[i]Crystal Quest[/i] is just one of many low budget arcade titles available on the Xbox Live Arcade. Developed and produced by Stainless Games, [i]Crystal Quest[/i] is a modernized version of the side-scrolling shooters that ate up your quarters all too fast back in the day. Your objective is to navigate your way through wave after wave of enemies while collecting crystals, avoiding mines, and eventually opening the exit to the next level.
The controls are very simple, which is what makes [i]Crystal Quest[/i] so much fun. You move your ball with the left joystick while shooting and aiming with the right joystick. You also obtain “smart bombs” as you progress, which will clear the level of enemies and are used by hitting either of the triggers. The game has ten difficulty ratings, and if that isn’t enough, you can download an “extreme” difficulty from the Xbox Live Marketplace.
As with all arcade titles, [i]Crystal Quest[/i] has 12 achievements that total 200 delicious gamer score points. The achievements are a good mix ranging from easy to hard, yet none are next to impossible (i.e. Geometry Wars). There are also downloadable sound effects packs along with a few different scenarios. Not to mention that [i]Crystal Quest[/i] boasts 60+ levels. At the thrifty price of only four hundred Microsoft points (five bucks) you really can’t go wrong with [i]Crystal Quest[/i].
