Atari’s 1980 arcade game Missile Command is one of the legendary names in all of video game history, and they have not been shy about trotting it out time and time again in the form of remakes, re-releases, and spinoffs over the past four decades. It was even among the early batch of iPhone games back in 2008. Well with the 40th anniversary of Missile Command happening this summer, Atari has partnered up with indie developer Nickervision Studios to create another new take on the classic for mobile called Missile Command: Recharged. The core concept will remain the same–You’ll be firing missiles into the sky to counter a barrage of missiles raining down on you from above–but there will be some new twists in this new version. There will be new power-ups like new defensive measures, the ability to repair one of your destroyed missile silos, and a special attack that can clear an entire screen in one blast. There will also be a progression system in Missile Command: Recharged where you’ll be able to take the points you earn through playing and upgrade “all aspects of gameplay to get an edge and achieve the highest scores." All of this is wrapped up in the glowy, neon, particle-filled art style that Nickervision does so well. Here is a brief animated gif to give you an idea of what Missile Command: Recharged is like in action.

Now you might have read everything up until this point with a heavy dose of anxiety, being that this is a classic property being brought to mobile in a new reimagined version featuring power-ups and upgrades. It just SCREAMS that it’s going to be some repulsive free to play carcass of a once beloved game, right? Well to my complete surprise and pleasure that doesn’t appear to be the case with Missile Command: Recharged. It’ll be released for free with ads and a one-time in-app purchase to permanently remove those ads if you choose. That is a totally OK pay model in my book. Also, in addition to what I’ve already mentioned, Missile Command: Recharged will include online leaderboards and achievements, as well as an augmented reality mode where you can “project your gameplay to a virtual arcade cabinet and take your missile destruction to new heights!" It all sounds rather awesome to be honest, and although no specific release date has been announced Atari expects to launch Missile Command: Recharged on both iOS and Android devices sometime this spring.