Starhawk

The evil Axtar empire threatens Game Boy owners with total annihilation, unless they pledge to climb aboard the StarHawk scout ship and vaporize the space scum.

StarHawk by Accolade is the latest, but definitely not the greatest, side-view shoot-em-up for your Game Boy. StarHawk's story line is predictably feeble, but what counts in a shooter is the quality, controllability, and intensity of the action. Here, StarHawk flies with half a heart.

Mutant Spaceships

StarHawk rockets through five auto-scrolling worlds populated by grotesque eyeballs, mindless energy disks, and other typical alien adversaries. Although StarHawk's not a big league challenge, it's tough to shake these buggers off your tail, especially at close range. However, passwords and adjustable difficulty should help veteran pilots polish off the cart quickly.

To fend for itself, the StarHawk makes like a Go-Bot and transforms into six rad ships by obtaining the corresponding power-up capsules. Each 'Hawk form uses a different weapon, such as RoloHawk's Bouncer Bullets, HyperHawk's Laser, and even LoneHawk's Scud missiles! The arsenal is hot, but the control is not. The 'Hawk handles moderately well, but its slow, sluggish movement is irksome.

Prepare yourself for an eye exam. The small, unspectacular visuals tend to conceal enemies from unobservant players. The sound is strictly mediocre, with only one tune.

Average Adventure

StarHawk flies, but it doesn't soar. Patterned after Gradius and a gazillion other shoot-em-ups, its only bragging right is the unique transformation power-up sequence. Average graphics and slow-moving game play relegate 'Hawk to the middle of the shoot-em-up flock.