Gimme Dat Hi-Score

Watching the epic exercise in TV game savagery The King of Kong recently has had me on an arcade game kick. I want to be the champeen of a crappy game, preferably one that no one plays, lodged deep within the doughy recesses of a long-forgotten Pizza Hut. Maybe I can take a wrench to one of Gattiland's 44 (out of 45) busted cabinets.

I decided to settle for an arcade in the virtual world and, more specifically, Jeff Minter's new shooter Space Giraffe. Since only a few of my friends actually own the game, I can toot my horn high atop Mount Whogivesashit with little to no opposition to my hastily stolen throne. Cyber-honkery aside, the game is awesome!


It definitely has one of my favorite scoring mechanics ever, in which you "bull" enemies off of the edge of the playing field. Picture a more visually intense and ridiculous Tempest 2000, and then picture knocking enemies off of the edge to the roaring sound of a crashing bi-plane. Here is a short gameplay video.

I certainly wouldn't be playing this a lot if I hadn't beaten Bioshock the other day, and let me assure you that it was an incredible experience that I plan on revisiting in the next few days after I get some work done. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get a soda and watch some cartunes.