Truxton Extreme is the long-awaited return of the classic arcade shoot-'em-up series Truxton. Known for its high difficulty that requires quick reflexes, a unique checkpoint system allowing players to potentially recover their upgrades upon death, and a variety of unique weapons to contest enemies and bosses, it is a series that definitely stands out among similar titles—and certainly isn't one to be taken lightly.
With the previous entry released in 1992, Extreme isn't just the revival fans have been waiting for; it is also an introduction to an entirely new generation. Because of this, the real question for many will be whether the title is worth looking into, while long-time players will be left wondering if it is a true successor that captures the magic of the originals or a shell of its former self.
Prior to release, we here at Netto's Game Room were given the opportunity to review it, but one thing became quite clear very quickly: this game is hard, and my personal reflexes are not what they used to be! So for those of you who were worried the game had been scaled back, fret not. This title will give you a run for your money, and there are little to no options to make the experience easier. It fully relies on muscle memory, so expect to throw yourself at the same stages over and over again for hours, barely getting through by the skin of your teeth. Eventually, things will click, but it will take some serious dedication.
A Manga Brought to Life:
Truxton Extreme takes a unique approach to its storytelling, following the viewpoints of three different pilots. In Story Mode, each stage is broken into a chapter, and players can freely replay any chapter they've cleared or pick up where they left off. While there are a limited number of lives before failing a stage—which can be increased to a maximum of five in the settings—players thankfully do not have to restart from Stage 1 if they fail. Still, each level pushes players to their limits, so don't expect an easy time; each level must be completed three times if you want to experience the entire tale.
As for the story itself, it is told through a fully colored, animated manga illustrated by Junya Inoue, best known for the manga series Btooom! (which sadly never received a complete anime adaptation). Each chapter dives into the life of one of the three main protagonists, focusing not only on their war against a mysterious alien race, but also on the events that led them to this point. The backstories are genuinely engaging, but the real mystery begins when a mechanical body is discovered and brought back for examination. For this review, we've been asked not to discuss anything following that event, but we can say it provided plenty of incentive to keep chugging along. Meanwhile, those who purchased the physical-exclusive "Thunder Master Edition" of Truxton Extreme will also receive a 128-page physical version of the manga, leaving only the animations exclusive to the game itself.
Heart Pumping Classic Arcade Gameplay:
As a shoot-'em-up, the gameplay is very straightforward. Despite having three characters to choose from in the story, there is only a single ship type, and all characters share the exact same abilities. When starting a stage or a full arcade run, the ship begins with limited speed, power, and weaponry, requiring upgrades to be collected along the way. Speed upgrades make the ship much faster—which is essential for outmaneuvering obstacles and enemy fire—while power upgrades increase the damage and secondary effects of your current main weapon. Actual weapon drops alter your main attack type entirely. Bombs can also be picked up on rare occasions; using one clears the screen of weaker enemies and destroys all incoming bullets, lasers, and hazard attacks. Because your ship dies in a single hit and sends you back to a checkpoint, bombs are crucial to your survival, though overusing them early on can leave you in a bind later.
When it comes to the weapons, there are multiple distinct types, each featuring two firing modes. Standard shots deal consistent damage, but each weapon variant serves a specific tactical purpose. Electric shots lock onto targets to let you continuously deal damage while dodging, whereas the homing weapon excels at clearing out large swarms across the screen (albeit without precise targeting control). Lasers fired directly ahead offer a powerful alternative to the default shot, though their narrower attack range makes hitting off-center enemies risky. Each weapon type scales in strength as you collect power-ups, but it is the EX gauge that acts as a true lifesaver. As you destroy enemies and rack up score points, this meter fills at the top left of the screen, allowing you to unleash a high-damage onslaught unique to your equipped weapon. This special attack is ideal for shredding tankier foes and serves as a necessity during boss fights.
Dying resets all current upgrade levels back by one stage. Fortunately, because the game uses a checkpoint system, players are given opportunities to reclaim lost power-ups before major encounters. Levels are generously scattered with upgrade drops—some sections present a veritable sea of weapons to pick from. While the game does not explicitly tell you which loadout works best, it provides enough tools for players to figure out optimal strategies through trial and error. This reliance on experimentation forms the core challenge: carrying the wrong weapon makes encounters significantly harder, though success ultimately comes down to raw positioning and not getting hit.
Due to the one-hit death penalty and strict checkpoint system, progress in Truxton Extreme demands near-flawless execution—a design choice that can easily frustrate players unfamiliar with the arcade era. Beating a boss requires dodging every incoming projectile, even when attack patterns become chaotic and your bomb supply is exhausted. At these critical moments, you must hyper-focus on your ship's hitbox and execute pixel-perfect dodges. A single slip-up triggers a checkpoint reload, and running out of lives forces a complete restart of the stage. Because stages are exceptionally long compared to most titles in the genre—so long that the soundtrack shifts dynamically at the midpoint—the long trek back to a boss can feel grueling, to say nothing of the initial push to reach it. Certain stages rely heavily on stage memorization, featuring surprise enemy spawns from behind that instantly end a run; surviving these moments simply comes down to learning from prior mistakes.
Although this design can feel daunting, the steep difficulty makes victory far more rewarding than in games that allow endless respawns to brute-force through bosses. I frequently found myself holding my breath, heart racing, and feeling completely numb as I delivered the final shot to a boss—an intensity heightened by the game's stellar soundtrack. While an optional retry system outside of Arcade Mode would have been a welcome feature, I know the victory wouldn't have felt nearly as sweet without these strict stakes.
The Game Modes:
In addition to the Story Mode, Truxton Extreme offers a few other game modes to work through. While there is a single-stage "Heat Starter" mode—which lets you play through a version of the intro without the threat of a game over—the main content comes from the standard Arcade Mode and co-op multiplayer.
When it comes to Arcade Mode, players are thrown into the entire Extreme experience with a limited number of lives. The goal is to play through every stage in a single run, and failure sends you back to the very beginning. It is a pure arcade-style experience, minus the option to insert more coins to keep going. This mode is built for true masters and, frankly, was completely beyond me. Even after throwing myself at each level for hours on end, I am nowhere near able to clear Arcade Mode. For a certain subset of players, that's exactly what they want to hear—this title is no pushover.
Team Mode is the second major option outside of the story, and it takes things to a whole other level. Two players share a pool of lives and bombs, but a player's death automatically consumes a bomb upon revival—at least until your supply runs dry. Both players need to execute cleanly and coordinate to clear stages, which means constant dodging and prioritizing high-threat targets as quickly as possible. It is a great fit if you have a partner who thrives on shmup challenges, but it may prove overwhelming for newcomers or anyone who struggles to keep up with the screen chaos.
Outside of these options, an Arena Mode exists for score-chasers, along with a dedicated Training Mode unlocked by accumulating enough points during Arcade Mode runs. Arena Mode is all about precision and taking down enemies to earn the maximum amount of points, while Training Mode allows you to select your starting section within a stage and customize your entry conditions, significantly streamlining practice. Instead of replaying massive levels just to get another attempt at a boss, you can isolate those patterns and memorize them for your next full run. This is the only feature in Truxton Extreme that truly softens the learning curve, though success still hinges entirely on your execution and time spent practicing.
Should you play it?
Truxton Extreme is every arcade-goer's dream—though it is certainly not for the faint of heart. Its high-speed, precision-based gameplay, outstanding soundtrack, and challenging stages make it a worthy successor, while its unlockable modes, model gallery, and animated manga really help complete the package. It is a memorable experience to say the least, but players should be fully aware of what they are getting into before taking the plunge.VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
Review Copy was Provided
Available On: Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
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