Astro Party EX is a space shooter where the only way is, well, one way

• Astro Party EX is out now on iOS to relive the original hit
• Blast your friends out of the stars in this one-way turning space shooter
• Enjoy fast-paced PvP retro action now available free with ads

Ever since Galaga and Asteroids, the space shooter has been a cornerstone of gaming - whether that's something like Elite: Dangerous or Everspace, realistic or arcadey. But I think that Astro Party EX may have the strangest core concept of any space shooter that's passed my desk thus far.

That strange core conceit? You can only turn one way. Yes, that's right - you have two controls: shoot and turn. And it's up to you to scatter your opponent across the starways with well-aimed shots while only being able to wheel your starfighter in a single direction.

Now, it's not exactly the most out-there concept. After all, Asteroid itself did something similar by having you pivot on a single axis, so turning one way isn't necessarily that unusual. But that, combined with the fast-paced PvP combat, makes for a frenetic, stressful, but extremely fun space shooter to challenge your friends with.

Astro-lunacy

Don't worry about Astro Party being a one-trick pony either. Whether it's the crunchy retro graphics, the compressed crispy sound or the fully destructible environments, there's plenty of meat on the metaphorical bones of Astro Party EX. And even better, it's totally free to play with an ad-supported model for the iOS release and an optional purchase to unlock the full experience with an additional world to sweeten the deal.

Astro Party itself was released way back in 2014, so I'm sure some of you feel a bit old seeing it get a makeover and rerelease. But the core gameplay remains virtually the same, and just as challenging and exciting as ever.

But if fun for you is preferably pant-ruining terror, then don't worry, because we've got you covered. We've also been taking a look at a new scary side-scroller in our review of Silt for mobile. So check out why it's got that fabled gold star from us!