The immortal Space Invaders started the shoot ‘em up craze but Big Bang Mini takes the genre to a whole ‘nother level. Big Bang Mini is one of the surprise hits of 2009 because of its fun re-invention of shmup. (Yes, shmup is a real word. Look it up buddy).
 

First thing you will notice is the new firing system. On the DS touchscreen, you shoot fireworks by dragging the stylus in an upward motion like striking a match. The enemies are on the top screen of the DS. To dodge enemy projectile, you move your ship by placing the stylus on it and sliding the ship around.
 

Pretty simple, right? Flick to shoot and slide to dodge. Not so fast my non-ninja friend.
 

Firework bullets are unlimited, so you can just keep flickin’ away at the enemies right? Not really. Every time your fireworks miss and hit the walls of the screen, debris rains down on you. Besides dodging enemy attacks, you have to think about where you aim your fireworks.
 

It sounds challenging but the formula works great.
 

Each stage has 9 levels and 1 boss battle. The boss battles are inspired and engaging. The bonus rounds are mini games on their own. I have to admit that one stage caused me to through my DS out the window. Don’t worry though; I caught it before it hit the ground. The enemies had shields for crying out loud; even homing missiles couldn’t hit them. But in our typical ninja-nuity way, I was able to figure out how to get through the shields.
 

The 9 levels each have their own theme. This makes sure that the background graphics and enemies are not repetitive and boring. Repetitive games belong in the $1 bin at your local video game stores.
 

The 2D art graphics are colorful and explosive. It’s easy to distinguish if debris and projectile are falling on your ship. The music and sounds are playful and groovy. It gives that 80’s arcade feel. It’s almost as if you’re playing at your local arcade gallery.
 

After finishing the Arcade Mode, you can challenge other players via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and DS connectivity. There is also a Relax Mode where you can play the addictive bonus zones again.
 

Big Bang Mini is definitely a must own on the Nintendo DS. I’m warning you now, it is extremely addictive. The combination of amazing visuals, innovative game play and an old-school sound track makes sure that you never put this game down. Unless, you get frustrated like me and throw your Nintendo DS out the window.
 

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Big Bang Mini Trailer