The Blox That Rox- Boom Blox Bash Party Reviewed

Boom Blox Bash Party for the Wii. Developer: EA Los Angeles, Publisher: Electronic Arts

 
Regrettably, the Nintendo Wii suffered from a forlorn infancy. The console subsisted on an irregular first-party release schedule for the first two years of its life. While titles like Super Mario Galaxy, Super Paper Mario, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, lived up to their superlative moniker, most third-party releases weren’t close to securing a position within the gaming pantheon. One of the first games to challenge that notion was Electronic Art’s Boom Blox, an elegantly executed title that deserved a spot within every Wii owner’s library.

Whereas many Wii developers errantly converted their existing games to the Wii, adding halfhearted waggle control, Boom Blox was built around the functionality of the Wiimote. Much like Wii Sports, the game’s success hinged on the integration of physicality, as player’s hurled a virtual sphere into their television screens. It was one of the first third party games where the control interface became translucent.  Players didn’t have to learn a new, niggling control method- the wiimote seemed like a natural extension of the hand. Despite a nearly unanimous consensus of critical acclaim, sales of Boom Blox never reached the upper echelons of the NPD group’s sales figures, although the title did move enough copies to warrant a sequel- Boom Blox Bash Party.


Fans expecting a radical departure from the first game’s mechanics might be slightly disappointed- Boom Blox Bash Party offers only slight changes to the original’s magnificent gameplay. Instead the sequel offers a subtle refinement to the game structure and visuals, along with a plethora of new content. While some Wii owners overlooked the first game, neglecting Bash Party would be a critical gaming transgression.

For the initiated, Bash Party’s gameplay is easily understood- each of the game’s 400 levels offers structures composed of a small blocks. Players typically use a variety of mechanics to dismantle these constructions- from the aforementioned baseball throw, to methods that utilize a slingshot, cannon, and even a Jenga-like piece removal system.  Variety is the game’s strength- as players traverse through the title’s cornucopia of designs, each level offers a slight deviation from the previous. Eventually, the game will alter the physics model, requiring players to execute the block-busting in zero gravity or underwater environments.


To maintain the gamer’s interest, each level is ranked with a bronze, silver and gold medal, requiring completionists to return to levels with less than 14 karat ratings. In-game currency is offered for the successful completion of each round, which can be used to surpass those delightfully stubborn levels. Gamers no longer have to pass each puzzle in consecutive order, eliminating the frustration of seeing a batch of prohibited levels. The developers successfully created a feeling that there’s a continual amount of facets to explore in Bash Party’s world.

Once gamers tire of the title’s included puzzle set, a myriad of new content await in the game’s level editor. The tool creates a near-perfect balance of flexibility and ease- we were able to create a few Rube Goldburg-influenced puzzles with a minimal amount of effort. Players uninterested in level construction can easily download other’s creations without the hassle of friend codes. Gamers can sort through content by a number of variables- meaning that quality designs are only a few button presses away.


By combining accessible gameplay, a wealth of on-disk on content, and the ability to download a limitless amount of new levels, Boom Blox Party Bash is a no-brainer for Wii owners. It’s a wonderfully addictive diversion that offers a satisfying play experience rivaled by a few third-party entries for the system.

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Posted by DesertEagle at 5/30/2009 11:42 AM
Categories: Wii,Reviews
 

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