Super Stardust HD for the PLAYSTATION 3 is a Housemarque developed remake of the Amiga shooter Stardust that will inevitably draw comparisons to Bizarre Creations' Geometry Wars. That's a bit misguided, as the PlayStation Network already has a Geometry Wars clone in Blast Factor. Super Stardust HD should more fairly be compared to classic shooters like Asteroids and Raiden, as it draws from similar gameplay systems.

The $7.99 downloadable title is, first and foremost, one of the better games to be released on the PlayStation Network service and a fabulous arcade entry. While it may not immediately show its gameplay strengths based on its first planet, the game's frenetic pace and strategy in later levels show what Super Stardust HD is capable of.

What separates SSDHD from the game it willy surely be measured against is the game's weapon system. You'll face three elements in the game, as rock, gold and ice hurtle toward each planet, awaiting your total destruction. Fortunately, you have three upgradeable weapons—the Rock Crusher, Gold Melter and Ice Breaker—each best suited for eliminating a type of asteroid.

Glowing green cores within asteroid pieces will drop tokens that will grant you extra ships, shields, weapon upgrades or points. The Rock Crusher, for example, will upgrade first to fire faster, then fire a double spread, then faster, then a triple spread, then faster, then... you get the idea. Each time you pick up a weapon upgrade token, you'll see, on a percentage basis, how powerful your weapon is.

You're also outfitted with screen clearing bombs and a boost function, assigned to the R2 and L2 buttons, respectively. While bombs are expendable, requiring bomb tokens to refill your compliment, the boost simply refills on its own. In a tight spot? Boost out of there safely, destroying whatever is in your path.

At the end of the planet's five-round cycle, you'll take on an end-of-level boss, usually a spaceship out to destroy you. They're challenging, adding an extra element of danger as you dodge their fire while avoiding the dozens of pieces of floating debris.

Graphically, the game is a rich, spark-filled treat. It explodes with colored lighting effects but runs at a smooth clip no matter how many objects are thrown at you. Occasionally, this intense action can obscure enemies behind showers of particle effects, resulting in the odd unforeseen death and the occasional surprise kill.

The only initial complaint I have about the game is in its default view mode. I would suggest changing the camera to "far" to get a better view of the battlefield when on the run from asteroids.

Otherwise, if you're looking for a good shooter that features solid single player and two player co-op, one that evokes gameplay feelings of Asteroids, Smash TV, Raiden or Geometry Wars, Super Stardust HD is a fairly safe bet at a decent price.