Mighty Gunvolt Burst (Nintendo 3DS) Review

In tune with the retro aesthetic for the game, for both visuals and audio, the tale of Mighty Gunvolt Burst is but a simple one. Running a VR simulation of his past foes in order to improve his strength and tactics, Beck from Mighty No.9 somehow becomes trapped in this fake reality, and must conquer the levels in order to find a way out. Gunvolt from Azure Striker Gunvolt is in much the same situation, having been transported to the same simulation with no explanation, and proceeds to locate an exit. The narrative is light and character exposition is rare, which complements the run-and-gun platforming genre and delivers a speedy means of gratifying gameplay.

There are eight primary levels, each with its own theme and end boss. The levels are the same regardless of character choice, and each provides a high degree of challenge that rewards patience and learning enemy attack patterns. These levels have been designed for repeat and portable play, not only with secret passages that yield collectibles and frequent checkpoints, but with a choice of rewards upon finishing. Each stage runs well with a solid frame-rate on the 3DS, with one sole exception being the Mine that chugs when the screen is full of drills and enemies. The opening stage acts as an effective tutorial that explains the basics via prompts, and both Beck and Gunvolt control very similarly with their specialised abilities being the main differentiator.

One of the most unique aspects of Mighty Gunvolt Burst is the Customising system, able to be utilised at any point via the pause menu and stage select. Keeping in mind a Customise Point limit that can be increased over the course of the adventure, a wide array of options can be changed to the player's liking. Want Homing Bullets that deal double the damage? Shield Blades surrounding Beck or Gunvolt that dissipate into smaller knives and fly off? Flame Balls that bounce off walls? This can be done, and although there is a lack of a difficulty option initially, everything can be made much harder or easier with damage modifiers, although these require the greatest CP sacrifices.

Both Beck and Gunvolt share certain modifier choices, and have their own unique aspects to them, as well, which can all be discovered hidden in the levels. For such a flexible and fun system, it is a shame that the game doesn't explain it all too well, if at all. Trial and error is a key concept for many titles in this genre, and this feature embodies that view quite well.

As the third part of the title, the Burst aspect is also quite unique, and can change up the flow quite dramatically, if pursued. A Burst chain activates when destroying an enemy close up, as in almost touching them, which brings its own risk vs. reward dilemma. Yielding health boosters and CP gems when in the higher numbers, Burst also adds a great deal of volume to the overall score for level completion, making for an enjoyable system that isn't vital to progression but still fun to make use of when the desire arises.

Although Mighty Gunvolt Burst is on the 3DS, it doesn't make particular use of the machine's traits. There's no 3D support, which in a particular sharp-shooting boss battle would have stood out quite well, and the bottom screen is resigned to a picture of the logo. That in itself isn't a negative, but when playing on smaller 3DS units, in particular, a means to de-clutter the top screen by sharing the load across both would have been quite handy. This lack of 3D and single screen reliance is likely the result of cross platform development, but it is a shame that the 3DS wasn't utilised better.

Mighty Gunvolt Burst offers a great deal for the completionist, with not only collectible Pixel Sticker items to locate, but also its own achievement system, otherwise named 'Challenges.' One that stands out requires full completion in an hour or less; music to the ears of speed-runners, but by no means a clear sign of the game's longevity, as level and foe mastery is the only way to make that happen. Point tallies at the end of the levels are also something to consider, as the frustration of dying is offset by unlimited retries, but punishing through diminishing the high score if too many occur. Mighty Gunvolt Burst takes a popular style and adds its own spin to conventional aspects; not always for the best but, regardless, the end result is a very enjoyable platform gunner and a high recommendation for fans of the genre.