Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

At its core, Mattscheiben-Shoot offers a simple yet addictive shooting mechanic: you stand at a fixed vantage point in a dimly lit alley and blast flying television sets before they overwhelm you. The challenge lies not in precision aiming alone but in rapid decision-making—identifying which shows deserve a lead slug and which should be left untouched. Good shows like Deadwood float by peacefully, while guilty pleasures such as Sarah & Marc Crazy in Love taunt you with their blinking frames in easy mode or stealthy movements in normal play.

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The reloading system adds a strategic layer to the action. You fire up to eight shots before needing to thumb the spacebar and reload, forcing you to juggle your limited ammo against an ever-shrinking time bar at the bottom of the screen. Each missed shot or careless strike on a “good” show accelerates your timer’s decline, upping the tension as seconds tick away and more bad programs flood the screen.

Despite its straightforward premise, Mattscheiben-Shoot quickly ramps up in difficulty. As you progress, TV sets zip across the alley at higher speeds and adopt erratic flight patterns. You’ll find yourself honing reflexes and memorizing the logos of good versus bad shows to maintain that life bar. The payoff is a satisfying blend of twitch shooter intensity and mental sorting puzzle that keeps you coming back for just one more round.

Graphics

The game’s visuals strike a pleasing balance between gritty atmosphere and playful cartoonish flair. The alleyway backdrop is rendered in muted tones—cracked brick walls, flickering street lamps, and damp paving stones—creating a fittingly noirish stage for your vigilante TV hunt. Shadows slide across the walls as you fire, lending a cinematic quality to each shot.

Television sets themselves pop with color, each screen vividly displaying recognizable logos of German and American series. The contrast between the dark alley and the bright, animated TV faces ensures you can instantly spot and prioritize bad shows. Even in the frenzy of multiple targets, the logos remain sharp and legible, preventing any needless frustration over misidentification.

Easy mode’s blinking frames around “bad” TVs are a smart accessibility touch, but seasoned players will appreciate the clarity of the standard presentation. Reload prompts, ammo counters, and the life bar on the lower edge of the screen are unobtrusive yet clear, so your focus stays on lining up that perfect shot rather than hunting for HUD elements. All told, the graphics serve function and style in equal measure.

Story

Mattscheiben-Shoot draws its narrative inspiration directly from the intro sequence of Oliver Kalkofe’s cult TV show, Kalkofes Mattscheibe. If you’ve ever watched Kalkofe stride through a shadowy passage and pick off bad television programs with gleeful disdain, this game feels like an extended, interactive homage. There’s no deep branching plot here—just a loose framing device that channels Kalkofe’s signature sarcasm and punishing humor.

Between rounds, brief interludes tease the next wave of shows you’ll face, but there’s no traditional storytelling arc. Instead, the game leans on the charm of its source material and the player’s own emerging narrative: the tale of an underdog show-sniper determined to cleanse the airwaves. It’s a minimalistic approach, but one that fits the arcade-style design.

For fans of the original show, spotting Easter eggs—cameos of familiar program titles and subtle nods to Kalkofe’s satirical critiques—adds a layer of delight. Even if you’re new to German television, the premise is clear: bad TV must be stopped, and you’re the one with the trigger finger. The sparse story is as effective as it needs to be, keeping the focus on fast-paced action.

Overall Experience

Mattscheiben-Shoot excels as a bite-sized arcade shooter that marries nostalgia with frantic gameplay. Matches are short enough to enjoy on a coffee break yet challenging enough to inspire multiple attempts at a personal high score. Its pick-up-and-play design means you’re never wading through menus or tutorials—just point, shoot, reload, and repeat.

The game will particularly resonate with fans of Kalkofes Mattscheibe and anyone with a soft spot for indie shooters that emphasize quick reactions and pattern recognition. While it may lack the depth of a full-blown first-person narrative or a sprawling campaign, it compensates with tight mechanics, witty theming, and just the right amount of difficulty curve to stay engaging.

Overall, Mattscheiben-Shoot is a refreshing change of pace from conventional shooters. It delivers a focused, entertaining experience that feels at once nostalgic and novel. If you’re in the mood for a quirky arcade romp with enough challenge to keep you on your toes, this quirky German-TV-slayer is well worth the asking price.

Retro Replay Score

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