Remakes

Information

Author: Foxy

Pros

Interesting puzzles
Unique gameplay

Cons

Finnicky controls

Links

Deflektor

The original version of Deflektor appeared on a number of systems during the 1980s, and it introduced a fairly unique spin on the puzzle game genre that had been ignited by the likes of Tetris. Here, the idea is to use various mirrors dotted around each level to reflect your laser beam and destroy a number of light-blocking cells before guiding the beam to its terminus. Energy mines are scattered throughout each level and directing the beam into them (or reflecting it directly back to the source) makes it begin to overload. If the overload bar reaches its maximum point, your laser overheats and a life is lost. You also have a steadily decreasing energy bar to contend with, along with other interface elements, such as beam teleporters, gremlins and mirrors that have a mind of their own.

However, the thing that makes this game most tricky is the controls. Try as we might, we found it nigh-on impossible to rotate any of the mirrors by the smallest possible amount—instead, even the slightest press of the d-pad seemed to turn the mirrors by two increments, making the game far less playable as a result. If Deflektor was a shoot 'em up, this wouldn’t be such an issue, but for a precision puzzler, the lack of precision in the controls is a real problem. This quirk is a real pity, because the game is otherwise an excellent conversion of the original, but the finicky, twitchy controls all but ruin the experience.