Captain Star · Endless space shooter
Captain Star: an easy first shmup
Easy to pick up, impossible to put down. Your ship goes where the pointer goes, each wave has one goal, and restarts are instant.
US$0.99 on the Mac App Store · Steam for Windows · Apple TV and iPad
What Nova Drift does
You pilot a ship with momentum through an open arena, earn upgrades as you level during a run, and build your ship into something very different each time. It is a roguelite shooter: every run starts fresh, and the fun is in combining upgrades.
Nova Drift alternative by what you want
| You want… | Look for |
|---|---|
| More build-crafting | Roguelite shooters with upgrade trees |
| More arena chaos | Twin-stick classics such as Geometry Wars 3 |
| Shorter, simpler runs | Arcade wave shooters such as Captain Star |
| Mouse-first control | Shooters designed around a pointer |
Captain Star: the quicker run
Captain Star is our top-down space shooter: you pilot a UFO through escalating alien waves, reach the star to clear each wave, and chase a high score. One pointer both moves and aims the ship. It is US$0.99 on the Mac App Store, on Steam for Windows, and on Apple TV and iPad.
Captain Star is not a roguelite: there is no build-crafting. What it shares with Nova Drift is the open field, readable enemies and the one-more-run pull. It is the one to reach for when you have ten minutes rather than an hour.
Other games like Nova Drift worth a look
- Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved for arena intensity.
- Roguelite shooters in Steam's "Roguelite" plus "Twin Stick Shooter" tags for build-crafting.