Bouncin’ by Digital Smithy, Price: $12
Reviewed June 2003

Before you send in the cards and letters to say this is just another Breakout clone, let me tell you: it isn’t! With an extraordinary imagination, Digital Smithy has put Breakout, Pinball and Air Hockey games into one beautifully crafted game called Bouncin’. The game board looks like a Breakout layout, the ball physics feels like Pinball and to complete a level, you must use your Air Hockey skills to shoot the ball into the exit ramp and hit the open switch.

The gameplay combines the best features of all three types of games and provides you with triple doses of fun. The game board is set up with Breakout blocks surrounding the keys to active the exit ramp. You must hit all the keys to complete the level. Unlike the Breakout games, Bouncin’ doesn’t require you to hit all the blocks. However, you will get bonus levels if you clear everything on the board. On the bottom of the game board, there are two bounce boards, which look like the Pinball flippers. They don’t flip; they only help you bounce the ball back. On the right hand side, there is a curved exit ramp with gate switches. Once you hit all the keys on the board, you will need to get your ball up the ramp and hit the necessary switches, often a combo of switches and blocks, in order to complete the level. Like in many Breakout games, Bouncin’ features various types of blocks, layouts and bonuses.

The ball movement gives you the feeling of Pinball, which seems heavier and easier to control than a Breakout ball. The curved paddle is designed to give more dynamic ball movement. If you just simply touch the ball when it comes down, you won’t find it bouncing on its own. You must give it a good push like pushing a Pinball. The harder your strokes the faster the ball runs. The curved exit ramp and added blocks in front of the exit switches present you with nice challenges. Bouncin’ has 5 layouts in the original game, and 5 more in the just released Key II board that is free to those who purchased the first game. The game won’t end if you have completed all five levels, it will just repeat existing layouts.

The game board is very well designed to make the gameplay interesting and the graphics will attract gamers’ attention. Breakout fans will enjoy the bonus blocks and bonus levels while the Pinball fans will like the challenge of the ramp and switches. The Key II layouts are more complex than the first board. The only complaint I had was that there are only 5 different layouts in each board design, which seems too few compared to many Breakout games that offer a lot more layouts and level editors. That said I’m very encouraged to know that more boards will be available. Key II has just been released and a “Micro Golf” board is in the works. There is also a plan to add background themes in future version of Bouncin’, as we are told; some even with mature content.

The sound effects are quite nice by combining Breakout hitting and Pinball arcade style sounds. There is an option to turn on or off the sound. Bouncin’ runs on both Palm OS and Pocket PC devices.

I’ve learned a long time ago not to judge a book by its cover. If I had closed my mind on Breakout clones, I’d never discover Bust’em. Bouncin’ is certainly worth a look as it’s very unique yet so familiar. As long as more equally unique board designs keep coming out, this game might just develop the following it deserves.

Playing Hints and Tips

Try to clear the board so that you can get score bonus and extra lives. Be patient!