Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Wham! gets its hook from confinement. You are not drifting through wide-open space; you are steering a ship through caves where every bend narrows the room for error and every enemy encounter becomes a quick test of aim, nerve, and control. That setup gives the two-player split-screen battles a pleasingly mean arcade energy. A human opponent can turn a safe-looking passage into a trap in seconds, while computer matches let you learn the caves and experiment without needing a second seat.

Ship choice matters because Wham! does not pretend every craft is built for the same job. Fast ships can dart through the caves but cannot absorb much punishment, while slower machines bring more energy and power. You will probably find your preference quickly: agility is tempting when the tunnels get tight, but extra staying power is hard to dismiss when shots start landing. It is a simple trade-off, yet a good one for a game built around short, heated engagements.

The armory gives those fights their variety. Main cannons sit alongside 60 special weapons, and the differences are more than cosmetic: some hit hard but demand careful aim and accept a slower firing rate, while others fire quickly without inflicting as much damage. One weapon can even guide you toward the goal, a useful nudge when the cave layout has you second-guessing your route. Ten bonuses add another reason to stay alert during a match rather than merely chasing the nearest opponent.

Its strongest long-term argument is that you can design your own ship and cave level. Thirty built-in levels are a solid arcade foundation, but making a craft suited to your habits or building a cave designed to expose a friend’s weaknesses is where Wham! can become a recurring local rivalry. Give it a chance if you enjoy direct, old-school competitive shooters with a bit of workshop tinkering around the edges.

Graphics

Wham! uses a top-down view of ships weaving through cave passages, with split-screen keeping both combatants in view during two-player games. The important visual task is clear: you need to judge the cave walls, locate opponents, and react to weapon fire in a confined space.

Story

There is no grand narrative pulling you from one encounter to the next. Wham! is interested in the immediate objective: fly the cave, destroy the enemy, and make smart use of your chosen ship and weapons.

That lack of story suits its arcade priorities. The tension comes from a dangerous route, an opposing ship with a different build, and the question of whether your weapon choice will pay off before you run out of room.

If you need campaigns, characters, or plot twists to make a shooter stick, this will feel spare. If you are happy supplying the drama yourself through close matches and custom-made arenas, the game has a clearer purpose.

Overall Experience

Wham! is a compact competitive shooter whose best moments come from the collision of cave navigation and weapon experimentation. The first few matches may feel chaotic, especially when you are still learning how much space your ship needs to maneuver. Once the speed, durability, and firepower trade-offs start to click, that chaos becomes the point: you are making quick decisions in places that do not forgive them.

The game is most compelling with another person beside you. Split-screen turns each cave into shared territory and makes every escape, missed shot, and questionable weapon choice immediately visible to the other player. The computer opponent keeps it usable alone, but the human-versus-human friction is where the design has the most bite.

Custom ships and caves are the payoff for anyone who wants more than a fixed set of battles. Wham! will not suit you if you want a story-driven space adventure or a relaxed shooter, but it remains an easy recommendation for two friends who like fast DOS-era arcade competition, constrained arenas, and the satisfaction of finding a build that fits their flying style.

Retro Replay Score

7.4/10