Pong: The Next Level

"A trip down nostalgia lane."

I'm one of those people who can easily become addicted to the simplest game. Heck, I find myself spending hours on Araknoid. For me, it's a non-dangerous addiction!

While not all share this trait, chances are that Pong: The Next Level for Playstation will satisfy most. At only $7.99, it's hard to come up with complaints about this game.

Remember when the original Pong was release? People would spend hours batting a while ball back and forth with while paddles across a black screen. Score was kept via pencil-and-paper, and you would place little clear sheets over the TV screen to change the playing field from soccer to basketball or whatever.

No? You don't remember that? Well, heck, neither do I. The point I'm trying to get at is, look at how far we've come! Pong The Next Level is the perfect demonstration of this all-inclusive statement. This game takes the basic principle of Pong (ball and paddle) and improves on it to bring you a neo-classic style of gameplay.

You'll play on soccer fields where you simultaneously control two paddles. You'll play in the snow, where regular blizzards affect ball movement. You'll play at the beach, in a forest, in a factory...you name it. There's even some games where your paddle is the only one, and you must hit incoming balls into correct-colored compartments.

PLAY-BY-PLAY

Graphics - 9
Astounding graphics for Pong. It's great 3D! Although it's not Playstation 2 level, it's much better than you may expect. Camera angles will actually move slightly as you play levels, and zoom-in-and-out scenes can't be missed.

Controls - 5
Yeah, unfortunately, the controls in this game are not up to what they could be. They're average, and they could be better. Often, you'll find yourself missing the ball several times and blaming it on your controller. Do you know what could have solved all these problems? Hasbro should have added an option to change the speed at which your paddle moves when you move it.

Music - 7
The music is upbeat and very appropriate for this game. I myself didn't need to turn the controls down, even in the face of extreme repetitiveness associated with losing several times. The music gets faster and faster as you go along, adding much excitement to the game.

Bottom line? Rent it. If you have an addictive personality like me, you'll run to the nearest Software Etc. and pick up a copy for yourself. If not, enjoy this game for what it is: a fun walk down nostalgia lane.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/06/01, Updated 01/06/01