FingerLaserX is the return of a mobile classic that sees you blast spaceships with your fingers

• FingerLaserX brings a throwback mobile gaming hit back to iOS and Android
• Re-developed from the ground up by the original creator, it's a touch-based space shooter
• Blast enemies with your finger, use power ups and destroy space invaders

The early days of mobile gaming were a hectic time, with plenty of interesting releases that, nowadays, seem to have been sadly forgotten. FingerLaserX was one of them, but now it's set to come roaring back to prominence as the solo-developed space shooter is coming back to iOS and Android later this month!

First released in 2012, FingerLaserx (then known as just FingerLaser) was a brief sensation on mobile and even surpassed YouTube on Taiwan's free app chart due to a brief promotional offer. And it's easy to see why, with simple gameplay that has you swipe a finger to fire lasers at invading aliens, holding to charge a shot, and gradually acquiring upgrades to hold the line.

FingerLaser beats FingerGun

FingerLaserX is a recreation of the original, built from the ground up for both iOS and Android. And it has that same simple, but engaging, gameplay loop that has you defend your base from enemies and taking on enormous bosses.

To help you along the way you'll have access to the usual suite of helpful upgrades and one-time power-ups that can help turn a scary level around. All of this rendered in surprisingly flashy and brightly coloured neon lines! While it may be a bit retro for some younger players, for many of you it'll be a great throwback to the early, experimental days of mobile.

FingerLaserX is also intended to be free-to-play, with optional purchases and the only ads being those you choose to watch. So, in that way it functions as a true throwback to the early days of mobile, when games that worked like that were much more common.

Ah, what a nostalgic thing to think about. Speaking of nostalgia, did you know that one of the platforms that really fueled the growth of mobile was (at least in my opinion) Flash games? Check out my feature on that subject and find out how Flash helped create mobile gaming.