one of the last legal ways to get a true rush

I went out and picked up this game without much research. I knew that lots of sanctimonious conventional moralists were outraged that it would be named after a substance that gives people joy. Though I am probably not capable of outrage, I certainly was upset that said substance was recently outlawed in my state. I thought that buying the game would be a way to show support for whoever was brave and/or clever enough to take the side of vice in that controversy. My early experiments with the game were far from ideal. However, months later, when I once again tried to get the hang of it, I discovered that N20 is pure fun. True to its name, the game gave me a real rush, although I must confess to a minimum of giggling and audio hallucination.

The first thing anyone will notice about N20 is the feast for the senses it provides. The imagery is downright stunning. The contrasts in the game convey a real sense of light and darkness, drawing players into the tunnels which serve as the field of play. Some of the more advanced levels will undulate, and certain special events treat players to a psychedelic (and sometimes disorienting) fluctuation of the entire color palette. Though some of the visuals create confusion, this is actually an element of the game which enriches the experience. The sound is also outstanding. Above average effects are backed up by a selection of Crystal Method music that sometimes merges with the flow of the action in totally implausible ways. I was surprised when I discovered that the music was not dynamically generated by the game, and I suspect that the game has some mechanism for responding to cues in the music tracks. At the very least, a number of game events seem to follow the beat of the soundtrack.

Fans of the old Atari arcade game Tempest will be right at home in the early levels of N20. Play involves guiding a small probe as it races along the walls of a tunnel filled with nitrous oxide. The premise is that extraterrestrials intend to invade the Earth with an army of tiny insectoid robots. The robots are being manufactured by automated facilities near the periphery of our solar system, and the only hope of salvation involves destroying the little bugbots faster than the alien machines can produce them. Like Tempest, the player takes control of an object that moves left to right, fires little bolts of energy forward, and can unleash a superzapper (known as a firewall in this game) to clear out all nearby enemies. Unlike Tempest, the probe in N20 can equip itself with any of several exotic weapons, and it is constantly racing down deeper into the level. It can make small jumps to clear minor obstacles and it also has the ability to brake, momentarily slowing its forward motion only to subsequently be hurtled forward with an extra surge of momentum.

At first, the enemies are fairly basic. Simple beetles and the like rarely pose a great threat to players who are familiar with the basic controls. However, success on the more advanced levels will require an ability to use brakes to evade obstacles and select special weapons for dealing with particular types of enemies. The only real danger from some enemies is a possible collision, but others may block the tunnel with webbing, lay down glowing mines, or shoot back. Some of the more cunning bugs will make unexpected leaps or position themselves so their encounter with the player occurs in the midst of many other hazards. Each level ends with a boss bug that can absorb a healthy amount of firepower before it finally dies. After a few early levels, combat starts to occur at a lightning pace, but the particular way in which the intensity gradually increases makes N20 a real work of art.

Part of the key to the game is collecting items. Special weapons will occur randomly throughout normal levels. Most bugs produce coins when they die, and the denomination of a coin can be increased by shooting it with the main gun. Skillful coin collection on the early levels can inflate scores to the point where there are plenty of extra lives to help make it through the challenges later in the game. There are also mushrooms which can be collected to provide shields or shot repeatedly then collected to earn stars. Earning enough stars enables a player to participate in a bonus level, where it is possible to collect vast amounts of coinage without dealing with any bugs. On the surface, the bonus levels seem less challenging, and ramming an obstacle merely ends the level. Even so, they have the potential to be the ultimate N20 experience. Constant but subtle acceleration transforms a simple cruise into a thrilling test of perception and coordination. As I said earlier, I kept the giggling to a minimum, but I enjoyed quite an outburst the first time I stuck with it and rode a bonus level all the way to the end of the timer.

I think this game is an excellent buy for just about any PlayStation owner. From what I hear it is now available at an extremely low price. It is full of classic arcade action with visual and sonic delights among the best the platform has to offer. I have both the Arcade Classics disc featuring the original Tempest and the updated version (I think it's called Tempest X, but some people might know it as Tempest 2000.) Though Tempest is a great game, N20 is superior in every way. About the only game that comes to mind as comparable fusion of PlayStation power and traditional arcade adrenaline is Einhander. N20 does not offer an elaborate plot or much in the way of intellectual stimulation. What it does offer is pure excitement -- an addictive experience pushing the eyes, ears, and hands to their very limits.