Breakout

23.09.2000

Genre: Puzzle

An updated remake of the 1976 Arcade classic of the same name, Breakout for the PlayStation dispenses with the simplistic lines and dots of the original game and adds power-ups, 3D interactive worlds, multiple levels (that must be unlocked) and, of course, a storyline. Only the basic objective remains the same: maneuvering a paddle to keep a ball in play so it can ricochet off a wall of bricks (or other items in this case), effectively eliminating the bricks from the playfield.

The Breakout world of 2000 is an island filled with bizarre creatures in the form of paddles and balls. Bouncer enjoys his life their with Daisy, his beautiful girlfriend. All was fine in paradise until one day when Bouncer took a swim out to sea to rescue a ball. While Bouncer was gone, the evil Batnix and his henchmen kidnapped Daisy. When Bouncer returned, he was imprisoned in a dark and dank jail cell. To prevent Bouncer's friends from busting him out of prison, Batnix put them in jails all across the world. Bouncer attempted to escape on his own, but he was caught and affixed to a ball and chain. Luckily, the ball was friendly and let Bouncer smack him against the wall, shattering the bricks and mortar, freeing both ball and paddle from prison. Now, Bouncer must rescue all his friends. The paddle you control in Breakout can be angled or curved so that you can aim the ball more precisely and hit objects that aren't directly in front of you. As you progress through the game, you can add paddle friends (each with a unique skill) to your arsenal and call on them at any time to take Bouncer's place. Also, there are many power-ups to collect, such as Extra Life, Big Paddle, and Grab Ball, which lets you catch the ball and reposition it prior to shooting it at an object. Most of the levels in Breakout require you to hit the ball in order to knock down and demolish obstructions. However, some of the levels are less simplistic, requiring you to perform such tasks as knock down targets in a specific order. In a few of the levels, Bouncer must get up on two feet and do things most paddles have never dreamed of (you'll have to play the game to find out what). After you complete a level, you will be ranked according to performance. The higher your ranking, the harder the challenge. To improve your ranking, you can repeat earlier levels.