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Let me start by saying that the original Breakout is one of my
favorite games of all time. Its masterful blend of sheer simplicity,
tight controls, elegant game design and endless replay value still
has me popping in the Atari 2600 cart for an all-night session more
often than I'd care to admit. Understandably, then, I approached
Breakout 2000 with cautious optimism, hoping that the traditional
gameplay would remain intact in its translation to the souped up
version of the classic ball-and-paddle game.
Like its ancestor, the object of the game in Breakout 2000 is to
manipulate a horizontally-mobile paddle across the bottom of the
playfield in an attempt to hit the ball against rows of colored
bricks near the top of the screen. The ball removes a brick when
they collide, and then bounces back toward the paddle. The 2000
mode innovates on this basic theme by slanting the playfield to a
viewing perspective similar to Klax. And as you would expect in a
modern update, plenty of power-ups are also to be had.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of Breakout 2000 lies in the
players' ability to go head to head against either a second human or
a computer-controlled opponent. In this mode, each player can
launch his ball over to his foe's playfield, and knock down his
bricks for additional points. In addition, if your opponent lets
your ball get past him, his score will be reduced by 1000 points.
If there was an area to nitpick, it would have to be in the controls,
or lack thereof. Maneuvering your paddle with the directional pad is
sluggish and a poor alternative to the rotary controllers found in
the coin-op and 2600 editions. Since Breakout is basically a game of
motor skills and hand-eye coordination, the reflex and precision
necessary for accurate paddle control are an essential element of
the game -- something that is sorely missing from the sequel.
The lack of analog control is even more troublesome in the version
of Classic Breakout included on the cartridge.
Controller handicaps aside, Breakout 2000 is a decent deviation from
its predecessor, and with the addition of head-to-head competitive
mode, gamers can be assured of non-stop simultaneous two player
fun -- something that can't even be said about the original.
It's definitely worth a look.
Graphics:
Sound:
Gameplay:
Overall:
-- Keita Iida
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