Truxton Extreme Review: A return to form, but frustrations reign
Extreme patience will be required, but the fantastic music will help
When my fifth try at Level 1 in Truxton Extreme ended at the boss with a hair of health left to go, I went for a run. For years, no game has made me do that, but this one did. However, I came back to it because Truxton Extreme is fun, a throwback, and frustrating all at once.
Out on July 30 for PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, and PC for roughly $19.99 / £19.99, this third entry in the Truxton vertical-scroller series, is developed by Tatsujin and published by Clear River Games. Tatsujin is a mix of original developers who made the previous titles along with new ones, as well as the return of series composer Masahiro Yuge.
Having played Truxton Extreme at Vue's EPIC Cinema screen in Nottingham earlier this month, I was struck by how well it kept the 'one more go' feeling that I used to have with the Mega Drive port of Truxton. But this third entry has a bunch of features that lets novice and experienced players enjoy Truxton Extreme in various ways, and could finally give the series the recognition it deserves.
Modernised in almost every aspect
The Truxton series, known as Tatsujin in Japan, began in 1988, when creator Masahiro Yuge wanted to make a vertical shooter that relied on memory. This is an important attribute to remember when you come to play Truxton Extreme. Across eight levels, you're going to be piloting your ship to avoid countless projectiles whilst collecting different power-ups to change up your weapons, speed, as well as using the bombs when the time is right.
Playing this new entry on my Nintendo Switch 2, I was impressed by how good the game looks. I had seen that some longtime players of Truxton were disappointed that there wasn't a return to pixelated graphics, similar to games like Sonic Mania. However, this 2.5D style is a great evolution from what came before, and updates the series in ways that show off enemy ships and bosses that previous Truxton titles couldn't do.
You can play through Story mode, which features a great comic that lets you easily follow the story, as well as an Arcade mode, an Arena mode that lets you gain a high score in one level, and Team mode, which lets two players work together across the game, sharing bombs, lives, and inevitable arguments.
Every level here justifies why the switch to the new graphical style works. You've got different enemies, from basic ships to plant-like enemies that animate and have their own peculiar style. The bosses at the end of each level, especially the final boss, are bombastic and will truly test your nerves and memory. With eight challenging levels, it's likely going to take you at least a few days to complete Story mode.
The controls are straightforward enough - B/ZR is shoot, X is to change speed, A is to fire a bomb, and Y/R is EX Boost, which increases the range of your firepower whilst racking up even more points. Options such as more lives and bombs for new players are welcome, but it would be nice to see more in the future, such as a rewind ability.
The soundtrack, created by Masahiro Yuge, is a big highlight of Truxton Extreme. Level 1's track will serve veteran players of the series well, and the surprises go from there. Whether you play it in handheld mode or on a console, make sure you have some good sound connected, as the soundtrack here shines with its piano rhythms and synths. You'll be bouncing your leg to some of the tracks at random points in the day, long after you've played Truxton Extreme.
Extreme frustrations remain
But it's not all good. Even for longtime Truxton players, there are going to be some frustrations. Whilst being able to increase bombs and lives is welcome, there aren't enough options for new players to give them a helping hand.
The types of firepower you collect are far too alike. For example, the White and Purple projectiles look far too similar, and I ended up with Green as it seemed the most powerful. It would have been good to see more variety here, perhaps taking a cue from Radiant Silvergun or even R-Type Final.
Accessibility is lacking here, with no way of slowing down the action or grayscale options. There's a ruler to keep track of your ship's position on screen, but it would be helpful to see more options someday.
In addition, dodging some attacks feels frustrating. There's a moment towards the end of Level 2 where a ship fires a bunch of mini-projectiles at once, and unless you know this was going to happen, you'll die. Granted, there's a button to change speed, but the ship still feels slow, and it's not fun when you're in the midst of so much on the screen to avoid. With the 2.5D graphical style, it would have been helpful to have a special dodge button that could alleviate moments like this.
The Truxton series as a whole is challenging. Yet in 2026, a game has to earn that time on the couch more than ever, and some players may stop playing Truxton Extreme at Level 1 because of how unforgiving some enemies can be.
Nevertheless, Truxton Extreme manages to use that 'one more go' aspect well. From its sharp graphical style to the fantastic soundtrack by Masahiro Yuge, it's these aspects of this game that will keep you coming back to either beat your high score or try to progress further in Story mode.
But I also go back to playing with others in the cinema last month - Team mode is where Truxton Extreme truly shines. It's playing with friends and family that reminds you how good a game with a simple premise can be. It takes you back to going to someone's house and coming across a new title you would never typically play. It's why Truxton Extreme's two-player mode drew me in.
That's what the game does. It gives you a good time and lets you practice the hard way via its Story and Arcade modes. The rewards are in its 3D Model Viewer and Comics, but also the belief it gives you that you and a friend will be able to beat a frustrating level in Team mode eventually. For its shortcomings in the lack of weapon variations and other aspects, Truxton Extreme makes up for great sound, graphics, and that 'one more go' factor that earns its place in your front room or bedroom.
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Graphics | 4.5/5 |
| Gameplay | 4/5 |
| Sound | 4.5/5 |
| Replayability | 5/5 |
| Accessibility | 2/5 |
| Overall | 4/5 |
Truxton Extreme was reviewed on a Nintendo Switch 2, with code sent by Overload PR.
