A new Tempest-style tube shooter is making its debut on Nintendo Switch today, courtesy of the indie developer Distant Illusions.
Operius DX is a revamped version of the developer's original mind-bending arcade shooter Operius. This is a game that was created for the Opera GX Game Jam in 2021, which saw players take control of an arrow-shaped spaceship that has been tasked with destroying waves of alien UFOs to prevent an attack and restore the world's internet.
It ended up taking home first place in that event (as well as the contest's $10,000 prize), with the small development team later announcing its intention to create an expanded version for the Nintendo Switch and PC.
According to the developers, the new "DX" version of the game is "sharper, faster, and LOUDER" than the original, and features "new game modes, enhanced visuals, alternate color schemes, and more". It was released for Steam and itch.io a few days ago on May 30th and is now scheduled to make the jump across to Nintendo Switch, starting today. It will be priced at £4.49 on Switch and currently costs £4.29/$4.99 on Steam/itch.io.
As you might expect, if you've ever played a tube shooter before, the game essentially sees you moving around the edges of a grid, blasting away enemies that appear in the distance. However, the biggest change is that players can level up their ship by passing through rings, increasing their ship's speed and other abilities. There are also various challenging bosses to face off against, as well as the option to play with up to friends in local co-op.