Back in November, Japanese developer CAVE took their expertise in manic shooters and combined it with the dual-stick control scheme that suits touch screens so well to come up with Mushihimesama Bug Panic [$4.99/Lite]. The result was an intense dual-stick shooter with an interesting lock-on offensive mechanic, loads of enemies to kill, and dozens of bullets to avoid. We really enjoyed Mushihimesama Bug Panic in our original review, and its first update improved the experience even more.

Last month during a press event where CAVE announced a port of Deathsmiles for iOS, they also announced that Mushihimesama Bug Panic would be receiving a multiplayer update titled Bug Battle in the near future. Over the weekend, the Bug Battle update became available for download, and after taking the new mode for a spin I can say it's an incredibly fun addition to an already fantastic game.

Bug Battle uses Bluetooth to connect to a friend locally or Game Center to connect to a player over 3g or WiFi for head-to-head competition. There are 5 multiplayer maps which are unlocked by completing worlds from Adventure mode. Each player destroys the bugs that appear on their screen and collects the amber gems left behind, which work towards filling up an attack gauge on the side of the screen.

Tapping this attack gauge when filled releases bug nests on your opponent, and increases your energy meter at the top of the screen. The attack gauge can be filled several times over, with each level unleashing a greater number of bug nests on your enemy, culminating in a maxed out gauge which will send them a humongous boss character to their screen. Play continues in this hectic fashion until time runs out, and whichever player holds more of the energy meter is deemed the winner.

As always, CAVE has put together a lengthy video detailing their latest update. The Bug Battle multiplayer information starts at the 1:08 mark:

The Bug Battle mode works really well, and despite me being horrible at it there's no issues with connecting or lag in my experience. The "send crap over to your opponent for them to deal with" factor is used to great effect here, similar to multiplayer bouts in Tetris or Puzzle Fighter style games, and makes for a rewarding competitive experience. CAVE has updated the lite version of Mushihimesama Bug Panic to include the first map of Bug Battle to give players a taste of the multiplayer experience.

Our forum users have been having a blast with the new Bug Battle mode, so make sure to update your game or give the lite version a download to checkout the new multiplayer experience in Mushihimesama Bug Panic.

App Store Links:

• Mushihimesama BUG PANIC, $4.99
• Mushihimesama BUG PANIC LITE, Free

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