A Look At SkillGrid Deluxe Edition

It took quite some time before SkillGrid went gold, much longer than I anticipated in my last (this SkillGrid preview) article, anyway. The game hasn’t changed much at all since my last article but a few bugs have been nailed and yes, this lovely big box (that I will review now) arrived at my doorstep the other day.

So, what is this SkillGrid thing then?

SkillGrid is an endless vertical shoot ’em up—but with a twist. Unlike most games in the genre, where blasting everything is the goal, here the main focus is on dodging and collecting pickups. You gather points, time, and even influence what happens next, all through randomly placed hexagonal pickups.

What’s unusual for a game like this is the size and depth of the manual. At first glance, it might seem straightforward, but trust me—READ THE MANUAL (RTFM!). Doing so can completely change how you play and dramatically increase your enjoyment.

When I first started playtesting, I made a big mistake: my brain told me to collect the yellow pickups. I spent hours playing the game “correctly” according to that idea, but I kept struggling. After chatting with the designer and getting a sneak peek at the work-in-progress manual, I realised my error—the manual basically says: “Pick up the cyan objects, and avoid most yellow ones.” That simple insight transformed my whole experience.

Normally, I have no trouble admitting when I mess up, but this one was a tough pill to swallow. I had been playtesting SkillGrid for hours on end… completely wrong (and I thought I was doing pretty well, too)! 😄

SkillGrid is an endless shooter, which is usually not my cup of tea—I prefer games with levels, bosses, and clear progression. But the strange thing is, the more I played it, the more I grew to appreciate how the game evolves and builds over time. Eventually, it became a pure high-score chase for me, and it excels at that thanks to its unpredictable pickups and the dynamic way you approach the gameplay.

There’s a huge variety of pickups to choose from—sometimes you even want to slow down strategically. Picking the right boss hexagon can be a game-changer, while an asteroid field might drive you nuts one moment and feel manageable the next. You’re truly in control of what happens, and mastering the game requires a lot of trial and error. Forget relying on YouTube tutorials—most of what I’ve seen out there is either played incorrectly or just plain badly.

SkillGrid never gets boring or flat, and maybe most of all annoying, but it will drain you and raise your heartbeat and yes, once you get hooked, it will also stress you; a long session with this can be really exhausting too.

YOU WILL MASTER SKILLGRID ONE DAY!

Ok, over to the box design then.

The publisher for SkillGrid is none other than RGCD, and this is their 3rd release of this kind. I did reviews of both Tiger Claw and the wonderful PowerGlove half a year ago; feel free to check them out if you missed them the first time around.

The same clamshell-style box design used for PowerGlove Reloaded and Tiger Claw makes a return with SkillGrid, and once again, it absolutely demands attention. The bold, eye-catching front cover practically shouts “HEY, LOOK AT ME!” thanks to its unique and striking artwork.

Interestingly, the cover art gives off some Zaxxon vibes—yes, that classic C64 shooter—for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s a design that manages to be both minimalistic and powerful, with sharp colour choices and a layout that really pops.

The back of the box is another area where Simone’s attention to detail truly shines. It’s clear a lot of time and effort went into the layout—everything is thoughtfully arranged, and the clever use of in-game graphics as stylized artwork works brilliantly. It might seem subtle at first glance, but take a closer look and you’ll quickly appreciate just how impressive and well-crafted the design really is.

There are several versions of the game available—something I’ll dive into later in the article—but it’s worth noting that both physical editions include the CD version, which is fully compatible with the Amiga CD32 and boots straight from the disc.

The artwork on the jewel case closely matches that of the clamshell edition, but it’s packaged in a classic CD-style jewel case. The print quality is top-notch, easily surpassing many recent Amiga releases, which, in comparison, feel more like budget titles.

The CD itself is professionally pressed, not a burned disc—this is a polished, high-quality production through and through. Even the disc art is unique, featuring an exclusive design not found elsewhere in the packaging.

In addition to the main game, the CD also includes .ADF versions of the floppy disks, a PDF manual, and a hard drive installable version, giving users flexibility no matter how they prefer to play.

Inside the Jewel case, you will find a rather detailed manual, 16 pages long, with a lot of information in it. I have said it several times before, but I shall say it again: read the manual as it will be a total game-changer for most of you.

The print quality is yet again utterly brilliant, and i can’t find a single negative thing to say about it. 

Simone spent a lot of time on creating this manual, and it paid off.

As with most (if not all RGCD) products, SkillGrid comes with lots of extras. These four “pins” got in-game objects on them, and due to the quality, they came out really good too, clean and really colourful.

There are also 3 stickers in the box. The SkillGrid stickers are actually extra floppy stickers that are included in the box for those of you who didn’t go for the floppy version.

The third sticker is the RGCD one we saw in earlier releases, a really old-school looking one and a nice way for them to make sure that we won’t forget who published this game.

There are two postcards in the box, one from the developer and one from the publisher.

The RETREAM one shows several games that I haven’t seen before because they are for the C64, but I will grab those one day for sure.  Huenison and BOH are on there, though. I reviewed one of them many moons ago at least (BOH one still pending…).

The RGCD postcard reminds me of how brilliant they are as a publisher for the C64, there are so many must-haves on that card that if you are into retro gaming and got none of the,m then GO GET THEM RIGHT NOW!

In the Deluxe version, you also get these 2 floppy disks with the game.

If you go for any of the other available versions, then you must write the included *.ADF images to your own floppy disks.

The final item in this box set is a large, high-quality poster. It’s single-sided, which actually makes it easier to display without having to choose between two sides, unlike the PowerGlove and Tiger Claw posters, which were double-sided.

The print quality is excellent, and best of all, it’s not just a blown-up version of the box art. Instead, it features an entirely different image, making it a unique addition rather than a simple rehash.

And that wraps it up! So now you’re probably wondering—where can you get your hands on this game?

The downloadable version costs $7.99 USD and can be bought from here.

The CD version (Jewel Case) costs £17.00 GBP and can be found here.

The Clamshell version that I have reviewed in this blog costs £23.00 GBP and can be found here (select Deluxe version on the bottom).

SkillGrid delivers on everything it promises—and then some. It’s about as close to an AAA title as you’ll find on the Amiga, with finely tuned gameplay mechanics, vibrant graphics, and a thumping soundtrack that pulls it all together. It truly stands out in the modern Amiga scene.

The only thing holding it back from a perfect 10/10 is its endless gameplay structure, which won’t appeal to everyone. The game can be quite intense—borderline stressful at times—but it’s also incredibly rewarding once you find your rhythm. With structured levels and boss battles, this could easily have been a contender for one of the best Amiga games in years.

That said, it’s still an absolute must-have for any serious Amiga enthusiast or shoot-’em-up fan. SkillGrid is a shining example of what’s still possible on our beloved platform.

Still on the fence? Hopefully, this post helped you decide whether these gems deserve a spot in your collection!

A huge thank you goes out to RoarTJ once again for lending his creative talent to produce yet another stunning feature image for this article.

P.S.: Apologies for the photo quality—my camera lens is currently on its last legs. A replacement is on the way!