"Is this game right for you?"

This review is meant to be a guideline to explain why you should or shouldn't purchase this game. To be up front, I have not played the single player mode all that much, most of my time has dealt with the multi-player aspect and so this review will reflect just that.

As a quick summary, I haven't had this much fun with a Wii game in a long time with my friends. The game modes available are very different and allow for literally days of fun. Based solely on the multi-player aspect, the amount of fun and entertainment I have had with this game, I feel an 8 out of 10 is a sufficient score.

Now to explain why...

When you enter the multi-mayhem section, there are four main modes: Throw, Blast, Grab, and Attack. Each mode has a subset of specific settings and hosts a number of levels ranging from 5 - 12 different maps. I can vouch that I have played the maps over and over while still having a great time. The strategy involved changes in each mode which is one aspect that impressed me the most.

Throw Mode

The simplest way to explain this method is to take the inverse of Jenga. With the game of Jenga the purpose is to remove pieces steadily without spilling over the structure. Well, in this mode, you throw (and I mean literally throw) balls at the structure. Each block has a point value, which when knocked off, is added to your score. The strategy involved, especially with more people, focuses on setting yourself up while preventing your opponents from scoring too much. This is the overall idea of the Throw mode. The subset of games in this mode is the basic one just described. An alternative is "Pipeline" which consists of extra point blocks being hung above the playing field in a pipe structure. The blocks are blocking the extra ones from falling down, so the strategy is to remove those main blocks to access the better point values. The other submode is a multiplier game. There are pieces that each player gets to knock into a field of colored platforms. Some platforms (red ones) are a 10X multiplier so hitting a 5 point block into the field yields 50 points. This mode is very strategic since now each player is trying to take aim and hit the block in the right location to send the block to the desired multiplier platform. Throw is one of my favorite modes and my friends and I really got into this one!

Blast Mode

Blast mode is simply like Duck Hunt or any type of basic shooter at that. Point blocks either appear on screen, slide, or fly from the sides and what not. The gameplay is simple since you just aim and shoot. The only problem I've noticed with this particular game mode is that the framerate will drop and slow down with the amount of exploding blocks but it's doesn't ruin the gameplay. This mode is fun, but I honestly preferred the destruction found in Throw mode and more so Attack mode as well.

Grab Mode

This is Jenga. No other way to explain it other than Jenga with a few tweaks. The best part about this compared to Jenga is the fact that you don't need to take 10 minutes to set the board game back up. You receive 5 points for successfully removing a piece. If a piece falls off because of your movement, a point is deducted for each block that falls off. On top of that, there is a heavier -10 or -25 block resting on the top of the structure. When that block falls, the level is over. The best part about this game is that even though you grab a piece, you don't need to take it. I had more fun with this mode by moving pieces slightly to make it much more challenging for my friends. You may or may not receive physical punches by doing this depending on who your friends are. Regardless, this mode was always fun to play. The pace is much slower than any of the other ones but it is still a blast.

Attack Mode

Easily the best mode just about. The subset of modes consist of Castle attack and a series of Shuffle Board style games. The Castle attack is simple: you have a castle, your friends have castles. Each castle contains a number of crystals. The goal is to destroy your opponents crystals. This mode is simultaneous when playing with two people meaning that everyone is throwing bowling balls at each others castles at the same time. With 3-4 players, turns are taken but the game accommodates for players who have a later turn. I have thrown a ball into my friends causing the deflection to smash my own castle, very amusing. I love this mode the best since you need to strategically throw the bowling balls to destroy their castles efficiently. The Shuffle Board mode can be as aggressive or friendly as you want it to be. You have four blocks on a platform of ice. You throw a ball to hit the block and slide it into a colored platform. The colored platforms correspond to how many points you receive. Your opponents have the same setup but you're all on the same playing field. This can be friendly by trying to slide your block into a high scoring position without being disruptive. Or, if you like being destructive, you can smash your block into your opponents blocks to prevent them from scoring or get into better placement yourself. The best part is knocking your opponents blocks off of the field. If you knock all of their pieces off, you win =) The game requires skill in throwing fast and soft to get the positioning you desire.

What makes this game so fun is the physics engine. I go to a Tech college where we tend to analyze the most basic process for no reason at all. This game is amusing to play since when we throw a ball at a block, we have a very good idea of where it should end up. The game follows the law of physics very well. The ricocheting of a ball bouncing off one block makes sense each time it happens.

The multi-player in this game is very fun. If you have friends (or enemies if you're into it) and are looking for a game to play, pick this one up. As I have said before, I haven't had this much fun with a game in so long. I highly recommend this game based solely on the multi-player aspect

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 05/12/08

Game Release: Boom Blox (US, 05/06/08)