Toby Alden, one of the developers behind the precision platformer Love Eternal, has released a new free game called Today's Star Is. This 2D spaceship labyrinth game presents players with a daily challenge: pilot a small, unarmed ship through increasingly dangerous mazes to collect a star. The game features 'spin and thrust' controls, similar to Lunar Lander, requiring precise maneuvering to avoid spiked surfaces that result in instant destruction.
Adding to the difficulty, each level contains a 'Space Invader' that will actively pursue the player once entered into its designated hunting ground. This creature can pass through solid surfaces, making evasion critical. The star itself presents a significant obstacle, controlled by a short-ranged tractor beam. The star has its own physics, capable of swinging wildly, getting caught on corners, and even destroying the player ship on contact. Players must retrieve the star and bring it back through the labyrinth, a task made more complicated by the star's unpredictable behavior and the level's design.
Despite the game's challenging nature, Alden has included infinite lives and reasonably placed checkpoint flags, which prevent the star from respawning at the very beginning of a level. Successful completion rewards players with a place on the leaderboard.
Beyond its gameplay mechanics, Today's Star Is features an atmospheric presentation. The game's sound design includes echoing rocket emissions and the distinct sound of the ship impacting surfaces. The 'Space Invader' has a unique sound effect that accompanies its awakening.
Today's Star Is is accessible via a web browser and is also available for download on Windows and Mac through Itch.io. Alden plans to release a new level daily.