Developers used to dump dual-stick shooters on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 by the truckload. That fad definitely fizzled out, and I think it’s because studios realized they couldn’t outdo Super Stardust HD on PlayStation 3 or Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 on Xbox 360.
The new systems, however, give studios another chance to dominate this twitch-based genre, and one of the masters is promising to return.
Developer Housemarque, the Finish studio that produced Super Stardust HD, revealed today that it will create a spiritual successor to Super Stardust. Housemarque plans to release the title exclusively on PlayStation 4.
“We are super-excited to be working on Sony’s next-gen hardware,” Housemarque’s chief Ilari Kuittinen said in a statement. “The platform’s performances are enabling us to do things that wouldn’t be possible otherwise and we truly believe that better technology can lead to better gameplay. The more tools and resources we have at our disposal, the better.”
Super Stardust HD is know for its fast-paced shooting gameplay and for its colorful graphics with thousands of on-screen particle effects. Players would have to fire their way through waves of obstacles on a tiny 360-degree sphere. Kuittinen wants to take that basic design to the next level on PS4.
“Think of Super Stardust HD at the time,” said Kuittinen. “PlayStation 3 gave us the opportunity to populate the game with thousands of interactive objects and implement the game’s famous spherical gameplay. Today, we can take advantage of the architecture of PlayStation 4 to create incredible visuals with direct impact on the way the new game feels.”
Housemarque didn’t announce any release details, but it did mention that it is also working on another PS4 project. The studio said it will provide more information on both titles in the coming months.