When a game comes along with a big name director like Steven Spielberg attached to its development you might assume it to be a huge over-the-top title in the vein of some of his previous blockbuster movies like Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, or at least Hook. You would be greatly mistaken and possibly disappointed if you jumped into Boom Blox with that assumption in mind. If your second guess is an addictive puzzle game, with cutesy animals, and realistic physics effects that Spielberg decided to create so he would have something he could play with his children, you would be right on target.
This is in fact a family friendly puzzle game that requires you to both destroy and defend various blocky constructs by utilizing the Wiimote to either fling a projectile or in some cases grab and move the blocks in a Jenga-esque fashion. What at first glance looks to be nothing more than an easy and amusing time killer filled with whimsical blocky cartoon critters is actually an amazingly deep game that requires strategy and precise movements in order to master. This combination has the benefit of making the game challenging for adults while still retaining a high entertainment value for younger gamers.
Upon firing up the game you create a profile and then are forced into a training section. These mini-levels acquaint you with the control scheme as well as the different block types you will encounter within the actual content. Several special blocks such as a portal block that vanishes when struck, a bomb block that explodes and takes out everything around it, and chemical blocks that explode when they touch each other, are thrown in to liven up the party. You also get your first look at how towering block structures crumble and fall with remarkably realistic physics based solely on your interactions with them. The physics are what really sets this game apart and makes it work. Each block is independently affected which guarantees you won’t see the exact same reactions twice.
Once you finish the training portion both the Explore and Adventure modes of the game unlock. Here you will take what you’ve learned and beyond to try and conquer over 300 different levels packed into several different themed sections. Difficulty throughout these levels tends to ebb and flow. You are rewarded with a gold, silver, or bronze rating depending on how you perform in each level. Sometimes you will be given a limited number of projectiles, other times you will be judged by the number of shots it takes you to achieve the set objective. If you fail the level you can easily jump right back in and give it another try.
The Explore mode allows you to choose a section based mainly on one of the game control mechanics or block types. The Adventure mode mixes all the mechanics and attempts to weave a story throughout the levels but it’s minimal and nothing that is going make any sort of impact on the gameplay. Both modes require you beat a level before unlocking the next allowing you to progress through a section and Adventure mode requires you beat an entire section before allowing you to try your hand at the next.
The other primary game mode, Party, is the hub for all the multiplayer levels. Blox features both cooperative as well as competitive levels for up to four local players. Competitive mode, like Explore mode, allows you to select one of the core game mechanics such as shoot, grab, or throw and then compete in a series of levels for the top score. Cooperative mode, like Adventure mode, lets you and your buddies play at the same time through a series of levels packed into four different themed worlds, for a total combined score which is once again judged by a bronze, silver, or gold rating. All and all the game boasts over 100 different multiplayer levels and does a fantastic job of mixing up goals so that most of the time your arm is going to give out before your attention span does.
The simplistic yet ingenious control scheme is definitely one of Blox’s assets. Pointing the Wiimote at the screen reveals an aiming reticule. Holding the “B” button allows you to pan around the current level. Holding the “A” button locks on to your selected target point and then it’s up to you to fling the controller forward and release the “A” button much like casting a virtual fishing pole in order to fire a shot off. The strength and speed of your projectile is based on how hard you toss the controller so this is one game where you will want to take advantage of that safety wrist strap, unless of course you are looking to buy a new TV in the near future. The only negative is you may often lose your aiming reticule off the side of the screen and waste precious time trying to relocate it and set up your next shot. The “grab” function only requires you to target the object, press and hold “A” to grab it, and then you can move the Wiimote in any direction you like to drag your target away.
