Review: Super Breakout

Overview Two weeks ago I wrote a comparative review between Super Breakout and Block Breaker Deluxe 2. Super Breakout didn't fare so well. Turns out that I completely missed the "Super" option of the game and tested only the "Classic" version (shown below, left). I really don't know how I missed it. Turns out that Super Breakout is pretty super.

Gameplay

As you can see from the screens below, this is where you select your game option and features. In the options setting, you can select one person or two person and even put a picture from your Photo Library as the background for the game. That's a nice addition. Another nice startup is the option of choosing the game's default music or selecting music from your iPhone.

I especially liked the thumb or finger holder below the breaker pad. Not only does it give you a place to put your finger, but also keeps it from obscuring your view of the pad. Like BBD2, Super Breakout has tons of levels, and the action is progressive. It gets more and more challenging with stuff falling down faster than dandruff. You'll get powerups, bonuses, and more.

Review

As the powerups and bonuses started to accumulate it became clear that there was no way of knowing what you were getting. The symbols were rather obscure, and it takes a while for you to understand what you should catch and what you should avoid. Hint: The orangle, glowing balls... stay away. They blow you up. In addition to this obscurity, you really don't know which breaks will have what bonuses inside them. So you're left randomly hitting bricks. There is genuinely not much strategy. Being able to know what bricks contained would be beneficial. Then you could at least shoot desired bricks at different times throughout the game. The levels also seemed rather old-school. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but they just didn't seem nearly as creative as levels that you'll face with BBD2.

I haven't decided yet if I like the little bubble graphics that follow the ball everywhere, but that's a minor complaint.

The overall gameplay is smooth and the audio is fun and engaging. I have selected my own music several times now as an option, although I can't figure out how to get it to play. Still working on that.

Summary

Super Breakout is much better than I originally gave it credit for. Egg on my face. I still don't know how I missed the first option screen. On top of that, I have no idea why anyone would want to play the Classic version. It's nostalgic, sure, but I stand by my original assessment of it. If it was just for nostalgic purposes, I think Atari should have just simply included an in-game video of the old Breakout and its development over the years. The "Super" option, however, is nice. I don't know if it's $4.99 nice - especially considering that other games of a similar nature (BBD2) seem to be more fast-paced, more high energy for the same price. If you're an Atari loyalist, chances are, you'll be very pleased with this port of the ever-popular game.

Related articles