like boss spikes notwithstanding. Synset and New Blood crafted an approachable arcade pinnacle, blending 2015 roots with 2017 shine for endless replay. In video game history, it claims elite status: essential for veterans, gateway for schmup schmucks. Verdict: 9/10—A stellar squadron worth enlisting, forever blasting through gaming’s starry backlog.