On the Beat
There really isn't much to say it's pretty much a simple concept, you control a paddle and hit the balls that come your way. That's it, yeah it's a simplistic concept but that's the beauty of this game, as a saying goes less is more. It's kinda a mix of "Kaboom" and the electronic game "Simon".
The graphics on this game are just excellent it almost looks like a lost "Atari 2600" game and it fits well with the colorful and surreal atmosphere of the game. As you progress the backgrounds act like a kaladascope in motion, it goes from 2-D to even 3-D pictures. Like that vortex scene in "2001 A Space Odyssey" their sights to behold.
The gameplay is great, yeah it's pretty much controlling a paddle but that's all you need. Each level as well as it's stages really present diverse chalanges because multiple balls come in different formations and patterns; and as you progress the difficulty ramps up as formations and patterns change as well as the speed they come toward you. In order to pass these levels you have to rely on reflexes, visualization, and hearing and this game is a real exercise on all three.
And it gets on to the third and I personally think the best feature of the game the music and sound, it is just great, it's one of the best things I've heard. As you hit the balls they make a zyalophone like sound or that old fashioned beep sound but they go very well with the music as if your creating the song. The sound really helps in the memorization of the formations and to clue you in on the proper rythum to move. Let alone just motivates me to hit all of the balls just to hear the sounds and the song it creates.
Well nothing more I can say, "Bit Trip Beat" is on the beat, check it out.