So who said shooters need more than two colours? Or, for that matter, rounded surfaces? Or a strafe key? Or an orchestral soundtrack? Not this writer.

I like the fact that BOOM, a free 2MB downloadable shooter from the indie wizards at The Poppenkast, is essentially DOOM running on a souped-up Gameboy emulator. I like the fact that from a distance the enemies look like wall textures, while close up they resemble angry Apple Macintosh computers.

Above all else, I like the fact that Only You Can Save Mankind. It's not often a shooter tells me that Only You Can Save Mankind, anymore. Games are so painfully, ego-crushingly realistic nowadays.

Oh yes, and there's a shotgun (though you'll have to find it first). Shotguns always make me happy.

Officially the best downloadable retro hit since the last one.

Play BOOM