Wed, 18 Jun 2008 by Stephen Witkowski
Can this Arkanoid clone match the block-breaking fun of its predecessors?
Arkanoid clones were two-a-penny many years ago, particularly on home computers; however gamers have not been treated to many games like this in recent times. It would seem the timing is perfect for Gameloft to bring the first game in their successful cell-phone based Block Breaker series to WiiWare to see if it could find a sizeable audience on the Wii. Gamers never tire of quick, accessible fun like this.
In Block Breaker Deluxe, you take the role of a famous champion who wants to enter a tournament being organized by a billionaire for the top 10 players in the world. However, one obstacle is preventing you from entering the competition of your dreams: the entry fee of $1 million. So, in order to raise some dough, you have to hit the block breaker night scene and take characters’ challenges (each challenge being a level of the game).
The first thing you’ll notice is that the presentation in this game is trippy. Gameloft upped the ante in terms of visuals for this port and really pushed the '80s vibe. It’s nothing particularly special, but the visual style is crisp, clean, and appealing. There’s so much neon though that some players may find their eyes getting tired quickly and turn the brightness down on their TV. The visual effect for the explosive blocks in the game warrants some specific attention. It may look cool, but at times it crowds the playing field and makes it hard to keep track of the ball; we predict that numerous lives will be lost thanks to this issue.
The audio all around is fair too; the sound effects are on par, and perhaps most importantly, the sounds the ball makes when bouncing off of different surfaces are not irritating. In terms of the music, we’d say it’s of a higher calibre than the sound effects, but there isn’t much of it, so it does get repetitive fast.
Since this type of game doesn’t come around all that often anymore, the style is a bit of a sight for sore eyes. However, with some prior games in this vein already in existence, Block Breaker Deluxe doesn’t really distance itself from these other titles in terms of level design. That it isn’t to say that there wasn’t any creative muscle flexed by the company though. Some of the power-ups are quite original: take the Yo-Yo for instance. This allows you to pull the ball toward your paddle, adding a unique element of control. There are the more generic power-ups as well, such as lasers that allow for shooting at blocks with your paddle and a multiball.
When it comes down to the core gameplay, Block Breaker Deluxe does a pretty good job of emulating the classic feel of Arkanoid with the Wiimote. Controlling the paddle is simple. Seeing as the Wiimote pointer basically serves as a mouse in 3D space, Gameloft decided to just have the player move the paddle left and right. It makes enough sense, but when it comes to finer and quicker adjustments, the IR control won’t always pickup the player’s motions so smoothly.
There is one other option for controls though, and that is using the D-pad to move the paddle. Taking into account that some items require the use of the A or B button though, this option really doesn’t utilize the Wiimote’s functionality very well. We really wanted to see what it would feel like to play this title with the Wiimote on its side tilting it left and right like Sonic and the Secret Rings or Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam, but unfortunately that option wasn’t there. The pointer has one more use in gameplay though: in addition to collecting power-ups with the paddle itself, there is a pointer on screen that can be used for the same purpose.
It is a safe bet that getting stuck will be a huge obstacle for some people. The levels in this game can get particularly tough at times, and with the finer movements and quick adjustments mentioned earlier, they can get downright frustrating. There are also boss fights at the end of each set of levels to keep you on your toes. However help is at hand. There are things that can help in the game's shop. Since you’re playing these levels to earn money, you can go back to earlier stages that you’ve played to scrounge up some cash for items and try to conquer those tough stages over again.
If you get bored of the single player story mode, you might want to try out the 2-player versus mode with a friend, which predictably boosts the entertainment value of this title somewhat. You have a choice of six stages and you basically compete against each other for the highest score head to head. Player one’s paddle is at the bottom of the screen and player two plays upside down from the top. The idea is to keep the ball in your side of the court and get all the power-ups to ensure you get the highest score before all the blocks are destroyed. This mode is entertaining for a short time, but what is on offer isn’t that substantial.
1. BDPatVCR
18 Jun 2008, 11:05 BST
Sounds like a decent enough game although i will not be getting it ...
I just hope we won't see a flood of this type of games ... 1 or 2 will be enough
2. zoipi
18 Jun 2008, 11:08 BST
Interesting review. I didnt hope so much about that game because is a mobile phone game port, but it really looks good after all.
3. ICEknight
18 Jun 2008, 13:43 BST
I hope we're getting it in Europe this week.
4. KnucklesSonic8
18 Jun 2008, 14:06 BST
Well-written review. I bought the game this morning so I can't wait to get home to give it a go.
I also enjoy how you explained the control options well, comparing it to THDJ and SatSR. Nice comparison.
And getting "stuck" on a level is only natural. Although this is an "Arcade" game, as classified by WWW, for all its intents and purposes, it's also a Puzzle game. It's only logical to conclude that the game would have some sort of challenge, something that is very welcoming in a game like this.
Overall, the game has enough substance to be worth the 800-Point Price Tag. If it were any higher, I'm sure many would even question whether or not it's even worth it in the long run but as it stands, it's worth the price it's being offered at.
As I said before, I enjoyed your review and I felt you went into detail quite well, for the most part.
Anyone who is wondering whether or not to drop the points for this re-make shouldn't do so without reading IGN's and WWW's Reviews. Both will help you see what you're getting into. Rest-assured, though, the game is fun.
5. Bensei
18 Jun 2008, 14:36 BST
Lol, as I heard about the control scheme I thought it might get the same points as Action Loop did, and I was right!
6. KnucklesSonic8
18 Jun 2008, 14:42 BST
Yep! Except, Magnetica looks great and I'm really looking fwd to seeing it come here. If I had to go based on my impressions with Zuma, I'd probably be very, very pleased with it to the point that I'd rate it an 8 or a 9, even. And 100 Blocks is perfect! But let's not stray too off-topic, shall we? xD
Umm... I find it weird how the game requires almost the same amount of space as FFCC:MLK...
Meanwhile, other first-party titles (namely, Dr. Mario and Magnetica) don't even pass 200!!
It's something to think about I guess..
7. Dazza
18 Jun 2008, 14:53 BST
Great review Stephen! I think you captured all the key points really well. Being a big fan of Arkanoid myself, I think this is a worthy modern day follow-up. I like the variety of power-ups and the 80s neon vibe. I even won a sexy statue!
8. KnucklesSonic8
18 Jun 2008, 17:48 BST
@Dazza: Yeah, I saw on GoNintendo a post about how Nintendo may have gone a bit lax in rating the game E for Everyone. Not just cause of the statue but just cause of the whole premise of the storyline and the characters I guess... But whatever.
9. DEMON212
18 Jun 2008, 18:34 BST
I adore Arkanoid, but I've never been a fan of Ark clones, so I'll be skipping this one.
10. konkerdoodle
18 Jun 2008, 19:34 BST
I love this game. I had a version on my old computer. I think I'll download it. I'll get some good fun out of it.
11. Objection_Blaster
18 Jun 2008, 20:12 BST
Good review, i think thats pretty fair. Things for the sequel to do: keep a story but lose the "edgy nightlife" attempt, more multiplayer modes, and better size compression.
12. KnucklesSonic8
18 Jun 2008, 20:25 BST
I agree all the way, OB.
13. andy836
18 Jun 2008, 21:02 BST
i cant decide about getting this game or star soldier R the review has sparked my interest.
Good review btw.
14. KnucklesSonic8
18 Jun 2008, 21:15 BST
I have both. (I get to play BBDX for the first time when I get home tonight. I'm quite excited to play it. :])
If you plan on getting both, get Star Soldier R first. There's still one week left (6 days, actually) of the Official Tournament! Get a jump on it while you still have the ability to do so!
BBDX isn't going anywhere, and neither is SSR exactly, but the tournament for SSR is truly a great opportunity not to be missed.
15. Tides of Chaos
18 Jun 2008, 21:59 BST
I wasn't exactly paying the best attention while reading this review and when I came across the line, "we predict that numerous lives will be lost thanks to this issue" I got quite alarmed and started wondering what kind of crazy motions are in this game that could actually kill people!....and then I came back to reality and realized you meant game lives, not real lives.
16. Draygone
18 Jun 2008, 23:52 BST
Personally the issue with the special effects potentially making you lose track of the ball worries me. If the ball moves fast enough, I'd have trouble keeping my eye on it anyway. So for me, this sounds like a potential game-breaking issue. Maybe they should've had the blocks implode instead of explode.
@ Knuckles-etc.6
Nintendo doesn't do the ratings. The ESRB does, which, legend has it, is run by concerned parents.
17. mr.niceguy
19 Jun 2008, 00:24 BST
This game looks so cool, I never played arkanoid, except fo the demo for the DS remake, which I'll pass on since this looks better for less coin. Also I played Breakout! on the pc, so I kind of have an idea how this will play(not really, but it's the closest thing I got control-wise).
18. KnucklesSonic8
19 Jun 2008, 14:26 BST
@Draygone: There's more to it than that...
Anyways, I tried this game last night and I was having a great time. It's great fun and the game is quite challenging, which is always something I welcome.
The "special effects" aren't that umm... what's the word... well they don't exactly make you lose track of the ball if you're paying attention but if you hit a row of dynamite that spreads through the rest of the bricks then you may lose the ball in the fury, yes. But mostly only if you have the ball going at a fast pace.
All in all, I'm very pleased with the game so far.
I can't locate a gripe at the moment save for my concerns with the rating but that doesn't bother me that much.
19. get2sammyb
20 Jun 2008, 14:51 BST
I think I have this game on my phone.
20. strade32
21 Jun 2008, 21:37 BST
i have played a few games like this. they are decent, but for me, nothing special.
21. Jona
23 Jun 2008, 22:38 BST
this game is pretty fun 4 wat it is... u can play it on a blackberry
22. KnucklesSonic8
24 Jun 2008, 16:02 BST
I really enjoyed this game despite its flaws. It's pretty solid and quite challenging at times. I beat the game but I want to go back to it once I get the memory problem sorted out for me. And I'm really looking forward to finally giving Multiplayer a go.
23. TokiToku
30 Jun 2008, 00:28 BST
great game!
24. AtTheDriveIn92
01 Jul 2008, 19:53 BST
yeah this game picks up the difficulty fast, and you lose 200,000 dollars if you lose all your lives, it's a lot of fun, and the casino theme doesn't take away from the game at all, in fact, it's quite charming, i own dr.mario rx, DYC, gyrostarr, and this game, and I rank this right up there with Dr.Mario, if not higher!
25. tovare
30 Jul 2008, 23:17 BST
I liked this game. The controls work great and this game easily ranks as the best Arkanoid clone ever. I liked both the music an graphics added to the atmosphere. I played it 5 hours and 35 minutes straight. It's completed now. I'm not sure if I'll play it again that often, but i think I got my points worth and happy I made the purchase.
26. Clayfrd
17 Aug 2008, 03:38 BST
I'd call this game surprisingly addictive. I'm stuck on one of the most terribly frustrating block breaking game levels ever created, but the game's fun.
27. Sassy~Cc
28 Oct 2008, 21:45 GMT
I really liked this game when I first DL’ed Block Breaker but I soon grew tired of it ~ The graphics were redundant as was the gameplay ~ I love these type of ball blaster games but this one didn't have high reply value to me plus it was too easy to complete all the levels ~ Like I said I did enjoy Block Breaker at first but that feeling lasted only a week maybe two
~
28. LEGEND MARIOID
15 May 2009, 11:45 BST
I don't like the silly characters but the game itself is brilliant. 8/10 at least
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