Grandma had a saying that pretty much stuck with me throughout life: If you’re man enough to run your mouth, then you should be man enough to own up to your flubs.  A wise woman she was. After getting hands-on with Dark Void Zero, the 2D de-make of the upcoming rocketpack-powered Capcom action title, I have to retract my initial negativity toward its very existence.

I was immediately drawn in  by the retro method needed to start the game: I had to blow into the Nintendo DSi’s microphone when a faux cartridge appeared on screen. Once started, I took control of Rusty, a young jetpacker that is assisted by Tesla in a quest to rid the world of alien intruders.

Dark Void Zero makes due with a simple two-button control (shoot, jump) that’s should ring familiar to anyone who grew up with 8-bit gaming. The controls were good. I had no problems shooting, jumping, and rocketing, even when the action became intense. The graphics are wonderfully retro with a surprising amount of detail; the only thing missing to complete the experience is sprite flicker.

The biggest compliment that I can give Dark Void Zero is that it feels very much like an NES-era title. Job well done, Capcom. Job well done.

Founder and Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey L. Wilson’s love of all things shiny/digital has led to jobs penning gadget- and video game-related nerd-copy for 1UP, E-Gear, Laptop, LifeStyler, Parenting, PC Magazine, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. Besides overseeing the editorial content at 2D-X.com, the Brooklyn College grad hosts New York City’s monthly Bits and Bytes video game media and public relations meetup. You can find him at a bar sampling foreign beers, or on Twitter doing twittery things.