In JoyJoy, the player pilots a small circular ship around a rectangular arena where enemy ships spawn in waves. It is the pilot’s job to survive by evading enemy ships and fire an expandable array of weapons to clear the arena of foes.
At face value, JoyJoy is intriguing, and with the multitude of weapons available, gameplay feels engaging and dynamic. At the beginning of the game, the player only has a single weapon type (a standard straight-line laser cannon), but with progression comes more weapon types upgrades for each. A few of the weapon classes include seeker projectiles that hone in on enemies, slow heavy-shot capable of crushing eve
n well-armored enemies, and reflective-shot capable of filling the entire arena with a firestorm of your ammunition. As you destroy enemies, they drop stars that can be collected to fill the “Ultra Meter” which can be expended in bursts, releasing a powerful attack. An added bonus is that each weapon type has its own unique “Ultra Attack”, making weapon exploration even more rewarding.
All in all, JoyJoy offers fun for everyone. Casual gamers will enjoy the ease of control and the ability to play the game in short bursts without losing progress or having to commit hours at a time, while the more advanced gamers will enjoy the rich weapons system and exploring the different uses and attack combinations of each weapon type.