Space Dave

Genre: Arcade

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local), Online Leaderboards

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Review:

Space Dave, released on Nintendo Switch in 2018, is an Arcade-style game that is a follow-up to the game Woah Dave!. Space Dave shares some aesthetic similarities to Woah Dave! And even has some gameplay elements carry over, but the core gameplay here is quite different – rather than its predecessor’s focus on Arcade-style Platforming, Space Dave is more of an Arcade-style game in the style of the classic Arcade game Space Invaders.

As with Woah Dave!, the visuals in this game are very simple, using low-quality pixel art visuals for its various characters and backgrounds, making it look stylistically like an Atari-era arcade game. This is backed by energetic chiptune music and a digitized voice for Dave himself. It’s a cute and nostalgic presentation that hits the old-fashioned target it’s aiming for, even if it doesn’t impress on any technical level.

As for the gameplay, Space Dave has players moving left and right on a flat battlefield, shooting down invading enemies above while trying to avoid their gunfire. Unlike Space Invaders, players don’t have shields they can duck under to protect themselves, but they do occasionally come into possession of a box they can toss on the ground to capture enemies and recruit them to fight alongside them. Unlike Shmup-style “Option” power-ups, though, these helpers are vulnerable to enemy fire just as you are, and you will quickly find them taken out by the same shots you’re frantically trying to dodge.

Another gameplay element is that enemies will occasionally dive-bomb the ground, and if players can’t stop them, then not only does that enemy power up, but that section of the ground turns to lava, only reverting back to normal after you toss multiple defeated powered-up enemies into it. Players can jump and briefly hover over these pits, but it makes for one more factor in an already frantic battle.

This is probably Space Dave’s biggest issue – much as with Woah Dave!, Space Dave is absurdly difficult, even on the lowest difficulty level. The bombardment of enemy gunfire is unrelenting, and players will often find themselves blocked off from preventing enemies from dive-bombing the ground due to a wall of bullets you have no way of penetrating. In fact, sometimes simply attacking enemies means trying to chip away at their edges, as anything more than that exposes you to far too much of their gunfire to manage.

If you can tolerate the absurd difficulty level, Space Dave is still an enjoyable take on the Space Invaders formula that has a few fun and unique elements to it, but that difficulty level is a major stumbling block that will give pause to most players who might otherwise find this game to be appealing. With the low price tag of $5, it’s not too great a risk to give this game a try, but be warned that the absurd difficulty will definitely limit how much you’re likely to enjoy it.

tl;dr – Space Dave is an Arcade-style game in the same vein as Space Invaders, with players dodging enemy fire from above while jumping over lava pits created by enemies who dive-bomb the stage. This take on the Space Invaders formula has some fun and creative elements to it, but many players will find the absurdly tough difficulty to be a huge barrier to enjoying this game. However, if you’re looking for an old-school-style game with a challenge, Space Dave may be worth a look.

Grade: C+

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