Based on the intergalactic action manga by Buichi Terasawa from the late 1970s, the 1982 animated series “Space Cobra” (or “Space Adventure Cobra“) follows the adventures of a space explorer known as Cobra, who frequently finds himself in the thick of interstellar conflicts.
Although it’s less popular nowadays, the unique flair of this work mirrors the style of that era, which makes it nostalgic today. Amazingly, the initial release is almost reaching its 50-year anniversary!
Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening by Microids offers an exciting side-scroller game that adapts the initial 12 episodes from the anime. You’ll journey through the cosmos, confronting rogue space criminals and battling various alien miscreants while taking down cosmic crime bosses along the way.
As a devoted fan, I’d say the gameplay is remarkably smooth yet uncomplicated. The main character, Cobra – with his striking blonde hair and equipped with the mighty psychogun, a laser cannon fused to his right arm – moves with agility and responsiveness. He can swiftly slide and dash through barrages of enemy fire, making him quite the nimble survivor.
In addition to his superhuman psychogun, Cobra also carries a trusty revolver, a grappling hook for quick escapes, and even exploding cigars for a surprising twist in combat!
Frequently, you’ll encounter situations that will require the full spectrum of your skills. You’ll smash through walls using a powerful arm cannon, break through shields with your trusty revolver, and traverse perilous gaps by quickly dashing.
The design of this game level may seem a bit hit-or-miss at times, yet its plentiful checkpoints and quick load times help minimize annoyance by lessening the overall frustration.
Following the initial stage’s skill-building phase, you’ll gradually enhance Cobra’s weaponry throughout the remainder of the campaign, providing a satisfying feeling of advancement. Additionally, you’ll uncover collectibles that can amplify your performance in combat, enhancing aspects such as your speed, health, and the potency of your psycho-weapon.
The “psychogun” allows for adjusting trajectories and angles of shots, finding use in both battles and puzzles. For instance, if a switch is located in a hard-to-reach spot, you might opt to curve one of your shots up and around the surroundings, activating it effortlessly. As the game advances, these tasks will demand greater agility.
Although the gameplay has a nice flow, it sometimes lacks the tightness that one would expect. The L1 button allows you to plant your feet, but usually, aiming requires you to be moving. Since both actions are controlled by the left analog stick, it may feel somewhat imprecise, particularly in a level where you’re riding on a car and could easily fall off.
The compensation for completing the levels is a fantastic cutscene taken straight from the original TV series. These scenes are available in both English and French, but we preferred playing in Japanese as it seemed fitting. However, none of these versions stand out in terms of voice acting, which aligns with the overall theme.
As you advance through the game, you’ll gain access to Cobra’s ship, which can be customized using treasure unlocks, although this is a relatively simple and non-essential aspect. Additionally, there are hidden levels that allow you to take command of side characters such as Lady, your android companion, and Jane Royal, the inked bounty hunter.
There’s a reason to replay levels to lower your completion times and uncover hidden secrets – some of these hidden areas can only be accessed once you’ve acquired certain game items. However, while some players might relish hunting for all the collectibles, we think most will be satisfied just completing the campaign, which should take around 10 hours or so.
We find that although the game runs well and appears visually pleasing, it fails to truly convey the spirit of the cartoon. Recreating the bold 80s art style is challenging, and The Awakening seems too polished and lacking in soul for a genuine representation. However, the music, a catchy mix of horns and piano notes, provides an unforgettable soundtrack.
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2025-08-26 04:07