Overview
Lunar Crabs attempts to resurrect the classic arcade shooter formula with a crustacean twist, but emerges as a shallow experience that fails to evolve beyond its Spectrum-era origins. This Space Invaders-inspired title tasks players with defending their spaceship against waves of lunar crabs using an oversized gun, but quickly reveals itself as a one-note novelty lacking depth or modern polish. While the absurd premise of exploding moon crabs provides momentary amusement, the absence of meaningful progression or engaging mechanics leaves the experience feeling like a tech demo rather than a complete game.
Shallow Gameplay with Fading Novelty
The core shooting mechanics initially surprise with their sheer absurdity - crabs dramatically inflate in size during their "lunge" attacks before exploding into pixelated chunks when shot. This visual gag generates some early chuckles, particularly when witnessing the chaotic swarm behavior. Unlike classic shooters where enemies move in coordinated patterns, these crabs operate independently, creating unpredictable but ultimately shallow encounters. The lack of enemy variety or attack patterns means every wave feels identical, with no escalating challenge or strategic depth to maintain interest beyond the first few minutes.
The crabs are almost just cut-outs who 'lunge' at you by basically increasing in size. It's funny for a while but the joke wears thin.
Gohst
Dated Presentation and Barebones Features
Visually, Lunar Crabs resembles an early 2000s Flash game rather than a modern title. Environments consist of sparse, monochromatic lunar landscapes that fail to establish any sense of place, while the crab enemies appear as flat, minimally animated sprites. The audio design is equally barren, featuring only two functional sound effects - a generic laser shot and a comical explosion when crabs burst. The complete absence of music during gameplay makes sessions feel sterile and unfinished, amplifying the repetitive nature of the shooting gallery. With no power-ups, boss battles, or difficulty scaling, the experience remains static from start to abrupt finish.
Verdict
Shallow arcade throwback with fleeting novelty