Space goose in a baller inferno: This run-and-gun title is the most fun pixel shootout since Metal Slug.
Use epic weapons and destructive war machines to battle screen-filling bosses and mow down hordes of enemies! Mighty Goose is all about pure shooter fun, as you take to the field with big guns against pixelated hordes of enemies. Especially the word "mow down" hits the nail on the head: The combination of high shooting frequency, massive extra weapons, flying cartridge cases, successful hit sound, and pixel chunks whirling through the air makes for an incredibly satisfying action experience. At its core, Mighty Goose is a strictly linear, two-dimensional run-&-gun roller coaster that borrows from SNK's Metal Slug in some ways: There are relatively similar weapons, bosses with comparable attack patterns, and an equal amount of destruction as in the Japanese arcade classic.
As the player, you direct a bounty hunter goose from left to right through two-dimensional areas - the character is quite large, the body count even larger. While the backgrounds are manageably pretty, a lot of effort went into the design of the enemies - enemy flying robots, alien beetles or boss monstrosities are nicely pixelated and exude a cringeworthy comic charm. Although the goose can't fire in all directions (but only in front, behind, above, or below), the action feels great even in the first minutes of the game. A thick flash of light when firing the shotgun, bullet casings clattering on the ground, or a short slow-motion moment when activating the turbo mode make for powerful confrontations. Practical is the ability to hover in the air for a long time while shooting downwards, as well as the spacey dodge roll, during which the goose is invulnerable.
In the course of the game, not only the action but also the character gets better and better. You unlock plenty of upgrades, but only a few of them can be activated at a time. This way you can tune the goose to your abilities and the tasks depending on the level - although the game is never really difficult on the first run-through, except for the last boss fight. However, things get tougher in the New Game Plus mode, which is unlocked afterward. Similar to Metal Slug, there are vehicles in some levels: In a small mech, the goose hits hard with metal paws, behind the wheel of a tank she is happy about the firepower, and in the cockpit of the bulbous jet you fly through the level like in a shoot'em up. What all vehicles have in common is not only the increased attack power, but you can also take a few hits without losing energy.
Conclusion
Mighty Goose comes dangerously close to its obvious role model Metal Slug. The controls are grippy, the shooting feels powerful, and the enemies explode in glorious pixel cascades. The sometimes almost too chaotic action is joined by a multitude of well-thought-out upgrades, extra weapons, special abilities, and companions - so the second playthrough is also really fun. Of course, after three or four hours you've seen most of it and the story is, by the way, quite superfluous, but Mighty Goose feels very unique and inspired among all the available action games with retro touches. The boss fights challenge and surprise, the levels are just right in length, and the weapons unleash a good amount of virtual destruction.
