Affordable Space Adventures is the latest game from KnapNok Games, who developed the 2013 Wii U eShop game Spin the Bottle. In this Wii U exclusive, you control a small spacecraft exploring the great unknown using the GamePad's analog sticks and touch screen. For added complexity, three players can team up and control the ship together, with one person on the touch screen, one person controlling the ship's movement, and another controlling the ship's flashlight.

Neal Ronaghan: At PAX East 2015, Zach and I played through several stages of Affordable Space Adventures in two-player co-op. I started off on the GamePad with Zach moving the ship, but we eventually switched over. I enjoyed it throughout, as the complexity of switches and meters on the GamePad gave it a Steel Battalion-lite fun as you used different types of engines and abilities to avoid obstacles. Controlling the ship was also fun for me, as it required Zach and I to communicate while we played. After we finished the demo, I found out something surprising, though: I loved the demo, but Zach couldn't stand it.

Zach Miller: The problem is the guy with the Pro Controller only has to steer the ship and use the scanner (which identifies hazards). The poor sap on the GamePad has to control the ship's two engines, the thrust, the mass driver, the stabilizer, the inertial dampener, and the flashlight. Oh, and I had to use the GamePad's gyroscope to angle the ship through tight spaces. On the one hand, I liked that you're basically at the Enterprise's helm, tapping icons like Wesley Crusher to make things happen. On the other hand, on the real Enterprise (which is real), the tasks I was saddled with are divided between like three different officers. It was ridiculously overwhelming.

Neal: But that's kind of the beauty of it to me. The challenge of Affordable Space Adventures is juggling everything at once. It's not like it is a fast-paced action game. It's a slow-paced contemplative puzzle game. I still remain excited to play this with friends and by myself, because the overwhelming nature of it is something that appeals to me on some level. Like you said, it makes me feel like I'm on the damn Enterprise, and that's so cool.

I definitely see a little bit of your complaints on the GamePad player doing so much, though. In that alternate reality where we all have multiple GamePads working on our Wii Us, I'd love to see a version of this game where each touch screen controls different things, almost like that iOS/Android game Space Team.

Zach: It's just not balanced. I know that they game does offer support for a third player on a Wii Remote, but we didn't get to try that. I don't think that guy does much, though--he might be in charge of the flashlight or scanning alone. The GamePad guy is still doing 90% of the work.

I will say that I appreciate the game is using the GamePad in an interesting way--arguably the most interesting utilization we've seen so far. I can't even begin to imagine how the game plays with just one poor sap, though. It's not for me, but I'm glad you liked it. I like my multiplayer games easy to pick up and play, like Runbow.

Neal: Well, we'll see how it all turns out very soon since Affordable Space Adventures is coming out in less than a month on April 9.