While not a bad shooter, this game isn't particularly good either.
For such simplicty, the game can be entertaining. You've got a limited supply of nukes you can use to blast things your normal weapon won't destroy. They are also the only weapon you have that can destroy the mother ship at the end of each wave, so it's best to use them wisely. There isn't too much variety to the baddies, but it doesn't really matter. You'll have enough of a time shooting baddies, dodging asteroids, and shooting down the beam sparks that are heading straight for you.
The sound is the usual, typical, stuff, a throbbing ambient beat with fired shots and explosions dotting the nostalgic sound scape. Overall, Beam Rider isn't a bad game for the Colecovision, however, there are other shooters that are much more enjoyable and addictive to play. The replay value and desire to play this stems solely from nostalgia or extreme loyalty to the system. Once the nostalgia wears off, this game just seems like just another old shooter.