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!
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