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Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy Review for the Nintendo Wii

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy Review for the Nintendo Wii

User created content has quickly become a popular focus for console game makers in the industry. Allowing players to create and share the fruits of their creative labor is certainly a great idea that many PC gamers have already enjoyed for many years. With the realization that console gamers may also enjoy the ability to make and modify their own content, several games have already jumped on the make-your-own-experience bandwagon. The latest entry into this category of games is Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy for the Wii.

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy screenshot

Far too frequently the expense for this additional creative freedom comes at the cost of the actual game that comes packaged with these often celebrated editing tools. When players can create their own content, it can occasionally feel like the actual game has been developed solely around this idea. Unfortunately, Blast Works comes dangerously close to accurately fitting this description. The single-player experience is a remarkably short one, taking roughly an hour or two to breeze through. With only fifteen fairly short levels, the game itself seems only to serve as an extended demonstration of how levels should function and how to control your ship.

This isn’t to say that this brief burst of old school gameplay isn’t satisfying or difficult. While it may be over far too quickly, Blast Works does provide an excellent and unique horizontal shooting experience. Players are given control of a tiny ship that must blast its way to the end of each level while trying to avoid being shot. The major difference between this title and the plethora of similar titles that have come before it is how this is best achieved. Shooters of this ilk usually force players to skillfully navigate through hordes of enemies with seemingly erratic firing patterns. Blast Works still allows for this kind of gameplay but fortunately doesn’t completely rely on it.

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy screenshot

Whenever a foe is destroyed in the game it will break into pieces and fall from the sky. Players are then able to catch the falling debris to add these parts to their existing ship. When dispatched enemies attach to your ship they function as both a shield and a weapon upgrade. Destroying and collecting ships while playing through levels is quite gratifying and makes the gameplay feel incredibly fresh. Most levels play out as though you are trying to make a snowball, starting off with a tiny nondescript ship and ending with a hulking mass of random ship parts spewing blue death upon anything that happens to try to share the screen with it.

Once you have a screen-filling ship, the game does tend to get a tad on the easy side, but getting to that point can often be rather challenging. Catching falling debris requires quite a bit of timing and finesse, as the placement and direction they are pointing can be very crucial. Weapons attached in the wrong direction will not help during most firefights, and pieces that become damaged will continue to break away, leaving your very vulnerable ship exposed. Even on the game’s easiest difficulty setting, creating an imposing blue sparkler can be difficult to accomplish but is well worth the effort.

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy screenshot

Thankfully, after you quickly beat the game’s rather limited single-player offering, Blast Works’ editing tools help to keep you happily busy for many hours to come. Players are given the ability to create and edit just about everything in this game. Enemies, backgrounds, ships, weapons, and entire levels can be created and/or tailored to each player’s distinctive preferences. These editing tools are deceptively deep, allowing extremely creative individuals to manufacture just about anything imaginable. If you want to recreate the Death Star trench run from A New Hope, feel free. Do you miss playing Space Invaders? Just create a level that scrolls vertically and change your enemies’ behaviors.

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy screenshot

There are so many interesting things that can be done with this game’s editor that it boggles the mind. The only major drawbacks to this come in the amount of time it will take you to learn how to use these tools properly, and the effort spent bringing your ideas to life. Learning the ropes in these editors can take quite a bit of tinkering, trial and error, and occasional frustration. While it may be somewhat difficult to just pick up and start using, with an hour or two of use under your belt it becomes quite intuitive. For players willing to put forth the time and effort, Blast Works’ editing tools allow for some extremely interesting creations.

Fortunately, for the less creative/lazier gamers out there, the game’s editing tools may still hold unforeseen benefits. Whether your creations are not as grand as you would have liked or you just don’t want to spend the time creating your own content, there are still other players out there creating away. Blast Works allows players to utilize the internet to download and share user generated, as well as officially created content. While you may not be helping to create this content, you can still download and enjoy other people’s hard work. No matter how you use the in-game editors, they thankfully succeed in adding much needed content to an otherwise very short and sweet gaming experience.

While the game itself is incredibly lacking in longevity, the inclusion of simplistic, yet deceptively deep editing tools keep Blast Works from being a mere flash in the pan. Although continuous content may not be guaranteed, if this game manages to garner the fan base that it deserves, players can look forward to a slew of amazing and creative experiences in the future. Anyone who likes old school horizontal shooters and virtually limitless customization should definitely pick this game up. However, players not committed to making their own content may want to take a wait-and-see approach to this game. If a good amount of unique content gets created and is made available for download, I would still strongly recommend this game. Unfortunately, if the game doesn’t manage to catch on, players will only be left with a meager-sized game, some editing tools, and their own imaginations.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.7 Graphics
While the game’s appearance is fairly simplistic, it still manages to look good. Creating a huge flying monstrosity is also a visual delight. 3.8 Control
Thankfully motion controls aren’t an issue here since they are completely unused. Instead, players are treated to some easy to use and very responsive two-button controls. 3.4 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The music and sound effects included may not be incredible, but they do manage to avoid being incredibly annoying. 4.2

Play Value
This is a very difficult aspect to gauge with this game. There aren’t many levels to play out of the box, but the editing tools open the experience to nearly limitless possibilities. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, this game is extremely satisfying and has virtually endless replayability.

3.9 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Become a massive ship over 15+ different missions by playing with the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk controller.
  • Design your own levels by placing enemies, objects, and bosses with the Level Editor.
  • Create ships from scratch (enemy and your own) in the Ship Editor then test it/them out in a real level.
  • Absorb the pieces and weapons of destroyed enemies to build a larger, stronger ship that prepares you to fight more formidable Boss Ships.
  • Upgrade your ship in the Hangar by customizing weapons, propulsion systems, and armor.
  • Use the Wii Remote as an anti-air turret to protect your Hangar from an enemy threat.
  • Supports multiplayer gameplay for 2-4 players in multiple modes
  • Master a never-ending set of randomized levels that adjust in difficulty based on your performance in Marathon Mode.
  • Retro-geometric graphic style lends this classic shooter a unique look.
  • Finish the game to unlock the original Tumiki Fighters online game!

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