166. Nano Assault EX (Shin'en Multimedia, 3DS, 2013)

Nano Assault EX is an updated version of 2011's, Nano Assault, which is the third entry in Shin'en Multimedia's Nano series. I had actually never heard of this series before, and got this game in a Nintendo-focused humble bundle with some other games that I was more excited for 4 years ago. The game casts you as a tiny ship flying around cells eradicating viruses and infections, very appropriate for the coronavirus climate of today.

There are 2 types of levels in Nano Assault EX. The first type has a top down view of your ship and you are able to freely fly around the surface of the cell, firing in 4 directions with the face buttons. You can also adjust the spread of your shot, which was a cool feature, as certain enemies / situations definitely called for different spread patterns. These levels felt very reminiscent of Super Stardust, though the lump irregular cell shapes were a bit more interesting than perfect spheres.

The other level type is a rail shooter like Star Fox where you are flying on a preset path but can move your ship within the frame, and your movement also controls a reticle for targeting any enemies. You also have a customizable special weapon that homes in on enemies (more are presumably available in later levels). This special weapon is very powerful, but has limited ammo, though pickups are pretty common. This rail shooter mode is the first time I've ever had a good time with the 3D effect on the 3DS, as it seemed to make the level much more readable, and a certain segment where the boss is firing directly at the screen was a pretty mesmerizing experience.

The 3 things I care about in a shooter are hot graphics, hot music, and good feel, and Nano Assault EX doesn't really have any of those. The ships and especially enemies are all just kind of ugly, with most enemies being bug-like or masses of tentacles. The music is entirely forgettable, and the shooting and movement are not a ton of fun. Despite all that, I still managed to have a pretty good time with the first couple areas of the game, and could certainly see myself coming back for some breezy shooter action, I just hope there are plenty more rail shooter levels.

4/5, a twin stick / rail shooter hybrid with the only good use of the 3DS's 3D effect that I've seen