Using just one button to move and shoot (which both have to be done at the same time) Switch ‘N’ Shoot provides tons of challenge!
This super-addictive space shooter was on a huge projector at the most recent GAMAYO, where I played with a single, giant button. At Norwich Gaming Festival, the game was displayed on a wonderful, custom arcade cabinet. You see, Switch ‘N’ Shoot only uses one button — no matter what you want to do. Your name is randomly generated for the leader board (as you cannot key in a name with one button) and you automatically move across the screen. The screen does wrap around, so you can move in one direction the entire time if you’d like. If you prefer to change the direction you are moving or shoot, pushing a button (any button will do!) will shoot and switch directions.
The title of this game is very fitting. Enemies come down from the top of the screen, which you get a single point for shooting. If an enemy moves to the bottom of the screen, it freezes there for a moment before exploding. During this time, you can end up running into the enemy, killing you. You only have one life, so one hit will force you to meet your demise.
Apart from enemies, gold coins fall down the screen. If you collect these, it upgrades your gun — which gains larger bullets and soon a greater number of them. Your power-ups do have a major downside, though. You need to collect them one after another for the bigger upgrades. If you miss a coin, your gun downgrades one level.
Eventually, if you fill up your upgrades bar completely, you can move onto the next sector. The giant head who seems to be sending you on this quest will fill you in on the quick details — but more enemies and a completely downgraded gun is what you face in this next area. Occasionally there are also blue enemies in Sector 2 that drop blue coins — and shields, if you collect them — after you kill them off.
Switch ‘N’ Shoot is super-addictive game — each time you play, you want to give it one more go. The developer’s high score is automatically on the scoreboard, challenging you and taunting you as you play. See if you can last for more than one sector in this well polished game.
You can pick up Switch ‘N’ Shoot for £1.99/$2.99 on Steam or Itch.io for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android.
