Nova Wing

Nova Wing is yet another of literally hundreds of lazy amateur 2D retro top-down shooters infesting Steam and lowering the average quality of all video games everywhere. This arcade shmup eschews the usual crap pixel "art" for some static sprites that, frankly, aren't all that much better. It's a sci-fi themed vertical scrolling "twin stick" style shooter with enemy waves similar to arcade shoot 'em ups like Galaga. Weirdly the enemies have huge TTK, your ship weapons are like peashooters, and the control handling bites, so this is a huge pile of non-fun if you actually try to play it. Although almost nobody has... see below for the embarrassingly low player counts. From a technical perspective, the game doesn't meet basic minimum requirements that most PC gamers expect as standard. There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks. There's no way to ensure this is running at the native resolution of your display. There's no guarantee this game will look right on any PC as a result of this hamfisted design decision. The game features somewhat lazy, simplistic 2D graphics, of the type you normally expect to see in low effort Flash/browser games and …

Nova Wing is a Shoot 'Em Up game that is fast paced and straight to the point. You only have one type of ship, one gun (that you level up by looting enemy drops) and 7 levels to complete. What this game gets right it that it's a fun experience and the music is not bad at all. There's a few tracks and they're all enjoyable. The levels have some variety to them, asteroids, paths to follow, obstacles to avoid, etc. The controls however, are somewhat wonky because the ship has momentum as if you were on ice. That makes it really hard to dodge the projectiles, but the game is still playable. Just keep in mind it takes around 20 minutes to complete (maybe more if you're newer to the genre). Overall, for a $1 game, it's a cool little Shoot 'Em Up game.

Nova Wing is a retro-inspired arcade shooter developed and published by Sub Orbital Software that embraces the spirit of classic space combat games while adding a few modern conveniences to make the experience more approachable. Instead of chasing cinematic storytelling or large-scale progression systems, the game focuses on delivering immediate action, quick reflex challenges, and satisfying arcade gameplay built around survival and constant movement. From the opening moments, Nova Wing makes its intentions clear: this is a game designed for players who enjoy old-school shooting mechanics presented with modern usability improvements. Set in hostile space environments filled with enemy formations and dangerous obstacles, Nova Wing places players inside a spacecraft tasked with overcoming increasingly difficult waves of alien opposition. The gameplay formula feels familiar in the best possible way. Players navigate dangerous battlefields while firing continuously, avoiding incoming attacks, and carefully positioning themselves to survive escalating threats. The pace remains energetic throughout, creating a sense of momentum that keeps individual sessions engaging whether playing fo…

"Bullet Sponges in Space"

This is a good game, a little too difficult for me but for what I paid it was worth adding to the library.

Nova Wing is a fast-paced, no-frills Shoot 'Em Up. You pilot a single ship with one weapon, which can be upgraded by collecting enemy drops, across seven varied levels. The game delivers a fun experience, backed by an enjoyable soundtrack with a few solid tracks. Levels offer some variety, including asteroid fields, narrow paths, and obstacles to dodge. However, the controls can feel a bit off due to the ship’s momentum, making precise movement tricky—almost like sliding on ice. Despite this, the game remains playable and takes around 20 minutes to complete (longer for those new to the genre). For just $1, Nova Wing is a neat little Shoot 'Em Up worth checking out.