Huh? What game is this? I've never heard of it before. Well it can't be any good can it? It is from Rare, but as of recent that isn't solid proof of anything in regards to the consistency of a game's quality. Turns out Jetpac Refuelled is a really fun game available on Xbox Live's Arcade and they – gasp – did more for this retooling than just gloss over it with a new paint job. We only wish more companies would take Rare's approach and update the core gameplay a little and improve the graphics as well.

Jetpac Refuelled is without a doubt the way EVERY old school retro arcade game should be brought to Xbox Live Arcade, as Rare shows the love and care that the classic should be remembered as, but yet updating it for the Xbox 360 masses who might be discovering it for the first time like myself. Because, for your Microsoft Points, not only will you be getting the newly updated Jetpac Refuelled, complete with tons more levels, updated graphics, and updated gameplay, but you'll also be getting a faithful emulation of the original game from 1983 and a tiny history lesson on how the game fits into the videogame history spectrum and how it led to Rare being ultimately formed (the short history is much like those found on the Midway Arcade Treasure discs).

In the Jetpac game as a whole, you play as a little astronaut/robot who finds himself/herself/itself on various aliens planets as it tries to jump from one planet to the next, gathering the fuel needed to continue the journey. Fuel randomly falls from the top of the screen, and you must use your jetpac to fly over to where it is, grab it, and then bring it back to your shuttle to refuel it so you can takeoff (six cells of fuel are needed to pass every level). However, before you can refuel, every so many levels you'll first have to rebuild your rocket, which comes in several pieces.

Though the Jetpac Refuelled version of the game is where the truly great lies, we'd be foolish not to comment on the original version that is also included in the game – right from the beginning – with no need to unlock. The original Jetpac is pretty simple; though it contains the same overall traits between both versions, the original features no music, considerably less levels, and the graphics are horribly outdated. The old school nature of Jetpac means you'll get plenty of the gloops and bleeps that dominated the noise landscape back in the day, and honestly, we have no problem with that. However, we do take issue with the enemies, who often repeat themselves in AI, where they fly in a straight line only with a different paint job; you do get different enemy AI later on, but it takes a few levels to get there. The main gripe we have with the original version of Jetpac is that though keeping the original graphics is fine, was there really a need to preserve their flaws as well? We're talking about bright pinks and green and blues that sometimes bleed into each other, where white will momentarily flash pink in corners and such, and it is really annoying and looks terrible on screen whenever it happens. Thankfully Rare included the updated Jetpac Refuelled or else this game would be a sad two star rating.

As for Jetpac Refuelled and the reason you should actually be playing the game, it features the exact same gameplay as the original, where you'll build your ship when need be, but otherwise you're flying around, shooting aliens that stand in your way, and gathering the fuel that you need to take back to your ship to drop off. However, there are new gameplay changes as well.

First up are the powerups, which increase the power of your laser and change up its shooting abilities as well. When you first start a level, your laser will shoot straight and that is all. If you catch the first falling capsule when it appears, you'll not only slightly raise its power but you'll also be able to simultaneously shoot upwards as well as forward. There is also a third capsule, which when gathered, though it gives you a laser that shoots less far than the others, it shoots in a three way spread that shoots straight, angled up, and angled down. And though you see the nuclear bomb radiation sign in the original, this time, by gathering the falling radiation signs, you'll be gathering detonating bombs to use, which will clear the whole screen whenever things get too hectic for you.

The different enemy character designs and AI constructs also make for an overall tighter experience, because though many enemies still just fly in a straight line, you've also got things like floating globes that track after you, hands that jump in the air, creatures that swim and dart forward, etc. The enemies also visually look different too, with space squid creatures, mice in astronaut suits, floating spheres, balls of energy with eyes, flying rock people, and jumping hands to name a few.

To be fair, the whole game is better in every regard to the original. Jetpac Refuelled actually has background music (completely missing from the original); more sound work; some nice and simple effects like the smoke from your rocket taking off; and the hand-drawn, painted cartoon look of the backgrounds is quite striking and lovely.

The game also features a multiplayer, where you and another player race against time to gather as much fuel and ratchet up your score as high as you can, but it is a pretty lackluster mode mainly because nobody is playing the multiplayer portion of the game. It has some nice moments where you can sabotage your opponent to make them drop fuel and such, but once again, play it for the single player arcade experience. The reason you'll play is because of the Leaderboards that you'll want to climb, and it tracks not only the Jetpac Refuelled version of the game, but the normal old school Jetpac as well.

Jetpac Refuelled is one of the best games on Xbox Live Arcade to date, mainly because Rare cared enough to go back, spruce up the visuals, sound, and gameplay, and ended up creating a spectacular reimagining of one of its original properties. Though there are better "full" games out there, meaning titles like you'd be able to buy in a store that found their way onto Xbox Live Arcade (like Castlevania), Jetpac Refuelled is the best of the arcade gems, those where you can pick it up whenever, play for a few minutes, try to beat your high score, and you'll always come back for more. Highly enjoyable game definitely worth your time and Microsoft Points.

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