Review: Breakout Beyond for Nintendo Switch

Alright, let’s dive into this. So, there’s this game called Breakout Beyond — ever heard of it? It’s like they took the classic brick-breaking vibe and flipped it on its head, kind of like when you realize pineapple on pizza might just be genius. They’ve got these super long playfields and, yeah, it can be fun, but you’ve gotta unlock a chunk of it. Some folks get fed up by then, while others, well, they’re just addicted and keep coming back, especially if they have a buddy joining them.

Now, here’s the juicy part. Co-op mode — that’s where it’s at. Seriously, I got totally bored playing alone at first. Then my wife hopped on, and boom, it was a whole new ball game. It’s like playing Tetris but with someone who finishes your sandwiches. And those leaderboards… eh, more on that mess later. Before diving into scores, you gotta tackle this “voyage” thing.

There’s this mode where you can get bombs and trick out your paddle and balls. Oh, and slow things down if you want, though it costs you points. This game doesn’t mess around after those first few levels, especially if you’re flying solo. But it’s got that “just one more go” vibe, which is kinda dangerous. Adjusting your paddle’s sensitivity is key, or else you’ll be swearing more than a sailor with a stubbed toe. There are 72 levels, and yeah, they tease the completionist in you, but it’s mostly linear. Beat a few, unlock more, rinse, repeat.

Visually, it’s sticking to old-school roots while jazzing up the basics. They’ve got this procedural audio and visual jazz that gets cooler the better you play. Imagine, like, a light show for your eyes and ears — classic Choice Provisions, if you know them. Having the option to tweak the sounds separately is a lifesaver, by the way.

Oh, but back — wait, hang on — revisit that thing about content that’s locked. Why lock stuff like leaderboards, infinite mode, or the original? It’s like starting a movie halfway through. They missed out big time not having those open from the start. Anyway, at least the leaderboards are split by global, friends, and modes. My wife and I? Yeah, we’re sitting pretty at #1 on co-op, which maybe says more about other players going solo.

You’d think messing up a classic like Breakout would be hard — it’s fun no matter what, right? But Choice Provisions almost did it with their weird content lock choice. Still, they pulled it off, which is saying something about their skills and the charm of the original game.

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Hope you enjoyed this rollercoaster!