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Nanostray

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9.3 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 43 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 11 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Majesco Sales Inc.

Developer: Shin'en

Genre(s): Action, Shooter

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: July 19, 2005

Summary

You slowly come back to life in your spacecraft. It feels like you were unconscious only for seconds. Faded impressions of pain and humiliation dominate your thoughts. Instinctively, you look up at your console; it’s still indicating a destination. Upgradeable weapons and sub-weapons, boasting tons of fire power to decimate your enemies. Touch screen features such as boss scanning, on-the-fly weapon management, live radar and hyperspace controls. 10+ stages to conquer; battle through environments like subterranean minefields, arctic mountains and hell-like lava fields. Unlockable features and game modes add re-playability once players complete their campaign. 2-player co-op and head-to-head wireless functionality. Online ranking system via www.nanostray.com allows players to post their high scores and compete against best in the world. [Majesco]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: GameSpot Hands-On Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Game Chronicles

Once your thumb learns the locations of those four weapon-select spots, you’ll be able to tear through wave after wave of enemy ships in what is easily the best looking and intensely challenging game on the DS to date.

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BonusStage

It may not take full advantage of the DS’s unique hardware functions, however the outstanding level of quality in gameplay, graphics and audio make for a sublime and addictive portable-shooter experience that’s too good to pass up.

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Gamezilla!

An impressive looking and playing game with strong multiplayer capabilities. Pick it up if you like this style of game or are in need of another game you can put into your “completed” pile.

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Stuff

Nanostray's old school, Galaga-style, kill 'em all action left us with sweaty armpits and racing hearts.

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Play Magazine

Highly replayable. It's also insanely beautiful. I'll wear this cart out; it's just a remarkable old-school shooter. [Aug 2005, p.55]

GameBrink

A few more stages could have been nice, but after speaking with some of the developers I learned that Majesco didn’t give a long enough deadline.

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N-Insanity

Despite having an incredibly short adventure mode (8 missions which last about 5 minutes each), Nanostray brings a surprising amount of content to the table.

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Gaming Nexus

The multiplayer’s lack of depth compounds another problem: this game is painfully short. It spans only eight levels, and most of the replay value comes from the arcade mode, where you try for higher scores.

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VGPub

A perfect handheld game that’s easy to pick up and play. Those who can overlook the game’s minor flaws will have a lot of fun.

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Nintendo Power

A great introduction to space shooting for the DS and a worthy successor to "Shin'en" and Majesco's "Iridion" games for the GBA. [Sept 2005, p.85]

GamerFeed

I love Nanostray. It's got gameplay that holds up well despite the lack of additional stages, and you can link up against a friend for two-player damage. Furthermore, it looks spectacular, better than most DS games before it.

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IGN

What this game does, however is give the Nintendo DS library a real kick in the pants with an energetic production, fast-paced action, and some extremely challenging elements that will keep you going for some time.

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Modojo

A wonderful surprise, a shooter that really engulfs you in its features and its presentation, and it shouldn't be missed.

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AceGamez

While the challenge mode will appeal to purists and the multiplayer mode to those with lots of friends lucky enough to own a DS, this lack of length in the story mode is going to put off people who enjoy the journey as much as the fight.

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Game Informer

Even with the touch screen, there's not a lot new here, but it's definitely an engaging addition to the DS family. [Sept 2005, p.115]

IC-Games

Nanostray is a great little shoot ‘em up and of course a portable one at that.

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Armchair Empire

Wave after wave of deftly animated and designed enemies target your ship with a never-ending barrage of laser fire.

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WHAM! Gaming

The graphics in Nanostray are some of the prettiest on the DS, hands down. The environments are varied, there is a ton of vibrant colours and except for some very rare slowdowns, the game runs at a smooth 60 FPS, no small feat considering how much is always going on on both screens.

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Nintendophiles

While there are only eight levels and gameplay could be more polished (such as improved enemies and a worthwhile Multiplayer mode), Nanostray still offers everything you could expect from a shooter.

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NintendoWorldReport

There aren't many shmup games released at all outside of Japan, so DS owners are lucky to get not just any shmup, but a beautiful new one that sticks close to the high scoring spirit of the genre's beloved classics.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

Nanostray is great fun to play. Unfortunately, the “nano” part of the title seems to be indicative of it having the lifespan of a gnat, and the gulf between the extremely easy (but great) Adventure mode and the overly-hard Challenge mode (which will put off all but the most ridiculously hardcore) is baffling.

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Eurogamer

But like a train journey with a friend, a few hours can be lots of fun, but then you've arrived at your destination, the conversations are put back in your bag, and the rest of your life is ready for the living.

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Deeko

The game itself if still a lot of fun and fans of shmups will rave over it, but it is flawed and that alone makes the game a niche purchase only.

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Cheat Code Central

The flashy graphics and rocking tunes will bring you right back to when shooters were king of the hill. If memories of Gradius or R-Type fill your heart with goodness, Nanostray will slap a smile on your face for a few hours.

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GameZone

If anyone can justify spending $40 for a game that's shorter than every full-length movie released in the past decade, disregard the score and dive in. Just remember: this is a fling, not a long-term relationship.

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Thunderbolt

Nanostray reminds us what we love about the genre: a bunch of amazing weapons, tons of enemies, and some awe-inspiring background levels. Is it a decent game? Certainly. However, it’s far from perfect.

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NTSC-uk

It remains a thoroughly enjoyable, good all-round handheld shooter that's accessible to all ages and playing skills, with lots of replay value that demonstrates that, thanks to technology, good portable shooters are now possible once more.

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GameCube Europe

Truthfully, it isn’t a bad game, but its appeal only reachs a small niche.

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Adrenaline Vault

There's plenty of great stuff to be found in this offering, but it just doesn't feel like it's all been pulled together in a tight enough fashion.

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Worth Playing

If not for issues with the touch screen, and especially the simple yet deep problems set off by Shin'en's camera angle choice, I might have gone as far as to write my letter of recommendation for Nanostray to sit in non-Japanese shmup classic status, along with Amiga greats like Apidya.

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My Gamer

Because Nanostray is not a particularly bad game, it is somewhat disappointing that the game felt so half-assed. The retro gameplay with a modern twist is charming and entertaining, but right before the time it becomes a must-buy, the ending credits appear.

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GameCritics

Nanostray's controls may have fixed something that wasn't broken, but even so, it still managed to provide a pleasing, fast-paced jaunt through the cosmos.

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GameSpot

Underneath Nanostray's excellent presentation is a game that's not nearly as good as its sources of inspiration. A weak multiplayer mode, repetitive level design (even for a shoot-'em-up), and limited replay value put Nanostray squarely in the "almost, but not quite" category.

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1UP

The mere existence of this game means that there are people out there with their hearts in the right place...which makes the end results all the more heartbreaking.

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Gaming Target

It's fun in spurts and, as I said, the only game in town for shooter fans on the DS.

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Times Online

Nice idea, chaps, but for now I’ll stick to Galaxian on my PSP.

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netjak

There's absolutely no reason to own this game. Even a shooter fan like myself isn't going to find enough reason to keep this game around any longer than 3 days tops.

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DarkStation

I can't emphasize enough how much potential this game had on the Nintendo DS, but unfortunately none of this was put to use and we are left with a sub-par video game that I would only recommend at most as a rental.

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G4 TV

One has to wonder, however, whether or not there's a price to be paid for the dazzling graphical presentation. Could it explain why the level design is so utterly boring? Aside from background variations, each stage plays almost identical to the others.

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Gaming Age

Nanostray is a technological marvel that winds up being a fairly large disappointment.

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Edge Magazine

If there isn't a great deal of sophistication, there also isn't much in the way of mucking around. Flying up the screen making things go pop has been reliably entertaining for decades. [Oct 2005, p.95]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Nanostray should come in a plain white box labeled VERTICAL SPACE SHOOTER--it's as generic as games come.

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GameSpy

Weak weapons, dodgy dodging, and the most oppressive scoring system in years all rob Nanostray of any momentum it might have mustered.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.3 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Zethrin H. gave it a10:
It was a vary intresting Game I found it a littul short in the achual amont of lvls and some of Chalenges seem a bit donting (hard or inposabule to reach) and I don't fully understand what the pic galery is for. But with all of that was valry in joy abule game. the music is vary nice and the graphics are very, very well done and replay ofers all lot in challenges and arcade plus you can get hashcodes to compare your score with people all over the world.

Mihailo D. gave it a10:
Amazing vertical scrolling shooter for DS! Technically brilliant. Graphics and music are outstanding. Replay value is amazing: three adventure modes, dozens of challenges and, of course, the arcade mode where you get hashcodes of your results so you can post them online and see how do you rank among the best players in the world. Absolutely recommended!

Huker gave it an8:
Granted it's not the BEST shooter you will play, but unlike Gamespy's comments who obviously didn't play the game for more than 2 minutes, it really is a fun shooter with HUGE replay value. Graphics are nice, no slowdown good use of the DS in total. If u like Ikaruga or similar games, you'll love this!!!

Aero P. gave it a7:
Nanostray is a good shooter, but the controls are what lower it's score. It would have been so nice to assign a button to switch between weapons. Unfortunately it forces you to use your left hand to keep the fire button down while using your right hand entirely to select the various weapons. Other than that, the game is fun. My other complaint is that it is too short. However, it was JUST starting to get repetitive, so I'm kind of glad it ended when it did. Otherwise, the graphics are great, and the shooter style game play is fun. Another thing to look out for is that the bosses can be really easy as long as you use all the bombs right away. The key to this game is not to set your expectations too high. If you do that, then you will enjoy this game for what it has to offer.

Rob S. gave it a9:
This is the ds shooter weve been waiting for,lush visuals,super addictive gameplay and a real challenge.Anyone one who doubts the ability of the ds should take a look at this AWESOME.

Frank D. gave it a10:
Best DS gamer ever! A must-have! Excellent graphics, fun gameplay, multiplayer.

You guys aren't shmups fans . gave it a9:
I doubt that kid's ever had the chance to even play Radiant Silvergun. Hey kids, just because it's a vertical shmup doesn't mean it plays like Ikaruga or RSG.

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