Project Neon is a Neo Geo game that was successfully Kickstarted in 2019. A vertically scrolling, arcade-style shoot ’em up that will feel familiar to those ingratiated with CAVE and Toaplan, its frontend presentation is simple and to the point.

There is one default difficulty, a single, non-configurable CRT filter, and some rotation and scaling options. There are two modes: Normal, which feeds you the stages in a linear order; or Course, which allows you to choose the order you tackle the first four stages (from of a total of five). Optional touchscreen controls have been added, making it function much like CAVE’s iOS arcade ports. This may raise scoring questions amongst competitive gamers, as the touchscreen makes manoeuvering substantially easier. There’s no option to configure the pad’s physical buttons, however, and that’s irritating.

Graphically, it’s bright and sufficiently solid without ever having a real standout moment. It’s soundtrack, though, positively sizzles in places. There are three buttons: fire, rapid fire, and bomb, which discharges a powerful beam laser up the screen for a few prolonged seconds. Rapid fire makes regular tap-tap fire seemingly irrelevant, as the scoring system works by racking up kills in quick succession. Beyond ten rapidly eliminated enemies, a combo counter appears, and your laser turns pink, becoming more powerful. The longer you can sustain rapid enemy kills beyond ten, the higher the chained score — but it’s not as simple as just holding fire.

Instead, a risk-reward strategy of allowing certain enemies on-screen to bridge gaps, and then choosing a path of destruction, is the way to go. It becomes easier to trigger in busier stages like the Sulfur Planet, but you’re also dodging far more bullets at the same time. Generally, it’s a well-calculated system, but like much of Project Neon, it’s a side quest for dedicated, hardcore players.

The pedestaling of the one-credit-clear in arcade games is praise-worthy, and Project Neon nudges you in that direction. Continuing to the end doesn’t feel at all rewarding, and it’s five stages are short enough that you really should be putting in the effort to learn them. Be warned: brief though it is, it’s a demanding game. Its first stage is arguably slightly tougher than several that come after, and will test you considerably. The game throws out regular power-up rings where shot enhancement, bombs, and secondary spread bullets rotate in a circle. You can only grab one each time unless you do the ChoRenSha 68K trick and precariously camp for a few moments in the ring’s centre, absorbing all three (not at all easy). Pro-tip: power up your shot to maximum first, and then collect and use beam bombs judiciously against bosses.

Project Neon is a capable game designed by a far-flung team of developers and designers who obviously have an affection and understanding of Japan’s ’90s arcade shoot ’em ups. Its steep challenge is balanced out by its brevity, but stick with it and learn its boss patterns, and you’ll get through to the fifth and final stage with a little perseverance.

What irks is the last boss’s final form. Your ship, bordering on Truxton size, doesn’t have the tiniest of hitboxes; and, while the majority of the game is balanced for learning, the last phase starts mimicking a DoDonPachi-style true-last-boss. It feels overdone and unfair, with the primary issue being that even if you make it there on a single coin, it will send you back to the beginning of the game enough times to see most throw in the towel.