Kaboom!

"He set us up the bomb!"

Back in the heyday of the Atari 2600, which was in the early 80s, the system was seeing the higher point of it's days, in which many of the games that were being churned out were simple, but fun. One company that really helped contribute to Atari's success was Activision. Long before it made Pitfall!, they were churning out simple games like Kaboom! which still remains a fan favorite to this day.

Graphics: 7/10
The graphics were drawn by Pitfall! designer David Crane, meaning they are very well detailed. Unfortunately, the background, only a large green area and a cyan area above it, leaves something to be desired. On the other hand, the buckets, bombs and the Mad Bomber himself are drawn impressively. And, of course, when the bombs explode, you get an effective 'Kaboom!' To top that off you'll even see facial expressions that change depending on what goes on during the game on the Mad Bomber's face.

Sounds: 10/10
When you catch a bomb, you hear a gushing sound, along with a slight musical tone, which gets higher as each round progresses. You'll hear the hissing of each bomb's fuse as it drops. And, of course, when you miss a bomb, you'll hear a 'Kaboom!' True there aren't that many sounds, but then again, it doesn't really need all that.

Controls: 9/10
This is Activision's only release for the Atari 2600 that requires the usage of paddle controllers, and with good reason. Turning the knob on the paddle allows for precise control of your buckets in the heat of the game. However, sometimes the buckets jerk a little even without you touching the paddle. However, aside from this minor flaw, the game controls smoothly.

In Kaboom!, you have your setting: A building on top of which is a man dressed in an old-fashioned black-and-white striped prison suit, armed with bombs. He's the Mad Bomber. You are on the ground controlling a set of three buckets of water. He starts dropping the bombs, and you've got to catch them. If you miss, they explode, and you lose a bucket. Lose all three and it's game over. Sure, it seems easy enough, right? Well, as the game progresses, the Mad Bomber gets faster and wiser, meaning that you'll need to keep up with him.

Replay: 10/10
The ultimate goal was to reach a score of 999,999 points. Sure, it sounds easy enough, right? Wrong! In this game, you've got to learn to devote your energy solely to the Mad Bomber, the speed of the bombs, and the pattern which never remains the same. This means your concentration must be perfect, so don't blink, don't think, don't even breathe! (OK just kidding about the last one!)

Overall: 10/10
Kaboom! is, to this day, one of the all-time greatest Atari games that was ever made.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/29/03, Updated 05/29/03