Vortex Attack: ボルテックスアタック
Released May 2015
Vortex Attack is a frenetic arcade space shooter featuring worldwide tournaments and an intense local multiplayer mode.A worthy successor to Galaga for the XXI century.WARNING: Highly addictive.
80% positive · 104 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to buy
Steam Lowest $1.59 $7.99 −80% Green Man Gaming Steam key $7.99
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Evaluation
Vortex Attack launched on May 27, 2015 and received a series of patches through 2018. The developer signaled they were wrapping up content multiple times: in November 2015 they wrote that patch 1.2 was "possibly the latest update" and that "no more updates, the game is near the perfection we wanted." In February 2016, patch 1.3 was described as making "the game future proof, so it might be the last one." A March 2017 patch (1.3.4) added a small set of features including a new quick-play mode. The final recorded update, patch 1.3.6 on May 22, 2018, addressed compatibility and performance improvements with no new content and no indication of further plans.
Since May 22, 2018, there have been no updates or communications about Vortex Attack. The developer's most recent major activity (November 2024) was the launch of an entirely different game — Slam and Roll — which the studio described as their new direction after years working on something new. This confirms that KaleidoGames has moved on from Vortex Attack.
There is also a separate, enhanced version of the game — Vortex Attack EX — which was announced in October 2019 and released on Steam and Nintendo Switch. This successor title further confirms that development on the original Vortex Attack is complete. The game launched as a finished arcade shooter and its content cycle has clearly concluded.
Evidence
Developer announces Vortex Attack EX, an enhanced separate release on Steam and Nintendo Switch, indicating original game's development has concluded
Developer states patch 1.2 is 'possibly the latest update' and 'no more updates, the game is near the perfection we wanted'
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
KaleidoGames
Achievements
75
Platform
Windows
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer · Co-op · PvP · Local/Split Screen
About this game
From an initial choice of ships, (more unlockable by playing) the player has to destroy all the vortices they will face across the galaxies.
Features
Real machine hosted in "Arcade Vintage" (Petrer, Spain) built just for our game.
- LOTS OF HEALTH
- BASIC SHIP FOR NOVICES
- FAST SHIP
- GOOD MULTISHOT
- MANY ADD-ONS
- AVERAGE SHIP
- STRONG SHIP
- POWERFUL BULLETS
- FEW ADD-ONS
- FAST SHIP
- FEW BUT POWERFUL SHOOTING
- GOOD ADD-ONS
- FAST SHIP
- AVERAGE FIREPOWER
- POWERFUL ADD-ON
- FAST SHIP
- POWERFUL ADD-ON
- FASTER GAMEPLAY
- HEAVY ARTILLERY
- VERY POWERFUL BULLETS
- ALMOST NO ADD-ONS
- HARD & SLOW SHIP
- FEW BUT POWERFUL SHOOTING
- MOST ADD-ONS
- WEAK & FAST SHIP
- HEAVY MULTISHOT
Game mechanics
The goal of each level is to destroy the vortices. Although some vortices will take several stage to destroy. Upon reaching a level where the vortex can be totally destroyed, it will unleash the most dangerous of its swarms to make things a lot harder for our players. The twist we've added in this game is that the vortex on each level will keep growing, throwing ever increasing waves of enemies to overwhelm the player, so that they must continually fight to push the vortex back. The game has been especially designed to play with up to 3 friends, although we're considering adding an optional fourth player based on player feedback.
To implode the vortices, the player must destroy enemies to collect their energy. On top of the vortex there are two spheres: The player level (blue sphere) and the vortex level (red sphere). When the energy item sent by the player reaches the vortex, the blue sphere shrinks the black hole, symbolized with the red sphere. But in the other hand the black hole is constantly growing stretching the blue sphere. The game ends when the blue sphere makes the red one disappear or the red one grows to its maximum size. The concept is kind of new, reuses the concept based in Beekyr and improves it by removing the unnecessary bits.
Game's history
The alien war machines caught us by surprise. A strange energy vortex appeared near colony Vehar-12, then they came, swarming from the centre of the vortex. The first attack was just over 20 Eartho-days ago and already eighteen colonies have been lost. 56 million souls, gone. Now they're approaching Earthos, our biggest colony. We're fighting back, but if it falls, we will be all but destroyed. The vortices had seemed all but indestructible. But now we have hope. Our technicians patched together a captured war machine, and discovered the key to the vortices, a new kind of energy they've dubbed 'Lumergy'. Our first tests of the device lead to an unexpected discovery. The energy used to create a vortex could also be used to destroy one. Using our modified war machine we can collect the Lumergy, and reverse its energy to collapse a vortex, destroying the swarm within. We can predict where the next vortex will open, and we can destroy it. We have only one chance at this, only one ship. Your only mission: Destroy the vortices. Save all of us.
Features
- Up to 3 simultaneous local players
- 11 ship models (upgradeable up to 4 levels each)
- STEAM: Online leaderboards and over 70 achievements
- Regular tournaments (via Steam or Fairs)
- Sci-fi particles madness
- Tons of individual upgrades
- Hundreds of fun levels featuring the innovative Vortex System, bosses and bonus
- Multiplayer designed gameplay
- Action neo-retro FX and music
- Arcade coin-op: Design and integration
Real machine hosted in "Arcade Vintage" (Petrer, Spain) built just for our game.
Ships
Basic Ship
Vektar- LOTS OF HEALTH
- BASIC SHIP FOR NOVICES
Ships: Tier 1
Voxar, Rozer, Blaster- FAST SHIP
- GOOD MULTISHOT
- MANY ADD-ONS
- AVERAGE SHIP
- STRONG SHIP
- POWERFUL BULLETS
- FEW ADD-ONS
Ships: Tier 2
Valkyr, Metr-81, Kromaia, Blaxar- FAST SHIP
- FEW BUT POWERFUL SHOOTING
- GOOD ADD-ONS
- FAST SHIP
- AVERAGE FIREPOWER
- POWERFUL ADD-ON
- FAST SHIP
- POWERFUL ADD-ON
- FASTER GAMEPLAY
- HEAVY ARTILLERY
- VERY POWERFUL BULLETS
- ALMOST NO ADD-ONS
Ships: Tier 3
Verminest, Beekyr- HARD & SLOW SHIP
- FEW BUT POWERFUL SHOOTING
- MOST ADD-ONS
- WEAK & FAST SHIP
- HEAVY MULTISHOT
Game mechanics
The goal of each level is to destroy the vortices. Although some vortices will take several stage to destroy. Upon reaching a level where the vortex can be totally destroyed, it will unleash the most dangerous of its swarms to make things a lot harder for our players. The twist we've added in this game is that the vortex on each level will keep growing, throwing ever increasing waves of enemies to overwhelm the player, so that they must continually fight to push the vortex back. The game has been especially designed to play with up to 3 friends, although we're considering adding an optional fourth player based on player feedback.
To implode the vortices, the player must destroy enemies to collect their energy. On top of the vortex there are two spheres: The player level (blue sphere) and the vortex level (red sphere). When the energy item sent by the player reaches the vortex, the blue sphere shrinks the black hole, symbolized with the red sphere. But in the other hand the black hole is constantly growing stretching the blue sphere. The game ends when the blue sphere makes the red one disappear or the red one grows to its maximum size. The concept is kind of new, reuses the concept based in Beekyr and improves it by removing the unnecessary bits.
Game's history
The alien war machines caught us by surprise. A strange energy vortex appeared near colony Vehar-12, then they came, swarming from the centre of the vortex. The first attack was just over 20 Eartho-days ago and already eighteen colonies have been lost. 56 million souls, gone. Now they're approaching Earthos, our biggest colony. We're fighting back, but if it falls, we will be all but destroyed. The vortices had seemed all but indestructible. But now we have hope. Our technicians patched together a captured war machine, and discovered the key to the vortices, a new kind of energy they've dubbed 'Lumergy'. Our first tests of the device lead to an unexpected discovery. The energy used to create a vortex could also be used to destroy one. Using our modified war machine we can collect the Lumergy, and reverse its energy to collapse a vortex, destroying the swarm within. We can predict where the next vortex will open, and we can destroy it. We have only one chance at this, only one ship. Your only mission: Destroy the vortices. Save all of us.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 26, 2026
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