He is brave, and gentle, and wise. Or so the theme song from the 80's version goes. In reality, Astro just kicks butt.
User Rating: 9.2 | Astro Boy: Tetsuwan Atom - Atom Heart no Himitsu GBA
I am not a Treasure fan-boy, let me first say that. I mean, their games are often pretty and entertaining, but I'm not gonna go out and get it just because it's another 2D Treasure masterpiece. I do, however, have a friend who IS a Treasure fanboy, and it was his adamance combined with the stellar reviews I read on the net, that sparked my interest in this game. What made up my mind, however, was the fond memories I have of Astro Boy from way back when I was a lad. Even then, there was something special and alluring about the universe Tezuka (sp?) had created. Fortunately, this game so accurately represents that universe that I ended up enjoying this game more thoroughly and purely than I have any other in some time. Omega Factor is very easy to get into. There's a tutorial mission at the start of the game, very clearly explaining the already easy to master battle functions, as well as the power-up system. Anything you really need to know at the start of the game is pretty much contained in this 2 minute tutorial. After that, the game throws you right into the action, and it's great action at that. Astro feels powerful from the get-go, but not overpowered, considering the hordes of enemies he faces. As he powers up further in the game, you just feel more and more like you're controlling the super robot that the story makes him out to be. Astro has a wide variety of moves, and all are useful in certain situations, though you'll probably end up with a favorite or two. Still, the options are nice. A couple of the moves can be tough to pull off with the smaller GBA controls, but it's nothing that detracts from the game enough to matter - just a minor annoyance. The graphics are absolutely stellar for the GBA, and besides being polished and just looking great, the amount of care taken in creating background, character, and effect art is obvious, since everything feels alive and cohesive within the game. Nothing seemed out of place, and just about everything added to the great feel of the game. The sound, again, is terrific, considering this is the GBA. There are no real voice effects, save a few screams and the modulated "Astro Boy" at the start of new stages, but the sounds of weapons, explosions, and such fit the game well and add to feel of epic robot battle. Astro SOUNDS powerful, and so do his enemies. The music is good, not overbearing or cheesy, and in some cases quite catchy - I finished the game last night, and found myself humming one of the themes this morning as I got ready for work. The game is fairly short, but considering this is an action game on the GBA, you can overlook that, especially considering the story and gameplay packed into the little cart. I didn't really log my time, but it couldn't have been more than 8 hours. There are a number (50, I believe) of characters from the Astro Boy universe to collect, and it's helpful as they are how you power Astro up, but most you must meet through the course of the game, with only a few really being "hidden", so to speak. However, the real value of this game will come with replay - it's just so fun, and with three difficultly levels, you could definitely find challenge to keep you playing for a while. There's also a tracker to keep your high scores and fastest times for a stage, should you be interested. One thing before I end - I don't usually comment on stories in game reviews, preferring to leave that rather subjective evaluation up to a player. However, this story deserves mention as being OUTSTANDING. It's just really cool, convoluted, atypical, and well told through the use of characters. I'll play the game again just to understand it better. That's all I'll say, but while it was the gameplay that made the game fun, it was the story that made me want to keep going, keep pushing, until I'd taken Astro to the end of his journey. I suppose it's possible not to enjoy Astro Boy, but I've no clue how'd you do it. A great game that will stay in my library forever, like a good book I can enjoy more and more each time. 
