Minishoot’ Adventures Review – Shooty Done Right

Minishoot’ Adventures finally made its way to consoles after it first released two years ago, proving once again its a solid twin-stick dungeon crawler.

Some ideas are so inherently brilliant that it is just a matter of time until they manifest in our reality. A movie about dinosaurs. A song riffing on outer space. A twin-stick dungeon crawler. Originally released in 2024 on PC, Minishoot’ Adventures is exactly that. A no-brainer of a concept, and yet, clever in its execution from beginning to end. Fairly compared to The Legend of Zelda from the get-go, you can see the inspirations this charming little ship’s journey embarks upon. Then again, it would be unfair to not sing its praises as well.

Galaga, the forefather of all bullet-hell games, launched in 1981. The first Zelda, in 1986. Of course, there have been other games flirting with the marriage of these concepts before. What makes Minishoot’ Adventures stand out is the little details that make it greater than the sum of its parts. The ship you control, for instance, gets “tired” once you deplete its energy from boosting, letting out a quirky sound, and two drops of water appear near the cockpit. Because there is no dialogue or narration between the characters apart from an ominous myth briefly described in the prologue, these idiosyncrasies go a long way.

The structure is not groundbreaking, but its familiarity will endear you to it. Our ship’s original state, as most Metroidvanias are, is weak and ineffective. Only being able to shoot one short laser bullet at a time, the movement is sluggish to boot. Before you know it, though, improvements by leveling up and earning crystals to spend on various abilities will find their way to you. More damage, fire rate, or faster movement are but a few of the options to tailor the experience to your liking. A special currency can be used to barter with ship shops. I know what you’re thinking, and no, you cannot steal items from them.

Minishoot’ Adventures, as its name implies, is a short romp. Clocking in at about 5 to 8 hours, depending on if you do the post-game content, its concise package is to its benefit. Tasked with collecting four purple skulls across dungeons culminating in boss fights, it is predictable but enjoyable. Every biome has its personality, to the point that earning a new ability, like floating over water or using a stronger version of the gun, is prominently featured to make you get used to it.

For bullet-hell lovers, there is a lot to sink their teeth into. Each boss or set of enemies has a fun bullet pattern that is intricate to learn. For laid-back players, difficulty options are in place, with further accessibility features to outright turn off damage. Somewhat challenging platforming sections and races against time and other ships test the limits of the ship’s gameplay. While some of them are hit or miss, the abundance of secrets in every level inspires you to explore every nook and cranny.

It is a trap to think that game development is easy when you see it so deftly made. It is strange to feel like a nameless ship has charisma, but the way your ship interacts with others makes it impossible not to draw a smile on your face. To figure out which way to go in each carefully designed level and shoot your way out while avoiding the complex projectile patterns is rewarding. Yes, a myriad of tropes seen in iconic games of its ilk are mirrored here, but the right balance between challenge and exploration makes it a delight. Enviable in its simplicity, Minishoot’ Adventures is a great mix of ideas.