Provided that you don't expect too much, this game will give you a simple, yet fun, version of Arkanoid.
User Rating: 7 | Block Breaker Deluxe MOBI
Based upon Atari's "Breakout" of the 1970s, Taito developed "Arkanoid" for the acarde in 1986. A simple game, Arkanoid consists of batting a small ball against rows of colourful blocks above which break and shatter with repeated hits. The ball rebounds and the aim is to hit the ball back up towards the blocks with your paddle or bat. This relatively old principal is nothing new. In fact it's been repeated many times down through the decades. What makes this one worth the purchase?? Certainly in Europe it can reach €5 to buy for your phone. Quite a bit of cash when it comes to a credit balance for a student or young person. The game is programmed well. GameLoft have done a good game in making a game that is responsive to each button press yet doesn't freeze or crash as so many mobile games do. Even when you get a power-up that speeds up the ball's movements there is rarely a slowdown in frame rate (except when there are multiple balls whizzing around; yet another power-up!) The graphics are sharp and to the point, even on a small screen the detail goes a long way. Each crack in a block that must be hit multiple times is vivid and as long as you're not expecting something along the lines of Resident Evil 4 then you'll be pleased with the colours. Backgrounds are dull, but the menu and characters you meet in the story mode are well-drawn with plenty of detail. The gameplay itself is usually the strongest point of a game on the mobile platform. Thankfully, Block Breaker Deluxe retains all the charm of Arkanoid and Breakout. Bouncing that ball off the bat and into the blocks is as satisfying as ever. The new power-ups refresh what could've been a tired re-hash of an old game that wouldn't charm anything but retro heads. However, with power-ups like Speed-Up or Multiball, things can get quite chaotic and exciting. Although not something entirely new within the "Breakout genre", it is nice to see it well-executed with a little jazz. However, Block Breaker Deluxe does have many weaknesses to its package. Sounds are chirpy and lively, but they sound tinny within the medium of the phone and are better turned off. This is particularly noticeable when the jingle plays once and then stops! GameLoft, may have, however, noticed that this repetition gets irritating in most games. Still, the sound is not a strong point. The premise of the game is so simple that sometimes it feels just like that: beyond breaking blocks it has no depth and due to the nature of ricocheting a ball off the walls and bat it can be frustrating when the ball hits a block that teleports somewhere else and cuts off a vital access point. It is frustrating not to have much control of the ball at times so it is best played in short bursts. In short, Block Breaker Deluxe is an enjoyable game so long as you realise that the premise is dated and that it is an arcade game, which naturally sometimes lack the details of a home console version. The stages can be bland, but the controls are tight and the game is mostly likable.
