System: Microsoft Xbox 360 (Xbox Live Arcade)

Publisher: Bizarre Creations

Reviewer’s rating: ***1/2

ESRB rating: Everyone

Game type: Arcade

Kind of like: “Robotron” or “Smash TV”

Best feature: With six modes instead of one, there are plenty of ways to play.

Worst feature: This game gets really hard really fast.

The bottom line: If you like old-school twitch-action arcade games, you’ll need to get on Xbox Live Arcade for the best in a long time.

“Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2” is pure action in the tradition of “Robotron” or “Smash TV.” It’s available for download to your Xbox 360 if you’re online.

The controls are easy. You’re a little geometric shape on the screen, and you move with the left stick. The right stick makes you fire continuously simply by pushing it in any direction.

Other geometric shapes appear on the screen and start moving around. Some of them chase you, while others have different patterns. Your job is to shoot them all. The shapes start coming fast and furious, quickly putting you on the edge of your seat and testing your nerves — and reflexes.

This sequel has some new modes of play. In Deadline, you simply have a time limit to score as many points as you can — no big deal. But King mode is filled with tension: You can fire only from inside special circles, which vanish several seconds after you enter them, so it’s a constant crazy dash to get to the next circle. Pacifism mode, in which you can’t fire at all, features gates you can dash through to obliterate nearby enemies.