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Boom Blox: Bash Party Review for Nintendo Wii

Boom Blox: Bash Party Review for Nintendo Wii

Wii games that I get excited about are few and far between. I am always cautious going into a game for this platform because more often than not I am disappointed. Whether it is poor graphics or broken controls, something always seems to be wrong. It is with this mindset that I went into Boom Blox. Not expecting anything, I expected Boom Blox to be a competent Wii puzzler, and nothing more. However, my expectations were blown away almost from the moment I begun playing; I was very impressed with Boom Blox, overall.

Boom Blox: Bash Party screenshot

The game’s basic structure has to do with destruction. There are over 400 levels, and each one has a specific goal. These goals vary widely from finding hidden gems to exploding only a certain color or style of block. The game has very specific multiplayer and single-player challenges, and I was impressed with how non-repetitive the gameplay really is.

You wouldn’t think there would be that much variation in a game with a main mechanic that involves destroying elaborate towers of blocks, but the addition of special blocks like Virus Blocks (which spread a block-breaking virus when hit) and Vanishing Blocks (which disappear on contact) add a certain amount of strategy to the gameplay, especially when you have a goal that places restrictions on how many shots you can take or the amount of points you need to accrue with a time period for success.

Aside from the nicely varied gameplay, another thing I appreciated immediately about Boom Blox was the difficulty level. The game is not that challenging, but it also isn’t easy. The difficulty curve is nice and slow, and adults as well as kids will feel satisfied going up the ranks and earning new levels. Even the multiplayer has scaled difficulty levels, and I never felt like playing was too easy or too difficult.

Boom Blox: Bash Party screenshot

However, even though the gameplay is challenging and there are plenty of levels, if you play enough of it you will eventually burn through all the game’s different levels. Normally, this is the part where you put the game back on the shelf, or trade it in to your local retailer. However, Boom Blox Bash Party has a fairly deep level creator that allows you to use any of the locations, elements, and characters in your own levels to create your perfect destruction level.

The creator area allows you to use elements that you have unlocked by playing the single-player and multiplayer modes as well as elements that you have purchased from “Boom Bux” that you have accrued by performing well in said areas to create a perfect level. The creation mode works by allowing you to select your element and then drop it on a simple grid-based template. Once you have dropped the element in, you can then “paint” it to be anything you want, from ice bricks to gems. You can even add non-playable elements (like characters you can hit) as well as different decorative touches, so there is plenty to create if you have the vision.

Boom Blox: Bash Party screenshot

But, the best part of the creation feature is that once you are done putting the finishing touches on your level, you can then upload it and share it with the world. Although the sharing feature here isn’t as robust as it was in Sony’s mega-title LittleBigPlanet, for the Wii this is huge. You can search for created levels by ranking, popularity, or content, and the game even makes it easy for you to jump from regular levels to downloaded levels by including a “download new levels” button at the bottom of each level area hub.

Boom Blox: Bash Party screenshot

However, all of the fun that is to be had with the creation modes as well as the single and multiplayer modes would not be possible if the game did not succeed in one crucial area: the control. Luckily, controlling Boom Blox is a breeze because the motion controls here are rock-solid. Most of the levels involve throwing something at a specific assortment of blocks. To do this you simply aim the Wii-mote, lock on to your target with the A button, and then shake the Wii-mote forward while releasing A to simulate throwing. The control is intuitive, simple, and most importantly, functional, and I have seldom felt so confident with Wii controls as I have with Boom Blox Bash Party.

Visuals in Boom Blox are very cute and take on a nice, colorful style. All of the in-game characters are shaped like little blocks and are designed to resemble everything from an angry rabbit to a cheerful alien. The levels themselves are also very nicely designed, and they have certain “theme” design elements. The different environments from the levels take place in some pretty off-the-wall places like in a circus tent, aboard a pirate ship, and even in the vast depths of space.

Overall, Boom Blox Bash Party is a standout Wii title. Though its premise is relatively simple, and you aren’t going to see any epic stories told or groundbreaking gameplay, this title features plenty of fun levels, and the multiplayer component provides great party material. Add to that a relatively deep creation experience and the ability to swap and share levels online, and you’ve got yourself a robust Wii experience that gives you plenty of boom for your buck!

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.1 Graphics
Vivid and colorful visuals as well as themed environments make this title a joy to look at on the Wii. 4.5 Control
Wii controls work incredibly well. Throwing objects at Boom Blox has never been so effortless! 4.2 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Level music is entertaining and sound effects are comical. 4.5

Play Value
With more than 400 single and multiplayer levels, and limitless online potential, there’s no reason to put this one down anytime soon!

4.4 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • More than 400 new blox-busting levels: All-new explosive puzzle action builds upon your BOOM BLOX favorites while delivering tons of levels to explore, conquer and remix!
  • The Ultimate Party Experience: More multiplayer action than ever before! Play crazy new levels with or against friends in cooperative, competitive and the all-new team-based action!
  • Spectacular New Worlds: Beautiful themed worlds take you from mysterious planets to pirate coves and beyond! Battle giant squids or bash alien spaceships as you explore these stunning new environments.
  • New Blox! New Shapes! New Tools!: From Cylinders and Paint Blox to the Virus Ball and the Slingshot, you won’t believe all the new ways to create chaos!
  • Wacky New Characters: Now the all-new cast of characters are part of the destruction! Throw, grab and launch characters for fun, or use them as part of your strategy!
  • New Rewards System: Collect Boom Bux throughout the game as you complete levels, then spend them jump ahead unlocking new levels and features you can’t wait to play!
  • Content Available Online: Connect your Wii to the Internet and download new levels quickly and easily. Design your own levels with the expanded Create Mode and share them with friends or submit them to be shared with the world!

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