Super Stardust Ultra VR is a continuation of the core Super Stardust game, a series stretching all the way back to the Amiga. Soon they’re going to be challenging Street Fighter for the game with the largest number of suffixes and like the fighting series, this is a refinement of the same game rather than a totally new version. Polished for today’s hardware, it differs from its non-VR predecessors by not only remaking the standard arcade experience to fit in a virtual environment but offering a whole new way of playing the game – a mode that is one of the better uses of virtual reality that I’ve seen yet.

If you’ve played Super Stardust in one of its many iterations before, then you generally know what you’re up against – conversely if it’s new to you then expect a fast-paced arcade version of Galaga for the 21st Century. It’s also very similar to PS4 launch title Resogun, though instead of being played on a cylinder as in that game, is played out on a sphere.

Gameplay is tight, and the limited mechanics (shooting with three different weapons, bombs and boosts) leads to tight, tense and at times stressful – in a good way! – gameplay. Waves of enemies and environmental challenges fly your way until a boss shows up to finish you off.

This standard 2D mode has been ported over to a virtual environment. This is nice, but doesn’t drastically change the core experience. For arcade games though, where concentration is everything, it can help to remove distractions from your environment. You can also just play in a standard 2D mode on your television as well, and that contains all the features and same content as the previously released Super Stardust Ultra HD. I’m glad this is included; it gives you the choice about whether to use VR or not, rather than forcing it on you.

That said, if you do want to go all in on VR, there’s a special VR mode that takes you down to the surface of the planet that you’re defending in a first person perspective. Set in the cockpit of the ship you’ve been flying, it’s a fun mode that is totally different from the normal game.

The movement system here plays well. You move the spacecraft from the cockpit with the thumbsticks but your shooting reticule with your head. This is a smart decision – I never felt like I was moving one way. It also helped that the spacecraft “hovered`’ and wasn’t make believe directly meant to be in contact with the ground such as when walking. In other cases, in VR, when you walk it can be extremely disconcerting. The contrast between the floatiness of the actual VR experience and what your body expects when walking is at times too much. But hovering takes this away. It’s a small touch that shows that the developers have put in the extra effort, and it’s a very worthwhile addition.

By the end of a decent play session I did feel a little rough, but it was nothing like some other games. Everybody’s tolerances for VR and the point at which it is “enough” will be different however and it certainly wasn’t a problem for me when playing in short bursts.

If you haven’t played Super Stardust before, and are interested in a reliable arcade game to whittle away some time, then it is a good choice, as far as these things go.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the VR mode is an absolutely essential purchase, but if you have a PSVR headset then it’s worth at least checking out, especially as there is some special upgrade pricing for those who already own the base game. That said, VR is thoughtfully implemented, rather than just being tacked on. For the price, in the end it’s hard to go wrong either way. If you like the VR aspect, it will be excellent, and if it’s not to your taste you’re still left with a classic arcade shoot-em-up. With something for everyone, Super Stardust Ultra VR delivers solid, fast-paced action that is a joy to play – in 2D or VR.